[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 105 (Wednesday, June 16, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H2863-H2872]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1745
                JUNETEENTH NATIONAL INDEPENDENCE DAY ACT

  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, pursuant to House 
Resolution 479, I call up the bill (S. 475) to amend title 5, United 
States Code, to designate Juneteenth National Independence Day as a 
legal public holiday, and ask for its immediate consideration.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Ms. Jackson Lee). Pursuant to House 
Resolution 479, the bill is considered read.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

[[Page H2864]]

  


                                 S. 475

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Juneteenth National 
     Independence Day Act''.

     SEC. 2. JUNETEENTH NATIONAL INDEPENDENCE DAY AS A LEGAL 
                   PUBLIC HOLIDAY.

       Section 6103(a) of title 5, United States Code, is amended 
     by inserting after the item relating to Memorial Day the 
     following:
       ``Juneteenth National Independence Day, June 19.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The bill shall be debatable for 1 hour, 
equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member 
of the Committee on Oversight and Reform or their respective designees.
  The gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney) and the 
gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Comer) each will control 30 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from New York.


                             General Leave

  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous 
consent that all Member have 5 legislative days in which to revise and 
extend their remarks and insert extraneous material on S. 475.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I yield myself 
such time as I may consume.
  Today, I rise in strong support of S. 475, the Juneteenth National 
Independence Day Act.
  I thank my good friend and colleague, Sheila Jackson Lee, for 
introducing the House companion bill, H.R. 1320, which has over 170 
cosponsors.
  This bill would establish Juneteenth, which is celebrated on June 
19th, as a Federal holiday.
  Our Federal holidays are purposefully few in number and recognize the 
most important milestones in our country's history. I cannot think of a 
more important milestone to commemorate than the end of slavery in the 
United States.
  At the end of the Civil War in 1865, hundreds of thousands of people 
remained enslaved, despite the Emancipation Proclamation being issued 
nearly 2 years earlier.
  On June 19, 1865, Major General Gordon Granger traveled to Galveston, 
Texas, and issued General Order Number 3, which declared that all 
slaves are free. That is when 250,000 enslaved individuals in Texas 
finally learned that they were free. The celebration that they held in 
Galveston on that day is the basis for the Juneteenth celebrations 
today.
  Juneteenth is considered the longest-running African-American holiday 
marking the end of slavery in the United States, and it has been 
celebrated across the Nation for over 150 years.
  First known as Jubilee Day, Juneteenth is marked by food, music, and 
fellowship. These celebrations honor freedom, recognize life, and 
uplift the complex history and the beautiful culture of the African-
American community.
  Forty-seven States and the District of Columbia have made Juneteenth 
a public holiday, including my own State of New York.
  While millions of Americans have celebrated this important day for 
generations, the Federal Government has failed in its responsibility to 
recognize its significance. Today, we can change that.
  It is often said that those who do not remember their past are doomed 
to repeat it. If we want to confront the sins of slavery and move 
forward towards a more equitable, fair, and free society, it is 
incumbent upon us to recognize not only our past evils, but the moments 
of triumph over those evils.
  Making Juneteenth a Federal holiday is a crucial step in remembering 
our past, and it will undoubtedly help us build a better future.
  I thank Senator Ed Markey for his longtime leadership on this bill. 
As a result of his hard work, yesterday, the Senate unanimously passed 
S. 475 to make Juneteenth an official Federal holiday. Democrats and 
Republicans passed it unanimously.
  Senator Cornyn, a conservative Republican from Texas, stated: ``The 
freedom of all Americans that Texas celebrates every Juneteenth should 
be celebrated all across the Nation. The passage of this bill 
represents a big step in our Nation's journey toward equality.''
  In this time of increasing partisanship, Senator Cornyn's strong 
support speaks to the importance and urgency of this bill.
  I also thank again my good friend, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, 
who has been advocating for Juneteenth to be a Federal holiday for over 
12 years. This bill would not be possible without her steadfast support 
and hard work.
  It is now our responsibility to swiftly pass this bill and finally 
enshrine this important celebration in national law. As we strive 
toward a more perfect Union, it is critical that we acknowledge the 
national significance of Juneteenth. This day not only honors the past 
and celebrates the present, but it offers an opportunity to reflect 
upon ways to create an even more just society.
  I encourage all of my colleagues to join me in supporting this 
vitally important bill.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. COMER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Madam Speaker, Juneteenth is an important day, and remembering and 
celebrating the emancipation of African Americans in the United States 
is certainly worthy of commemoration. All Americans should celebrate 
our fight for freedom.
  It is a fitting tribute first celebrated in the State of Texas to 
commemorate the day in 1865, when President Abraham Lincoln's 
Emancipation Proclamation was recognized in that State.
  I do plan to vote in favor of this bill that passed unanimously in 
the Senate yesterday. However, I would be remiss if I did not discuss 
the procedure leading up to consideration of this legislation.
  Just a few mere hours ago, the Committee on Oversight and Reform, 
which has jurisdiction over Federal holidays in the Federal workforce, 
learned that this legislation would be taken up today. Our committee's 
job is to ensure the efficient and effective operation of the executive 
branch agencies.
  Unfortunately, we have not had ample time to consider the effects of 
granting the entire Federal workforce another day off work. And we do 
not know what effect, if any, this bill will have on Federal programs 
and missions that our government delivers to the American taxpayer each 
day.

  For instance, due to the rushed process, we do not yet have an 
estimate from the Congressional Budget Office of how much this bill 
will cost. I know my friends on the other side of the aisle have never 
really been concerned about the cost of a government program, but the 
people on this side of the aisle and the American taxpayers have a 
concern about the cost of legislation that we pass on the floor of the 
House of Representatives.
  According to a 2014 analysis by President Obama's Office of 
Management and Budget, it cost Federal taxpayers $660 million in 
payroll and holiday premium costs when Federal employees were given an 
extra holiday on the day after Christmas that year by executive order.
  Because we are not following regular order, which would have included 
a legislative hearing and committee markup, we do not fully understand 
the impacts of this new Federal holiday and the true costs of lost 
productivity.
  Nevertheless, I thank my colleagues for the time to speak on this 
historical legislation.
  Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute 
to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi), the distinguished 
Speaker of the House.
  Ms. PELOSI. Madam Speaker, I commend our distinguished chair of the 
Committee on Oversight and Reform, and the Congress, for bringing this 
important legislation to the floor within 24 hours of it passing the 
Senate.
  It is a pretty exciting historic day.
  I thank Congresswoman Jackson Lee for her sponsorship of this 
legislation for such a long time.
  Madam Speaker, I rise to join my colleagues in the spirit of joy and 
pride as the Congress passes this legislation to declare Juneteenth a 
national holiday.
  With this step, Congress is ensuring that one of the most momentous

[[Page H2865]]

events in our history--which has been celebrated by millions, 
particularly Black Americans for 150 years now--is officially 
recognized; that it is enshrined in our history books, and it takes its 
place of honor in our Nation.

