[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 18 (Tuesday, February 3, 2015)]
[House]
[Pages H710-H711]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
PUNXSUTAWNEY, PENNSYLVANIA, CELEBRATES 129TH ANNUAL GROUNDHOG DAY
(Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania asked and was given permission to
address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the town of
Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, held its 129th annual Groundhog Day
celebration.
Each year, I am honored to be a part of this celebration, being in
the Pennsylvania Fifth Congressional District, but a snowstorm moving
across the region forced me back down to Washington sooner than
expected.
Punxsutawney Phil was awakened from his burrow yesterday at 7:28 in
the morning and, despite overcast skies, saw his shadow and predicted 6
more weeks of winter.
Groundhog Day is not only about Phil's prediction of the future and
how soon the next season will be upon us; it is a celebration of our
past, the Commonwealth heritage, and a time for
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communities to come together and carry on this great tradition for
generations to come.
It is truly an honor to have this celebration take place in my home
district, and I want to thank President Bill Deely of the Groundhog
Club Inner Circle and everyone from Punxsutawney and the surrounding
area for their hard work and planning to make this year's Groundhog Day
such a special event.
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