HR 109 — A Resolution urging the Congress of the United States to make "Patriots' Day" a Federal holiday.

PRINTER'S NO.   912

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



              HOUSE RESOLUTION
                 No. 109
                                                 Session of
                                                   2025

     INTRODUCED BY HARKINS, JAMES, GIRAL, SAMUELSON, KHAN, CERRATO,
        REICHARD, SANCHEZ AND MALAGARI, MARCH 11, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON TOURISM, RECREATION AND ECONOMIC
        DEVELOPMENT, MARCH 11, 2025


                                  A RESOLUTION
 1   Urging the Congress of the United States to make "Patriots' Day"
 2      a Federal holiday.
 3         WHEREAS, On April 19, 1775, nearly 700 British soldiers
 4   marched from Boston to Concord in search of weapons and
 5   munitions stored by Massachusetts militiamen; and
 6         WHEREAS, Word quickly spread of the British soldiers'
 7   movements; and
 8         WHEREAS, At sunrise, the British were met by American
 9   militiamen at Lexington; and
10         WHEREAS, The skirmish left eight militiamen dead and the
11   British soldiers continued onto Concord; and
12         WHEREAS, British troops were outnumbered nearly four to one
13   by Massachusetts farmers and minutemen at the Old North Bridge;
14   and
15         WHEREAS, Casualties occurred on both sides, but the British
16   soldiers fled back to Boston; and
17         WHEREAS, Militiamen from throughout the region continued to
 1   attack the British soldiers as they hurried back to the safety
 2   of Boston; and
 3      WHEREAS, While entering the town of Menotomy - now called
 4   Arlington - the British were met with further resistance from
 5   militiamen stationed on either side of the roadway leading back
 6   to Boston; and
 7      WHEREAS, British troops were ordered to clear every dwelling
 8   to eliminate snipers; and
 9      WHEREAS, Houses were then ransacked and set aflame by the
10   retreating British soldiers; and
11      WHEREAS, The Battles of Lexington and Concord and the Battle
12   of Menotomy marked the beginning of the American Revolution; and
13      WHEREAS, These battles and the American heroes who died in
14   them are commemorated every year as "Patriots' Day" on the third
15   Monday of April by several states; and
16      WHEREAS, "Patriots' Day" has been an official state holiday
17   in Massachusetts since 1894, in Maine since 1907 and in
18   Connecticut since 2018; and
19      WHEREAS, As a nation, we should always celebrate the
20   sacrifices of Americans in the fight against tyranny; therefore
21   be it
22      RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the
23   Commonwealth of Pennsylvania urge the Congress of the United
24   States to make "Patriots' Day" a Federal holiday; and be it
25   further
26      RESOLVED, That we call upon our colleagues in the Senate of
27   the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to urge the Congress of the
28   United States to make "Patriots' Day" a Federal holiday; and be
29   it further
30      RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to

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1   the presiding officers of each house of Congress and to each
2   member of Congress from Pennsylvania.




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