Providing for consideration of the bill (S. 475) to amend title 5, United States Code, to designate Juneteenth National Independence Day as a legal public holiday.

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.

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

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.''

How humbled I am to be on the floor of the House with fellow Americans who can speak eloquently about the history that is so deeply seated in my history and the history of so many Americans.

How honored I am, Congresswoman Scanlon, that you come from the great State of Pennsylvania that has a storied history. For some of us, we remember Gettysburg, but there are many other aspects, which I have had the privilege of visiting.

I always say to America: Learn America. It is a beautiful place, but it is a historic place.

To my friend from Pennsylvania, the manager and Rules Committee member, how honored I am to have you, a fellow Pennsylvanian, in terms of the minority's manager, on the floor today. You know full well the fight of the Union soldiers, and I am sure that you have in your constituency or in the State descendants of those fights.

Mr. Speaker, I can stand here today to say, with Senator Markey, Senator Cornyn, Senator Smith, and my colleague of long-suffering, Danny Davis, who began this journey with me, the act or the thought of racial divide crushes to the floor on this bright and sunny day as we bring from the Senate the legislation that I offered, H.R. 1320, in the form of S. 475, the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, companion legislation to H.R. 1320 in the House.

The House was the leader, although I am always glad to embrace the dynamic leadership of the Senate. We have over 160 more sponsors coming, bipartisan sponsors.

My good friend and colleague from Texas, Randy Weber, actually represents Galveston, and I want to share his name on the floor.

But I introduce this to make Juneteenth a Federal holiday to commemorate the end of chattel slavery, America's original sin, and to bring about celebration, crushing racial divide down to a point of unity to this Earth, and it is because of the perseverance, the strength of our mutual communities, African Americans that struggle for equality.

Now, I would be remiss if I did not at least appoint that slavery was real. These are the brutal backs upon which the whip went over and over and over again, not only men, women, children, possibly, as history recounts.

The history is limited because it is slave narrative, that I might very humbly and respectfully say, those stories are in broken English. But I remember one where a woman slave said to a husband that had been either taken away or had been a freed slave to another plantation; she said, Husband, come back, come back, they are about to sell me and your children to different places. That is what this moment in time in history represents for us.

But look where we are today. Look where we are. In the midst of what people have described as racial divide, we have now come to a place where we acknowledge the 47 States that have done a celebratory, unified, and multicultural celebration of Juneteenth. Let me tell you why, just for a moment.

Juneteenth is as significant to African Americans as it will be to Americans because we, too, are Americans, and it means freedom.

Juneteenth. On June 19, 1865, General Granger found himself on the shores of Galveston--Senator Cornyn and myself will be in Galveston this very Juneteenth. How coincidental. Can you imagine, how short I am, I will be standing maybe taller than Senator Cornyn, forgive me for that, because it will be such an elevation of joy, but we will be there for a historic celebration.

But Juneteenth came in June of 1865, and shortly thereafter, in the next few months, the 13th Amendment declared slavery unconstitutional in the United States. I think it is important to read these words. These are the words of General Granger, coming all the way from Washington, D.C., of General Order No. 3.

You know, we like legislation, but I will tell you, can you imagine all of the slaves who were not free 2 extra years? They gathered around, they knew something was happening. There was no telegram and there was no cyber, there was no email or tweets.

Mr. Speaker, 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 of employer and hired labor. It is a day of freedom.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the Rules Committee, Chairman McGovern, and Ranking Member Cole. I want to thank them for their commitment in bringing this to us. I want to thank Majority Leader Hoyer, Speaker Pelosi, the whip, Mr. Clyburn, the chairman, Mr. Jeffries, and all of the leadership on both sides of the aisle that have brought us to this point.

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 the Rule and the underlying legislation, S. 475, the Senate companion to the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, 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, my senior senator, Senator John Cornyn of Texas, 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, 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 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.

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 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.

Juneteenth was first celebrated in the Texas state capital in 1867 under the direction of the Freedmen's Bureau.

Today, Juneteenth remains the oldest known celebration of slavery's demise. It commemorates 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.

