Congress considers making St. Patrick's Day a federal holiday
H.R. 2119 — St. Patrick’s Day Act · Filed by Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) · 1 cosponsor · Introduced Mar 14, 2025 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill would designate St. Patrick's Day (March 17) as a federal holiday by amending title 5 of the U.S. Code. Federal employees would receive the day off with pay, and federal offices would close, similar to existing holidays like Washington's Birthday. The primary beneficiaries are federal workers and the general public who observe the holiday.
Why we flagged it
The bill's sole operative mechanism is to add St. Patrick's Day to the list of federal holidays in title 5, U.S. Code. It is a straightforward commemorative/observance measure with no hidden provisions or complex regulatory language.
What the text implies
- Federal office closures on March 17 may disrupt services (passport processing, Social Security, federal courts) unless agencies staff for holiday operations.
- Estimated annual cost to federal government: approximately $600M–$1B in paid leave for ~2.3M federal employees, plus operational overhead.
The full analysis lists 4 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
federal employees (paid leave benefit)