By law, Congress has established 11 permanent Federal holidays. Each Federal holiday emphasizes a particular aspect of the American heritage that molded the United States as a people and a nation. Although these patriotic celebrations are frequently referred to as "national holidays," legally they are only applicable to Federal employees and the District of Columbia. Neither Congress nor the President has asserted the authority to declare a "national holiday" that would be binding on the 50 states. Each state individually decides what its legal holidays will be. This is an example of federalism in action.

A.Bill solves the mystery of the Federal Holidays!

A. Bill has used his research sleuthing skills to learn a lot about Federal Holidays! Using the clues that he uncovered, A. Bill went to the Library to learn more about the history of and meaning of ALL the Federal Holidays, and even found the text of each act that was passed when new holidays were created.

The first Federal holidays established by Congress were "the 1st day of January, the 25th day of December, the 4th day of July and Thanksgiving Day holidays. . . ." The bill that achieved this action was introduced in the House by Representative Burton Chauncey Cook from Illinois, and assigned the number H.R. 2224 by the Clerk of the House. The bill was assigned to the Committee for the District of Columbia because it fell under that committee's jurisdiction.

In the Committee for the District of Columbia, the bill was read a second time. Next, the bill was ordered engrossed and was read a third time. After that, the Committee ordered the bill reported and it was sent to the House floor for debate, amended, and then passed by the House. After the bill passed the House, it was sent to the Senate. On June 24, 1870, the Speaker of the House announced that the bill had passed in the Senate.

Once both houses agreed how the bill should be worded, it was forwarded to President Ulysses S. Grant. The President signed the act into law on June 28, 1870. You can read more about how a bill becomes a law in How Laws Are Made.

There are many other laws related to the adoption of Federal holidays. You can research them by subject, date, or public law number in the Library of Congress' American Memory Collection.



This table provides the date the law was enacted, the name of the Federal Holiday, and the law or statute number.