Congresswoman Cori Bush Joins President Biden at the White House as He Signs Legislation Making Juneteenth a Federal Holiday
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Cori Bush (MO-01) joined President Biden and Vice President Harris at the White House for the signing of the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, which she helped pass in the U.S. House as an original co-sponsor. The measure makes June 19, or Juneteenth — the date commemorating the day news of the Emancipation Proclamation reached Texas —a federal holiday. The legislation passed unanimously in the Senate on Tuesday and in the House on Wednesday evening, with a bipartisan vote of 415-14.
“Juneteenth has always been a symbol of freedom deferred,” said Congresswoman Cori Bush. “As we officially make Juneteenth a federal holiday, we continue our fight for true liberation. While slavery in its original form has ended, Black people in our country are still chained, beaten, abused, arrested, targeted, and detained at disproportionate rates. Our history continues to be whitewashed. Our communities continue to be underfunded and over-criminalized. Freedom is not simply intended to mean freedom from enslavement. Freedom is an affirmative goal, it is one that promises liberation, safety, and peace of mind. It is the promise of a full, prosperous, and joyous life.
“Yes, we need Juneteenth, but we also need reparations. We need to end police violence and the war on drugs. We need to end voter suppression and protect access to the ballot. We need to teach the truth about white supremacy in our classrooms. And we must prioritize Black liberation in its totality. Only then will we be truly free.”
The bill signing took place in the East Room of the White House.
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Congresswoman Cori Bush represents Missouri’s First Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives. She serves on the House Judiciary Committee and the House Committee on Oversight and Reform. She is also a Deputy Whip of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and a proud member of the Congressional Black Caucus. She is a registered nurse, single mother, and an ordained pastor. Following the murder of Michael Brown Jr. by a now-terminated Ferguson police officer, she became a civil rights activist and community organizer fighting for justice for Black lives on the streets of Missouri and across the country.