Congressional Recognition of Commemorative Days, Weeks, and Months: Background and Current Practice

Congressional Recognition of Commemorative Days, Weeks, and Months: Background and Current Practice

Congressional Recognition of Commemorative May 13, 2024
Days, Weeks, and Months: Background and
Jacob R. Straus
Current Practice
Specialist on the Congress

In each Congress, Members typically introduce hundreds of legislative measures to recognize,
support, honor, or acknowledge certain days, weeks, and months. Some scholars have observed

that commemorative legislation may have wide appeal and also provides an opportunity to
connect directly with constituents, which can help fulfill representational responsibilities to Members’ districts or states.
Often used to commemorate an individual, group, or event, these measures can be divided into three categories: (1) federal
holidays; (2) patriotic and national observances; and (3) recognition of a specific day, week, or month that otherwise
commemorates an individual, group, or event. Creating either a federal holiday or a patriotic or national observance requires
the passage of a law, but action to recognize, support, honor, or acknowledge a specified day, week, or month generally
requires only a simple resolution agreed to by the House or Senate, or a concurrent resolution agreed to by both chambers.
Though it is historically common for Congress to recognize a day, week, or month, this practice has become rarer in the
House since the adoption of House Rule XII, clause 5, in the 104th Congress (1995-1996). Since that time, the number of
commemorative resolutions introduced and considered in the House has fluctuated. After House adoption of the rule there
was also a shift in the type of legislative vehicle used to commemorate a time period from lawmaking vehicles in the 102nd
and 103rd Congresses, to simple resolutions in the 104th-117th Congresses. The switch from lawmaking vehicles to resolutions
has allowed the Senate to independently recognize time periods without the House’s concurrence (or the need for the
President to sign a bill or joint resolution into law). This rule, however, does not apply to the Senate, where no prohibition
exists for the introduction or consideration of date-specific commemorative legislation.
Using research conducted in partnership with a Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University
capstone class over the 2022-2023 academic year, this report presents an analysis of the introduction and consideration of
date-specific commemorative legislation that recognizes a specified time period and discusses options for Congress. The
research shows that following the adoption of House Rule XII, clause 5, there was initially a reduction in the number of
introduced and considered date-specific measures.
First, the report summarizes the different types of commemorative time periods—federal holidays, patriotic and national
observances, and other date-specific commemorations. Second, it discusses the current rules in the House and Senate that
govern this type of legislation. Finally, the report discusses options for Congress, including introducing legislation in the
House and Senate, and congressional requests for presidential proclamations.

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Contents
Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 1
Date-Specific Commemorative Time Periods ................................................................................. 1
Permanent Commemorations .................................................................................................... 2
Federal Holidays ................................................................................................................. 2
Patriotic and National Observances .................................................................................... 2
Temporary Observances ............................................................................................................ 2
Date-Specific Commemorative Legislation .................................................................................... 3
Collective Memory .................................................................................................................... 3
Constituent Connections ........................................................................................................... 4
Congressional Rules on Commemorative Legislation .................................................................... 4
House of Representatives .......................................................................................................... 4
House Rule XII, Clause 5 ................................................................................................... 5
Committee Rules ................................................................................................................. 7
Past Waivers of Rule XII .................................................................................................... 7
Senate ........................................................................................................................................ 8
Data on Commemorative Legislation .............................................................................................. 8
Options for Congress ..................................................................................................................... 15
House of Representatives ........................................................................................................ 15
Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 15
Consideration .................................................................................................................... 16
Senate ...................................................................................................................................... 18
Concluding Observations .............................................................................................................. 19

Figures
Figure 1. Types of Legislation Used to Propose Commemorative Periods ..................................... 9
Figure 2. Number of Measures Introduced to Commemorate a Time Period ................................ 11
Figure 3. Disposition of Date-Specific Commemorative Legislation ........................................... 13

Tables

Table A-1. Title 36 Patriotic and National Observances................................................................ 21

Appendixes
Appendix. Patriotic and National Observances ............................................................................. 21

Contacts
Author Information ........................................................................................................................ 23
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Congressional Recognition of Commemorative Days, Weeks, and Months

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Congressional Recognition of Commemorative Days, Weeks, and Months

Introduction
Each Congress, Representatives and Senators typically introduce hundreds of measures to
recognize, support, honor, or acknowledge individuals, groups, and events with a national day,
week, or month. Some scholars have suggested that these measures—broadly referred to as date-
specific commemorative legislation—arguably have “universal appeal with patriotism, altruism,
and other worthy concerns ... [as] the motivation behind the legislation.”1 Introducing date-
specific commemorative measures is one way that Members of Congress can fulfill their
representational responsibilities and connect with their constituents.2 Date-specific
commemorative measures can be divided into two broad categories: permanent observances,
which include federal holidays and patriotic and national observances; and temporary
observances, which recognize a specific date (e.g., day, week, month, or year) to commemorate a
specified individual, group, or event.
Federal holidays, often referred to as “national holidays,” are created by law and legally apply
only to the federal government and the District of Columbia. Most federal government offices are
closed on federal holidays. Many states also acknowledge and participate in the observances.3
Patriotic and national observances are codified at 36 U.S.C. §§101-148 and do not provide
specific time off for federal employees or the District of Columbia. There are 48 patriotic or
national observances. These include days for
• individuals (e.g., Wright Brothers, Leif Erikson, and Stephen Foster);
• groups (e.g., Mother’s Day, Peace Officers, and National Atomic Veterans Day);
• events (e.g., Patriot Day [9/11] and Korean War Veterans Armistice Day); and
• other recognitions (e.g., Flag Day, Poison Prevention Week, and Heart Month).
New patriotic and national observances can only be created by enacting a law.
Temporary observances offer a one-time recognition of a special day, week, month, or year. Most
often, these are introduced as a simple resolution (H.Res. or S.Res.) or a concurrent resolution
(H.Con.Res. or S.Con.Res.).
This report provides information on temporary observances recognized though date-specific
commemorative legislation and discusses options for Congress. First, the report summarizes the
different types of commemorative time periods—federal holidays, patriotic and national
observances, and temporary commemorations. Second, it discusses the current rules in the House
and Senate that govern date-specific commemorative legislation. Finally, the report discusses
options for Congress, including the introduction of legislation in the House and Senate, and
congressional requests for presidential proclamations.
Date-Specific Commemorative Time Periods
Permanent commemorative time periods are authorized by law to commemorate groups,
individuals, and events. These permanent commemorations can be divided into two broad

