Bill would make Trump's birthday a federal holiday

WASHINGTON - A republican congresswoman has launched an effort to designate Donald Trump’s birthday as a federal holiday.

Rep. Claudia Tenney, R-N.Y., introduced her bill on Friday in the lead up to Monday’s Presidents Day, the federal holiday paying tribute to George Washington’s birthday. 

What we know:

The congresswoman said the proposal to make Trump’s birthday, June 14, a federal holiday, would also coincide with Flag Day, which observes the date in 1777 when the Continental Congress approved the design of the national flag.

The president turns 79 on June 14.

What they're saying:

"This legislation would permanently codify a new federal holiday called ‘Trump’s Birthday and Flag Day’ on June 14 to honor this historic day," Tenney said in a news release. 

The lawmaker represents New York's 24th congressional district, located in Upstate and covering Central and Western New York and including the Finger Lakes region.  

Dig deeper:

The proposal will likely face challenges as creating federal holidays has historically been difficult to achieve.

"Since 1870, numerous proposals have been introduced in Congress to establish permanent federal holidays. Twelve have become law," according to a report by the Congressional Research Service. 

The most recently designated federal holiday was the Juneteenth National Independence Day, which was signed into law by President Biden in 2021 and serves as a commemoration of the end of slavery in the U.S.

States decide own legal holidays 

While these federal holidays are often referred to as a "national" event, they only legally apply to federal employees and the District of Columbia. 

States operate at their own discretion when it comes to adopting these dates as holidays. 

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"Neither Congress nor the President has asserted the authority to declare a ‘national holiday,’ that would be binding on the 50 states, as each state individually determines its legal holidays," the CRS said, adding, "Creating a holiday for federal employees does affect each state in a variety of ways, including the delivery of mail and conduct of business with federal agencies."

Tenney noted the timing of this bill, as the country prepares to mark its semiquincentennial this July Fourth.  

"As our nation prepares to celebrate its 250th anniversary, we should create a new federal holiday honoring the American Flag and all that it represents," the congresswoman said. 

Tenney’s bill has been referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. 

Permanent federal holidays

• 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
• Christmas Day

This story was reported from Oakland, Calif.