newspop
New Delhi : A fresh legislative push is underway in the United States to grant Diwali official federal holiday status, with Congresswoman Grace Meng and 19 co-sponsors reintroducing the Diwali Day Act in Congress.
The proposed legislation seeks to make Diwali the 12th federally recognised holiday in the US by amending Title 5 of the US Code. Among those backing the bill are Indian-origin lawmakers Ami Bera, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Suhas Subramanyam, Shri Thanedar and Ro Khanna.
The initiative was first introduced in May 2023 but failed to advance beyond the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, without receiving a floor vote. Its reintroduction comes amid growing demands for greater cultural representation and concerns over rising anti-Hindu and anti-South Asian hostility.
Congresswoman Grace Meng, who chairs the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), said recognising Diwali at the federal level would promote awareness of the festival’s significance while acknowledging the contributions and heritage of millions of Americans.
Highlighting Diwali’s message of the victory of good over evil and knowledge over ignorance, Meng stressed that official recognition would demonstrate respect for Hindu, Sikh, Jain and Buddhist communities across the country.
If approved by Congress and signed into law by the President, the legislation would establish Diwali as a federal holiday, giving federal government employees a paid day off and recognising the Festival of Lights at the national level.
The renewed effort marks another significant step towards bringing greater visibility to one of the world’s most widely celebrated festivals in the United States.
