Happy Birthday, George!A member of Congress has finally introduced a bill that, if enacted, would restore George Washington's birthday as a legal federal holiday. The bill also mandates that Lincoln's birthday would be observed separately with a presidential proclamation.
Cybercast News Service quotes the congressman, Roscoe Bartlett of Maryland, discussing his reasons for introducing the Washington-Lincoln Recognition Act of 2007:
Presidents' Day is a historical myth that is more damaging because it eliminates Washington's indispensable greatness from our conversations, news stories and school lessons about this federal holiday. H.R. 75 would help correct this ongoing historic mistake ...Three cheers for Bartlett. What's strange is that no one in the congressional delegation from Washington's home state of Virginia spearheaded this initiative.
It's doubtful the House Democrats will allow this bill to come up for a vote but, if they do, most if them will vote against it. Perhaps the Democrats will counter Bartlett's bill with a proposal to make Benedict Arnold's birthday a federal holiday.