1 Lawrence C. Dodd and Scot Schraufnagel, “Re-Thinking Legislative Productivity: Commemorative Legislation and
Policy Gridlock,” Congress & The Presidency, vol. 36, no. 2 (2009), p. 133.
2 Roger H. Davidson, Walter J. Oleszek, Frances E. Lee, and Eric Schickler, Congress and Its Members, 15th edition
(Washington: CQ Press, 2016), p. 456.
3 For more information, see CRS Report R41990, Federal Holidays: Evolution and Current Practices, by Jacob R.
Straus.
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categories: federal holidays, and patriotic and national observances. Nonpermanent recognitions
of commemorative days, weeks, and months may be authorized through the use of simple or
concurrent resolutions.
Permanent Commemorations
Congress has created two types of permanent commemorations: federal holidays, and patriotic
and national observances.
Federal Holidays
The United States has 12 permanent federal holidays.4 They are, in the order they appear in the
calendar: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday, Inauguration Day (every four years,
following a presidential election), George Washington’s Birthday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth
National Independence Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day,
Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.5 Although frequently called public or national holidays,
these celebrations are only legally applicable to the federal government and the District of
Columbia, as the states individually decide their own legal holidays.
A law is required to create a new federal holiday. Most recently, P.L. 117-17 created Juneteenth
National Independence Day (June 19) as a federal holiday.6
Patriotic and National Observances
Since 1914, Congress has authorized 47 patriotic and national observances. Codified in Title 36,
U.S. Code, these patriotic and national observances include days for individuals,7 groups,8
events,9 and other commemorations.10
New patriotic and national observances can only be created by law. In recent years, for example,
Congress permanently recognized October 1 as Choose Respect Day to encourage
“proclamations, activities, and educational efforts in furtherance of changing the culture around
the tolerance of violence against women.”11 For a complete list of patriotic and national
observances, see the Appendix.
Temporary Observances
In addition to statutory federal holidays and patriotic and national observances, Congress has
historically considered legislation that temporarily recognizes, supports, honors, or acknowledges

4 For more information on federal holidays, see CRS Report R41990, Federal Holidays: Evolution and Current
Practices, by Jacob R. Straus.
5 5 U.S.C. §6103(a).
6 P.L. 117-17, 135 Stat. 287 (2021). For more information on Juneteenth, see CRS Insight IN11697, Juneteenth
National Independence Day: A New Federal Holiday, by Jacob R. Straus.
7 Patriotic and national observances that celebrate individuals include, for example, the Wright Brothers (§143), Leif
Erikson (§114), and Stephen Foster (§140).
8 Observances that celebrate groups include, for example, Mother’s Day (§117) and Peace Officers (§136).
9 Observances that celebrate events include, for example, Patriot Day (9/11) (§144), Korean War Veterans Armistice
Day (§127), and the signing of the Constitution (§106 and §108).
10 Observances that celebrate items include, for example, Flag Day (§110), Poison Prevention Week (§130), and Heart
Month (§101).
11 36 U.S.C. §147.
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certain days, weeks, and months. For example, in the 116th Congress, the Senate agreed to a
resolution “designating the week of May 12 through May 18, 2019, as ‘National Police Week.’”12
Usually introduced as a simple resolution (H.Res. or S.Res.) or a concurrent resolution
(H.Con.Res. or S.Con.Res.), these commemorative measures provide recognition by one
congressional chamber (simple resolutions) or both the House and the Senate (concurrent
resolutions) of individuals, groups, and events for a specific time period in a specified year
without creating a new federal holiday or permanent patriotic and national observance.13
Date-Specific Commemorative Legislation
Each Congress, Members typically introduce hundreds of commemorative bills and resolutions.
Measures that seek to recognize a specified time period are one subset of commemorative
legislation. Since the 102nd Congress, Representatives and Senators have introduced more than
9,300 date-specific commemorative measures. On average, 586 measures have been introduced in
each Congress, with a high of 1,114 in the 111th Congress (2009-2010) and a low of 85 in the
104th Congress (1995-1996).14
Commemorative measures represent the pluralistic society envisioned in the Federalist Papers.15
By recognizing and memorializing important historical figures, groups, and events, date-specific
commemorative measures can be used to help establish collective memory and for Members to
connect with constituents and fulfill representational responsibilities.
Collective Memory
Commemorative legislation, including date-specific measures, can play a significant role in
establishing a national collective memory. Collective memory, or shared experiences, allows
groups to develop a common narrative and a sense of community.16 As the national policymaking
body, Congress is in a unique position to influence public sentiment. Historically, Congress has
used commemorations to create commonalities and help “frame importance … through the
recognition and potential endorsement” of individual events and celebrations.17

12 S.Res. 209 (116th Congress), agreed to May 14, 2019.
13 Simple resolutions can only be considered in the chamber in which they were introduced. Therefore, the Senate
cannot act on a House resolution (H.Res.) and the House cannot act on a Senate resolution (S.Res.). Neither simple nor
concurrent resolutions are presented to the President for potential enactment.
14 For more information about the methodology used in this report, please see the “Data on Commemorative
Legislation” section below.
15 Library of Congress, Federalist Papers: Primary Documents in American History, at https://guides.loc.gov/
federalist-papers/full-text.
16 Zehng Wang, Memory Politics, Identity and Conflict: Historical Memory as a Variable (New York: Palgrave
Macmillan 2018), pp. 11-25.
17 Jacob R. Straus and Jared C. Nagel, “Winning by Association: How Congress Uses Sports Commemorations,” in
Congress and the Politics of Sports: Homefield Advantage, Colton Campbell and David Dulio, eds, pp. 39-60 (New
York: Routledge, 2023), p. 44; and James V. Wertsch, “Collective Memory,” in Memory in Mind and Culture, Pascal
Boyer and James V. Wertsch, eds., (New York: Cambridge Press, 2009), p. 120.
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Commemorations, including the recognition of commemorative time periods,18 have been used as
mechanisms to create a national experience and recognize cultural significances.19
Constituent Connections
Introducing commemorative legislation measures can signal shared values between Members of
Congress and their constituents and help Members fulfill representational responsibilities. Date-
specific commemorative legislation has become an important part of overall congressional
commemorations. Members can use date-specific commemorative legislation to build and
reinforce constituent connections by recognizing and celebrating constituent groups, causes, and
issues important to the Member and to constituents.
Political scientist David Mayhew posited that Members work to ensure their reelection through
their actions in Congress, including the representation of their constituents.20 Consequently,
Members may have incentives to introduce bills that signal the consideration of constituent
interests and preferences. Date-specific commemorative legislation that recognizes events and
milestones important to a district, state, or constituency is one such mechanism by which
Members of Congress can try to represent those interests.21
Congressional Rules on Commemorative
Legislation
The House of Representatives and the Senate have different rules for the introduction and
consideration of date-specific commemorative legislation. In the House, a chamber rule bans the
introduction and consideration of date-specific commemorative legislation. In the Senate, no
specific chamber rules exist on either the introduction or consideration of commemorative
measures.
House of Representatives
In the 104th Congress (1995-1996), the House first adopted a rule to reduce the number of
commemorative bills and resolutions introduced and considered by the chamber.22 House Rule
XII, clause 5, prohibits the introduction and consideration of date-specific commemorative

