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Dear neighbor, 

As always, I hope this message finds you healthy and in good spirits. Happy Fathers’ Day as well to all of the wonderful dads in the district! I hope that you enjoy today and are able to spend some time with close family and friends. You are seen and you are appreciated! 

Yesterday was Juneteenth, a holiday which has been celebrated for more than 100 years and originated in Texas. Congress this week passed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act which recognizes Juneteenth as a federal holiday in honor of the end of chattel slavery here in the United States.  I thank Congresswoman Jackson Lee for leading the effort in the House and I’m pleased to have had the chance to join President Biden at the White House today in signing this bill into law. 

While this is an exciting and joyous occasion, I’ll point out that President Reagan made Martin Luther King Jr. Day a federal holiday and then proceeded to weaken the social safety net and wage a war on poor people. We took one step forward and many steps back. We need to honor the spirit of enslaved people and affirm Black people’s presence in this country.

In order to do that we need  voter protection, education, social services, housing and employment opportunities, plus a complete overhaul of our criminal justice system — a system which preserves and perpetuates modern forms of slavery. Finally, in honor of Juneteenth, we must end the filibuster in the Senate so that we can pass transformative legislation and deliver on our promises to the people. 

If you would like to take a look at my remarks on the House floor last week about Juneteenth click here. 

I also spent the day throughout the district yesterday joining Juneteenth celebrations all over. First, I joined the Van Cortlandt Park Alliance to honor the enslaved ancestors whose contributions remain in the park today - a wreath was laid in their honor. Then, I joined the Bronx Rises Against Gun Violence program for a peaceful community barbeque. 

The remainder of the day I stopped by celebrations in Ardsley, the Bronx, Mount Vernon and Yonkers. 

I hope that you enjoy the rest of this weekend and were able to celebrate and learn more about Juneteenth. 

As always if you have any questions and/or concerns please do not hesitate to reach out to my office - information for each of my offices is below. I look forward to continuing to serve you. 

Peace and Love, 

Congressman Jamaal Bowman (NY-16)