A U.S. senator is calling on Congress to recognize Easter Monday as a federal holiday, giving families across America an extra day to reflect on and celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., introduced legislation last week to amend U.S. law and officially add Easter Monday to the list of federal holidays. In a thread posted to social media platform X, Schmitt explained his reasoning behind the bill, saying it’s time to honor the day after Easter with the same seriousness and reverence seen in many other countries around the world.

“81% of Americans celebrate Easter,” Schmitt wrote. “But our current holiday schedule makes it way too difficult for families to celebrate together.”

Schmitt emphasized that Easter falls within the longest unbroken work stretch on the calendar — between Presidents’ Day in February and Memorial Day in May — with no federal holidays in March or April. “This isn’t a radical idea,” he noted. “It’s a federal recognition of a tradition that is central to Western civilization.”

While Easter Monday is not currently a U.S. holiday, more than 100 countries and territories, including Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and much of Western Europe, recognize the day as an official public holiday. Even in U.S. territories, like the Virgin Islands, Easter Monday is honored.

Schmitt believes that making Easter Monday a federal holiday would honor the spiritual significance of Christ’s resurrection and benefit American workers and families.

“A federal Easter Monday holiday allows Americans to celebrate the most extraordinary day in world history — Easter, the day of Christ’s resurrection,” he wrote. “It’s pro-worker. Pro-family. Pro-faith.”

He pointed out that many American school calendars once gave students both Good Friday and Easter Monday off. Reintroducing a national observance could help restore time-honored traditions and reinforce family and faith-centered values.

“There are plenty of practical arguments for it, too,” Schmitt added. He cited data that Easter weekend already generates roughly $15 billion in economic activity, estimating that turning it into a long weekend could add up to 15% more — or $2 billion in additional spending.

Beyond economics, the senator emphasized the cultural and spiritual significance of the proposal.

“Our holidays and traditions are part of the story we tell ourselves,” he wrote. “This is not partisan. It’s not a ‘Republican’ or ‘Democrat holiday.’ It’s an American holiday, allowing a fuller celebration of the defining moment of our faith that shaped our nation and civilization.”

If passed, Schmitt’s proposal would amend Title 5 of the U.S. Code to recognize Easter Monday as the 13th federal holiday officially. The bill has been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee and does not currently have any co-sponsors.

The last addition to the federal holiday calendar was Juneteenth, which was signed into law in 2021 after receiving broad bipartisan support.

For Christians, Easter is far more than just a spring celebration—it is the foundation of their faith. As Schmitt’s proposal gains attention, it may spark a broader conversation about how America honors its spiritual heritage and supports families in celebrating Christ’s resurrection.