18 Other types of commemorations include stamps, memorials, and coins. For more information, see CRS Report
R43539, Commemorations in Congress: Options for Honoring Individuals, Groups, and Events, by Jacob R. Straus et
al.
19 For example, see Barbara A. Biesecker, “Remembering World War II: The Rhetoric and Politics of National
Commemoration at the turn of the 21st Century,” Quarterly Journal of Speech, vol. 88, no. 4, (June 2002), pp. 393-409;
and Hiro Saito, “From Collective Memory to Commemoration,” Singapore Management University (2008), pp. 629-
638.
20 David R. Mayhew, Congress: The Electoral Connection, Yale University Press (New Haven, CT: 1974), pp. 18-27;
and John R. Wright, “Contributions, Lobbying, and Committee Voting in the U.S. House of Representatives,”
American Political Science Review, 84, no. 2 (1990), pp. 417-38. See also Kenneth Collier and Michael Munger, “A
Comparison of Incumbent Security in the House and Senate,” Public Choice, vol. 78, no. 2 (1994), pp. 145-54.
21 Austin Bussing. “Majority Party Strategy and Suspension of the Rules in the House,” Legislative Studies Quarterly,
vol. 46, no. 4 (2021), pp. 921-959; Alexander Hertel-Fernandez, Matto Mildenberger, and Leah C. Stokes, “Legislative
Staff and Representation in Congress,” American Political Science Review, vol. 113, no. 1 (2019), pp. 1-18.
22 For more information on the history of commemorative legislation, see CRS Report R43539, Commemorations in
Congress: Options for Honoring Individuals, Groups, and Events, by Jacob R. Straus et al.
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legislation.23 In addition, the House majority party has rules and protocols to guide the House
majority leader,24 and some House committees have adopted policies to govern the consideration
of date-specific commemorative legislation.
House Rule XII, Clause 5
As part of the rules adopted by the 104th Congress,25 House Rule XII was amended to preclude
the introduction or consideration of any bill, resolution, or amendment that “establishes or
expresses any commemoration.” The provision, which the rule continues to include, defines a
commemoration as any “remembrance, celebration, or recognition for any purpose through the
designation of a specified period of time.” Further, in the House Rules Committee’s section-by-
section analysis of the House rules resolution (H.Res. 6, 104th Congress), the following
explanation was provided on the rule’s intent:
The new ban on date-specific commemorative measures or amendments applies to both the
introduction and consideration of any measure containing such a commemorative. This is
intended to include measures in which such a commemorative may only be incidental to
the overall purpose of the measure. Such measures will be returned to the sponsor if they
are dropped in the legislative hopper. The prohibition against consideration also extends to
any measures received from the Senate which contain date-specific commemorative [sic].
While it does not block their receipt from the other body, it is intended that such measures
would not be referred to the appropriate committee of the House or be considered by the
House. Instead, they would simply be held at the desk without further action. Should such
a commemorative be included in a conference report or Senate amendment to a House bill,
the entire conference report or Senate amendment would be subject to a point of order.
While the ban does not apply to commemorative [sic] which do not set aside a specified
period of time, and instead simply call for some form of national recognition, it is not the
intent of the rule that such alternative forms should become a new outlet for the
consideration of such measures. Thus, while they could be referred to an appropriate
committee, it is not expected that such committees should feel obligated or pressured to
establish special rules for their release to the House floor. Nor should it be expected that
the Rule [sic] Committee should become the new avenue for regular waivers of the rule
against date specific commemorative [sic]. Such exceptions should be limited to those rare
situations warranting special national recognition as determined by the Leadership.26
House Rule XII, clause 5
Prohibition on commemorations
5. (a) A bill or resolution, or an amendment thereto, may not be introduced or considered
in the House if it establishes or expresses a commemoration.

23 U.S. Congress, House, “Rule XII, clause 5” Rules of the House of Representatives One Hundred Eighteenth
Congress, p. 26, at
https://rules.house.gov/sites/republicans.rules118.house.gov/files/documents/Rules%20and%20Resources/118-House-
Rules-Clerk.pdf#page=30. See also U.S. Congress, House, “Rule XII, clause 5,” Constitution, Jefferson’s Manual, and
Rules of the House of Representatives of the United States one Hundred Seventeenth Congress, prepared by Jason A.
Smith, parliamentarian, 116th Cong., 2nd sess., 2021, H.Doc. 116-117 (Washington: GPO, 2021), §823, p. 648, at
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/HMAN-117/xml/HMAN-117-pg639.xml.
24 U.S. Congress, House, Majority Leader Steve Scalise, “118th Congress Floor Protocols,” at
https://www.majorityleader.gov/schedule/floor-protocols.htm.
25 “Ban on Commemoratives,” Congressional Record, daily edition, vol. 141 (January 4, 1995), pp. H29-H30.
26 “Rules of the House,” Congressional Record, vol. 141, part 1 (January 4, 1995), p. 476.
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(b) In this clause the term “commemoration” means a remembrance, celebration, or
recognition for any purpose through the designation of a specified period of time.27
The Republican Party holds the majority of House seats in the 118th Congress (2023-2024) and
therefore is responsible for scheduling floor action.28 Consideration of commemorative legislation
is therefore also effectively governed by the House Republican Conference rules. Conference
Rule 29(a)(6) generally prohibits the Republican leader from scheduling certain commemorative
bills and resolutions for floor consideration under suspension of the rules. The conference rule
states:
Rule 29—Guidelines on Suspension of the House Rules
(a) The Republican Leader shall not schedule, or request to have scheduled, any bill or
resolution for consideration under suspension of the Rules which—
…
(6) expresses appreciation, commends, congratulates, celebrates, recognizes the
accomplishments of, or celebrates the anniversary of, an entity, event, group, individual,
institution, team or government program; or acknowledges or recognizes a period of time
for such purposes.29
While party rules are not enforceable by points of order on the House floor, the rule arguably
reflects a reluctance on the part of the majority party to schedule legislation with commemorative
intent. The majority party additionally provides protocols that “are intended to guide the
Leadership in the scheduling and consideration of legislation on the House floor.”30 Among other
policies, for the 118th Congress, the House majority leader’s protocols address commemorative
legislation (see the text box below).
Commemorative Resolutions
Purpose:
This protocol provides further guidance for the adherence of Rule 29 of the Rules of the House Republican
Conference which provides that: The Republican Leader shall not schedule, or request to have scheduled, any bil
or resolution for consideration under suspension of the Rules which…expresses appreciation, commends,
congratulates, celebrates, recognizes the accomplishments of, or celebrates the anniversary of, an entity, event,
group, individual, institution, team or government program; or acknowledges or recognizes a period of time for
such purposes…
Protocol:

