SPLC calls legislation to recognize Juneteenth as federal holiday ‘long overdue’
A group of Senators on Friday announced legislation to make Juneteenth — a day to celebrate freedom in the Black community — a federal holiday. Later that day, the Montgomery-based Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) announced its support of the bill calling it “long overdue.” “The national recognition of Juneteenth is long overdue,” said SPLC Action Fund President and Chief Executive Officer Margaret Huang. “We welcome the introduction of this bill to commemorate Juneteenth, a day that celebrates the end of slavery in the United States. Its introduction this year highlights the demands of protestors for an end to the killings of Black people by police and vigilantes. It is only by acknowledging the scourge of racism throughout our nation’s history that we will be able to move forward together. We urge all members of Congress to support its passage.” Juneteenth is a commemoration of the moment the last enslaved people in the United States learned of their freedom on June 19, 1865, which was over two years after President Abraham Lincoln delivered the Emancipation Proclamation. On June 19, Black people in Galveston, Texas, were notified their freedom had finally been secured.
Bradley Byrne cosponsors ‘Justice Act’ aimed at policing reform
In the wake of two high-profile cases of black men being killed by police officers, Alabama 1st District U.S. Rep. Bradley Byrne joined on as an original cosponsor of the JUSTICE Act—Just and Unifying Solutions to Invigorate Communities Everywhere. The bill was introduced in the House on Thursday. The Justice Act provides long-term solutions focused on police reform, accountability, and transparency, while also promoting efforts to find answers to systemic issues affecting people of color, such as education and health disparities. “Equal justice for all is a core American value. There are things we can do at the Federal level to help assure that equal justice is applied throughout our country,” explained Byrne. “I am disappointed that the Democrat majority in the House of Representatives made no effort to include Republicans in drafting their bill to address law enforcement reform. The only way we can pass such a bill through both houses and send it to the President to become law is through a truly bipartisan effort.” The House version of the bill follows the introduction of the Senate version that was introduced by Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) on Wednesday. A full summary of the Justice Act can be found here.
John Merrill joins group of national leaders to establish vote by mail standards
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been talk about the increased need for voting by mail this year. Many argue this is to keep people safe, but it leaves state election officials to worry about the increased risk of voter fraud and how it brings about questions on how to safeguard their states. This is why Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill has joined a group of national leaders in forming the National Task Force on Voting by Mail to help establish vote by mail standards that will protect the credibility and integrity of the electoral process. The group will focus on protecting the opportunity for voters to cast a secret ballot, preventing fraud, intimidation, or manipulation when voting, and providing the ability for voters to cast their ballot in a way that does not compromise their safety, security, or well-being. “As nationwide efforts are currently being made to change the way voters participate in the elections process, it is incumbent on election officials to set up protocols and safeguards to ensure that each and every eligible voter is able to participate in free and fair elections,” announced Merrill. “Elections are the foundation of American democracy. I am honored to join my colleagues across the country as we move towards securing the individual state voting process nationwide,” Merrill added. Other members of the Task Force include Public Interest Legal Foundation Board Members Cleta Mitchell of Foley & Lardner LLP, J. Christian Adams of the Election Law Center, Hans von Spakovsky of the Heritage Foundation and a former member of the Federal Election Commission, Dr. John Eastman of Chapman University, David Norcross, the Chairman of the RNC’s Standing Committee on Rules, and Bill Davis of Foley & Lardner LLP, Pete Hutchison of Landmark Legal Foundation, former Ohio Secretary of State Kenneth J. Blackwell, John Fund of the National Review, and many others.
