Lawmakers urge making Lunar New Year a federal holiday
By: EMMA BOWMAN - npr
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Lawmakers urge making Lunar New Year a federal holiday
Dancers perform lion and dragon dances during Lunar New Year celebrations in Washington, D.C.'s Chinatown in 2019.
Jose Luis Magana/AP
Lunar New Year, celebrated by many Asian communities, could become a new federal holiday under a bill proposed by Rep. Grace Meng, a New York Democrat.
If passed, the new measure would make Lunar New Year the 12th federal holiday, and the first since President Biden signed into law a bill establishing Juneteenth as a federal holiday last year.
Lunar New Year, which began on Feb. 1 this year, is celebrated by about two-thirds of Asian Americans from China, Korea, Japan and Vietnam.
As she has in prior years , Meng introduced a House resolution to recognize the cultural and historical significance of Lunar New Year.
"With Asian Americans being the fastest growing population in our country, and with the popularity of the holiday continuing to grow, it makes sense to make Lunar New Year a federal holiday," Meng said . "My bill, coupled with my resolution, would demonstrate that the holiday celebrated by millions is also valued by their government."
The proposal comes amid a disturbing trend of Anti-Asian hate during the coronavirus pandemic, which has driven a spike in violent attacks across the country.
Some school districts around the country, including in New York , Virginia and Iowa , already close for Lunar New Year. The federal holiday designation would allow most federal government employees to take the day off.
The Lunar New Year Day Act , backed by 44 co-sponsors, has yet to receive pushback, Meng told the The Washington Post .
This week, Asians and members of the Asian diaspora kicked off new year celebrations by honoring their ancestors, eating special dishes, watching fireworks and more, to bring in the Year of the Tiger.
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It would be a good way for America to make up for the treatment of Asian Americans more recently, and historically such as the Chinese Exclusion Act, and even be a step towards improving good relations with Asian nations. But I'm sure Biden knows it would be fodder for the Republicans campaigning for the midterms.
I'm all for additional federal holidays. When I lived on the West Coast the Lunar New Year was a huge deal and celebrated in towns big and small.
I really don't see it coming to pass as a national holiday.
Neither do i.
Sure, why not?
One less day for the people in government, who are paid to do the people’s work, to do the people’s work. Sounds about right ......
ONE day out of 351 (I think I read there were 14 celebratory holidays), not a week, like Christmas. Since your sarcastic comment indicates you're so unhappy with holidays, how about taking one away? Which one would you choose to take away? In China, one of the things I don't like is that when there ARE holidays, they require them to be partly made up by working on the nearest weekends. How about that? Give recognition and make amends where it is the right thing to do, allowing Asians to celebrate their most important day of the year, and then make everyone work or go to school on the nearest weekend? Then you won't suffer from the deprivation you complained about.
Lol .... you are so melodramatic sometimes Buzz.
I simply think 11 federal holidays is enough. Especially since much of the workforce doesn’t get the day off for some of them already. Why add another one? And let’s set you straight on your days. Drop 104 days since no holiday is going to be placed on a weekend. Drop the 11 federal holidays.
That puts the US workforce to 250 useable days if we don’t consider vacation/personal days which usually drops another 20-30 days.
LOL. The melodrama comes from watching too many movies.
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