Good news!
As reported on news sources, the Senate passed a bill and declared Juneteenth as a national holiday!
The Senate made the announcement today (June 15). Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) made the motion to pass it, and no senator objected. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) blocked the bill from passing last year over concerns about how much it’ll cost, had a change of heart. Johnson told the Huff Post,
“It sounds like Congress wants to do it, so I’m not going to stand in the way. I just think it’s kind of odd that now apparently the only way to do [celebrate the end of slavery] is to give 2 million federal workers a paid day off, cost American taxpayers $600 million.”
It’s been a state holiday in Texas for over 40 years, so it’s nice to see it get recognized as a holiday. Unfortunately, it has to get passed in the house to be a federal holiday officially.
WATCH: The Senate unanimously passes a bill establishing Juneteenth as a national holiday. The bill now heads to the House. https://t.co/d4QlSgRK0L pic.twitter.com/coJO0k881P
— ABC News (@ABC) June 15, 2021