[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 191 (Thursday, December 8, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H8856-H8857]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           TODAY IS HISTORIC

  (Ms. JACKSON LEE asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, this is a very historic day.
  We overturned and dismissed the words of Justice Thomas that the 
rights of Americans should be denied.
  We voted for the Respect for Marriage Act that will be signed by the 
President of the United States.
  Then in the midst of darkness, Brittney Griner was swapped and is on 
her way home. Negotiations by the hostage negotiating team took months 
because Mr. Putin would not negotiate.

[[Page H8857]]

  Finding our hostages and bringing them home is not a partisan issue. 
I love Paul Whelan and his family. We introduced legislation passed by 
the House that said to bring Brittney Griner home and bring Paul Whelan 
home.
  I am happy for Cherelle, Brittney's mother and father, Houston, 
Phoenix, the Nation, and all the players in the WNBA, but we will 
continue to use the power of the sovereign United States to bring Paul 
Whelan home, as we did Trevor Reed and as we did those who came from 
Venezuela.
  Let us unify together. Let us celebrate Brittney and fight to bring 
Paul Whelan home.

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