U.S. Senate approves bill making Juneteenth a national holiday

Washington, June 16 (RHC)-- The U.S. Senate has unanimously approved legislation that would make Juneteenth -- the day commemorating the end of slavery in the United States -- a federal holiday. 

The celebration dates back to the last days of the Civil War, when Union soldiers landed in Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865, with news that the war had ended and slaves were free. 

The measure will now have to pass the House before it can be enacted into law.  Lawmakers celebrated the historic move, but some called for further action.  Democratic New York Congressmember Jamaal Bowman tweeted: “The Senate continues to be behind the times.  Juneteenth has been a holiday for well over 100 years.  Let’s bring the Senate into modern times and get unanimous consent on abolishing the Jim Crow filibuster.”