27 U.S. Congress, House, “Rule XII, clause 5” Rules of the House of Representatives One Hundred Eighteenth
Congress, p. 26, at
https://rules.house.gov/sites/republicans.rules118.house.gov/files/documents/Rules%20and%20Resources/118-House-
Rules-Clerk.pdf#page=30.
28 The Republican Party also held a majority of seats in the House between the 104th Congress (1995-1996) and 109th
Congress (2005-2006) and between the 112th Congress (2011-2012) and the 115th Congress (2017-2018).
29 U.S. Congress, House, Republican Conference, “Conference Rules of the 118th Congress,” at https://www.gop.gov/
conference-rules-of-the-118th-congress. Another portion of the rule (Rule 29(b)) allows a waiver to be granted by a
majority of the party’s elected leadership.
30 U.S. Congress, House, Majority Leader Steve Scalise, “118th Congress Floor Protocols,” at
https://www.majorityleader.gov/schedule/floor-protocols.htm.
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A resolution of bereavement, or condemnation, or which calls on others (such as a foreign government) to take a
particular action, but which does not otherwise violate the provisions of Rule 29 is eligible to be scheduled under
suspension of the Rules.31
Previous Congresses, under both Republican and Democratic majorities, have adopted similar
protocols. For example, in the 117th Congress (2021-2022), when the Democratic Party held a
majority of seats in the House,32 the majority leader’s protocols stated
the Majority Leader shall not schedule any bill or resolution for consideration that
expresses
appreciation,
commends,
congratulates,
celebrates,
recognizes
the
accomplishments of, or celebrates the anniversary of, an entity, event, group, individual,
institution, team or government program; or acknowledges or recognizes a period of time.33
Committee Rules
Since the 114th Congress (2015-2016), the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability
(and its predecessors), which has jurisdiction over holidays and celebrations, has included in its
committee rules provisions related to potential floor consideration of date-specific
commemorative measures. For the 118th Congress, Rule 13 states
(c) Resolutions. The Chair of the Committee shall not request to have scheduled any
resolution for consideration under suspension of the Rules, which expresses appreciation,
commends, congratulates, celebrates, recognizes the accomplishments of, or celebrates the
anniversary of, an entity, event, group, individual, institution, team or government
program; or acknowledges or recognizes a period of time for such purposes.34
Past Waivers of Rule XII
On at least one occasion, the “House by unanimous consent waived the prohibition against
introduction of a certain joint resolution specified by sponsor and title proposing a
commemoration”35 to allow for the consideration of H.J.Res. 71 (107th Congress), legislation
establishing Patriot Day as a day of remembrance for September 11, 2001.36

31 U.S. Congress, House, Majority Leader Steve Scalise, “118th Congress Floor Protocols,” at
https://www.majorityleader.gov/schedule/floor-protocols.htm.
32 The Democratic Party also held a majority of seats in the House between the 110th Congress (2007-2008) and the
111th Congress (2009-2010) and in the 116th Congress (2019-2020) and the 117th Congress (2021-2022).
33 U.S. Congress, House, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, “117th Congress Legislative Protocols,” https://leaderarchive-
hoyer.house.gov/content/117th-congress-legislative-protocols. The 117th Congress protocols also stated that “A
resolution of bereavement, or condemnation, or which calls on others to take a particular action, is eligible to be
scheduled for consideration.”
34 U.S. Congress, House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, “Rule 13—Consideration of Certain Bills and
Resolutions,” Committee on Oversight and Accountability 118th Congress, 118th Cong., 1st sess., p. 7, at
https://oversight.house.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/118th-Committee-Rules.pdf#page=7.
35 U.S. Congress, House, Constitution, Jefferson’s Manual, and Rules of the House of Representatives of the United
States, One Hundred Seventeenth Congress, prepared by Jason A. Smith, parliamentarian, 116th Cong., 2nd sess.,
H.Doc. 116-177 (Washington: GPO, 2021), §823, p. 648.
36 “Authorizing Introduction of Joint Resolution Designating September 11 as United We Stand Remembrance Day,”
Congressional Record, daily edition, vol. 147 (October 24, 2001), p. H.7300; and “Making in Order on Thursday,
October 25, 2001, Consideration of Joint Resolution Designating September 11 as United We Stand Remembrance
Day,” Congressional Record, daily edition, vol. 147 (October 24, 2001), p. H7300.
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Senate
Unlike in the House, no Senate rules exist that would prohibit the introduction or consideration of
commemorative measures. In the past, the Senate Judiciary Committee has had unpublished
guidelines on the consideration of commemorative legislation. These guidelines were not
officially part of the committee’s rules. Past guidance restricted consideration of commemorative
legislation without a minimum number of bipartisan cosponsors and prohibited commemoration
of specific categories.37
Data on Commemorative Legislation
In each Congress included in this analysis, Representatives and Senators have introduced date-
specific commemorative legislation. In a number of cases, the House and/or Senate have
considered some of these measures. To understand the evolution of the introduction and
consideration of date-specific commemorative legislation, the Congressional Research Service
(CRS) partnered with graduate students at the Bush School of Government and Public Service at
Texas A&M University during the 2022-2023 academic year (September 2022 to May 2023) to
collect and analyze data on date-specific commemorative measures.
Overall, through searches on Congress.gov for date-specific commemorative legislation, the Bush
School students identified 9,324 date-specific commemorative measures introduced between the
102nd Congress (1991-1992) and the 117th Congress (2021-2022). The identified date-specific
measures represented 3.3% of all legislative measures introduced in the House and Senate during
this period.38
Although House Rule XII, clause 5, prohibits the introduction and consideration of date-specific
commemorative legislation, legislation to achieve a similar purpose continues to be introduced in
the chamber. These measures are mostly simple resolutions and generally do not include a
specific time period after the resolution’s resolving clause.39 Consequently, the introduction of
such a measure does not appear to violate House Rule XII, clause 5. Figure 1 shows the number
of date-specific commemorative measures, divided by type of legislation, introduced between the
102nd Congress and the 117th Congress.

37 U.S. Congress, Senate Committee on the Judiciary, “Committee Policy for the Consideration of Commemorative
Measures: 106th Congress (unpublished).” Categories for which the committee did not consider requests for
commemorations included a commercial enterprise, industry, or specific product, or a fraternal, political, business,
labor, or sectarian organization; a particular state or any political subdivision of a state, city, town, county, school, or
institution of higher learning; or a living person.
38 Measures included in the analysis are bills (H.R. and S.), joint resolutions (H.J.Res. and S.J.Res.), concurrent
resolutions (H.Con.Res. and S.Con.Res.), and simple resolutions (H.Res. and S.Res.).
39 The resolving clause is the opening language of a resolution, beginning “Resolved, That the House of
Representatives [Senate] ... ” For more information, see U.S. Congress, House, “Resolving Clauses,” House Practice:
A Guide to the Rules, Precedents, and Procedures of the House, prepared by Charles W. Johnson, John V. Sullivan,
and Thomas J. Wickham, Jr., 115th Cong., 1st sess. (Washington: GPO, 2017), §3, pp. 167-168, at
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GPO-HPRACTICE-115/pdf/GPO-HPRACTICE-115.pdf#page=177.
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Figure 1. Types of Legislation Used to Propose Commemorative Periods
102nd-117th Congresses (1991-2022)
Figure is interactive in the HTML version of this report.

