Congresswoman Claudia Tenney, who represents Western New Yorkers in the state's 24th District, is proposing a bill to make President Donald Trump's birthday a federal holiday.
The Establishment Act, which Tenney introduced Friday, would permanently codify June 14 as a federal holiday in honor of both President Trump and Flag Day.
"Just as George Washington's birthday is codified as a federal holiday, this bill will add Trump's birthday to the list, recognizing him as the founder of America's Golden Age," Tenney said in a news release.
George Washington's birthday was Feb. 22 and the third Monday in February was later designated as Presidents' Day to honor him and any president who served the country. The February date was originally chosen to combine celebrations of Washington and Abraham Lincoln's birthday, which is on Feb. 12 — although Lincoln's birthday was never an official federal holiday on its own.
Congress permanently established June 14 as National Flag Day in 1949, although it is not an official national holiday.
Tenney's expansive district, which spreads from Western New York to the North Country, includes all of Genesee and Wyoming counties, most of Niagara County, and the southern portion of Orleans County.
This story was originally published by the Scripps News Group.
