Patriot Day was established by a joint resolution of the U.S. Congress (H.J.Res. 71) that was approved on October 25, 2001. President George W. Bush signed the resolution into law on December 18, 2001, officially designating September 11 of each year as Patriot Day. The first observance took place on September 11, 2002.
The legislation, which became Public Law 107-89, calls for the President to issue a yearly proclamation designating September 11 as Patriot Day. The law requests that the U.S. flag be flown at half-staff at all homes, on the White House, and on all U.S. government buildings and establishments, both domestically and abroad. It also asks that Americans observe a moment of silence to honor the individuals who lost their lives as a result of the terrorist attacks against the United States on that day.
Patriot Day is a national day of observance, not a federal holiday; therefore, schools and government offices do not close. Its purpose is one of solemn remembrance. In 2009, Congress further designated September 11 as a National Day of Service and Remembrance, encouraging volunteerism and charitable activities as a tribute to the victims and heroes of the attacks. It is important to distinguish Patriot Day (September 11) from Patriots' Day, a regional holiday in Massachusetts and Maine commemorating the Battles of Lexington and Concord.
