Q: How did Thanksgiving become a federal holiday?

A: Thanksgiving was one of the first five federal holidays approved by Congress in 1870. It wasn’t until 1941, though, that Congress specified the fourth Thursday in November as the official date. Until then, it was up to the President to make a Thanksgiving proclamation each year and determine on which Thursday the holiday would fall. While tradition had Thanksgiving being held the last Thursday in November, the five Thursdays in 1939 prompted a lobbying campaign to have the date early and create another week of shopping before Christmas. President Roosevelt had declined a similar appeal in 1933, but in 1939 he agreed to the change. This adjustment to the tradition was controversial, and some governors resisted it by declaring the last Thursday in November as Thanksgiving, creating a situation where the holiday was celebrated in different places on different dates. In response in 1941, Congress declared the fourth Thursday in November as Thanksgiving Day.

Q: What does Thanksgiving mean to you?

A: Thanksgiving Day is a time for family and friends to join together to give thanks for the blessings in life and for the fellowship and faith that helps us meet the challenges in life. The Grassley family celebrates together on our farm in New Hartford with a big dinner that my wife Barbara makes. The meal takes her two days to make and twenty minutes for everyone to eat. I suppose that’s a testament to how good Barbara’s cooking is.

Q: Are there any family recipes that you share?

A: My wife Barbara makes a great apple crisp as part of our Thanksgiving feast. I posted the recipe on my blog at grassley.senate.gov , in case you’re interested.

Q: What are you thankful for?

A: Everyday I’m thankful for my family. My kids and their own families are great joys in my life and I know I wouldn’t have been able to pursue public service without my wife’s commitment to helping me and being there for our children. I’m thankful for the opportunity to represent Iowans in the United States Senate and to work to create opportunities for this generation and future generations. I’m thankful for the freedom we all enjoy in the United States and for the hope that America offers to the world. I have deep gratitude for the sacrifices that American service men and women make to secure that freedom and inspire it around the globe. I’m also thankful for religious freedom in America, the very reason that the pilgrims came to America from Europe.