The US House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a bill to make June 19, the day Americans commemorate the abolition of slavery, a public holiday.
Leaders of both parties rallied behind the proposal. Accordingly, the text was adopted by a clear majority of 415 votes to 14. The 14 opposition votes came from the Republican deputies.
Juneteenth
The Senate approved the text unanimously on Tuesday. President Joe Biden has yet to give his approval, but there is little doubt about his support for the proposal.
Juneteenth, as Memorial Day is called, commemorates the last liberation of slaves in the United States in Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865.
In that same state, the day has been recognized as a holiday since 1980, and after Texas, Juneteenth has already been recognized in most states. The call to make it a national holiday came in the wake of ongoing Black Lives Matter protests against racism and excessive police brutality.
If Biden approves the bill, Juneteenth will be the eleventh national holiday in the United States.
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