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Civic Observance
Columbus Day / Indigenous Peoples’ Day
Monday, October 12, 2026
Congress made Columbus Day a federal holiday in 1934, and the 1968 Monday law set it to the second Monday of October. Federal law still lists that date as Columbus Day (5 U.S.C. § 6103).
Many states and cities also observe Indigenous Peoples’ Day on or near this date, to recognize Native nations and the costs of colonization. Some jurisdictions use one name, some use both, and some use one officially and the other locally.
Constituents lists both names so you understand why your state calendar may differ from the federal list.
A Civic Field Guide
Forms of Government
The United States is a Constitutional Republic that uses democratic elections. Democracy, republic, oligarchy, monarchy, theocracy, and the rest — what they actually mean, where they showed up, and how those systems treated power.
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QUOTE OF THE DAY
A dependence on the people is, no doubt, the primary control on the government; but experience has taught mankind the necessity of auxiliary precautions.
James Madison, Federalist No. 51 (1788)
Madison is saying the ultimate check on government power is you — the people watching and voting. But he also knew that's not enough on its own. We need built-in safeguards like separated powers and checks and balances.
Your representative votes on bills that affect your daily life — spending, taxes, rights. Look up how your House member and senators are voting this week. If you don't like what you see, tell them.
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Latest from Congress
Trending this week
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027
HR 8800To authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2027 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States.
Protect Vulnerable Immigrant Youth Act
HR 3763Protect Vulnerable Immigrant Youth Act
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Road to Independence
Meet the founders and the battles that shaped a nation