Source: CRS and Bush School analysis of commemorative legislation between the 102nd and the 117th
Congresses using Congress.gov.
As Figure 1 shows, the majority of date-specific commemorative measures were introduced as
simple resolutions, especially since the 104th Congress, the first Congress after the House adopted
Rule XII, clause 5, to limit the number of date-specific measures introduced and considered. The
data also show that in most Congresses Senate resolutions were introduced more frequently than
House resolutions.
Prior to the House adoption of Rule XII, clause 5, most date-specific commemorative legislation
was introduced as lawmaking vehicles (H.R., S., H.J.Res., and S.J.Res.). Beginning in the 104th
Congress, the number of date-specific lawmaking vehicles declined, and the number of
resolutions that required only one chamber’s approval (H.Res. and S.Res.) or both chambers’
approval but not presidential action (H.Con.Res. and S.Con.Res.) increased. Simple and
concurrent resolutions, however, do not carry the force of law and cannot establish a permanent
recognition of a specific date.
Of the date-specific commemorative legislation introduced between the 102nd and 117th
Congresses, 56% of all measures would have recognized a commemorative day. This compares
with 19% for a commemorative week, 22% for a commemorative month, 2% for a
commemorative year, and less than 1% (a total of nine measures) that would have recognized a
commemorative decade. Additionally, a small percentage of such legislation (<1%) would have
designated more than one time period. For example, H.Res. 407 (113th Congress) would have
supported “the goals and ideals of National Adoption Day and National Adoption Month.”40 A

40 H.Res. 407 (113th Congress), introduced November 12, 2013.
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measure that would have designated two time periods is counted twice in the data. Figure 2
shows the total number of measures introduced that would have recognized a day, week, month,
or year.
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Figure 2. Number of Measures Introduced to Commemorate a Time Period
102nd-117th Congresses (1991-2022)

Source: CRS and Bush School analysis of commemorative legislation.
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As noted above under “Congressional Rules on Commemorative Legislation,” House Rule XII,
clause 5, prohibits House introduction or consideration of any bill, resolution, or amendment that
“establishes or expresses a commemoration.” As such, since the rule was adopted at the start of
the 104th Congress, the number of measures considered in the House has generally decreased. At
the same time, the number of measures considered by the Senate has generally increased over
time. Figure 3 shows the total number of date-specific commemorative measures by Congress for
the House and the Senate, including the number of measures introduced and not further
considered, as well as the number of measures agreed to or passed.
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Figure 3. Disposition of Date-Specific Commemorative Legislation
102nd-117th Congresses (1991-2022)

Source: CRS and Bush School analysis of commemorative legislation.
Notes: R = Republican Party majority; D = Democratic Party majority. In the 107th Congress (2001-2002), the
Senate majority party shifted several times, as the result of a 50-50 partisan split fol owing the November 2000
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elections. Initially, the Democratic Party was in the majority (through January 20, 2001) with Vice President Al
Gore as the President of the Senate. Fol owing President George W. Bush’s inauguration, the Republican Party
was in the majority with Vice President Dick Cheney as the President of the Senate. In May 2001, Senator James
Jeffords announced that he would leave the Republican Party, become an independent, and caucus with the
Senate Democrats. As a result, the Democratic Party again became the Senate majority party. Fol owing a
November 2002 special election, the Republican Party returned to the majority when Democratic Senator Jean
Carnahan was defeated by Republican Jim Talent. For more information, see U.S. Congress, Senate, “The
Unforgettable 107th Congress,” About the Senate, November 22, 2002, at https://www.senate.gov/about/origins-
foundations/parties-leadership/unforgettable-107th-congress.htm.
Figure 3 shows several trends. First, upon the adoption of House Rule XII, clause 5, in the 104th
Congress, the number of date-specific commemorative measures introduced and the number
agreed to or passed in the House declined. In the 104th Congress, 17 date-specific commemorative
measures were introduced in the House and 3 were agreed to or passed (18%). Comparatively, in
the 102nd Congress, 327 commemorative measures were introduced in the House and 25% of
those measures were agreed to or passed; and in the 103rd Congress, 270 measures were
introduced in the House and 13% were agreed to or passed.
Senate date-specific commemorative legislation also declined after the House adopted Rule XII,
clause 5 in the 104th Congress, even though the rule does not apply in the Senate. In the 102nd
Congress, 239 commemorative measures were introduced in the Senate and 26% were agreed to
or passed; and in the 103rd Congress, 185 measures were introduced and 32% were agreed to or
passed. In the 104th Congress, after the House rule’s adoption, the number of measures introduced
in the Senate declined to 59, with 69% agreed to or passed.
Second, Figure 3 shows an increase in the number of date-specific measures both introduced and
agreed to or passed between the 105th Congress and the 111th Congress in the House, despite Rule
XII, clause 5, being included in the House rules each Congress. This suggests a potential change
in the implementation or enforcement of the rule during that period.41 CRS and Bush School
capstone research did not identify a cause for the increase in introduced and agreed to/passed
date-specific commemorative measures that began in the 105th Congress. The relative decline in
the consideration of date-specific commemorative legislation beginning in the 112th Congress
appears to coincide with adoption of a conference rule and majority leader protocols in the 112th
Congress.42
Third, the data show that following the House’s adoption of Rule XII, clause 5, the introduction
of lawmaking vehicles (bills and joint resolutions) significantly decreased, while the use of
simple resolutions increased (see Figure 1). In response to the House rule, in the following
Congresses, Senators seemingly began to offer date-specific commemorative measures as simple
resolutions, rather than as lawmaking vehicles. This change allowed the Senate to continue to
recognize date-specific commemorations without requiring House concurrence, which was
seemingly less likely because of the House rule.

41 A similar trend has also been found in other types of commemorative legislation. For example, one study found
nearly the same pattern for commemorative legislation that honored sports teams and athletes, even though these were
not date-specific measures. For more information, see Jacob R. Straus and Jared C. Nagel, “Winning by Association:
How Congress Uses Sports Commemorations,” in Congress and the Politics of Sports: Homefield Advantage,” Colton
Campbell and David Dulio, eds, pp. 39-60 (New York: Routledge, 2023), pp. 50-52.
42 The limitation also exists in the Republican Conference rules for the 118th Congress (see “Congressional Rules on
Commemorative Legislation” above for additional discussion).
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Options for Congress
Members of Congress engage in the legislative process for a variety of purposes.43 In some cases,
introducing legislation achieves the Member’s purpose, whereas in other cases the Member can
only achieve his or her purpose by gaining the approval of a measure. For example, the
introduction of legislation may indicate that a Member would like to be involved in future public
policy discussions in a particular area, or that he or she is attempting to frame the debate on a
particular policy issue.44
In general, a Member might achieve his or her goal at one of three stages: the introduction of
legislation, the consideration of a measure in the House or Senate, or the passage of a measure by
the House, the Senate, or both. Should Congress want to commemorate a day, week, or month,
several options might allow a Member to meet his or her goal within the confines of House or
Senate rules.
House of Representatives
Introduction
Though House Rule XII, clause 5, prohibits the introduction or consideration of legislation that
would establish or express a date-specific commemoration, hundreds of commemorative
resolutions that would in some way recognize a day, week, or month are introduced each
Congress.
CRS and Bush School capstone analysis indicates that introduced resolutions appear to share a
common trait: the lack of a specific date or time period after the resolving clause. Without a
specific date or time period after the resolving clause, it appears that commemorative resolutions
that support the recognition of a specific day, week, or month can be introduced. In these cases,
the specific commemorative date is listed in the resolution’s “whereas” clauses.45 For example, in
the 113th Congress, H.Res. 194 was introduced to express “support for designation of the month
of May as Williams Syndrome Awareness Month.”46 The text of the resolution is in the box
below.
H.Res. 194 (113th Congress)
RESOLUTION
Expressing support for designation of the month of May as Wil iams Syndrome Awareness Month.
Whereas Wil iams syndrome is a rare genetic condition that is present at birth, affects as many as 30,000
individuals in the United States and is characterized by lifelong medical problems, including cardiovascular disease,
developmental delays, and learning disabilities;

