“This legislation to make Juneteenth a federal holiday is but one step we can take to begin to right the wrongs of the past in order to ensure equal justice in the future,” Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass) said in a Friday statement.
Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), who traditionally authors the Senate’s ceremonial Juneteenth legislation each year, announced on his website Thursday that he would support making Juneteenth a real holiday as well.
A spokesperson for Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), who said a holiday would be “a brilliant idea,” did not respond to requests for comment.
On the House side, new Juneteenth holiday legislation introduced by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) this week has 74 co-sponsors, including Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-N.J.), who left the Democratic party to become a Republican earlier this year.
Each year there are only 10 federal holidays, which are legal days off for only federal employees.