General Granger's reading of this order ended chattel slavery, a form of perpetual servitude that held generations of Africans in bondage in the United States for two-hundred and forty-eight years and opened a new chapter in American history.

Recognizing the importance of this date, former slaves coined the word ``Juneteenth'' to mark the occasion with a celebrations 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 slavery's demise.

It commemorates 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.

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.

Juneteenth honors the end of the 400 years of suffering African Americans endured under slavery and celebrates the legacy of perseverance that has become the hallmark of the African American experience in the struggle for equality.

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.

Juneteenth celebrates African American freedom 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.

I urge all members to support the rule and the underlying legislation.

Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 479 and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Reschenthaler), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time is yielded for the purpose of debate only.

General Leave

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members be given 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks.

Mr. Speaker, today, the Committee on Rules met and reported a rule, House Resolution 479, providing for consideration of S. 475, the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, under a closed rule.

The rule provides 1 hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Oversight and Reform and one motion to recommit.

Mr. Speaker, we are here today to consider an important and timely bill, S. 475, which parallels H.R. 1320 introduced by our colleague, Sheila Jackson Lee from Texas. This bill would make Juneteenth a Federal holiday.

We are happy and not a little surprised to see that the Senate was able to quickly pass this bill with unanimous consent. It is not every day that one sees the Senate move more quickly than the House, and it is my hope that today the House of Representatives would be able to act with similar swiftness.

Juneteenth, a portmanteau of June 19th, celebrates a seminal moment in Black American history, and it is well past time that our country recognizes the importance of this day by making it a Federal holiday.

While the Emancipation Proclamation outlawed slavery in the South, and the Civil War effectively ended with the surrender of the Confederacy in April of 1865 at Appomattox, slavery did not immediately end throughout the United States.

During the Civil War, many slaveholders migrated to Texas to avoid conflict and continued to hold Black Americans in bondage after the formal end of the Civil War.

On June 19, 1865, Union troops finally arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas, to ensure that slaves were freed, a full 2\1/2\

years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed by President Lincoln.

On that date, Major General Gordon Granger issued General Order No. 3, which announced that, in accordance with the Emancipation Proclamation, all slaves are free.

In the years following, Black Texans began to celebrate Juneteenth, also known as Emancipation Day, Jubilee Day, and Juneteenth Independence Day. Over time, they developed time-honored traditions for celebration, including parades, cookouts, family reunions, prayer gatherings, historic and cultural readings, and musical performances. As Texans emigrated to other parts of the United States, those traditions came with them and became enshrined in Black communities across our country.

Today, Juneteenth is celebrated by communities throughout the United States. Forty-eight States and the District of Columbia recognize Juneteenth. It is time for the Federal Government to do the same.

My own district in southeastern Pennsylvania takes great pride in its Juneteenth celebrations. From parades and flag raisings and picnics to musical performances and community gatherings, our community will celebrate at dozens of events throughout the district this weekend.

On a planning call this week for one of our local celebrations, a resident from the Eastwick neighborhood in southwest Philadelphia proclaimed that ``Juneteenth is the holy grail'' of celebrations for the community because it represents America's true day of freedom.

Upon hearing the news that this bill would come up for passage today, one of my staffers said: ``As an African-American woman raising five beautiful children, it would mean so much to make Juneteenth a Federal holiday. . . . It allows people to reflect on what my ancestors had to deal with. It gives the history of how they fought and continued to fight as they passed the torch on to the next generation.''

Another community member just shared: ``I hope this provides an accessible, teachable moment so people across the country can talk with their neighbors about why we need this holiday and how it helps to address the erasure of Black contributions to humanity and history.''

I know that this move to make Juneteenth a Federal holiday will mean so much to members of the Black community in my district, and I am so excited to have the great honor of returning home to celebrate this weekend after we pass this bill.

Juneteenth, like many of our other Federal celebrations, serves as a day of remembrance and reflection and a celebration of emancipation and freedom.

So, as we consider the rule today, and as we approach this year's Juneteenth celebrations, I ask my colleagues in this Chamber to think and reflect on our Nation's complicated history, the events that led us to where we are, and what we need to do to reckon with our past and continue to work toward creating a more equitable and inclusive society.