43 Roger H. Davidson, Walter J. Oleszek, Frances E. Lee, and Eric Schickler, Congress and Its Members, 15th edition
(Washington: CQ Press, 2016), p. 206. Additionally, Members might take credit for their measures as they move
through the legislative process.
44 Richard F. Fenno, Senators on the Campaign Trail (Norman, OK: University of Oklahoma Press, 1996), pp. 245-
259.
45 “Whereas” clauses, which are also called preambles, are “introductory language describing the reasons for and intent
of a measure.” For more information, see U.S. Congress, House, “Preambles,” House Practice: A Guide to the Rules,
Precedents, and Procedures of the House, prepared by Charles W. Johnson, John V. Sullivan, and Thomas J.
Wickham, Jr., 115th Cong., 1st sess. (Washington: GPO, 2017), §5, p. 169, at https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/
GPO-HPRACTICE-115/pdf/GPO-HPRACTICE-115.pdf#page=179.
46 H.Res. 194 (113th Congress), introduced April 26, 2013.
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Whereas more than 5,000 individuals have signed a petition requesting that Congress support the Wil iams
Syndrome Association’s efforts to designate May as Wil iams Syndrome Awareness Month;
Whereas the Wil iams Syndrome Association (WSA), founded in 1982, is a non-profit organization and the most
comprehensive resource for people and families living with Wil iams syndrome as well as for doctors, researchers
and educators. And through its efforts, from raising public awareness, to funding critical new research, and
providing valuable information and support to families, the WSA has improved the quality of life and futures of
those affected by Wil iams syndrome;
Whereas to generate awareness about Wil iams syndrome and raise funding for critical WSA programs and
initiatives, the WSA has organized May as Wil iams Syndrome Awareness Month which includes `Walks for
Wil iams' and other events all across the United States; and
Whereas the Wil iams Syndrome Association and the families and friends of those with Wil iams should be
commended for their hard work, compassion, and courage for educating the country about this rare disorder:
Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives supports the goals and ideals of Wil iams Syndrome Awareness
Month.
H.Res. 194 was introduced without language that would apparently be prohibited by House Rule
XII, clause 5. Although introduction was likely allowed because the resolution specified a date
only in the “whereas clauses,” scheduling the measure under suspension proceedings still may
have been circumscribed by Republican Conference rules, which at the time guided the
Republican leader (majority leader in the 113th Congress) on the scheduling of legislation under
“Suspension of the Rules” in the House.47
Consideration
Since House Rule XII, clause 5 was adopted in the 104th Congress, 4,802 date-specific
commemorative measures have been identified that were introduced in the House or sent to the
House after passage in the Senate. Of these measures, the House passed or agreed to 1,180
between the 104th Congress and the 117th Congress. As shown in Figure 3, the vast majority of
these measures were passed or agreed to prior to the 112th Congress. CRS and Bush School
capstone research identified the three most common methods of consideration used by the House
to consider date-specific commemorative measures—suspension of the rules (90.8%), unanimous
consent (7.2%), and adoption of a special rule (1.3%). Additionally, nine measures (0.8%) were
considered under another procedure.48
Suspension of the Rules
Suspension of the rules is a House procedure that, among other features, imposes a limit on how
long the House may debate a measure.49 Considering a measure under suspension of the rules
limits debate to 40 minutes, prohibits floor amendments, and requires a two-thirds vote for

47 U.S. Congress, House, Republican Conference, “Rule 28—Guidelines on Suspension of House Rules,” Rules of the
House Republican Conference for the 114th Congress—Comparative Print Showing Changes from the Rules of the
House Republican Conference for the 113th Congress, 114th Cong., 1st sess., p. 25, at https://westerman.house.gov/sites/
evo-subsites/westerman.house.gov/files/114-Conference-Rules-113-Comp-Print1.pdf#page=25.
48 For example, in the 107th Congress (2001-2002), the House considered H.Con.Res. 464, “Expressing the sense of the
Congress on the anniversary of the terrorist attacks launched against the United States on September 11, 2001,” as a
privileged matter. The resolution was initially debated for one hour, before an additional 30 minutes was added to the
debate by unanimous consent. For more information, see “Expressing the sense of the Congress on the anniversary of
the terrorist attacks launched against the United States on September 11, 2001,” Congressional Record, daily edition,
vol 148 (September 11, 2001), pp.H6174-H6208 and H6215-H6216.
49 For more information, see “Under Suspension of the Rules,” in CRS Report 95-563, The Legislative Process on the
House Floor: An Introduction, by Christopher M. Davis.
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passage.50 In the 102nd and 103rd Congresses (prior to the adoption of House Rule XII, clause 5),
approximately 5% of date-specific commemorative measures agreed to in the House were
considered under suspension of the rules. Following the adoption of House Rule XII, clause 5, the
House utilized suspension of the rules for 95% of date-specific measures it considered. For
example, in the 111th Congress (2010-2011), the House agreed to H.Res. 1655 to support National
Farm to School Month.51 An excerpt from the Congressional Record entry for H.Res. 1655 is in
the text box below.
Supporting National Farm to School Month

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 1655) expressing
support for designation of October as “National Farm to School Month,”’ as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
…
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentlewoman from Hawaii (Ms. Hirono)
that the House suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, House Resolution 1655, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the resolution, as
amended, was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.52
Unanimous Consent
Unanimous consent is “a request … [to] suspend the order of business temporarily. Granting the
request permits some action that is not in dispute and to which no Member has any objection.”53
Prior to the adoption of House Rule XII, clause 5 (102nd and 103rd Congresses), approximately
95% of date-specific commemorative measures agreed to in the House were considered by
unanimous consent. Following the adoption of House Rule XII, clause 5, the House considered
85 date-specific measures by unanimous consent (7.2% of all measures so considered in the
House). For example, in the 116th Congress, the House agreed to H.Res. 1046, supporting the
designation of August 2020 as National Women’s Suffrage Month.54 The Congressional Record
entry for H.Res. 1046 is in the text box below.
Supporting the Designation of August 2020 as National Women’s Suffrage Month

Ms. ESCOBAR. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be discharged from
further consideration of H. Res. 1046, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentlewoman from Texas?
There was no objection.