                              {time}  1800

  Juneteenth is a beautiful and proud celebration of freedom for Black 
Americans. It marks the day, 2 years after President Lincoln issued the 
Emancipation Proclamation, when Major General Gordon Granger and Union 
soldiers delivered the news of liberation in Galveston, Texas, not far 
from the district the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee) 
represents.
  That day, General Granger conveyed the declaration that all are free 
with ``an absolute equality of rights and rights of property.''
  I know that Texas' special place in our Nation's history is cherished 
by its delegation, especially, as I mentioned, the Chair, 
Representative Sheila Jackson Lee, representing Houston. Thank you for 
being the author of the legislation, the House companion of S. 475.
  Thank you to the Congressional Black Caucus and its distinguished 
chair, Congresswoman Joyce Beatty from Ohio, and the Texas delegation 
and all Members who have worked for this official recognition over many 
years, including Representative   Danny Davis. Thank you, also, to 
Committee on Oversight and Reform chair, Carolyn Maloney.
  We salute Senators Ed Markey and John Cornyn, leading in the Senate, 
and congratulate them on yesterday's passage of S. 475 without 
objection.
  And let me salute the activists and leaders who carried this fight to 
this day, including the late Dr. Ronald Myers. For decades, until his 
passing, Doc Myers led the campaign to make Juneteenth a national day 
of observance.
  Over the past century and a half, Juneteenth has evolved into a day 
not only of celebration but of reflection. This day reminds us of a 
history much stained by brutality and injustice, and it reminds us of 
our responsibility to build a future of progress for all, honoring the 
ideal of equality that is America's heritage and America's hope.
  I feel very honored to be here with the Congressional Black Caucus, 
as I mentioned already, to speak on behalf of this legislation. I thank 
them for making this day possible. I also had the honor of traveling 
with them to Ghana almost 2 years ago at the end of July as we observed 
the 400th anniversary of the first slaves coming to America.
  John Lewis was with us on that trip to go to the Door of No Return, 
which is now the Door of Return, as it urges people to come back. 
Almost 402 years ago, the first slaves were pushed from Africa into 
dungeons, which were deadly, and onto slave ships, which were death 
ships, to come across the ocean to a place where they would be enslaved 
for hundreds of years.
  It challenges the conscience of the world, and certainly of America, 
to even think about what happened to people in our country over that 
period of time. But to be there with the Congressional Black Caucus was 
a very, very special honor, and to see the connection between that Door 
of No Return and Ghana and the connection to our Members of Congress on 
the floor of this House today serving with such dignity and pride.
  Madam Speaker, we know that the fight against racism and toward 
equality has far to go, but it is a fight that continues with a renewed 
sense of urgency all the time, now sparked by the murder of George 
Floyd and so many others.
  We salute Congresswoman Karen Bass as she continues negotiations on 
the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which now must become law.
  As we fight for its passage, the Democratic House remains committed 
to real, effective action to advance justice, fairness, and opportunity 
for all. That is the purpose of our Congressional Black Caucus in this 
Congress. The Congressional Black Caucus is the conscience of the House 
of Representatives.
  Madam Speaker, I urge a bipartisan vote on this important legislation 
and thank all Members who have led this effort which strengthens 
America.
  I hope we can have, again, a strong bipartisan vote.
  Mr. COMER. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Weber).
  Mr. WEBER of Texas. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding 
me time.
  Madam Speaker, today, the House moves to establish June 19 as the 
Juneteenth National Independence Day, a national holiday commemorating 
the end of slavery in the United States.
  June 19 marks the day Union troops arrived in my district in 
Galveston, Texas--I wasn't alive back then, let me get that out there--
in the heart of what is now the 14th Congressional District of Texas, 
the Gulf Coast of Texas. Those troops arrived to announce and enforce 
the Emancipation Proclamation.
  On that day, General Gordon Granger delivered the news of President 
Abraham Lincoln's proclamation, which had abolished slavery more than 2 
years before, on January 1, 1863. That was his intent. It was the law, 
and it should have been done. But we had a ways to go, didn't we, to 
abolish slavery? We really did.
  The abolition of slavery was a key milestone toward fulfilling our 
Founders' promise, underwritten by the self-evident truths of natural 
law, that all humans are created equal and should enjoy the same 
protections under the law.
  Ingrained in Texas culture, my great Texas, this special day has 
already been recognized, which the chairwoman eloquently spoke about, 
in 47 of the 50 States here in the United States, and it is long 
overdue to be recognized as a Federal holiday. I have been working on 
it myself for several years with my friends, Sheila Jackson Lee and 
John Cornyn, and others.
  This year's celebration should be rooted in the works of repair we 
have done, still need to do, and will continue to do, Lord willing, as 
a country that has endured periods of racial tension, which have tried 
to divide our people. Let it not be so.
  As President Abraham Lincoln notably quoted from the Bible, he said: 
``A house divided against itself cannot stand.'' Our country can and 
should--and, Lord, I will say ``will''--unite beyond the divisions that 
we have faced. And this is a long way toward that.
  The forces that try to divide our Nation will not prevail as we stand 
firm in our identity as Americans. We are a people refined through the 
trials of fire and made stronger and stronger than ever.
  Juneteenth reminds us of the freedom so bravely defended by many, 
many Americans, and it encourages us to remain steadfast in the good 
fight against division. It also reminds us we have a ways to go.
  ``A house divided cannot stand.'' That is absolutely true. But a 
house that is united is unshakeable.
  Mr. Speaker, this is a step toward that unification.
  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes 
to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee), the author of the 
companion to the Senate bill.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from New York 
for her courtesies.
  Mr. Speaker, it has been a long journey. It has not been yesterday, 
the day before, or last month, or a few years before. One could argue 
that it has been 12 years on this floor of the House.
  So many people have been involved:   Danny Davis; my colleagues in 
the United States Senate, Senator Cornyn and Senator Markey; Barbara-
Rose Collins, some 25 years ago with a resolution; others unnamed; and 
organizations across the Nation and some international.
  It has been a long journey. It has not been an easy journey. When we 
stand here today, we should be reminded of the fact that there were 
people who continued to experience the whips of a whip for 2 more 
years, even as Abraham Lincoln stood in the shining sun in the 
aftermath of Gettysburg to unite the Union and proclaim the slaves free 
in 1863.
  Just a few years ago, I had the teary privilege of being, at 
midnight, in the National Archives, looking at that document. Then, of 
course, it took 2 years for General Granger to get to Texas. But in 
that 2 years, we realize that tragedy continued and brutality 
continued, even into the 20th century.

[[Page H2866]]

  I salute the miraculous coming together today of the House 
leadership, the Speaker, Leader Hoyer, Whip Clyburn, Chairman Jeffries, 
and others who brought this to the floor through a rule, Chairman 
McGovern, and then a debate. Then, of course, here we are today. It is 
a long journey, but here we are.
  I am grateful, as I said earlier, that racial divide has fallen out 
of the sky, and we are crushing it to the Earth for this day, for the 
Juneteenth holiday.
  H.R. 1320 was a bipartisan bill with over 166 sponsors, as well as 
now S. 475. We are delighted to note that the President will sign this 
bill.
  When the words of General Granger were said--the people of Texas and 
other places are informed that in accordance with the proclamation from 
the executive, all slaves are free--then, in the same year, the 13th 
Amendment was passed.
  This bill and this day are about freedom. At Gettysburg, that is what 
President Lincoln said in 1863, that this Nation under God shall have a 
new birth of freedom.
  Why can't we continue on this pathway as we push the George Floyd 
Justice in Policing Act, as we come together on the Voting Rights Act, 
as we realize that there is another path for America to take, that my 
freedom is your freedom and your freedom is my freedom?
  Yes, slaves suffered continuously. Even in the 20th century, they 
were hung. Yet, we have a time today, miraculously, to be able to 
debate and vote on the floor of the House. Diverse persons can stand 
and join this.
  So, I offer to my colleagues: Be reminded that this has been a long 
journey. There have been mountains and valleys, but we stand here 
today, free to vote for the Juneteenth National Independence Day, a 
Federal holiday for America. Freedom is now.
  Mr. Speaker, as a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee, the 
Chair of the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security, 
and the principal sponsor in the House of the Juneteenth National 
Independence Day Act, I rise in strong and enthusiastic support of S. 
475, the Senate companion to the Juneteenth National Independence Day 
Act I introduced on February 25, 2021, which establishes June 19 as a 
federal holiday.
  I applaud the U.S. Senate for passing S. 475, Juneteenth National 
Independence Day Act, companion legislation to H.R. 1320, which I 
introduced to make Juneteenth a federal holiday to commemorate the end 
of chattel slavery, America's Original Sin, and to celebrate the 
perseverance that has been the hallmark of the African American 
struggle for equality.
  I thank Senator Markey of Massachusetts for contacting my office with 
his request to introduce the Senate companion to H.R. 1320 for this 
Congress, and to my senior senator, Senator John Cornyn of Texas for 
his steadfast support of the Juneteenth holiday over the years, and 
others who spearheaded this effort in the Senate, and Senate Majority 
Leader Schumer for his support and for using his legislative skills to 
ensure the bill was voted on and passed.
  Mr. Speaker, the process that has brought us to this day has been 
bipartisan, bicameral, cooperative, and constructive beginning with my 
collaboration in the 116th Congress with former Senator Doug Jones of 
Alabama and Senator Cornyn of Texas to coordinate the introduction and 
cultivate the necessary support for the Juneteenth National 
Independence Day Act.
  That partnership has continued through the 117th Congress with the 
addition of Senator Markey of Massachusetts as the lead Democratic 
sponsor in the Senate.
  The bipartisan H.R. 1320, the House version of S. 475, is sponsored 
by 166 Members from all regions of the country, including two of my 
Republican colleagues from Texas, Congressman Van Taylor and 
Congressman Randy Weber.
  Mr. Speaker, now it is time for the House of Representatives to act 
swiftly and bring to the floor, vote on, pass the Juneteenth National 
Independence Day Act, and send it to the desk of President Biden for 
signature.
  With the President's signature, the federal government will join 47 
states in recognizing as a holiday Juneteenth, the day that has been 
celebrated by African Americans for 156 years and has been called 
rightly as 'America's second Independence Day.'
  Let me extend on behalf of all of us who have labored to pass this 
important legislation our deep appreciation to the House leadership, 
particularly Majority Leader Hoyer, for their support which paved the 
way for the House last year to pass by unanimous consent H. Res. 1001, 
the resolution I introduced recognizing Juneteenth Independence Day.
  As I have said many times, Juneteenth is as significant to African 
Americans as July 4 is to all Americans because on that day, June 19, 
155 years ago, General Gordon Granger, the Commanding Officer of the 
District of Texas, rode into Galveston, Texas, and announced the 
freedom of the last American slaves; belatedly freeing 250,000 slaves 
in Texas nearly two and a half years after Abraham Lincoln signed the 
Emancipation Proclamation.
  When General Granger read these words of General Order No. 3 it set 
off joyous celebrations of the freedmen and women of Texas:

       The people of Texas are informed that in accordance with a 
     Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all 
     slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of rights 
     and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and 
     the connection therefore existing between them becomes that 
     between employer and hired laborer.

  Juneteenth thus made real to the last persons living under the system 
of chattel slavery, of human bondage, the prophetic words of President 
Abraham Lincoln delivered November 19, 1863, at Gettysburg `that this 
nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom--and that 
government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not 
perish from the earth.'
  Juneteenth was first celebrated in the Texas state capital in 1867 
under the direction of the Freedmen's Bureau and remains the oldest 
known celebration of slavery's demise, commemorating freedom while 
acknowledging the sacrifices and contributions made by courageous 
African Americans towards making our great Nation the more conscious 
and accepting country that it has become.
  As the Nation prepares to celebrate July 4th, our Nation's 
independence day, it is a time to reflect on the accomplishments of our 
Nation and its people.
  The celebration of Juneteenth followed the most devastating conflict 
in our country's history, in the aftermath of a civil war that pitted 
brother against brother, neighbor against neighbor and threatened to 
tear the fabric of our union apart forever that America truly became 
the land of the free and the home of the brave.
  Juneteenth honors the end of the 400 years of suffering African 
Americans endured under slavery and celebrates the perseverance that 
has been the hallmark of the African American experience in the 
struggle for equality.
  But as the poet Langston Hughes reminds us in his famous poem, 
``Mother to Son,'' life in America for African Americans ``ain't been 
no crystal stair.''
  The post-bellum period in America was marked by violence and 
terrorism against African Americans as they sought to make real the 
promises of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.
  General Granger's reading of General Order No. 3 ended the remaining 
vestiges of the system of chattel slavery, a form of perpetual human 
bondage that held generations of Africans in captivity in the United 
States for 248 years and opened a new chapter in American history.
  Recognizing the importance of this date, former slaves coined the 
word ``Juneteenth'' to celebrate the occasion, the first of which 
occurred in the Texas state capital in 1867 under the direction of the 
Freedmen's Bureau.
  Juneteenth was and is a living symbol of freedom for people who did 
not have it.
  Juneteenth remains the oldest known celebration of America's freedom 
from slavery.
  It commemorates freedom while acknowledging the sacrifices and 
contributions made by courageous African Americans in the quest to make 
our lives more perfect.
  The celebration of Juneteenth followed the most devastating conflict 
in our country's history, in the aftermath of a civil war that pitted 
brother against brother, neighbor against neighbor and threatened to 
tear the fabric of our union apart forever that America truly became 
the land of the free and the home of the brave.
  The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, ``Freedom is never 
free,'' and African American labor leader A. Phillip Randolph often 
said ``Freedom is never given. It is won.''
  Truer words were never spoken.
  We should all recognize the power and the ironic truth of those 
statements, and we should pause to remember the enormous price paid by 
all Americans in our country's quest to realize its promise.
  In recent years, a number of National Juneteenth Organizations have 
arisen to take their place alongside older organizations--all with the 
mission to promote and cultivate knowledge and appreciation of African 
American history and culture.
  I am reminded that the first legislation introduced in Congress 
recognizing Juneteenth occurred a quarter century ago, in 1996, when 
H.J. Res. 195 was introduced by Congresswoman Barbara Rose Collins of 
Michigan, and I have introduced similar legislation annually since the 
109th Congress.
  So it has been a long road we have travelled to get to this day, even 
longer that the

[[Page H2867]]

15-year journey taken to pass the bill making the Birthday of the Rev. 
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. a national holiday.
  Juneteenth celebrates African American freedom, and in so doing 
celebrates America's history and promise, while encouraging self-
development and respect for all cultures.
  But it must always remain a reminder to us all that liberty and 
freedom are precious birthrights of all Americans, which must be 
jealously guarded and preserved for future generations.
  In conclusion, I wish to take a moment to salute two of the unsung 
heroes who helped bring us to this day: the late Texas State 
Representative Al Edwards and nonagenarian Opal Lee, known 
affectionately as the ``Grandmother of Juneteenth.''
  In 1852, Frederick Douglass famously asked: ``What to the slave is 
the 4th of July?''
  In 2021, we can reply that it is the beginning of the American 
Promise that would be fulfilled and made real for all Americans, 
including the descendants of slaves, on June 19, 1865, `Juneteenth 
Day.'
  That is why we celebrate Juneteenth and that is why I urge all 
Members to join me in voting to pass S. 475, the ``Juneteenth National 
Independence Day Act.''
  Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
Louisiana (Mr. Higgins).
  Mr. HIGGINS of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for 
yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the holiday and in objection to the 
means by which the Democrats have brought this to the floor.
  It is just wrong that this holiday, which should be recognized--
arguments against it are vacuous. A CBO score is not real because it 
doesn't recognize the productivity of Americans during a holiday week 
in anticipation of a holiday and increased productivity after the 
holiday, and it doesn't recognize the positive impact of the economy by 
those who celebrate the holiday, and the money they spend.
  So, the CBO score is not an argument. We support the holiday. But why 
would the Democrats want to politicize this by co-opting the name of 
our sacred holiday of Independence Day. Why would it not be named the 
Juneteenth National Emancipation Day? Why would we want to inject 
conflict about this?
  I don't understand this body and the way it moves forward contrary to 
the best interests of the American people. We all support the holiday. 
I am voting in support of the bill, but the objection--and my Democrat 
friends know this--the objection would be to the naming of the bill.
  Where would that have been confronted? In committee. But this bill 
was not brought to committee, was it? It was brought directly to the 
floor for a vote, a trap set by my Democratic colleagues for 
conservatives on this side of the aisle who they knew would object to 
the naming of this bill and the co-opting of our Independence Day. They 
did not bring it through committee where we could have this 
conversation legitimately and for the historical record.
  Everyone on the Committee on Oversight and Reform, we have 
jurisdiction over national holidays. We would have wanted to speak on 
this. We would have wanted to offer amendments. Did that happen? No. 
Were our amendments accepted? No, because this was brought directly to 
the floor.
  That is what is wrong with this body. That is what is wrong about 
this bizarre realm of Washington, D.C.
  Despite that, we are going to support the bill. I am going to support 
the bill because I support the holiday, and I support the Black 
communities. My Black brothers and sisters, Americans all, have been 
celebrating this holiday for 100 years. What is wrong with that? It is 
recognized by most States in the Union. This legislation just brings 
the Federal Government more in alignment with the sovereign States, 
which as a constitutionalist, I certainly support.
  Mr. Speaker, I object for the historical record since there was no 
committee activity. I object on the floor this day to the process that 
Democrats used to bring this bill to the floor and the name by which it 
is entitled.
  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes 
to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Mfume), a member of the Committee 
on Oversight and Reform.
  Mr. MFUME. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairwoman for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Juneteenth National 
Independence Day Act and to recognize and honor a day that symbolizes 
freedom for all African-ancestored Americans.
  My thanks to my colleague, Representative Sheila Jackson Lee, for 
taking the lead on this important legislation and for doing the hard 
work to put the imprimatur of the United States Congress on this day, a 
day that means so much to so many.

