in effect
This is a presidential proclamation issued May 22, 2026, designating Memorial Day (May 25, 2026) as a national day of prayer for permanent peace. It is a ceremonial action issued annually under a 1950 congressional resolution (36 U.S.C. 116) that requires the President to issue such a proclamation each year.
The proclamation formally designates 11:00 a.m. local time on May 25, 2026, as the hour for Americans to unite in prayer, and reaffirms 3:00 p.m. local time as the National Moment of Remembrance (established by Public Law 106-579). It directs that U.S. flags be flown at half-staff until noon on all federal buildings, grounds, and naval vessels on that day. It requests that state governors and local government officials issue the same half-staff directive within their jurisdictions. Citizens are also asked to fly flags at half-staff from their homes during the customary morning period. The proclamation specifically acknowledges 13 U.S. service members killed in an operation called “Operation Epic Fury.”
Federal agencies and military installations are required to follow the half-staff flag order; state and local governments are requested but not legally compelled to do the same. All Americans are invited to observe the 11:00 a.m. prayer period and the 3:00 p.m. National Moment of Remembrance, though neither carries a legal mandate for private citizens.