50 CRS Report 98-314, Suspension of the Rules in the House: Principal Features, by Elizabeth Rybicki.
51 H.Res. 1655 (111th Congress), agreed to November 16, 2010.
52 “Supporting National Farm to School Month,” Congressional Record, daily edition, vol. 156 (November 16, 2010),
pp. H7479-H7481.
53 U.S. Congress, House, “Chapter 54: Unanimous-Consent Agreements,” House Practice: A Guide to the Rules,
Precedents, and Procedures of the House, prepared by Charles W. Johnson, John V. Sullivan, and Thomas J.
Wickham, Jr., 115th Cong., 1st sess., 2017, p. 907, at https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GPO-HPRACTICE-115/
pdf/GPO-HPRACTICE-115-55.pdf.
54 H.Res. 1046 (116th Congress), agreed to July 29, 2020.
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…
The resolution was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.55
Special Rules
In some cases, date-specific commemorative resolutions have been considered under a “special
rule,” which proposes to make a bill in order on the House floor.56 A special rule is reported by
the House Rules Committee and generally provides provisions relating to “the amount of general
debate, the amendment process, and waivers to be granted, if any.”57 The House can then consider
the special rule, and if the rule is adopted the House considers the measure pursuant to a provision
in the rule.58 In the 102nd and 103rd Congresses (prior to the adoption of House Rule XII, clause
5), one date-specific commemorative was considered pursuant to a special rule. In the 103rd
Congress, the House and Senate designated National Youth Service Day (April 19, 1994, and
April 18, 1995) when P.L. 103-82 was enacted.59
Since the adoption of House Rule XII, clause 5, the House has considered a date-specific
commemorative under a special rule at least 15 times, sometimes as part of an omnibus measure.
For example, in the 109th Congress, as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)
for Fiscal Year, 2006, the House and Senate recognized Operation Enduring Freedom Day.60
Sec. 378. Commemoration of Success of the Armed Forces in Operation Enduring
Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom

(a) CELEBRATION HONORING MILITARY EFFORTS IN OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM AND
OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM.—The President may—
(1) designate a day of celebration to honor the soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines of the Armed Forces who
have served in Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom and have returned to the United States;
and
(2) issue a proclamation calling on the people of the United States to observe that day with appropriate
ceremonies and activities.61
Senate
As noted above under “Congressional Rules on Commemorative Legislation,” the Senate does
not have any chamber-wide restrictions on the introduction, scheduling, or consideration of date-
specific commemorative legislation. Therefore, Senate resolutions can contain a specific date in

55 “Supporting the Designation of August 2020 as National Women’s Suffrage Month,” Congressional Record, daily
edition, vol. 166 (July 29, 2020), pp. H3966-H3967
56 For more information, see “Under a Special Rule Reported by the Committee on Rules,” in CRS Report 95-563, The
Legislative Process on the House Floor: An Introduction, by Christopher M. Davis.
57 U.S. Congress, House, Committee on Rules, “Special Rules Process,” at https://rules.house.gov/about/special-rule-
process.
58 U.S. Congress, House, Committee on Rules, “Special Rules Process,” at https://rules.house.gov/about/special-rule-
process.
59 P.L. 103-82, §104(c), 107 Stat. 842 (1993); 42 U.S.C. §12653.
60 P.L. 109-163 (119 Stat. 3136 (2006)) was considered under the provisions of the rule outlined in H.Res. 293 (109th
Congress), agreed to May 25, 2006.
61 P.L. 109-163, §378, 119 Stat. 3214 (2006).
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the text following the resolving clause (although this is not a requirement).62 For example, S.Res.
131 (112th Congress) designated April 2011 as “Tsunami Awareness Month.”63
S.Res. 131 (112th Congress)
RESOLUTION
Designating April 2011 as ‘Tsunami Awareness Month.’
Whereas a tsunami is a series of ocean or sea waves generated by a sea floor disturbance, such as an earthquake,
landslide, volcanic eruption, or meteorite;
Whereas a tsunami could occur during any season and at any time;
Whereas a tsunami is a threat to life and property for all coastal communities, and tsunamis have caused serious
injuries and mil ions of dol ars in property damage in the United States;
Whereas the danger posed by a tsunami cannot be eliminated, but the impact of a tsunami can be mitigated
through community preparedness, timely warnings, and effective response;
Whereas tsunamis historically have posed the greatest hazard to Hawaii, Alaska, California, Oregon, Washington,
American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto
Rico, and the Virgin Islands, tsunamis also pose risks to all ocean coasts of the United States;
Whereas Federal, State, and local officials have partnered to coordinate a national effort to reduce the impact of
tsunamis through the National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program;
Whereas the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Weather Service operates 2 tsunami
warning centers, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center and the West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center,
that detect potential tsunamis and issue warnings;
Whereas Tsunami Awareness Month provides an opportunity to highlight the importance of tsunami preparedness
and to encourage the people of the United States to take steps to be better prepared for tsunamis at home, work,
and school;
Whereas the people of the United States can prepare for tsunamis by finding out if their home, school, workplace
or other frequently visited locations are in tsunami hazard areas, and by identifying evacuation routes; and
Whereas additional information about tsunami preparedness may be obtained through TsunamiReady at National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, at www.tsunamiready.noaa.gov: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate—
(1) designates April 2011 as ‘Tsunami Awareness Month’; and
(2) encourages the Federal Government, States, localities, schools, nonprofit organizations, businesses, and
other applicable entities, along with the people of the United States, to observe Tsunami Awareness Month with
appropriate events and activities to promote tsunami preparedness.
The Senate generally considers date-specific commemorative measures by unanimous consent.
Overall, between the 102nd and 117th Congresses, 5,914 date-specific measures were introduced
or received (from the House) by the Senate. Of these, 2,534 were not considered (43%). Of the
3,380 date-specific measures that were considered, 84% were considered by unanimous consent.
The remainder (16%) were agreed to or passed by either voice vote or a recorded vote.
Concluding Observations
Legislation that in some way recognizes, supports, honors, or acknowledges certain days, weeks,
and months continues to be introduced each Congress. The quantity of measures offered in both
chambers suggests that many Members of Congress see value in introducing commemorative

62 For an example of a Senate resolution that does not include a specific date after the resolving clause, see S.Res. 79
(113th Congress), agreed to March 18, 2013.
63 S.Res. 131 (112th Congress), agreed to April 5, 2011.
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legislation, perhaps in part to establish connections with their districts and states.64 The desire to
recognize commemoration days, weeks, and months may explain why House Members draft their
resolutions to allow for introduction, even though it seems that the intent of the prohibition
(reinforced by House party rules and/or majority party protocols) may preclude any further action
on such resolutions.
The House adoption of Rule XII, clause 5, in the 104th Congress was initially followed by a
decrease in the number of both introduced and considered date-specific commemorative measures
in the House. After House adoption of the rule there was also a shift in the type of legislative
vehicle used to commemorate a time period from lawmaking vehicles in the 102nd and 103rd
Congresses, to simple resolutions in the 104th-117th Congresses. The switch from lawmaking
vehicles to resolutions has allowed the Senate to independently recognize time periods without
the House’s concurrence (or the need for the President to sign a bill or joint resolution into law).

