Lawler bill establishes Sept. 11 as federal holiday
Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) has proposed legislation to create an annual Sept. 11 federal holiday as a “day of remembrance” to honor the nearly 3,000 lives lost in the 2001 terrorist attacks.
“Every day, I meet families whose loved ones gave everything to save our neighbors on 9/11,” Lawler said in a statement. “Almost 25 years on, it matters now more than ever to our communities that we have the chance to pause, to be home, and to be with our friends and families on this day of remembrance.”
“Designating September 11th as a federal holiday, we ensure future generations take time to honor the lives lost and reflect on the values that unite us as Americans,” he added.
Congress passed a resolution in 2001 after the attacks to designate Sept. 11 as “Patriot Day,” with annual proclamations in recognition across the country. It hasn’t risen to the level of federal holiday designation in the nearly quarter century since the hijacked planes crashed into the World Trade Center, Pentagon and a field in Shanksville, Pa.
President Trump, who took part in a remembrance ceremony at the Pentagon on Thursday, has spoken out in the past against there already being 11 existing federal holidays.
“Too many non-working holidays in America. It is costing our Country $BILLIONS OF DOLLARS to keep all of these businesses closed,” the president wrote in a Truth Social post on June 19, the most recent addition to the holiday calendar observed as Juneteenth Independence Day.
