Closing of Government Departments and Agencies on Friday, December 26, 1997

Executive Order 13068 declares Friday, December 26, 1997 a federal holiday, closing all executive departments and agencies and excusing employees from duty, with exceptions for national security, defense, or other public needs. The day is treated as a legal holiday for federal employee pay and leave purposes under existing statutes.

Federal Register Open PDF 62 FR 63247

Impact dates

Dec 26, 1997
All executive departments and agencies closed; employees excused from duty
Dec 26, 1997
Agency heads must determine exceptions for offices/employees needing to remain open

Key directives

All executive departments and agencies closed December 26, 1997
Employees excused from duty December 26, 1997
Agency heads may exempt offices/employees for national security, defense, or other public reasons
December 26, 1997 treated as holiday for pay and leave purposes under 5 U.S.C. 5546 and 6103(b)

Who is ordered

agency heads · various

Timeline

Immediate

EO signed November 25, 1997

Near term (90d)

Closure takes effect December 26, 1997
Agency heads must determine exceptions before closure date

Long term

—

Risks & tensions

Minimal operational tension: exception authority delegated to agency heads provides flexibility but creates potential inconsistency across government
Vague 'other public reasons' standard in Section 2 leaves broad discretion without guidance on criteria
One-day closure has limited structural impact; primarily symbolic and employee morale gesture