Sen. Chuck Schumer plans to introduce a bill to classify the Pride flag as a congressionally authorized emblem, which would grant it protections similar to the U.S. and military flags. The measure responds to the temporary removal of a Pride flag from the Stonewall National Monument earlier this month; the flag has since been restored. Schumer says the legislation would bar future removals at federal sites and preserve each national park’s ability to choose which flags fly.
Schumer Pushes Bill To Give Pride Flag Equal Federal Status With U.S. And Military Flags
Schumer pushes bill to give Pride flag same status as US, military flags
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) announced plans to introduce legislation that would designate the Pride flag as a congressionally authorized emblem, giving it the same statutory protections afforded to the U.S. flag, military banners, POW/MIA flags and other flags formally recognized by Congress.
The proposal follows the temporary removal earlier this month of a Pride flag from the national monument outside the Stonewall Inn. That site commemorates the 1960s clashes between police and bar patrons that are widely regarded as the founding moment of the modern gay rights movement.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., plans to introduce legislation that would congressionally authorize Pride flags, giving the symbol of the LGBTQ community the same legal protection as the U.S. flag.(Getty Images)
"Stonewall is sacred ground and Congress must act now to permanently protect the Pride flag and what it stands for," Schumer said. "Trump’s hateful crusade must end."
The Pride flag has since been restored to the pole outside the Stonewall Inn. Schumer says his bill would prevent similar removals at federally managed sites by explicitly authorizing the flag in statute.
Officials say the flag was removed after an internal memo from the Department of the Interior directed national parks to take down "non-agency" flags displayed on park property. The guidance—signed in late January by National Park Service Acting Director Jessica Bowron—allowed specific exceptions for historical flags, military banners and flags of federally recognized tribal nations.
President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media on the South Lawn of the White House before boarding Marine One in Washington, Feb. 13, 2026.
The Stonewall National Monument, designated by President Barack Obama in 2016, is administered by the National Park Service. While President Donald Trump has not named the Pride flag specifically, he signed an executive order tightening rules on which flags may be displayed on federal property, emphasizing that the U.S. flag should be the primary banner flown.
Schumer framed the bill as protecting "liberty and justice for all" and preserving each national park’s ability to decide which flags to fly. The legislation’s prospects in a divided Congress remain uncertain, but the move has drawn attention to how federal guidance shapes symbolic displays at historic sites.
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