Political Quotes

“Today is June 19, an ordinary day in the lives of many, many Americans. That is why it is important to come to the floor and wish so many in our Nation Happy Juneteenth. For some, that may be a foreign terminology. But we are now in the 149th year of the 1865 Emancipation Proclamation for several States in the Deep South. Those who know their history would say the Emancipation Proclamation was in 1863. They are absolutely right. But it took 2 years for States like Texas, Louisiana, and many others to, unfortunately, receive notice that the slaves were free. Two more years my fellow Texans, African American slaves, had to languish in the abomination of slavery because someone failed to think it was important enough to reach those boundaries and say we were free. So it speaks very loudly to the reason I am an advocate and a fighter that justice must be maintained no matter who you are in this country. Those in Texas that, as I speak, are commemorating and celebrating Juneteenth Freedom Day, are proudly acknowledging, not their fault that they did not know, not a joke, not humorous, but a sad statement which we in Texas and Southern States have turned into a joyful jubilee. We celebrate freedom wherever and however we can. This Congress needs to be a promoter of freedom and justice. I join my colleagues in being appalled at the fact that we have not yet extended unemployment insurance for hardworking Americans. Let me say that again: unemployment insurance.…”