Providing for the Closing of Executive Departments and Agencies of the Federal Government on December 24, 2020

Executive Order 13965 of December 11, 2020

Providing for the Closing of Executive
Departments and Agencies of the Federal Government on
December 24, 2020

By the authority vested in me as President by the
Constitution and the laws of the United States of
America, it is hereby ordered as follows:

Section 1. All executive departments and agencies of
the Federal Government shall be closed and their
employees excused from duty on Thursday, December 24,
2020, the day before Christmas Day.

Sec. 2. The heads of executive departments and agencies
may determine that certain offices and installations of
their organizations, or parts thereof, must remain open
and that certain employees must report for duty on
December 24, 2020, for reasons of national security,
defense, or other public need.

Sec. 3. December 24, 2020, shall be considered as
falling within the scope of Executive Order 11582 of
February 11, 1971, and of 5 U.S.C. 5546 and 6103(b) and
other similar statutes insofar as they relate to the
pay and leave of employees of the United States.

Sec. 4. The Director of the Office of Personnel
Management shall take such actions as may be necessary
to implement this order.

Sec. 5. General Provisions. (a) This order shall be
implemented consistent with applicable law and subject
to the availability of appropriations.

(b) Nothing in this order shall be construed to
impair or otherwise affect:

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or
the head thereof; or

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget
relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

(c) This order is not intended to, and does not,
create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural,
enforceable at law or in equity by any party against
the United States, its departments, agencies, or
entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any
other person.

THE WHITE HOUSE,

December 11, 2020.