                              {time}  1815

  As an original cosponsor of the legislation, I am proud to say that, 
once again, we are at the doorstep of history, and to finally 
acknowledge that history in a new light.
  Juneteenth is a reminder that we must continue to move forward in 
honor and in recognition of ourselves, our families, our neighbors, and 
the nameless and faceless generations of African Americans that we will 
never know. Their plight and this history are all captured in the words 
of the poet Langston Hughes when he wrote:

       I, too, sing America.
       I am the darker brother. They send me to eat in the kitchen 
     when company comes, but I laugh, and eat well, and I grow 
     strong.
       Tomorrow, I'll be at the table when company comes. 
     Nobody'll dare say to me, ``eat in the kitchen'' then.
       Besides, they'll see how beautiful I am and be ashamed.
       I, too, am America.

  Madam Speaker, I urge passage of this Juneteenth National 
Independence Act, and I encourage all of my colleagues to do the same.
  Mr. COMER. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Roy).
  Mr. ROY. Madam Speaker, I applaud the work by Congresswoman Jackson 
Lee, my colleague from Texas, on her work on this important 
recognition. And the gentlewoman knows that we discussed on the floor 
some of the concerns that I have that I share with my colleague from 
Louisiana.
  I wish--because I do believe that there will be some division that 
comes out of embracing this so quickly, rather than running it through 
committee, by embracing a name that is going to be seen as conflicting, 
whether correlated with, or something with our July 4th national 
independence recognition.
  And I understand it has been referred to as Independence Day over the 
years, and I understand why. I think for purposes of recognition by the 
United States Government, it would be my preference, and I would offer 
an amendment--if such things were ever done on the floor of this body. 
It is not, which is a sad state of affairs for the people's House. We 
literally never amend anything on the floor of this body.
  I would offer an amendment embracing the recognition of this 
important day, June 19, 1865, and what that meant for the actual end to 
slavery, and obviously, we then passed the 13th Amendment, I believe, 
later that year in December. That is from memory, if that is right.
  And I think it would be important, and I believe it has often been 
referred to in our history as Jubilee Day, as Emancipation Day, as 
Freedom Day, I would be amenable to any of those names. I don't believe 
that the title National Independence Day, I think, works. I would 
prefer that we just have a debate on that, and I wish we would have 
done that in committee.
  I agree with the gentleman from Louisiana that it would have been 
preferred that we have that ability to do that, and that we should 
remember why regular order matters. As I told the gentlewoman from 
Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee) earlier, I would prefer that we have this be 
unanimous, and I am afraid that it is not going to be unanimous. It 
will pass and it will pass overwhelmingly. It is good that we will pass 
it and that this day will be commemorated, as it should, as we have 
been commemorating it in Texas for a long time.
  But it would be my strong preference, and I just wish this body--I 
wish we could get back to a time where we could sit down and work 
together when we have these minor differences, because I believe if we 
did, we really would probably pass this unanimously. There may be one 
or two that would vote ``no'' because of the 660 million, or whatever, 
people would say.
  But we recognize the importance of the day, and I would just implore 
my

[[Page H2868]]

colleagues going forward that on all of these issues, particularly 
where there is so much agreement, that we would find a way to come 
together to be able to hash out some of these differences so there 
could be a more unanimous belief and buy-in to what we are doing.
  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes 
to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Clyburn), the Democratic 
whip.
  Mr. CLYBURN. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me 
this time. I do have some prepared remarks here, but don't tell my 
staff that I'm not going to use them.
  I want to speak just a little bit about what I just heard and what I 
think some of our challenges are in this great country of ours. And it 
is a great country. It does not need to be made great again. Our 
problem is making this greatness accessible and affordable for all of 
its citizens.
  I think one of the ways that we do that is to recognize that we have 
a shared history in this country, but it is a history that is spotted 
with a lot of inequities, inequalities, and a lot of things that we 
ought to be about the business of working to try and level off the so-
called playing field. One of those, I think, is really about the 
ability to communicate.
  When we talk about Juneteenth, I often equate the history of 
Juneteenth with our country's inability to communicate, because the 
Emancipation Proclamation, signed by Abraham Lincoln in 1862, was to be 
effective January 1, 1863, freeing all the slaves in the Confederate 
States not under Union control.
  Now, when that happened, there was a big meeting down on the banks of 
a river in Beaufort County, South Carolina, near Port Royal, and 4,000 
slaves came to listen to General Saxton read the Emancipation 
Proclamation. On that day they were free.
  However, it was June 19, 1865, 2\1/2\ years later before it was 
communicated to those who were enslaved in Texas. The failure to 
communicate kept them in slavery for another 2\1/2\ years.
  The failure to communicate is what seemed to keep us from coming 
together as one people today.
  If we learned the lessons of history, as George Santayana once said 
to us: When we learn the lessons of history, we are bound to repeat 
them if we don't.

  So I would hope that as we turn this piece of legislation into law 
and create a national holiday for Juneteenth, I hope we will keep a 
couple things in mind. It is not lost on me that this building we all 
meet in was built by slaves.
  And one of the little known facts was a man named Philip Reid, who 
was enslaved in Charleston, South Carolina, and who came, after being 
bought, to Washington, D.C., worked in the foundry. And when the 
foundry made the Statue of Freedom, they couldn't get it up on top of 
the building.
  All of those learned people who had been free all of their lives 
could not figure out how to get that statue on top of this building.
  Philip Reid, enslaved, figured it out, and he showed them how to get 
that statue on top of this building. He was able to communicate some 
lessons that he could teach, though he was unlearned. In fact, it was 
against the law to be able to teach him to read. His name was Reid, 
spelled a little differently.
  Now, I would hope that we would pass this law. I suspect we won't do 
what the Senate did and do it unanimously, though I think it would be a 
tremendous demonstration of unity for every one of us who vote to pass 
this law recognizing June 19 as a national holiday.
  Mr. COMER. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
Ohio (Mr. Davidson).
  Mr. DAVIDSON. Madam Speaker, the bill before us rightly commemorates 
June 19, 1865, the day Major General Gordon Granger arrived in 
Galveston, Texas, announcing the end of the Civil War, and the formal 
end of slavery. It is effectively freedom day for the last enslaved 
Americans.
  Of course, that was only in law. In practice, America failed to 
secure the blessings of liberty for those formerly enslaved Americans. 
Instead, when Abraham Lincoln was assassinated, the assassin 
effectively muted reconstruction.
  Leaders, like Pennsylvania Congressman Thaddeus Stevens, rightly 
called for a much more aggressive reconstruction, but he failed to 
persuade his colleagues. The long struggle in defense of freedom is 
part of America's history.
  At our founding, in the Declaration of Independence, our Founders 
eloquently stated that all people are endowed by their Creator with 
certain unalienable rights, that among them are life, liberty, and the 
pursuit of happiness.
  Winning the revolution offered the potential for leaders like John 
Adams to rightly persuade their colleagues to end slavery, but they 
failed. Their failure set the stage for the Civil War, and the failure 
to complete reconstruction meant 100 years of Jim Crow, and separate 
but equal, that continued into my dad's lifetime.
  America's failure to rightly recognize our painful and often unjust 
history has meant ongoing division, open wounds that continue to 
fester.
  So, today, let us not fail to persuade our colleagues. Let us 
recognize this holiday. I mean, it should, however, be known as Freedom 
Day or simply Juneteenth, not National Independence Day, which 
recognizes the Declaration, not freedom, but the Declaration of 
Independence. I hope we can correct that in the future, but let's not 
allow perfect to become the enemy of this good bill, and I urge its 
passage.
  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes 
to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms. Tlaib), a member of the Committee 
on Oversight and Reform.
  Ms. TLAIB. Madam Speaker, I thank our wonderful colleague, 
Congresswoman Jackson Lee, for this amazing, incredible effort, and for 
me to be here, and to actually witness this is an honor.
  The passage of the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act is long 
overdue recognition for generations of pain and suffering of our Black 
communities.
  This comes at an important time, Madam Speaker. Across the country, 
we are seeing efforts to eliminate the teaching of our country's 
history, like the injustices of slavery, from being taught in our own 
schools.
  This national holiday will serve as a powerful reminder that we 
cannot run from our past. That we must educate future generations of 
all of our history no matter how many want to delete it or to whitewash 
it.
  It is important to note, Madam Speaker, that this is just a minor 
step, far from really truly addressing the ills of our country. We must 
go further.
  Colleagues, we must go further. We must pass the For the People Act, 
to H.R. 40, which is the Commission to Study and Develop Reparation 
Proposals for African Americans Act. We must do more. We need to 
transform the lives of our Black neighbors in a bold and meaningful 
way, and it will truly save lives. It will truly address why we need to 
take a moment and address this in a way that becomes a national 
holiday.
  We must, again, take action to actually deliver for our Black 
neighbors.

