[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 12 (Monday, January 23, 2017)]
[House]
[Page H566]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1415
              MEMBERS URGED TO JOIN GERMAN-AMERICAN CAUCUS

  (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, I rise to highlight the 
good work of the Congressional German-American Caucus and to urge new 
Members of the House to consider joining.
  I am cochairman of the caucus with Representative Bill Keating from 
Massachusetts. The caucus seeks to highlight the friendship and the 
alliance between the United States and Germany. We do so through an 
Oktoberfest networking event and through our support of programs like 
the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange internship program. The caucus 
also discusses timely topics, such as trade, security, and foreign 
affairs, and how they relate to our German counterparts.
  Mr. Speaker, German heritage has become widespread in America. 
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Germans are the largest single 
ethnic group in the United States. Frederick Muhlenberg, a German 
immigrant and Lutheran pastor from Pennsylvania, whose family also 
founded Muhlenberg College, was the first Speaker of this House 
following the signing of the new Constitution.
  Our caucus has nearly 100 members in the House, and I urge all of 
those who are interested in joining to do so today.

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