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

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on the Judiciary be discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 584 and that the Senate then proceed to its immediate consideration.

Mr. President, this week we commemorate the 143rd anniversary of Juneteenth, the day our Nation's moral pendulum swung from slavery to freedom.

On June 19, 1865, our Nation turned a significant corner. We ushered in what President Lincoln called in his Gettysburg address a ``new birth of freedom.'' We ended an oppression endured by generations of Americans and threw off the chains that shackled our common bond of freedom. We laid the roots for a constitutional revolution that, through the Civil War Amendments, transformed our founding charter from one that defended oppression, to one that embraced equal rights and human dignity.

Over a century later we have made significant progress, but the struggle to secure basic rights for all remains unfulfilled. Just a few months ago, the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination found that racial disparities continue to challenge our commitment to equality. I was not surprised to see that the U.N. report rebuked this administration's poor civil rights record. After 9/11, the Bush administration eroded many of the most precious rights and liberties held by all Americans. Just last week, the Supreme Court in the Boumediene opinion, beat back one of these most egregious attempts, restoring the Great Writ of habeas corpus to its rightful place as a mechanism to guarantee liberty from arbitrary confinement. But this administration has also played politics with critical voting laws, and failed to protect our most vulnerable citizens. The Bush administration's poor civil rights record has damaged America's prestige around the world, and undermined our tradition of progress on civil rights.

Vermont is a State that holds a unique place in America's march toward equal justice. It was the first to outlaw slavery. Vermonters offered shelter to runaway slaves seeking refuge while in transit to Canada. Indeed, in just the tiny town of Brandon, 17 homes were stations on the Underground Railroad. I am proud that this month Vermont joined the States recognizing Juneteenth as a State holiday. It is important for our children and grandchildren to know our history, and to know that ordinary people can make a difference.

As we reflect on the sacrifices of past generations, their example should inspire us all in our present day struggle to secure human and civil rights. We must reaffirm our faith in our cherished freedoms and restore our commitment to protect basic rights. I hope all Americans will celebrate Juneteenth by working towards building the more perfect union we want for generations to come.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate, and that any statements related to the resolution be printed in the Record.

Mr. President, today I am pleased to introduce with Senator Levin a resolution recognizing the historical significance of Juneteenth Independence. Day.

Two years after President Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation and months after the end of the Civil War, many African-Americans were still being denied the freedom that had been won. Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, the day Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, to announce that the Civil War had ended and ensure that the slaves were free. African-Americans who had been enslaved began celebrating June 19 the following year as the anniversary of their emancipation, the day their dreams of freedom became reality.

As Americans, we can't afford to forget the lessons learned from slavery and that terrible stain on our nation's history. Juneteenth reminds us to stay vigilant in our efforts to secure equal opportunity for all Americans to keep working for justice. Justice is true freedom and equality for all citizens, regardless of race, religion, or ethnic background.

I thank Senators Obama, Reid, Stabenow, and Brownback for joining Senator Levin and me in recognizing historic Juneteenth Independence Day. I encourage my colleagues to support this important resolution.