64 Roger H. Davidson, “The New Centralization on Capitol Hill,” Review of Politics vol. 50, no. 3 (Summer 1988), p.
354.
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Appendix. Patriotic and National Observances
Table A-1. Title 36 Patriotic and National Observances
Listed in Order of Enactment
Section
Date of
Bill
of Title
Currently Designated
Commemoration
Enactment
Number/Statute
36
Date(s)
Mother’s Day
5/8/1914
63rd H.J. Res. 263,
117
Second Sunday in May
38 Stat. 770
Child Health Day
5/18/1928
70th H.J, Res. 184,
105
First Monday in October
45 Stat. 617
National Maritime Day
5/20/1933
73rd S.J. Res. 50, 48
128
May 22
Stat. 73
Columbus Day
4/30/1934
73rd H.J. Res. 10, 48
107
Second Monday in October
Stat. 657
Gold Star Mother’s Day
6/23/1936
74th S.J. Res. 115,
111
Last Sunday in September
49 Stat. 1895
Thomas Jefferson’s Birthday
8/16/1937
75th H.J. Res. 284,
141
April 13
50 Stat. 668
Cancer Control Month
3/28/1938
75th H.J. Res.468, 52
103
Month of April
Stat. 148
National Aviation Day
5/11/1939
76th S.J. 111,
118
August 19
53 Stat. 739
Pan American Aviation Day
10/10/1940
76th S.J. Res. 293,
134
December 17
54 Stat. 1093
National Disability Employment
8/11/1945
79th H.J. Res. 23, 59
121
Month of October
Awareness Month
Stat. 530
National Freedom Day
6/30/1948
P.L. 80-842,
124
February 1
62 Stat. 1150
Flag Day
8/3/1949
P.L. 81-203,
110
June 14
63 Stat. 492
Memorial Day
5/11/1950
P.L. 81-512,
116
Last Monday in May
64 Stat. 158
Stephen Foster Memorial Day
10/27/1951
P.L. 82-225,
140
January 13
65 Stat. 659
Constitution Day and
2/29/1952
P.L. 82-261,
106
September 17
Citizenship Day
66 Stat. 9
National Day of Prayer
4/17/1952
P.L. 82-324,
119
First Thursday in May
66 Stat. 64
Constitution Week
8/2/1956
P.L. 84-915,
108
September 17-September 23
70 Stat. 932
National Defense
5/16/1957
P.L. 85-32,
120
Third Friday in May
Transportation Day
71 Stat. 30
National Safe Boating Week
6/4/1958
P.L. 85-445,
131
Week ending on the last
72 Stat. 179
Friday before Memorial Day
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Section
Date of
Bill
of Title
Currently Designated
Commemoration
Enactment
Number/Statute
36
Date(s)
Loyalty Day
7/18/1958
P.L. 85-529,
115
May 1
72 Stat. 369
National Forest Products
9/13/1960
P.L. 86-753,
123
Third Sunday in October
Week
74 Stat. 898
Law Day, USA
4/7/1961
P.L. 87-20,
113
May 1
75 Stat. 43
National Poison Prevention
9/26/1961
P.L. 87-319,
130
Third week in March
Week
75 Stat. 681
National Transportation Week
5/14/1962
P.L. 87-449,
133
Week that includes the third
76 Stat. 69
Friday of May
Peace Officers Memorial Day
10/1/1962
P.L. 87-726,
136
May 15
76 Stat. 676
Police Week
10/1/1962
P.L. 87-726,
137
Week in which May 15
76 Stat. 676
occurs
National School Lunch Week
10/9/1962
P.L. 87-780,
132
Week beginning on the
76 Stat. 779
second Sunday in October
Wright Brothers Day
12/17/1963
P.L. 88-209,
143
December 17
77 Stat. 402
Save Your Vision Week
12/30/1963
P.L. 88-242,
138
First week in March
77 Stat. 629
American Heart Month
12/30/1963
P.L. 88-255,
101
Month of February
77 Stat. 843
Leif Erikson Day
9/2/1964
P.L. 88-566,
114
October 9
78 Stat. 849
White Cane Safety Day
10/6/1964
P.L. 88-628,
142
October 15
78 Stat. 1003
National Flag Week
6/9/1966
P.L. 89-443,
122
Week in which June 14
80 Stat. 194
occurs
Steelmark Month
11/2/1966
P.L. 89-703,
139
Month of May
80 Stat. 1099
National Hispanic Heritage
9/17/1968
P.L. 90-498,
126
September 15 through
Month
82 Stat. 848
October 15
Father’s Day
4/24/1972
P.L. 92-278,
109
Third Sunday in June
86 Stat. 124
Honor America Days
6/13/1975
P.L. 94-33,
112
The 21 days from Flag Day
89 Stat. 211
through Independence Day
National Grandparents Day
9/6/1979
P.L. 96-62,
125
First Sunday in September
93 Stat. 410
after Labor Day
Carl Garner Federal Lands
8/27/1986
P.L. 99-402,
104
First Saturday after Labor
Cleanup Day
100 Stat. 910
Day
Asian/Pacific American
10/23/1992
P.L. 102-450,
102
Month of May
Heritage Month
106 Stat. 2251
National Pearl Harbor
8/23/1994
P.L. 103-308,
129
December 7
Remembrance Day
108 Stat. 1669
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link to page 27 link to page 27 Congressional Recognition of Commemorative Days, Weeks, and Months

Section
Date of
Bill
of Title
Currently Designated
Commemoration
Enactment
Number/Statute
36
Date(s)
Parents’ Day
10/14/1994
P.L. 103-362,
135
Fourth Sunday in July
108 Stat. 3465
National Korean War Veterans
7/27/1995
P.L. 104-19,
127
July 27a
Armistice Day
109 Stat. 247
Patriot Day
12/18/2001
P.L. 107-89,
144
September 11
115 Stat. 877
Veterans Day Moment of
10/7/2016
P.L. 114-240
145
Veterans Day
Silence
130 Stat. 974
National Atomic Veterans Day
12/27/2021
P.L. 117-81,
146
[not specified]b
Division A, Title X,
§1084(a)
135 Stat. 1924
Choose Respect Day
3/15/2022
P.L. 117-103,
147
October 1
Division W, Title
XIII, §1310(b)(1)
136 Stat. 931
U.S. Hostage and Wrongful
12/22/2023
P.L. 118-31, Title
148
March 9
Detainee Day
XVIII, Subtitle A,
§1804
Source: Compiled by CRS using the Statutes at Large and the U.S. Code.
a. The legislation authorizing National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day provides that “July 23 of each year
until 2003 is National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day.”
b. The legislation authorizing National Atomic Veterans Day does not specify a particular day, rather, it directs
the President to “issue each year a proclamation calling on the people of the United States to-(1) observe
Atomic Veterans Day with appropriate ceremonies and activities; and (2) remember and honor the atomic
veterans of the United States whose brave service and sacrifice played an important role in the defense of
the Nation.” On July 15, 2022, President Joe Biden issued the first proclamation for National Atomic
Veterans Day, recognizing July 16 as the celebratory date. U.S. President (Biden), “A Proclamation on
National Atomic Veterans Day, 2022,” press release, July 15, 2022, https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-
room/statements-releases/2022/07/15/a-proclamation-on-national-atomic-veterans-day-2022. In 2023,
President Biden also recognized July 16 as National Atomic Veterans Day. U.S. President (Biden), “A
Proclamation on National Atomic Veterans Day, 2023,” press release, July 14, 2023,
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2023/07/14/a-proclamation-on-national-
atomic-veterans-day-2023.

Author Information

Jacob R. Straus

Specialist on the Congress

Congressional Research Service

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Congressional Recognition of Commemorative Days, Weeks, and Months

Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan
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under the direction of Congress. Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other
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