Republican senators debate replacing Columbus Day with Juneteenth

Republican senators are debating whether or not to replace Columbus Day with Juneteenth as a federal holiday, as part of an amendment to the bipartisan bill introduced last week. 

Senator John Cornyn of Texas proposed legislation last month that would officially recognize Juneteenth, the day marking the end of slavery in the US, as a national holiday. 

The bill is expected to pass in a unanimous decision, however it has been met with some resistance from fellow Republicans who say creating another federal holiday could be too costly. 

Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin announced an amendment on Wednesday seeking to scrap Columbus Day as a ‘counterproposal that does not put us further in debt.’

Juneteenth marks the day in 1865 that the last slaves in Texas learned of the Emancipation Proclamation two years earlier. Crowds are seen celebrating the date in New York City last year

‘We support celebrating emancipation with a federal holiday, but believe we should eliminate a current holiday in exchange,’ Johnson said in a statement.

While Columbus Day has become somewhat of a controversial holiday due to concerns that it honors the man who enslaved and killed Native Americans, Johnson’s suggestion comes from a purely fiscally conservative standpoint. 

The senator said he proposed scrapping the holiday ‘because it’s probably the most lightly celebrated and less disruptive to anybody’s schedule’.

He noted that federal holidays cost about $600million in paid time off for government employees. 

The move was supported by fellow Republican James Lankford of Oklahoma who said it would take the economic effects into account.   

While Columbus Day has become somewhat of a controversial holiday due to concerns that it honors the man who enslaved and killed Native Americans, Johnson’s suggestion comes from a purely fiscal standpoint.

Senator Ron Johnson proposed scrapping the holiday ‘because it’s probably the most lightly celebrated and less disruptive to anybody’s schedule’

‘Juneteenth is a day in our history that redefined the meaning of freedom and equality in America … We should celebrate these strides on the federal level while remaining cognizant of the impact the existing 10 federal holidays have on federal services and local businesses,’ he said in a statement.

The proposal drew some push back from Cornyn who said eliminating Columbus Day could be ‘problematic’ as some communities commemorate the holiday each year. 

Cornyn, who sponsored the bill, said doing so ‘dilutes the message we’re trying to send, which is one of being respectful and honoring and remembering our history,’ he told The Hill.    

The bill comes amid a nationwide reckoning over racism in America, that was sparked by the death of George Floyd in May. 

Members of the Congressional Black Caucus (pictured on Capitol Hill on June 25) met on Wednesday to discuss next steps on a reparations bill 

Democrats have since begun discussing plans for a reparations bill that would examine racial inequality in America and propose solutions through policy changes.

The H.R. 40 bill is being sponsored by Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas who hopes to bring it to the floor for a vote by the end of the year.

‘We now have an opportunity, through H.R. 40, to have the highest level of discussion about systemic racism and race. And we are able to do it in a manner that is bringing people together; that acknowledges that Black lives matter; and acknowledges that there has to be a response,’ she told The Hill on Tuesday. 

The legislation does not propose compensation for those affected by the country’s history of slavery but instead will allow Congress to form a commission that will help review issues of racial disparity in the US.

Members of the Congressional Black Caucus met on Wednesday to discuss next steps.