Juneteenth National Independence Day Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. COMER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, Juneteenth is an important day, and remembering and celebrating the emancipation of African Americans in the United States is certainly worthy of commemoration. All Americans should celebrate our fight for freedom.

It is a fitting tribute first celebrated in the State of Texas to commemorate the day in 1865, when President Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation was recognized in that State.

I do plan to vote in favor of this bill that passed unanimously in the Senate yesterday. However, I would be remiss if I did not discuss the procedure leading up to consideration of this legislation.

Just a few mere hours ago, the Committee on Oversight and Reform, which has jurisdiction over Federal holidays in the Federal workforce, learned that this legislation would be taken up today. Our committee's job is to ensure the efficient and effective operation of the executive branch agencies.

Unfortunately, we have not had ample time to consider the effects of granting the entire Federal workforce another day off work. And we do not know what effect, if any, this bill will have on Federal programs and missions that our government delivers to the American taxpayer each day.

For instance, due to the rushed process, we do not yet have an estimate from the Congressional Budget Office of how much this bill will cost. I know my friends on the other side of the aisle have never really been concerned about the cost of a government program, but the people on this side of the aisle and the American taxpayers have a concern about the cost of legislation that we pass on the floor of the House of Representatives.

According to a 2014 analysis by President Obama's Office of Management and Budget, it cost Federal taxpayers $660 million in payroll and holiday premium costs when Federal employees were given an extra holiday on the day after Christmas that year by executive order.

Because we are not following regular order, which would have included a legislative hearing and committee markup, we do not fully understand the impacts of this new Federal holiday and the true costs of lost productivity.

Nevertheless, I thank my colleagues for the time to speak on this historical legislation.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi), the distinguished Speaker of the House.

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Mr. COMER. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Weber).
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Mr. COMER. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Roy).

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Mr. COMER. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Davidson).

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Mr. COMER. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Massie).

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

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee), who is a cardinal on the Appropriations Committee.

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

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. 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.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, may I inquire how much time remains.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. David Scott), the chair of the Agriculture Committee.

Mr. DAVID SCOTT of Georgia. Madam Speaker, let me say to some of my Republican friends: If our African-American slave ancestors were here today, they would say to you:

You know, them that's got should get, and them that's not should lose, because the Bible says, and it still is news, your mama may have, and your papa may have, but God bless the child that's got his own.

God bless the child who can say I am free. Two hundred years in the deep slavery south, but God put hope in our hearts and a song in our mouths. All we are asking is for you to express the feeling and the depths of the African-American people today who need you, all of us, White and Black Members of Congress, to stand together and vote ``yes.''

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Mr. COMER. Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from New Jersey (Mrs. Watson Coleman).

Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Madam Speaker, Juneteenth is a day for me of commemoration, not of celebration, because it reminds us of something that was delayed in happening.

It also reminds me of what we don't have today, and that is full access to justice, freedom, and equality. All of these are often in short supply as it relates to the Black community, and it is still delayed.

So, as we take this time to acknowledge Juneteenth and to recognize Juneteenth National Independence Day Act--something I definitely support--I pray that we do not lose track of the fact that we have so much more work to do to ensure that we have the fairness, the equality, the opportunity, whether it is voting, working, or just living healthfully in the United States of America.

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Mr. COMER. Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Veasey).

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Mr. COMER. Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Waters), the chair of the Financial Services Committee.

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Mr. COMER. Madam Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York.

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Mr. COMER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

I join my House colleagues in recognizing the significance of Juneteenth as a national holiday. This is significant legislation. The vast majority of States already recognize the day as a holiday, or observe it, and establishing a Federal holiday mostly impacts the Federal workforce. I, therefore, support moving forward to designate this new Federal holiday. It is a day worthy of all Americans' support.

I want to congratulate those who have worked so hard to make this happen.

Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALONEY of New York. 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.

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Madam Speaker, Rev. Ronald V. `Doc' Myers, Sr., M.D. (February 29, 1956--September 7, 2018), was the first ordained and commissioned medical missionary to America's poorest region, the Mississippi Delta, by the Wisconsin Baptist Pastors Conference and Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church, in Milwaukee, in 1990.

Rev. Myers was the founder of numerous medical and cultural organizations and a committed physician serving the poorest Americans through clinics in Tchula, Belzoni, Yazoo City, Indianola, Greenville and Tupelo, Mississippi. `Doc' was also a jazz musician, composer and human rights activist. The New York Times stated, ``There aren't many doctors like Ronald Myers, a jazz-playing, Baptist-preaching, family practitioner whose dream has always been to practice medicine in the kind of place most other doctors wouldn't even stop for a tank of gas.''

In 1994 a group of community leaders from across the country gathered at Christian Unity Baptist Church in New Orleans, to work for greater national recognition of Juneteenth, a holiday celebrating the end of slavery. Myers was elected Chairman of this advocacy effort which lead to the establishment of the National Juneteenth Observance Foundation and his recognition as the leader of the ``Modern Juneteenth Movement'' in America. Doc was instrumental in the passage of 45 of the 49 state and District of Columbia's pieces of legislation naming Juneteenth as a Day of Observance in this country.

Working with the Black Congressional Caucus which included Illinois Senator Barack Obama and Representative Danny Davis, he sought legislation to recognize Juneteenth Independence, hosting the annual Juneteenth Prayer Breakfasts. He established the Washington Juneteenth National Holiday Observance and the National Day of Reconciliation & Healing From the Legacy of Enslavement, which includes the National Juneteenth Black Holocaust ``Maafa'' Memorial Service.

Dr. Myers organized the National Association of Juneteenth Jazz Presenters, and the Fellowship of Creative Christian Jazz Musicians. Under his leadership, the Washington Juneteenth Congressional Event was held by the National Juneteenth Observance Foundation, Juneteenth America, Inc. & the National Association of Juneteenth Jazz Presenters.

An accomplished jazz pianist, trumpeter and composer, Myers performed across the country promoting ``June Is Black Music Month!''-- Celebrating Juneteenth Jazz--``Preserving Our African American Jazz Legacy!''

For over 20 years, Doc met with state politicians, local Juneteenth organizations and community leaders

Charles Taylor, author of Juneteenth said, ``Doc would give a copy of my Juneteenth book to every governor who made Juneteenth a holiday or observance. He even gave Sarah Palin a copy when she was the governor of Alaska after her state recognized Juneteenth.''

At an award ceremony of the Beverly Hills Temple of the Arts at the Saban Theatre, founder Rabbi David Baron said, ``Reverend Dr. Ronald V. Myers is an outstanding living model of all the values for which Martin Luther King stood.''

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