Recognizing the 159th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1866.

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 315 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 315

   Recognizing the 159th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1866.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 9, 2025

  Mr. Jackson of Illinois (for himself, Ms. Tlaib, Ms. Crockett, Ms.
 Brown, Ms. Garcia of Texas, Mr. Kennedy of New York, Mr. Fields, Mr.
  Thanedar, Ms. Stevens, Mr. Espaillat, and Ms. Norton) submitted the
   following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the
                               Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

   Recognizing the 159th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1866.

Whereas, on April 9, 1866, the Civil Rights Act of 1866 was passed and enacted
        into law;
Whereas this year marks the 159th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act of 1866;
Whereas the Civil Rights Act of 1866 was the first Federal law to define
        citizenship and affirm that all citizens are equally protected by the
        law;
Whereas the intent of the Civil Rights Act of 1866 was to combat the attempted
        suppression of the Emancipation Proclamation;
Whereas President Andrew Johnson established a reconstruction policy that forced
        former Confederate States to maintain abolition, swear loyalty to the
        United States, and pay their war debts in order to rejoin the Union;
Whereas under President Johnson's policy, Southern States adopted and enacted a
        series of laws designed to restrict freed Blacks and ensure their
        availability in the labor force;
Whereas these laws severely denied Black citizens equal protection under the
        law;
Whereas under restricted laws, Blacks were refrained from owning property,
        entering contracts, and benefiting from labor rights;
Whereas a brave set of legislators believed the Federal Government had a role in
        shaping a multiracial society in postwar South;
Whereas Senator Lyman Trumbull of Illinois introduced the Civil Rights Act of
        1866 in the Senate on January 5, 1866;
Whereas, on February 2, 1866, the Senate voted in favor of the bill 33-13;
Whereas, on March 13, 1866, the House of Representatives voted in favor of the
        Civil Rights Act of 1866 by a vote of 111-38, with 34 Members not
        voting;
Whereas, on March 27, 1866, President Andrew Johnson vetoed the Civil Rights Act
        of 1866;
Whereas, on April 6, 1866, the Senate voted 33-15 to override President
        Johnson's veto;
Whereas, on April 9, 1866, the House also voted to override President Johnson's
        veto by a vote of 122-41 with 21 Members not voting; and
Whereas as a result of both Chambers voting to override President Johnson's
        veto, the Civil Rights Act of 1866 became the law of the land: Now,
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) recognizes the significance of the Civil Rights Act of
        1866 and its impact on establishing that all Americans, despite
        their race, are protected equally under the law;
            (2) recognizes that the Civil Rights Act of 1866 is the
        framework from which the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Amendments
        were crafted; and
            (3) recognizes the importance of the rule of law and
        advocates to support, protect, and defend the rights of all
        Americans.
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