                              {time}  1830

  Mr. COMER. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Kentucky (Mr. Massie).
  Mr. MASSIE. Madam Speaker, I fully support creating a day to 
celebrate the abolition of slavery, a dark portion of our Nation's 
history. However, naming this day National Independence Day will create 
confusion and push Americans to pick one of those 2 days as their 
Independence Day based on their racial identity.
  Why can't we name this Emancipation Day and come together as 
Americans and celebrate that day together as Americans?
  Black and White--all colors, all races, and all ethnicities--can then 
come together on Independence Day, which celebrates the creation of our 
country, throwing off an oppressive government, and come together as 
Black, White, and all races to celebrate that day, too?
  Why ask Americans to pick one of the two Independence Days to 
celebrate? I think it is wrong to do that.
  I think this day is misnamed. I do support creating a holiday and 
recognizing that wonderful day and that wonderful time when we got rid 
of slavery in this country. But let's celebrate both of those days: 
Independence Day

[[Page H2869]]

and the day that we celebrate emancipation and ridding our country of 
slavery. Let's celebrate those 2 days together as one Nation under God 
indivisible.
  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes 
to the distinguished gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Danny K. Davis), who 
is a member of the Oversight and Reform Committee.
  Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong 
support of the recognition of Juneteenth as a national holiday to 
celebrate the ending of the most horrific period and the most horrific 
policy and practices this Nation has ever known: slavery.
  I heard one of my colleagues suggest a moment ago that perhaps the 
cost of Juneteenth is not known. I guarantee you, Madam Speaker, that 
whatever the cost, it will not come close to the cost of slavery.
  Juneteenth is the recognition that darkness can come to light and 
that there is a celebration as my forefathers and -mothers struggled to 
endure the horror they experienced. So, celebrating Juneteenth as a 
national holiday is simply an idea whose time has come.
  Madam Speaker, I am proud to vote for the resolution.
  Mr. COMER. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes 
to the distinguished gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Lawrence), who is 
a member of the Oversight and Reform Committee.
  Mrs. LAWRENCE. Madam Speaker, I rise here today in strong support of 
Juneteenth National Independence Day.
  I want to say to my White colleague on the other side: Getting your 
independence from being enslaved in a country is different from a 
country getting independence to rule themselves. It is not a day that 
you can loop together. That is inappropriate.
  It is a day for reflection and commemorating the end of slavery. It 
is also a recognition that we have so much work to do to rid this 
country of systemic racism, discrimination, and hate.
  Let's talk about the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act and H.R. 4, 
the John Lewis Voting Rights Act. We still have much work to do.
  Juneteenth, what we are doing today, should empower us to fight even 
harder every single day for criminal justice reform, for racial 
equality, and for economic empowerment of Black people in America.
  We are still today living through the blatant racism and slavery that 
denied us education, denied us opportunity for economic development and 
empowerment for ourselves, and denied us the right to have a job and 
own property. It is still today an issue in America.
  We have a responsibility to teach every generation of Black and White 
Americans the pride of a people who have survived, endured, and 
succeeded in these United States of America despite slavery.
  Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this 
legislation because Black history is American history. We cannot hold 
our heads and try to ignore the sins of this country, but we can come 
together and celebrate a time when we made the right decision.
  Mr. COMER. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute 
to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee), who is a cardinal on the 
Appropriations Committee.
  Ms. LEE of California. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for 
yielding.
  Madam Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Sheila Jackson for her 
persistent and consistent leadership on so many issues, especially 
getting this bill to the floor today.
  As another daughter of Texas, I am deeply connected to the history of 
Juneteenth. My grandfather, William Calhoun Parish, who helped raise 
me, was born in Galveston, Texas, just 10 years after General Granger 
announced that enslaved Africans were freed from the brutal and 
barbaric legal institution of slavery. My ancestors--my great-
grandmother--were enslaved in and around Galveston, Texas.
  Like myself, so many in the African-American community have 
celebrated Juneteenth as our liberation day. To us, it represents the 
day that enslaved African Americans were recognized as free men, women, 
and children.
  Yet, the end of slavery did not stop with the brutal treatment of 
African Americans in the United States. The persistence of racial 
disparities in housing, income, education, the wealth gap, and other 
areas of injustices African Americans really are experiencing today are 
a direct result of the racism embedded in our institutions from our 
founding.
  So, it is not purely symbolic to make Juneteenth a holiday. It is an 
important step toward the country reckoning the truth of its legacy of 
slavery in the past as manifested today.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Ms. Jackson Lee). The time of the 
gentlewoman has expired.
  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I yield the 
gentlewoman an additional 30 seconds.
  Ms. LEE of California. It is manifested in the racial injustices 
which all of us must work together to end. So, yes, it is so important 
that we have the truth told of this legacy of slavery so that we can 
move forward and work together to end these racial injustices.
  I am reminded of Dr. Maya Angelou and what she once wrote. She said, 
``I am the dream and the hope of the slave. I rise,'' in ``Still I 
Rise.''
  Madam Speaker, I want to thank you today for bringing this forward, 
and I thank the chairwoman for yielding.
  Mr. COMER. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute 
to the distinguished gentlewoman from Ohio (Mrs. Beatty), who is the 
chair of the Congressional Black Caucus.
  Mrs. BEATTY. Madam Speaker, we cannot change the future if we can't 
acknowledge the past. Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated 
and commemorated ending of slavery in the United States. Emancipation 
did not free all slaves, only those in the Confederate States. 
Independence is freedom for all people.
  I rise today in strong support of S. 475, a top priority of the 
Congressional Black Caucus, to enshrine Juneteenth as a legal public 
holiday and a bill with tremendous historical implications for our 
Nation.
  Madam Speaker, I thank you, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, a 
member of the Congressional Black Caucus, for your work.
  I thank Speaker Nancy Pelosi for speaking truth to power on this 
floor.
  Lastly, as the chair of the powerful Congressional Black Caucus, I 
stand here leading our 58 members saying to you: We are the conscience 
of the Congress.
  And today, I ask all of my Members to join us. Let us unite and pass 
this bill.
  Mr. COMER. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute 
to the distinguished gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Butterfield), 
who is a former civil rights attorney, judge, and chair of the 
Congressional Black Caucus.
  Mr. BUTTERFIELD. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.
  Madam Speaker, on January 1, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln issued 
the Emancipation Proclamation to emancipate 4 million slaves residing 
in the 11 Southern States that were combatants against the Union.
  The proclamation was significant but not totally effective. It did 
not include slaves who resided in the States that were not in 
rebellion. Lincoln was of the opinion he could only use his authority 
against the States who were rebelling.
  In addition, there was doubt about the legal efficacy of the 
proclamation since Congress had not participated. There were legal 
questions of whether the proclamation would expire following Lincoln's 
Presidency and, very importantly, whether States would not free slaves 
without Federal intervention.
  Juneteenth is significant because it marks the day when Federal 
troops arrived in Galveston to take control of the State and ensure 
that all enslaved people were free. These Federal troops arrived 2\1/2\ 
years after the signing of the proclamation.
  By passing this legislation, Madam Speaker, every American can now 
better understand the African Americans'

