In the United States, Patriot Day occurs on September 11 of each year, designated in memory of the 2,993 casualties in the September 11, 2001, attacks. Most Americans refer to the day as "Nine-Eleven (9/11)," "September 11th," or some variation thereof.
U.S. House of Representatives Joint Resolution 71 was approved by a vote of 407-0 on October 25, 2001. It requested that the President designate September 11 of each year as "Patriot Day." President George W. Bush signed the resolution into law on December 18, 2001 (as Public Law 107-89). It is a discretionary day of remembrance.
Initially, the day was called the Prayer and Remembrance for the Victims Of the Terrorist Attacks on September 11, 2001.
On September 4, 2002, President Bush used his authority created by the resolution and proclaimed September 11, 2002 as Patriot Day.
On this day, the President directs that the American flag be flown at half-staff at individual American homes, at the White House, and on all U.S. government buildings and establishments, home and abroad. The President also asks Americans to observe a moment of silence beginning at 8:46 A.M. (Eastern Daylight Time), the time of the first plane crash on September 11, 2001.
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History
The bill to make September 11th a holiday was introduced in the U.S. House on October 25, 2001 by Republican Vito Fossella (R-NY) with 22 co-sponsors, among them eleven Democrats and eleven Republicans.[1] It passed the House by a vote of 407-0, with 25 members not voting,[2] and passed the Senate unanimously on November 30. It was signed by President Bush, without ceremony, on December 18 as Public Law No. 107-89.
Its original co-sponsors in the House were:
- Gary Ackerman (D-NY)
- Rick Boucher (D-VA)
- Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY)
- Michael R. McNulty (D-NY)
- Jim Moran (D-VA)
- Jerrold Nadler (D-NY)
- John E. Peterson (R-PA)
- Thomas M. Reynolds (R-NY)
- Ed Schrock (R-VA)
- Don Sherwood (R-PA)
- Ed Towns (D-NY)
- James T. Walsh (R-NY)
- William G. Cain (R-NY)
- Eliot L. Engel (D-NY)
- Phil English (R-PA)
- Randy Forbes (R-VA)
- Benjamin A. Gilman (R-NY)
- Felix Grucci, Jr. (R-NY)
- Maurice Hinchey (D-NY)
- Steve Israel (D-NY)
- Peter T. King (R-NY)
- Ray LaHood (R-IL)
- Nita Lowey (D-NY)
See also
References
External links
- Text of the statute
- 2001 proclamation
NOTE: The original whitehouse.gov page above has been expunged. Here is a link to an archived copy: [1]
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