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WOLF INTRODUCES BILL TO MAKE FEBRUARY 22 THE OFFICIAL
FEDERAL HOLIDAY OF GEORGE WASHINGTON’S BIRTHDAY

Washington, D.C. - Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA) today introduced legislation to reestablish the official federal holiday commemorating George Washington’s Birthday on the actual day of his birth on February 22.  Under the Uniform National Holiday Act, the Washington’s Birthday federal holiday was moved in 1971 to the third Monday in February.

Wolf said he is concerned that Washington’s Birthday has evolved into being called "Presidents Day" and the celebration of President Washington’s unparalleled role in America’s history has been lost. His legislation aims to make Washington’s legacy the singular focus of an existing federal holiday.

"President Washington exemplifies the best that America and Americans have to offer the world," said Wolf. "Today, however, his birthday has become simply a time for many to celebrate a three-day weekend. We need to change the focus from celebrating sales at the mall to celebrating the significance of Washington’s birth to the birth of our nation."

Wolf said Washington’s Birthday has been celebrated since the final days of the Revolutionary War.  French and American troops paraded through Newport, Rhode Island, in 1781 and celebrations were held in Richmond, Virginia, in 1782.  Organized by French General Rochambeau and others who knew him personally, these celebrations drew special attention to the bravery, courage, leadership and perseverance of the hero of the Revolution.

President Rutherford B. Hayes signed legislation in 1879 that made Washington’s Birthday a holiday for District federal workers.  The holiday was extended to all federal workers in 1885.

"Washington’s Birthday should be officially celebrated on February 22 and be a day set aside in reverence to a man known as the father of our country," said Wolf.  "Only then can we once again focus on his unique contributions to our country."

Wolf’s legislation is supported by George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate and its executive Director James Rees which stated in a letter endorsing Wolf’s bill:

"Today many states, the media, advertisers and the general public have abandoned recognition of Washington’s Birthday and replaced it with a commercial ‘shopping holiday’ that leaves American history and patriotism by the side of the road. The holiday was far more meaningful when it revolved around George Washington, and schools were able to focus on his sterling example of character and leadership. We look forward to the day, when once again, February 22 is marked by patriotic festivities and lessons about the life of George Washington, which can teach and inspire American leaders of today and tomorrow."

Wolf’s statement upon introduction of the legislation is available below.

Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing legislation to reestablish the legal public holiday for Washington’s Birthday from the third Monday of February to the actual date of George Washington’s birth on February 22.

I have long admired President Washington and have found inspiration in public service from studying his life.  Unfortunately I have found that students today have a dearth of knowledge about our nation’s beginnings and the man from Virginia who led the colonies to form the union known as the United States of America.  

Two-time Pulitzer Prize winning history author David McCullough recently observed, "We’re raising young people who are, by and large, historically illiterate."  The 2010 National Assessment of Educational Progress, or Nation’s Report Card, in U.S. history underscores that concern.  Students in grades 4, 8, and 12 participated in the assessment.  At each grade, students responded to questions designed to measure their knowledge of American history in the contexts of democracy, culture, technological and economic changes, and America's changing world role. The levels - Basic, Proficient and Advanced - measure what students should know and be able to do at each grade assessed.  At all grade levels, less than one-quarter of students performed at or above the Proficient level in 2010.   Only 20 percent of fourth-graders, 17 percent of eighth-graders, and 12 percent of twelfth-graders performed at or above the Proficient level on the 2010 U.S. history assessment.

I believe Congress has unwittingly contributed to this lack of historical understanding by relegating Washington’s Birthday to the third Monday of February to take advantage of a three-day weekend.   We need to change the focus from celebrating sales at the mall to celebrating the significance of President Washington’s birth to the birth of our nation.  

There is a reason the birthday of President George Washington is the only legal federal holiday observed for a president of the United States.  He is called the "father of our country" because he is without compare in our nation’s history.  We need to reestablish Washington’s Birthday on the actual date of his birth to honor his legacy and in doing so call upon schools across the nation to focus on Washington as the soldier, legislator, and president who shepherded our young nation through war, political turmoil, rebellion and expansion as no other single individual was capable of doing.   

Washington’s Birthday has been celebrated since the final days of the Revolutionary War.  French and American troops paraded through Newport, Rhode Island, in 1781 and celebrations were held in Richmond, Virginia, in 1782.  Organized by French General Rochambeau and others who knew him personally, these celebrations drew special attention to the bravery, courage, leadership and perseverance of the Revolutionary War hero.

From the beginning of our country, the importance of this day has been recognized. As President James Buchanan said in 1860, "...when the birthday of Washington shall be forgotten, liberty will have perished from the earth."  In response, President Rutherford B. Hayes signed legislation in 1879 that made Washington’s Birthday a holiday for District federal workers.  The holiday was extended to all federal workers in 1885.      