[[Page H2870]]

struggle for freedom and full citizenship. Every American can now 
participate in recognizing the end to slavery in America.
  Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this 
legislation.
  Mr. COMER. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, may I inquire how 
much time remains.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Kentucky has 15 minutes 
remaining. The gentlewoman from New York has 6 minutes remaining.
  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute 
to the distinguished gentleman from New York (Mr. Espaillat), who is a 
member of the Appropriations Committee.
  Mr. ESPAILLAT. Madam Speaker, I enthusiastically support the 
Juneteenth National Independence Day Act.
  I am glad that Congress is finally taking action to formally 
memorialize Juneteenth as a Federal holiday just a year after my home 
State of New York took this step.
  Juneteenth is a reminder of a sad chapter in our history but one that 
we overcame, and this holiday will be a reminder that our freedom is 
not guaranteed but rather something that we will always fight for.
  While this new holiday is an important step, in the backdrop, there 
are numerous efforts underway to limit the teaching of uncomfortable 
parts of our history, and there is an insidious plan to restrict the 
most important of our rights, the right to vote. Let this new holiday 
be not just a reminder but also a call to action that we must continue 
to work to secure our rights and freedoms.

                              {time}  1845

  Mr. COMER. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute 
to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr.   David Scott), the chair of the 
Agriculture Committee.
  Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia. Madam Speaker, let me say to some of my 
Republican friends: If our African-American slave ancestors were here 
today, they would say to you:

       You know, them that's got should get, and them that's not 
     should lose, because the Bible says, and it still is news, 
     your mama may have, and your papa may have, but God bless the 
     child that's got his own.

  God bless the child who can say I am free. Two hundred years in the 
deep slavery south, but God put hope in our hearts and a song in our 
mouths. All we are asking is for you to express the feeling and the 
depths of the African-American people today who need you, all of us, 
White and Black Members of Congress, to stand together and vote 
``yes.''
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I yield an 
additional 30 seconds to the gentleman from Georgia.
  Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia. Vote ``yes.'' And by doing so, you will 
say not: This is my country.
  You will say in one united voice: This is our country, Black and 
White. This is our country, the greatest country, and we thank God 
Almighty for this blessing.
  Please, let us do as the Senate. Vote unanimously for passage of this 
bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to address their 
remarks to the Chair.
  Mr. COMER. Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute 
to the gentlewoman from New Jersey (Mrs. Watson Coleman).
  Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Madam Speaker, Juneteenth is a day for me of 
commemoration, not of celebration, because it reminds us of something 
that was delayed in happening.
  It also reminds me of what we don't have today, and that is full 
access to justice, freedom, and equality. All of these are often in 
short supply as it relates to the Black community, and it is still 
delayed.
  So, as we take this time to acknowledge Juneteenth and to recognize 
Juneteenth National Independence Day Act--something I definitely 
support--I pray that we do not lose track of the fact that we have so 
much more work to do to ensure that we have the fairness, the equality, 
the opportunity, whether it is voting, working, or just living 
healthfully in the United States of America.
  Mr. COMER. Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute 
to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Veasey).
  Mr. VEASEY. Madam Speaker, as a Texan, this is obviously a very 
important day for me, and I am going to tell you what Juneteenth 
symbolizes for me.
  Juneteenth symbolizes 100 years of oppression that we faced after 
June 19, 1865, after General Granger made his announcement in 
Galveston, Texas.
  It symbolizes Barbara Jordan coming to the United States House of 
Representatives, the first Black woman from the south, 100 years after 
June 19, 1865.
  It symbolizes three teenagers who died, handcuffed by law 
enforcement, in a boat in Mexia, Texas, at a Juneteenth gathering after 
they were arrested for celebrating this day with their family in 1981; 
over 100 years after June 19, 1865.
  It symbolizes Opal Lee, from Fort Worth, Texas, long known as the 
mother of Juneteenth in Fort Worth, and now known nationally for her 
endeavors to help make today possible.
  Someone mentioned the George Floyd Policing Bill earlier. And I want 
to tell you, Madam Speaker, things aren't perfect. That police officer 
who handcuffed those teenagers and put them in that boat, he just 
retired a couple of years ago from law enforcement. George Floyd fixes 
that.
  So while we celebrate what is about to become, with the Juneteenth 
holiday today, we know that we have a long way to go. But hallelujah, 
hallelujah, hallelujah, June 19, 1865, finally being enshrined in our 
national heritage.
  Mr. COMER. Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute 
to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Waters), the chair of the 
Financial Services Committee.
  Ms. WATERS. Madam Speaker, I rushed to the floor to be a part of 
absolutely indicating my support for this important legislation, the 
Juneteenth National Independence Day. I am so pleased that we take this 
step today to honor the day and the month that the information of the 
signing of the Emancipation Proclamation reached enslaved people in 
Texas. It took more than 2 years before the news reached them.
  Juneteenth is a State holiday in the State of Texas. It was authored 
by my friend, Al Edwards, who is since deceased. I wish he was alive 
today to witness this debate that is taking place on the floor of the 
Congress of the United States that will lead to the passage of the 
legislation that will make Juneteenth a national holiday.
  I was a little bit concerned when I heard some of the Members be 
opposed to the way that the bill is titled. They didn't like the word 
``independence'' that is in there because these are patriots and they 
want to protect Independence Day and not have it mistaken in any way.
  But where were these patriots when the Capitol was being violated?
  Where were these patriots when the noose was hung, in plain view, for 
everybody to see, where slaves and people of color had lost their lives 
because they were hung, et cetera, et cetera?

  I want you to know that patriotism should be demonstrated all of the 
time. If you cannot demonstrate your patriotism when your Capitol is 
invaded, when the insurrection took place, then I question your 
patriotism.
  Mr. COMER. Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I have no further 
speakers and I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. COMER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  I join my House colleagues in recognizing the significance of 
Juneteenth as a national holiday. This is significant legislation. The 
vast majority of

[[Page H2871]]

