Jan. 9 declared federal holiday for Carter funeral

WASHINGTON - President Joe Biden signed an executive order Monday closing federal government agencies on January 9 for the late former President Jimmy Carter's funeral. 

According to the White House, all executive departments and agencies of the federal government will be closed on January 9 "as a mark of respect for James Earl Carter, Jr., the thirty-ninth President of the United States." 

When a U.S. president dies, it's common practice for the day of their funeral to be treated like a federal holiday, with federal offices closed and all employees freed from work. Some federal departments and agencies may remain open "for reasons of national security, defense, or other public need." 

The New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq will close on Jan. 9 in honor of Carter's passing. 

Carter died at his Georgia home on Sunday, Dec. 29 at the age of 100. Carter served as the 39th President of the United States and was known for his enduring commitment to philanthropy and humanitarian work. 

On Sunday, Biden declared Jan. 9 as a National Day of Mourning. In the proclamation, Biden called on Americans to "assemble on that day in their respective places of worship, there to pay homage to the memory of President James Earl Carter, Jr." Carter's funeral is set for Jan. 9 at the Washington National Cathedral. 

Carter will lie in state in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol in D.C., according to a statement from the Carter Center.  

A Joint Task Force release obtained by The Washington Post states the funeral services for the former president are expected to begin at 10 a.m. (EST).

What happened to Jimmy Carter? 

In 2015, Carter announced shattering news about his health. He candidly spoke about his battle with liver and brain cancer. 

"Now I feel it’s in the hands of God, who I worship, and I’ll be prepared for anything that comes," he said.

Extensive treatment followed and he was declared cancer-free in December 2015. 

In 2019, Carter suffered several falls, one requiring hip replacement surgery. Another led to a fractured pelvis. In November of that year, he had to undergo surgery to relieve bleeding on his brain related to the falls.

But Carter remained active well into his 90s, continuing to lead Sunday School classes at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains and to help build Habitat for Humanity houses for those in need.

He had been receiving at-home hospice care for nearly two years at the time of his death.

The Carter Center confirmed his death, saying he died peacefully at his home in Plains, surrounded by his family. He was the longest-lived president in U.S. history.