This legislation I introduce today is not without precedent.  In 1975, Congress amended the Uniform Monday Holiday Act and President Gerald R. Ford signed legislation into law returning the annual observance of Veterans Day from the fourth Monday in November to its original date of November 11, beginning in 1978.  

The Uniform Holiday Bill signed in 1968 and effective in 1971 was intended to ensure three-day weekends for federal employees by celebrating four national holidays on Mondays: Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and Columbus Day.  Originally called Armistice Day to mark the signing of an Armistice on the 11th hour, of the 11th day, of the 11th month in 1918 that ended World War I, the date of November 11 holds historic and patriotic significance as a day of thanks and remembrance for all veterans.  The law change brought widespread public protest and 46 states refused to recognize any day other than November 11 to honor the sacrifice made first by World War I veterans and subsequently by all veterans.  
The restoration of the observance of Veterans Day to November 11 not only preserves the historical significance of the date, but helps focus attention on the important purpose of Veterans Day as a celebration to honor America's veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good.  

Likewise, we need to restore the observance of Washington’s Birthday to February 22 to preserve the date of his birth for history and to focus attention on his life of service and duty to his country.  Even George Washington’s home state of Virginia, where he was born and raised, which he served in elected office, where he accepted General Cornwallis’ surrender, and where he is buried, celebrates Washington’s Birthday in accordance with the Uniform Monday Holiday Act.  I believe all school children in every state should dedicate February 22 each year to learning about our greatest leader, foremost patriot, first president and the only six-star general in the nation’s history.  

George Washington began his career in public service in the Virginia militia, eventually promoted to Colonel in command of the Virginia Regiment.  He served as a voluntary aide-de-camp to British General Edward Braddock as part of the ill-fated Monongahela expedition before resigning his commission in 1759 and returning to Mount Vernon.     

His military career earned him a seat in the Virginia House of Burgesses representing Frederick County, Virginia.  The 10th Congressional District, which I currently represent, includes the City of Winchester, where the building that housed his office still stands.  In 1774, Washington was a natural selection to be one of Virginia’s representatives at the First Continental Congress.  During the Second Continental Congress in 1775, he was unanimously chosen to lead the Continental Army and subsequently led a team of young officers through eight years of war against the most powerful military in the world.  Perhaps Washington’s greatest accomplishment during the Revolutionary War was building a professional army and keeping it together during long stretches of inactivity.  

After the peace treaty was signed in Paris in 1783, Washington set perhaps one of the most important precedents in our history.  When he resigned his commission in the Continental Army, Washington made it clear that the military was subordinate to the civil government.  Washington had gone to great lengths to observe this subordination during the war years, and made sure that this act solidified its importance.  Desiring simply to retire in peace to Mount Vernon, Washington voluntarily handed over the reins of power to the elected legislature.  

But despite his desire to stay a private citizen, he left Mount Vernon in 1787 to serve as the president of the Constitutional Convention because he felt that his country needed him.  The power of his presence was perhaps the single most important factor in bridging the divide between the disparate interests of the newly created states.  Through eight years of war and the voluntary relinquishment of power, the American people and his peers trusted Washington, noting that if he supported the new Constitution, it was worthy of adoption.  This trust overcame the objections of many who continued to have problems with the document until passage of the Bill of Rights.   

After the Constitutional Convention adjourned, Washington again made plans to permanently leave public life.  But as he closely monitored the ratification process at Mount Vernon between 1787 and 1788, Washington became resigned to the fact that he was the only person that could hold the new union together. Washington moved to New York to take the position of chief executive after he received word that he had been unanimously by the Electoral College.  To this day, Washington is the only president to be elected unanimously, first in 1789 and again in 1792.  

Perhaps most importantly, Washington set the precedent of presidents serving a maximum of two terms.  This precedent was followed by the following 31 presidents, until Franklin Roosevelt won a third term in 1940 and a fourth term in 1944.  It is important to understand that historically, most victorious revolutionary generals grabbed as much power as possible and served as long as they possibly could.  Washington, whose devotion to serving his country was only outdone by his love of his family, broke with this dubious tradition and began 219 years of peaceful transitions of power.  

President Washington exemplifies the best that America and Americans have to offer the world;   principled leadership, personal bravery, a sense of duty and public service, patriotism, recognition of our unique role in world history, and a reverence for his Creator.   His enduring service deserves to be remembered on his actual birthday.   

This legislation is supported by George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate and its executive director James Rees.  A copy of his letter appears below.

Mr. Speaker, it is only right that we hold February 22 as a date of reverence to commemorate the unique person without whom the tide of American history may well have taken a different turn.  I urge my colleagues to join in cosponsoring this legislation to forever honor President George Washington’s Birthday.