States already recognize the day as a holiday, or observe it, and 
establishing a Federal holiday mostly impacts the Federal workforce. I, 
therefore, support moving forward to designate this new Federal 
holiday. It is a day worthy of all Americans' support.
  I want to congratulate those who have worked so hard to make this 
happen.
  Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I yield myself 
the balance of my time.
  In closing, I want to thank my good friend and colleague, Sheila 
Jackson Lee, who had the honor of presiding in the Speaker's chair over 
this important historic legislation on which she worked for over a 
decade. Her bill, H.R. 1320, to establish Juneteenth Independence Day, 
has well over 166 cosponsors and bipartisan support.
  I, likewise, want to thank the Congressional Black Caucus for their 
leadership on this and for their leadership on so many other important 
issues to our Nation.
  Juneteenth is celebrated across our Nation. It marks the end of a 
very dark chapter in our Nation's history and celebrates the promise of 
a more hopeful and inclusive tomorrow. I am elated that this bill is 
before the House.
  I urge passage of S. 475. I urge bipartisan support, and I hope this 
vote is unanimous and victorious.
  Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, Rev. Ronald V. `Doc' 
Myers, Sr., M.D. (February 29, 1956--September 7, 2018), was the first 
ordained and commissioned medical missionary to America's poorest 
region, the Mississippi Delta, by the Wisconsin Baptist Pastors 
Conference and Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church, in Milwaukee, in 
1990.
  Rev. Myers was the founder of numerous medical and cultural 
organizations and a committed physician serving the poorest Americans 
through clinics in Tchula, Belzoni, Yazoo City, Indianola, Greenville 
and Tupelo, Mississippi. `Doc' was also a jazz musician, composer and 
human rights activist. The New York Times stated, ``There aren't many 
doctors like Ronald Myers, a jazz-playing, Baptist-preaching, family 
practitioner whose dream has always been to practice medicine in the 
kind of place most other doctors wouldn't even stop for a tank of 
gas.''
  In 1994 a group of community leaders from across the country gathered 
at Christian Unity Baptist Church in New Orleans, to work for greater 
national recognition of Juneteenth, a holiday celebrating the end of 
slavery. Myers was elected Chairman of this advocacy effort which lead 
to the establishment of the National Juneteenth Observance Foundation 
and his recognition as the leader of the ``Modern Juneteenth Movement'' 
in America. Doc was instrumental in the passage of 45 of the 49 state 
and District of Columbia's pieces of legislation naming Juneteenth as a 
Day of Observance in this country.
  Working with the Black Congressional Caucus which included Illinois 
Senator Barack Obama and Representative Danny Davis, he sought 
legislation to recognize Juneteenth Independence, hosting the annual 
Juneteenth Prayer Breakfasts. He established the Washington Juneteenth 
National Holiday Observance and the National Day of Reconciliation & 
Healing From the Legacy of Enslavement, which includes the National 
Juneteenth Black Holocaust ``Maafa'' Memorial Service.
  Dr. Myers organized the National Association of Juneteenth Jazz 
Presenters, and the Fellowship of Creative Christian Jazz Musicians. 
Under his leadership, the Washington Juneteenth Congressional Event was 
held by the National Juneteenth Observance Foundation, Juneteenth 
America, Inc. & the National Association of Juneteenth Jazz Presenters.
  An accomplished jazz pianist, trumpeter and composer, Myers performed 
across the country promoting ``June Is Black Music Month!''--
Celebrating Juneteenth Jazz--``Preserving Our African American Jazz 
Legacy!''
  For over 20 years, Doc met with state politicians, local Juneteenth 
organizations and community leaders
  Charles Taylor, author of Juneteenth said, ``Doc would give a copy of 
my Juneteenth book to every governor who made Juneteenth a holiday or 
observance. He even gave Sarah Palin a copy when she was the governor 
of Alaska after her state recognized Juneteenth.''
  At an award ceremony of the Beverly Hills Temple of the Arts at the 
Saban Theatre, founder Rabbi David Baron said, ``Reverend Dr. Ronald V. 
Myers is an outstanding living model of all the values for which Martin 
Luther King stood.''
  Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, today's bill making Juneteenth, when the 
last slaves got word that slavery had ended, a federal holiday has 
unique meaning for the District of Columbia because the slaves here 
were the first, not the last, to be freed. The reason, of course, is 
that the District was and is a federally controlled jurisdiction. The 
District celebrates the emancipation of slaves here on April 16 every 
year.
  Juneteenth should remind Congress that it's time for the first to be 
freed to finally become equal to other Americans. The House understands 
that with its passage of the D.C. statehood bill. So does the Senate, 
with a hearing on our D.C. statehood bill scheduled for next Tuesday, 
June 22.
  With the President, the House, and the Senate all believing that the 
residents of their Nation's capital should in every way be equal to 
other Americans, we rejoice this Juneteenth knowing that we are close 
to adding the 51st star to the flag.
  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Madam Speaker, on June 19, 1865, in Galveston, 
Texas, more than two years after President Lincoln issued the 
Emancipation Proclamation and six months after the passage of the 
Thirteenth Amendment outlawing slavery, Union Troops seized control of 
the area and declared all slaves free.
  Since then, ``Juneteenth'' has been observed in Texas and in many 
places as Emancipation Day and the end of slavery in the United States 
because many of those enslaved had not yet received the news of 
President Lincoln's January 1, 1863, Emancipation Proclamation.
  The news surrounding the Emancipation Proclamation and the end of 
slavery reached different regions at different times. While many 
commemorate this occasion on June 19, in areas such as Russell County, 
Alabama, the date marking the end of slavery is May 28, and as such, 
locals have established May 28 as a community holiday to celebrate the 
day of freedom.
  For many of the enslaved, in communities across the south, this news 
was purposefully kept from them--denying them the freedom and rights 
they were due. It is a dark legacy we see repeating itself today which 
reminds us that freedom and rights--even that most fundamental right to 
vote--are precious and precarious.
  It has been a long and continuing march towards equality and justice. 
So long as slavery existed and persisted, our country could never truly 
live up to its founding ideals of ``life, liberty, and the pursuit of 
happiness.'' The great strides made by courageous pioneers such as 
William Lloyd Garrison, Theodore Parker, John Greenleaf Whittier, James 
Russell Lowell, William Wells Brown, and Frederick Douglass were among 
the early steps to realize those ideals in America.
  Through Reconstruction, a Civil Rights Movement nearly 100 years 
later, and up through current efforts to eliminate the residual effects 
of slavery on the descendants of former slaves, the fight continues 
into this century. Every step forward seems to have been met with 
opposition--too often violent opposition--against recognition that 
``all men are created equal''. The words of Frederick Douglass ring 
true today that ``freedom is a constant struggle''.
  As we remember the struggles and successes of the past, we must use 
this occasion to renew our efforts to wipe out the vestiges of slavery 
that still remain.
  Juneteenth is not only a reminder of the end of an odious era in our 
Nation's history, but a reminder of the work that still needs to be 
done before we can truly celebrate freedom.
  Mr. GREEN of Texas. Madam Speaker, I applaud the United States Senate 
for unanimously passing legislation to nationally recognize Juneteenth 
as a federal holiday.
  Juneteenth marks the anniversary of General Gordon Granger arriving 
in Galveston, Texas, and delivering the news of emancipation to 
enslaved Texans on June 19, 1865.
  More than two years after President Lincoln's January 1, 1863 
Emancipation Proclamation and more than two months after the end of the 
civil war, the enslaved in Texas finally received word of their freedom 
from General Granger, who was backed by 2,000 Union soldiers.
  These newly freed persons--the last to receive the news of their 
emancipation in the Confederate states--started a grassroots 
celebration in Texas known as `Jubilee Day' to commemorate the life-
altering event. Jubilee celebrations spread throughout the South and 
eventually to the rest of the country and taking on the moniker 
`Juneteenth,' a portmanteau meaning June 19th.
  Although official recognition of this day has been slow to come, work 
by individuals such as the late Al Edwards--former state representative 
and the father of the Juneteenth holiday in Texas--has led to all but 
three states recognizing Juneteenth with annual celebratory events.
  Now, what began as a grassroots movement to commemorate Texas history 
is set to become our nation's next federal holiday.

[[Page H2872]]

  In honor of the Honorable Al Edwards and every person ever enslaved, 
I eagerly anticipate the opportunity to vote for this legislation on 
the House floor, and I thank Senator Edward Markey as well as my 
colleague and friend Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee for introducing 
this legislation to ensure Juneteenth is nationally recognized.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 479, the 
previous question is ordered on the bill.
  The question is on the third reading of the bill.
  The bill was ordered to be read a third time, and was read the third 
time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on passage of the bill.
  The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that 
the ayes appeared to have it.
  Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, on that I demand 
the yeas and nays.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to section 3(s) of House Resolution 
8, the yeas and nays are ordered.
  The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--yeas 415, 
nays 14, not voting 2, as follows:

                             [Roll No. 170]

