Good Friday Act of 2026

Plain-English Summary

This bill would change federal law to require the American flag to be flown at half-staff on specific days each year — specifically, the first Friday and Saturday after the full moon that follows the spring equinox (which falls around March 20th each year). In practical terms, this means the flag would be lowered to half-staff on those two days annually, with the exact dates shifting from year to year depending on when the full moon occurs after the start of spring.

Currently, federal law gives the President and, in some cases, state governors the authority to order flags flown at half-staff to honor occasions such as the death of government officials or national tragedies. This bill would create a new, automatically recurring half-staff observance built directly into federal law, meaning it would happen every year without requiring a separate presidential proclamation. The bill does not specify in its title what event or purpose this observance is meant to commemorate.

This would affect any person, organization, or government entity that is required by federal law to display the American flag, including federal buildings, military installations, and national landmarks. The bill has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee, which is the typical first step in the legislative process. It has not yet been debated, amended, or voted on, so it remains in early stages and has not become law.