Congress submitted a bill to President Biden to designate June 19 as a federal holiday to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States.

The U.S. Congress passed a bill on Wednesday to make June 19Or June 19, which is a federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the country.

The US House of Representatives followed the Senate with an overwhelming number of votes to pass the bill and sent it to President Joe Biden for signature. The Senate passed the bill unanimously on June 15, speeding up the process of deliberation and legislation.

Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib said: “The passage of the June Festival National Independence Day Act is a long overdue recognition of the pain and suffering of generations of our black community.”

The June festival is to commemorate the last enslaved black Americans who learned of their freedom after the American Civil War between the Confederate slave states in the south and the federal free states in the north.

The Confederate soldiers surrendered in April 1865, but it was not until June 19 that the Union soldiers brought news of freedom to Galveston, Texas, and the last enslaved black man received the news. That was two and a half years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation to free American slaves in 1862.

June Festival is called the “Second Independence Day” of the United States. It is an important holiday for African Americans. Black communities across the United States will celebrate it through prayer breakfasts, civic activities, family gatherings, barbecues and parties.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said on Tuesday: “Designating June as a federal holiday is an important step in acknowledging past mistakes.”

“But we must continue to work to ensure equality and justice and fulfill the promises of the Emancipation Declaration and our Constitution.”

In the recent national liquidation with the United States, June Festival has a greater significance History of racism And broad nationwide protest After death George Freud Last year, a black man choked to death under the knee of a white policeman.

Democratic Rep. Brenda Lawrence said: “We still have a lot of work to do to eliminate systemic racism, discrimination and hatred in this country.”

“We still live in blatant racism and slavery today. These discriminations deprive us of access to education, deprive us of opportunities for economic development, deprive us of our rights, and deprive us of the right to work and own property. . This is still a problem in the United States,” Lawrence said.

He said that Republican Senator Ron Johnson opposed a bill to celebrate June Day as a federal holiday in the last Congress because of the high cost and lack of debate.

Johnson pointed out that he supports the resolution to recognize the significance of the June festival, but he is worried that the new holiday will give federal employees another day off, at an annual cost of about $600.

“Although it still seems strange to require taxpayers to provide federal employees with paid time off to celebrate the end of slavery, it is clear that Congress has no interest in discussing this matter further. Therefore, I do not intend to oppose it,” Johnson said before voting on Tuesday. Said in a statement.

Almost all American states have recognized June Festival as a holiday or officially celebrate this day, and most states hold celebrations. June Festival is a paid holiday for state employees in Texas, New York, Virginia, and Washington, DC.

According to legislation, the federal holiday will be called June National Independence Day.