Veteran's day has an interesting... OK probably only interesting to me... legislative history.
First it started out as a Presidential Proclamation.
In November 1919, President Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day with the following words:
Quote:
To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations…
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Then a few years later, Congress passed a resolution on 4 Jun 26 with the usual abundance of whereas and therefores.
Quote:
Whereas the 11th of November 1918, marked the cessation of the most destructive, sanguinary, and far reaching war in human annals and the resumption by the people of the United States of peaceful relations with other nations, which we hope may never again be severed, and
Whereas it is fitting that the recurring anniversary of this date should be commemorated with thanksgiving and prayer and exercises designed to perpetuate peace through good will and mutual understanding between nations; and
Whereas the legislatures of twenty-seven of our States have already declared November 11 to be a legal holiday:
Therefore be it Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), that the President of the United States is requested to issue a proclamation calling upon the officials to display the flag of the United States on all Government buildings on November 11 and inviting the people of the United States to observe the day in schools and churches, or other suitable places, with appropriate ceremonies of friendly relations with all other peoples.
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On 13 May 38, Congress enacted a law prescribing Armistice Day as a legal holiday (52 Stat. 351; 5 U. S. Code, Sec. 87a)
Armistice Day served well as a recognition of the end of the war to end all wars.... except, as we all know, it was not the end of all wars, there was the conflict called WWII. The problem is that 11 November really marked no important stage of WWII. What to do... What to do... There were the "V" days, but they were not legal holidays. Let's just think on this for a few years.
Then the Korean Conflict came about and ended in 1953. Something had to be done.
On 1 Jun 54, PL 83-380 was passed and officially changed the name of the legal holiday Armistice Day to Veterans Day. Thereby representing all veterans. That was easy. :yep:
So everything was set, and the rest is history......until Congress just had to muck it up.
On 28 Jun 68, PL 90-363 was signed. The Uniform Monday Holiday Act. This moved several holidays to be recognized on the following Monday so that the federal government could have a three day weekend. These included the holidays of:Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and Columbus Day. The Uniform Monday Holiday Act went in to effect in 1971.
The Harrumphs were heard around the nation. :down: Between 1971 and 1975, many of the individual states enacted their own laws establishing Veterans Day as 11 Nov.
So on 20 Sep 75, President Ford signed PL 94-97 which moved the federal observance of Veterans day back to 11 November. That law took effect in 1978.
But not to worry about losing the 3 day weekend.
Executive Order 11582 codified in Federal Regulation 38 Section 2957 11 Feb 71, had already established that regardless of what day Veterans Day (and some other holidays) fell, Federal Employees will still get their 3 day weekend.
Sheeesh a lot of legislative mucking for something that should have been a simple matter.
Congress: Making the simple more complex since 1788:/\\!!
