Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. It was on June 19, 1865 that Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, made it to Galveston, Texas with the news that the Civil War had ended and that slaves were now free. This news arrived two and a half years after President Lincoln signed into effect the Emancipation Proclamation, which freed slaves held in the 11 Confederate states that had seceded from and which were at war against the Union. The Proclamation became official on January 1, 1863, and in every Confederate state, except Tennessee and Texas, the Proclamation went into immediate effect in the Union-occupied areas.

The Emancipation Proclamation had little to no impact on Texas due to the lack of Union troops to enforce the new Executive Order. However, with the surrender of General Lee in April of 1865, and the arrival of General Granger and his regiment, they were finally able to overcome the Confederacy.

• A member or an associate member of OPEIU in good standing, for 12 out of the last 14 months, on the date the application is submitted to their local union.
• Must have completed an Associate Degree or Undergraduate Degree Program at a College, University or a recognized Technical or Vocational Post-Secondary school as a full-time or part-time student.
• Must demonstrate that applicant has at least $10,000 in outstanding student debt and is making regular student loan payments to a recognized student loan provider or debtor organization.

We applaud the Senate's swift confirmation of Ketanji Brown Jackson to the United States Supreme Court earlier today.

As the first Black woman and first public defender to sit on the Supreme Court, Justice Jackson's confirmation is a milestone in the history of our nation. Throughout her confirmation hearings, Justice Jackson displayed a strong sense of integrity and intellectual vigor, despite attacks on her impressive credentials, leaving no doubt her nomination to the court was well-considered and well-deserved.

 We congratulate her on her groundbreaking confirmation. With cases on the docket impacting workers' rights and the very future of our democracy, we are pleased to have a principled jurist like Justice Jackson sitting on our nation's highest court.