Jun 19, 2020 - Politics & Policy

Senate Democrats introduce legislation to make Juneteenth a federal holiday

Sens. Cory Booker and Kamala Harris during a Judiciary Committee hearing. Photo: Tom Williams/Pool/Getty Images

A group of Senate Democrats introduced legislation Friday that would make Juneteenth a federal holiday.

The big picture: 46 states and the District of Columbia recognize the holiday commemorating the end of slavery, but legislation to declare it a paid federal holiday has repeatedly stalled in Congress, according to the Congressional Research Service.

  • Sens. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) were behind the move.
  • Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) said on the Senate floor Thursday that he also planned to introduce similar legislation.
  • Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) also put forth a resolution asking the House to recognize the holiday.

Why it matters: It's yet another tangible effect of the Black Lives Matter protests across the country, highlighting their ability to fast-track societal changes and recognition.

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House Democrats and Trump admin strike deal to avert government shutdown

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Capitol Hill. Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images

The House on Tuesday passed legislation to fund the government through Dec. 11, by a vote of 359-57.

Why it matters: The bill's passage comes shortly after House Democrats and the Trump administration struck an agreement on the short-term legislation, averting the threat of a government shutdown when funding expires in eight days.

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"I stood up for that": Pope Francis voices support for same-sex civil unions

Pope Francis at St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. Photo: Vatican Pool - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images

Pope Francis voiced his support for same-sex civil unions for the first time as pope in the documentary “Francesco,” which premiered Wednesday at the Rome Film Festival, per the Catholic News Agency.

Why it matters: The pope’s remarks represent a break from the position of the Roman Catholic Church, which has long taught that homosexual acts are “intrinsically disordered" and contrary to natural law.

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Countries waiting to see if Trump wins before moving on Israel normalization

The delegation lands at Israel's Ben Gurion airport. Photo: Jack Guez/AFP via Getty

The White House is attempting to leverage momentum from Israel's normalization deals with Bahrain and the UAE to get more Arab countries on board before the U.S. election.

Driving the news: President Trump wants Sudan's removal from the U.S. state sponsors of terrorism list to be accompanied by a pre-election announcement on Israel.

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