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A.Bill has discovered a lot about Federal Holiday legislation by exploring
the Constitution, the House Journal, and the Congressional record
of Floor debates. After doing research on the Internet and at
the Library, A.Bill has been able to find the text of all the
acts passed by Congress that pertain to Federal Holidays.
How can A.Bill find information that is not on the Internet?
The Internet helps us with our research in a lot of ways, but
some information cannot be found in electronic form. Some
resources for further research include the Office of the
Clerk's Legislative Activities resources, the
Legislative Resource Center, the
National Archives and Records Administration, the
Government Printing Office, and your local school, public
and Federal Depository libraries.
The text of the bills related to the creation of Federal holidays
appears below.
June 28, 1870
An Act making the first Day of January, the twenty-fifth Day of
December, the fourth Day of July, and Thanksgiving Day, Holidays,
within the District of Columbia.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the
following days, to wit: The first day of January, commonly called
New Year's day, the fourth day of July, the twenty-fifth day of December,
commonly called Christmas day, and any day appointed or recommended
by the President of the United States as a day of public fast or
thanksgiving, shall be holidays within the District of Columbia,
and shall, for all purposes of presenting for payment or acceptance
of the maturity and protest, and giving notice of the dishonor of
bills of exchange, bank checks and promissory notes or other negotiable
or commercial paper, be treated and considered as is the first day
of the week, commonly called Sunday, and all notes, drafts, checks,
or other commercial or negotiable paper falling due or maturing on
either of said holidays shall be deemed as having matured on the day
previous.
APPROVED, June 28, 1870
Jan 31. 1879
An act to amend section nine hundred and ninety-three of the
Revised Statutes of the United States for the District of Columbia,
so as to make the twenty-second day of February a holiday within said District.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled, That section nine
hundred and ninety-three of the Revised Statutes of the United States
relating to the District of Columbia be, and the same hereby is,
amended by adding to the days therein declared to be holidays within the
District the twenty-second day of February; and such day shall be a holiday
for all the purposes mentioned in said section: Provided,
That this act shall not apply to the twenty-second day of February,
eighteen hundred and seventy-nine.
APPROVED, January 31, 1879.
August 1, 1888
An act making May thirtieth a holiday in the District of Columbia.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled, That the thirtieth
day of May in each year, usually called "Decoration Day,"
shall be, and hereby is, made a holiday within the District of Columbia
as fully in all respects as are the days mentioned as holidays in section nine
hundred and ninety-three of the Revised Statutes of the District of Columbia.
APPROVED, August 1, 1888.
June 28, 1894
An Act Making Labor Day a legal holiday.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled, That the first
Monday of September in each year, being the day celebrated and known
as Labor's Holiday, is hereby made a legal public holiday, to all
intents and purposes, in the same manner as Christmas, the first day
of January, the twenty-second day of February, the thirtieth day of
May, and the fourth day of July are now made by law public holidays.
APPROVED, June 28, 1894.
May 13, 1938
AN ACT
Making the 11th day of November in each year a legal holiday.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,That the 11th day
of November in each year, a day to be dedicated to the cause of
world peace and to be hereafter celebrated and known as Armistice Day,
is hereby made a legal public holiday to all intents and purposes and
in the same manner as the 1st day of January, the 22nd day of February,
the 30th day of May, the 4th day of July, the first Monday of September,
and Christmas Day are now made by law public holidays.
APPROVED, May 13, 1938.
December 26, 1941
JOINT RESOLUTION
Making the fourth Thursday in November a legal holiday.
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled, That the fourth
Thursday of November in each year after the year 1941 be known
as Thanksgiving Day, and is hereby made a legal public holiday
to all intents and purposes and in the same manner as the 1st
day of January, the 22nd day of February, the 30th day of May,
the 4th day of July, the first Monday of September, the 11th day
of November, and Christmas Day are now made by law public holidays.
APPROVED, December 26, 1941.
June 1, 1954
AN ACT
To honor veterans on the 11th day of November of each year,
a day dedicated to world peace.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives
of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
That the Act entitled "An Act making the 11th day of November
in each year a legal holiday," approved May 13, 1938
(52 Stat. 351; 5 U.S.C., sec. 87a), is hereby amended by striking
out the word "Armistice" and inserting in lieu thereof
the word "Veterans."
APPROVED, June 1, 1954.
January 11, 1957
JOINT RESOLUTION
Making Inauguration Day a legal holiday in the metropolitan
area of the District of Columbia, and for other purposes.
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled, That the 20th
day of January 1957 and the 20th day of January in every fourth
year thereafter, known as Inauguration Day, is hereby made a legal
holiday in the metropolitan area of the District of Columbia for
the purpose of all statutes relating to the compensation and leave
of employees of the United States, including the legislative and
judicial branches, and of the District of Columbia, employed in
such area: Provided, however, That whenever the 20th day of January
in any such year shall fall on a Sunday, the next succeeding day
selected for the public observance of the inauguration of the
President of the United States shall be considered a legal holiday
as provided by this joint resolution.
SEC. 2. For the purposes of this joint resolution, the term
"metropolitan area of the District of Columbia"
shall include, in addition to the District of Columbia, Montgomery
and Prince Georges Counties, Maryland; Arlington and Fairfax Counties,
Virginia, and the cities of Alexandria and Falls Church, Virginia.
APPROVED, January 11, 1957.
November 2, 1983
PUBLIC HOLIDAY - BIRTHDAY OF MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.
An act to amend title 5, United States Code, to make the birthday of Martin
Luther King, Jr., a legal public holiday.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,That section 6103(a)
of title 5, United States Code, is amended by inserting immediately below
the item relating to New Year's Day the following:
"Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., the third Monday in January."
SEC.2. The amendment made by the first section of this Act shall take
effect on the first January 1 that occurs after the two-year period
following the date of the enactment of this Act.
APPROVED, November 2, 1983.
Onto the
SOLUTION . . .
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