                               YEAS--415

     Adams
     Aderholt
     Aguilar
     Allen
     Allred
     Amodei
     Armstrong
     Arrington
     Auchincloss
     Axne
     Babin
     Bacon
     Baird
     Balderson
     Banks
     Barr
     Barragan
     Bass
     Beatty
     Bentz
     Bera
     Bergman
     Beyer
     Bice (OK)
     Bilirakis
     Bishop (GA)
     Bishop (NC)
     Blumenauer
     Blunt Rochester
     Boebert
     Bonamici
     Bost
     Bourdeaux
     Bowman
     Boyle, Brendan F.
     Brady
     Brown
     Brownley
     Buchanan
     Buck
     Bucshon
     Budd
     Burchett
     Burgess
     Bush
     Bustos
     Butterfield
     Calvert
     Cammack
     Carbajal
     Cardenas
     Carl
     Carson
     Carter (GA)
     Carter (LA)
     Carter (TX)
     Cartwright
     Case
     Casten
     Castor (FL)
     Castro (TX)
     Cawthorn
     Chabot
     Cheney
     Chu
     Cicilline
     Clark (MA)
     Clarke (NY)
     Cleaver
     Cline
     Cloud
     Clyburn
     Cohen
     Cole
     Comer
     Connolly
     Cooper
     Correa
     Costa
     Courtney
     Craig
     Crawford
     Crist
     Crow
     Cuellar
     Curtis
     Davids (KS)
     Davidson
     Davis, Danny K.
     Davis, Rodney
     Dean
     DeFazio
     DeGette
     DeLauro
     DelBene
     Delgado
     Demings
     DeSaulnier
     Deutch
     Diaz-Balart
     Dingell
     Doggett
     Donalds
     Doyle, Michael F.
     Duncan
     Dunn
     Emmer
     Escobar
     Eshoo
     Espaillat
     Estes
     Evans
     Fallon
     Feenstra
     Ferguson
     Fischbach
     Fitzgerald
     Fitzpatrick
     Fleischmann
     Fletcher
     Fortenberry
     Foster
     Foxx
     Frankel, Lois
     Franklin, C. Scott
     Fulcher
     Gaetz
     Gallagher
     Gallego
     Garamendi
     Garbarino
     Garcia (CA)
     Garcia (IL)
     Garcia (TX)
     Gibbs
     Gimenez
     Gohmert
     Golden
     Gomez
     Gonzales, Tony
     Gonzalez (OH)
     Gonzalez, Vicente
     Good (VA)
     Gooden (TX)
     Gottheimer
     Granger
     Graves (LA)
     Graves (MO)
     Green (TN)
     Green, Al (TX)
     Greene (GA)
     Griffith
     Grijalva
     Grothman
     Guest
     Guthrie
     Hagedorn
     Harder (CA)
     Harris
     Harshbarger
     Hartzler
     Hayes
     Hern
     Herrell
     Herrera Beutler
     Hice (GA)
     Higgins (LA)
     Higgins (NY)
     Hill
     Himes
     Hinson
     Hollingsworth
     Horsford
     Houlahan
     Hoyer
     Hudson
     Huffman
     Huizenga
     Issa
     Jackson Lee
     Jacobs (CA)
     Jacobs (NY)
     Jayapal
     Jeffries
     Johnson (GA)
     Johnson (LA)
     Johnson (OH)
     Johnson (SD)
     Johnson (TX)
     Jones
     Jordan
     Joyce (OH)
     Joyce (PA)
     Kahele
     Kaptur
     Katko
     Keating
     Keller
     Kelly (IL)
     Kelly (MS)
     Kelly (PA)
     Khanna
     Kildee
     Kilmer
     Kim (CA)
     Kim (NJ)
     Kind
     Kinzinger
     Kirkpatrick
     Krishnamoorthi
     Kuster
     Kustoff
     LaHood
     Lamb
     Lamborn
     Langevin
     Larsen (WA)
     Larson (CT)
     Latta
     LaTurner
     Lawrence
     Lawson (FL)
     Lee (CA)
     Lee (NV)
     Leger Fernandez
     Lesko
     Letlow
     Levin (CA)
     Levin (MI)
     Lieu
     Lofgren
     Long
     Loudermilk
     Lowenthal
     Lucas
     Luetkemeyer
     Luria
     Lynch
     Mace
     Malinowski
     Malliotakis
     Maloney, Carolyn B.
     Maloney, Sean
     Mann
     Manning
     Mast
     Matsui
     McBath
     McCarthy
     McCaul
     McClain
     McCollum
     McEachin
     McGovern
     McKinley
     McNerney
     Meeks
     Meijer
     Meng
     Meuser
     Mfume
     Miller (IL)
     Miller (WV)
     Miller-Meeks
     Moolenaar
     Mooney
     Moore (AL)
     Moore (UT)
     Moore (WI)
     Morelle
     Moulton
     Mrvan
     Mullin
     Murphy (FL)
     Murphy (NC)
     Nadler
     Napolitano
     Neal
     Neguse
     Nehls
     Newhouse
     Newman
     Norcross
     Nunes
     O'Halleran
     Obernolte
     Ocasio-Cortez
     Omar
     Owens
     Palazzo
     Pallone
     Palmer
     Panetta
     Pappas
     Pascrell
     Payne
     Pelosi
     Pence
     Perlmutter
     Perry
     Peters
     Pfluger
     Phillips
     Pingree
     Pocan
     Porter
     Posey
     Pressley
     Price (NC)
     Quigley
     Raskin
     Reed
     Reschenthaler
     Rice (NY)
     Rice (SC)
     Rodgers (WA)
     Rogers (KY)
     Rose
     Ross
     Rouzer
     Roybal-Allard
     Ruiz
     Ruppersberger
     Rush
     Rutherford
     Ryan
     Salazar
     Sanchez
     Sarbanes
     Scalise
     Scanlon
     Schakowsky
     Schiff
     Schneider
     Schrader
     Schrier
     Schweikert
     Scott (VA)
     Scott, Austin
     Scott, David
     Sessions
     Sewell
     Sherman
     Sherrill
     Simpson
     Sires
     Slotkin
     Smith (MO)
     Smith (NE)
     Smith (NJ)
     Smith (WA)
     Smucker
     Soto
     Spanberger
     Spartz
     Speier
     Stansbury
     Stanton
     Stauber
     Steel
     Stefanik
     Steil
     Steube
     Stevens
     Stewart
     Strickland
     Suozzi
     Swalwell
     Takano
     Taylor
     Tenney
     Thompson (CA)
     Thompson (MS)
     Thompson (PA)
     Timmons
     Titus
     Tlaib
     Tonko
     Torres (CA)
     Torres (NY)
     Trahan
     Trone
     Turner
     Underwood
     Upton
     Valadao
     Van Drew
     Van Duyne
     Vargas
     Veasey
     Vela
     Velazquez
     Wagner
     Walberg
     Walorski
     Waltz
     Wasserman Schultz
     Waters
     Watson Coleman
     Weber (TX)
     Webster (FL)
     Welch
     Wenstrup
     Westerman
     Wexton
     Wild
     Williams (GA)
     Williams (TX)
     Wilson (FL)
     Wilson (SC)
     Wittman
     Womack
     Yarmuth
     Young
     Zeldin

                                NAYS--14

     Biggs
     Brooks
     Clyde
     DesJarlais
     Gosar
     Jackson
     LaMalfa
     Massie
     McClintock
     Norman
     Rogers (AL)
     Rosendale
     Roy
     Tiffany

                             NOT VOTING--2

     Crenshaw
     McHenry

                              {time}  1927

  So the bill was passed.
  The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.


    Members Recorded Pursuant to House Resolution 8, 117th Congress

     Barragan (Gallego)
     Cardenas (Gomez)
     Cleaver (Davids (KS))
     DeSaulnier (Thompson (CA))
     Gaetz (Greene (GA))
     Gonzalez, Vicente (Gomez)
     Granger (Arrington)
     Grijalva (Garcia (IL))
     Horsford (Jeffries)
     Hoyer (Brown)
     Johnson (TX) (Jeffries)
     Kim (NJ) (Pallone)
     Kirkpatrick (Stanton)
     Langevin (Courtney)
     Lawson (FL) (Evans)
     Lieu (Raskin)
     Lowenthal (Beyer)
     Meng (Clark (MA))
     Mullin (Lucas)
     Napolitano (Correa)
     Nehls (Fallon)
     O'Halleran (Stanton)
     Payne (Pallone)
     Porter (Wexton)
     Roybal-Allard (Escobar)
     Ruiz (Aguilar)
     Rush (Underwood)
     Sewell (DelBene)
     Sherrill (Pallone)
     Slotkin (Houlahan)
     Speier (Scanlon)
     Strickland (Kilmer)
     Waltz (Gimenez)
     Wilson (FL) (Hayes)

                          ____________________