[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1922 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







105th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 1922

 To amend chapter 61 of title 5, United States Code, to make election 
day a legal public holiday, with such holiday to be known as ``Freedom 
                          and Democracy Day''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 2, 1998

 Mr. Campbell introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
               referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend chapter 61 of title 5, United States Code, to make election 
day a legal public holiday, with such holiday to be known as ``Freedom 
                          and Democracy Day''.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds that--
            (1) democratic government derives its legitimacy from the 
        consent of the governed, as manifested in the full 
        participation of an informed and aware electorate;
            (2) since 1960 the rate of voter participation in the 
        United States has declined and is now among the lowest of any 
        nation with a democratic form of government;
            (3) since 1972 the rate of voter participation among young 
        people in the United States has declined significantly;
            (4) the Federal Government should encourage personal 
        responsibility and the broader understanding of the value and 
        importance of the right to vote; and
            (5) the establishment of a legal public holiday on election 
        day, the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November of 
        each even numbered year, could provide a substantial incentive 
        to increase voter participation by the American public.

SEC. 2. SENSE OF THE CONGRESS.

    It is the sense of the Congress that educators, civic and 
charitable organizations, radio and television broadcasters, and public 
officials at all levels of government should help the people of the 
United States celebrate Freedom and Democracy Day through appropriate 
celebrations and events which stress the importance of self-government.

SEC. 3. DESIGNATION OF ELECTION DAY AS LEGAL PUBLIC HOLIDAY.

    Section 6103 of title 5, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsection (d) as subsection (e); and
            (2) by inserting after subsection (c) the following:
    ``(d)(1) Subject to paragraph (2), the first Tuesday after the 
first Monday in November in each even numbered year, Election Day, 
shall be a legal public holiday, with such holiday to be known as 
Freedom and Democracy Day.
    ``(2) Freedom and Democracy Day--
            ``(A) shall be a regular workday;
            ``(B) shall not be treated as a legal public holiday for 
        purposes of statutes relating to pay and leave of employees as 
        defined by section 2105 of this title; and
            ``(C) shall not affect the regular operations of the 
        Federal Government.''.
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