Now a bipartisan group of lawmakers is pushing to make June 19 an actual national holiday. Markey introduced a bill creating a “Juneteenth National Independence Day” with Sens. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), who traditionally authors the Senate’s ceremonial Juneteenth legislation each year, announced on his website Thursday that he would support making Juneteenth a real holiday as well. On the House side, new Juneteenth holiday legislation introduced by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) this week has 74 co-sponsors, including Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-N.J.), who left the Democratic party to become a Republican earlier this year. Congress last made a national holiday in 1983 to honor murdered civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr. in a process that took 15 years.

Source: Huffington Post June 19, 2020 16:52 UTC