America has historically failed to fully address the horrors of the abuse wrought upon enslaved people during the early years of our country, and to this day, we live with the long-term effects and consequences of slavery in America.

Racism, both interpersonal and institutional, continues to plague our country. And despite monumental efforts, from the Civil War to the civil rights movement and beyond, to get our Nation to live up to the ideals proclaimed in the Declaration of Independence, Black Americans still face disparate treatment and disparate outcomes across our society, from housing and healthcare to education and the workplace.

To move forward with the work of dismantling institutional racism that continues to disenfranchise Black Americans, it is essential that we start by looking critically at how we get here.

If we all truly commit ourselves to striving toward a more perfect Union, where all people are not only legally equal but actually have a fair shot at achieving the American Dream, we must recognize our current failings and take the necessary steps to end racial discrimination, the racial wealth gap, and racial injustices in our social, economic, environmental, and judicial institutions.

While some may feel that making Juneteenth a Federal holiday is a purely symbolic act, symbols hold power. Holidays hold power.

While millions of Americans already celebrate Juneteenth and use the day to reflect on our collective past and future, this is an important step to formally commemorate a crucial part of our culture and history that for too long has been canceled.

I look forward to working with my colleagues on other meaningful steps we can take to honor the legacy of enslaved people who contributed so much to our history and to address the lasting impacts of this cruel chapter in our history that still persist today.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I now recognize my distinguished colleague, the chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security in the House Committee on the Judiciary. Representative Sheila Jackson Lee is a tremendous advocate and leader in the fight for racial equity and an inspiration to many of our colleagues, including myself. Coming from the great State of Texas, she is all too familiar with the history and importance of Juneteenth for African Americans and for all Americans to recognize and reconcile our history.

In Congress' past, Representative Jackson Lee led the charge to recognize Juneteenth as a national holiday by introducing legislation to federally recognize this historic day. In the 117th Congress, she, again, introduced H.R. 1320, which I understand formed the basis for the Senate bill.

Through the tireless work of her and her Senate colleagues, we now have the privilege of voting on this historic legislation. I applaud the tremendous work of the distinguished gentlewoman from Texas.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).

Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. I want to echo the remarks of my distinguished colleague, Representative Sheila Jackson Lee, in mentioning Pennsylvania's history in this moment. I want to highlight Philadelphia's role in our Nation's abolitionist movement, the Quakers, Lucretia Mott, who embraced that movement and pushed this country forward, the role of our residents in fighting and winning the Civil War, and being the birthplace of American ideals at Independence Hall.

Mr. Speaker, I hope that in passing this rule and the underlying bill we will take a collective step forward in achieving those goals that all Americans are equal under the law, treated fairly in our schools, our workplaces, our courts, and our public institutions.

Symbols hold power. Holidays hold power. While millions of Americans already celebrate Juneteenth and use the day to reflect on our collective past and future, this is an important step to formally commemorate a crucial part of our culture and history. I urge, again, that all my colleagues vote for the rule and the underlying bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.

The previous question was ordered.

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.

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.

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.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi), the distinguished Speaker of the House.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee), the author of the companion to the Senate bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Mfume), a member of the Committee on Oversight and Reform.

Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Clyburn), the Democratic whip.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms. Tlaib), a member of the Committee on Oversight and Reform.

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.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from Michigan (Mrs. Lawrence), who is a member of the Oversight and Reform Committee.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee), who is a cardinal on the Appropriations Committee.

Madam Speaker, I yield the gentlewoman an additional 30 seconds.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentlewoman from Ohio (Mrs. Beatty), who is the chair of the Congressional Black Caucus.

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.

Madam Speaker, may I inquire how much time remains.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from New York (Mr. Espaillat), who is a member of the Appropriations Committee.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. David Scott), the chair of the Agriculture Committee.

Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentleman from Georgia.

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from New Jersey (Mrs. Watson Coleman).

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Veasey).

Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Waters), the chair of the Financial Services Committee.

Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers and I reserve the balance of my time.

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.

Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

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

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.

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.