Bipartisan Support Sends Jackie Robinson Bill to Biden

The Senate passed the bipartisan, bicameral Jackie Robinson Ballpark National Commemorative Site Act on Friday, marking a senate win for Florida Senator Marco Rubio (R) and Georgia Senator Raphael Warnock (D). Florida Reps. Mike Waltz (R) and Darren Soto (D) also scored House wins as the House version of the bill passed the House as well. The bill is now headed to President Joe Biden’s (D) desk for him to sign into law.

The bill honors the stadium where Jackie Robinson played his first professional baseball game and broke the color barrier in the sport. The Jackie Robinson Ballpark in Daytona Beach, Florida, which is home to the Daytona Tortugas, will now be designated as a National Commemorative Site. As well, the Secretary of Interior will be directed to conduct a feasibility study to give the site the designation of National Historic Landmark.

The bill was co-sponsored by the entire Florida House delegation, and it also received support from both Major and Minor League Baseball.

In a statement, Rep. Waltz, who will serve as National Security Advisor in the incoming Trump Administration, commented that “Jackie Robinson Ballpark in Daytona Beach has been a landmark in the history of the Civil Rights movement and of Florida.”

Citing the history that Robinson made on March 17^th, 1946, by stepping onto a baseball field and breaking the color barrier, Waltz noted that “his courage that day not only redefined the game but also signaled a profound step forward in the fight for civil rights in America.”

“This bill preserves and honors Jackie Robinson’s legacy, the pivotal role he played in Daytona Beach’s history, and the lasting impact he made on America as a whole,” he concluded, thanking the bipartisan support from Senators Rubio and Warnock for helping advance the bill to President Biden’s desk.