[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 9]
[Senate]
[Pages 11735-11736]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 RECOGNIZING THE HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF JUNETEENTH INDEPENDENCE DAY

  Mr. CRAIG. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now 
proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 516, which was submitted 
earlier today.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 516) recognizing the historical 
     significance of Juneteenth Independence Day and expressing 
     the sense of the Senate that history should be regarded as a 
     means of understanding the past and solving the challenges of 
     the future.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. OBAMA. Mr. President, today marks the anniversary of a joyous day 
in our Nation's history. It was on this day in 1865 when word finally 
reached the farthest corner of the Southwest that all slaves were free. 
More than 2\1/2\ years after President Lincoln's Emancipation 
Proclamation, this was the day freedom became a reality. After hundreds 
of years of servitude and oppression, this was the day that former 
slaves claimed their rightful place as equal citizens. Juneteenth was 
the day our Nation reclaimed its dignity.
  Today, Juneteenth is still a celebration of freedom. It is an 
opportunity for engagement and self-improvement, a time to reflect and 
recommit ourselves to the pursuit of justice and equality. Juneteenth 
is about acknowledging where we have been as a Nation,

[[Page 11736]]

looking honestly and critically at our past, and gaining a fresh 
understanding of the challenges we face as we look toward the future.
  Half a century after Brown v. Board of Education, this is a day for 
us to assess the quality of education we are providing to our children. 
Forty years after the passage of the Voting Rights Act, this is a day 
for us to think of the injustices that must be overcome, the millions 
without health care, the families without jobs, and the disparities 
that continue to divide us.
  Juneteenth should be a reminder to all Americans that we must not 
resign ourselves to waiting for a better time to do what we know is 
right. This is the day we honor previous generations for the great 
strides they have taken toward creating a more just society. This is 
the day we honor future generations by undertaking with determination 
the work that is yet to be done.
  Mr. CRAIG. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution 
be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motion to reconsider 
be laid upon the table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 516) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 516

       Whereas news of the end of slavery did not reach frontier 
     areas of the United States, and in particular the 
     Southwestern States, for more than 2 years after President 
     Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation of January 1, 1863, and 
     months after the conclusion of the Civil War;
       Whereas on June 19, 1865, Union soldiers led by Major 
     General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, with news 
     that the Civil War had ended and that the enslaved were free;
       Whereas African Americans who had been slaves in the 
     Southwest celebrated June 19, commonly known as ``Juneteenth 
     Independence Day'', as the anniversary of their emancipation;
       Whereas African Americans from the Southwest continue the 
     tradition of Juneteenth Independence Day as inspiration and 
     encouragement for future generations;
       Whereas, for more than 135 years, Juneteenth Independence 
     Day celebrations have been held to honor African American 
     freedom while encouraging self-development and respect for 
     all cultures;
       Whereas, although Juneteenth Independence Day is beginning 
     to be recognized as a national, and even global, event, the 
     history behind the celebration should not be forgotten; and
       Whereas the faith and strength of character demonstrated by 
     former slaves remains an example for all people of the United 
     States, regardless of background, religion, or race: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That--
       (1) the Senate--
       (A) recognizes the historical significance of Juneteenth 
     Independence Day to the Nation;
       (B) supports the continued celebration of Juneteenth 
     Independence Day to provide an opportunity for the people of 
     the United States to learn more about the past and to 
     understand better the experiences that have shaped the 
     Nation; and
       (C) encourages the people of the United States to observe 
     Juneteenth Independence Day with appropriate ceremonies, 
     activities, and programs; and
       (2) it is the sense of the Senate that--
       (A) history should be regarded as a means for understanding 
     the past and solving the challenges of the future; and
       (B) the celebration of the end of slavery is an important 
     and enriching part of the history and heritage of the United 
     States.

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