Government operations and workforce

Executive Order 12910: Providing for the Closing of Government Departments and Agencies on April 27, 1994

President: Bill Clinton

Closed most executive departments and agencies for President Richard Nixon’s funeral, while allowing essential national-security, defense and public services to remain open.

Status: Completed/expired. Is Executive Order 12910 still in effect? No. Executive Order 12910 is completed or expired. See Federal Register record.

What does Executive Order 12910 do?

EO 12910 closed executive departments, independent establishments and field services on April 27, 1994 as a mark of respect after former President Richard Nixon’s death. It treated the day as a federal holiday for pay and leave statutes. Agency heads could keep offices or installations open for national security, defense or other public reasons. The direction was fully completed on the named date.

Administration position: The closure was a ceremonial and personnel action marking national mourning. It did not create an annually recurring holiday.
SignedApril 23, 1994
Closure dateApril 27, 1994
OccasionFuneral of former President Richard Nixon

Before and after

Before the order

The funeral date was an ordinary scheduled federal workday.

After the order

Most executive offices closed for one day, with essential-service exceptions determined by agency heads.

Who had to do what

Agency / officeActionTiming / position
Executive departments and agenciesClose covered officesApril 27, 1994
Agency headsKeep necessary operations openFor national security, defense or other public reasons
Payroll and leave officesTreat the day under 5 U.S.C. § 6103(b)For compensation and leave

What happened next

Richard Nixon died.

EO 12910 directed the closure.

The funeral and one-day federal closure occurred.