Home Invites Members Groups Events Directories Videos News Photos Blogs Forums Chat
Home > Blogs > Post Content

~ 14 House Republicans Voted Against "Junteenth," Our National Holiday! (7705 hits)


/*

"Are We, Should We Be...Surprised? I'm not...I thought it would be more."
~GVB~
http://hbcu.com/content/367257/14-house-re...

Who are the 14 House Republicans who voted against a Juneteenth holiday?
And why?
By
Chelsey Cox
Wed, June 16, 2021, 11:04 PM
https://www.yahoo.com/news/14-republicans-...

WASHINGTON — Legislation to recognize June 19, or "Juneteenth," as a federal holiday passed overwhelmingly in the House of Representatives Wednesday. The bill passed unanimously in the Senate on Tuesday.

Senate Bill 475, the "Juneteenth National Independence Day Act", passed with 415-14 votes. The bill recognizes June 19, 1865, the day enslaved people in Galveston, Texas learned slavery was ended, as a public holiday. President Abraham Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation had freed all enslaved African Americans in rebel states two and a half years earlier.

The bill now heads to President Joe Biden's desk to be signed into law.

The 14 no votes were all from Republican members of Congress. They include:

Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Ala.

Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz.

Rep. Scott DesJarlais, R-Tenn.

Rep. Tom Tiffany, R-Wis.

Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-Calif.

Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala.

Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C.

Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas

Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz.

Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Calif.

Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont.

Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas

Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky.

Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga.

Several of those representatives shared why they were voting against the bill.

Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, told USA TODAY he thinks there are enough federal holidays.

"We have enough federal holidays right now. I just don't see the reason in doing it," he said. "I don't think it rises to the level I'm going to support it."

Republican Montana Rep. Matt Rosendale released a statement on his vote against S.B. 475.

“Let’s call an ace an ace. This is an effort by the Left to create a day out of whole cloth to celebrate identity politics as part of its larger efforts to make Critical Race Theory the reigning ideology of our country. Since I believe in treating everyone equally, regardless of race, and that we should be focused on what unites us rather than our differences, I will vote no,” Rosendale said.

Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., argued that referring to Juneteenth as a national independence day would confuse people.

"I fully support creating a day to celebrate the abolition of slavery, a dark portion of our nation's history. However, naming this day 'national independence day' will create confusion and push Americans to pick one of those two days as their independence day based on their racial identity," Massie said on the House floor. "Why can't we name this 'emancipation day' and come together as Americans and celebrate that day together as Americans?"

Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, also objected to the name of the bill.

"Juneteenth should be commemorated as the expression of the realization of the end of slavery in the United States - and I commend those who worked for its passage," Roy said in a statement.

"I could not vote for this bill, however, because the holiday should not be called 'Juneteenth National Independence Day' but rather, 'Juneteenth National Emancipation [or Freedom or otherwise] Day.' This name needlessly divides our nation on a matter that should instead bring us together by creating a separate Independence Day based on the color of one’s skin," he said.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Rep. Andrew Clyde, the only member of the Georgia delegation to vote no, declined to answer a reporter's question about his vote.

Contributing: Savannah Behrmann

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who are the 14 House Republicans who voted no on a Juneteenth holiday?

*/

Posted By: Gregory V. Boulware, Esq.
Thursday, June 17th 2021 at 9:29AM
You can also click here to view all posts by this author...

Report obscenity | post comment
Share |
Please Login To Post Comments...
Email:
Password:

 
More From This Author
'Willis' - Fairmount Pt.2
'Fairmount' Terror In The Park
~'A Cite To Be Seen'~
~ 'The Processing of Thought' ~
"Not To Be Claimed As Your Own"
~ The Rails, Some Hemp, and A Hanging ~
~"It Has Not Ended, Will It Ever?"~
~ "Within A Stroke or Two" ~
Forward This Blog Entry!
Blogs Home

(Advertise Here)
Who's Online
>> more | invite 
Latest Photos
>> more | add
Latest Member Activity
cortez law iii just posted a blog entitled 'let's get to know each other!'. 05:45PM
pam perry just posted a blog entitled 'the brand-killing trap of bogus contests: are you wasting your time?'. 12:05AM
gregory v. boulware, esq. just posted a blog entitled ''willis' - fairmount pt.2 '. 05:29PM
gregory v. boulware, esq. just posted a blog entitled ''fairmount''. 05:05PM
pam perry just posted a blog entitled 'seize this rare opportunity to amplify your voice!'. 02:24PM
gregory v. boulware, esq. just posted a blog entitled '~'a cite to be seen'~'. 08:16PM
pam perry just posted a blog entitled 'professional speakers day'. 10:46PM
cortez law iii just posted a blog entitled 'book giveaways'. 08:14PM
cortez law iii just posted a blog entitled 'black phoenix (atlanta homicide squad book 6)'. 07:38PM
maxine cunningham just became friends with . 12:04AM
cortez law iii just posted a blog entitled 'the black phoenix official book trailer'. 07:13PM
cortez law iii just posted a blog entitled 'my website status'. 09:17PM
>> more | invite friends