[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 19 (Monday, January 30, 2023)]
[House]
[Page H493]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 RECOGNIZING FIRE CAPTAIN KIRK MITCHELL

  The SPEAKER. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania 
(Mr. Joyce) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 
work of Fire Captain Kirk Mitchell and to thank him for his service to 
our country and to our community.
  From becoming a volunteer firefighter at the age of 16 to joining the 
United States Marine Corps at the age of 18, Kirk Mitchell set out 
early in life to care for those in need of help and to protect those 
who could not protect themselves.
  Kirk would go on to work as an EMT, a public safety instructor, and 
an emergency management officer.
  His extensive work took him from California to Puerto Rico to aid 
those who had been affected by wildfires and floods.
  Throughout all of his work, Captain Mitchell has maintained a 
connection with Blair County, Pennsylvania, serving as a steadfast 
member of the Altoona Fire Department.
  Kirk's commitment to protecting lives and supporting his fellow 
firefighters has been a hallmark of his wonderful career.
  On behalf of Pennsylvania's 13th Congressional District, I wish Kirk 
every continued success.


            Socialist Policies Have No Place in Our Society

  Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, it was 34 years ago that the 
Iron Curtain finally fell, revealing to the world the horrible truths 
of socialism and providing a stark contrast between the United States 
and the enemies who wish to do us harm.
  In the Capitol rotunda, we keep a warning of the dangers of 
socialism. A piece of the Berlin Wall is embedded in the base of the 
statue of President Ronald Reagan who championed the work of ending 
socialism around the world.
  From Venezuela to the Soviet Union, from Fidel Castro in Cuba to Kim 
Jong-un in North Korea, every attempt to build a socialist or communist 
society has only led to ruin.
  Socialism is a tyranny that we can no longer afford to ignore.
  As this administration continues to pick winners and losers in our 
economy and as President Biden continues to cancel debts for liberal 
elites on the backs of working Americans, it is time for us to clearly 
state that socialist policies have no place in our democracy. It is 
time for our country to return to the ideals of our Founding Fathers.
  Our country was built on the belief that we are all created with 
unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. 
These rights can only be fulfilled if we live in a Nation, a Nation 
that is truly free. We must condemn socialism in all of its forms.
  It was President Reagan who once said: ``Freedom is never more than 
one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children 
in the bloodstream. It must be fought for and protected.''
  We cannot afford to let our country be governed by socialist 
policies. We must protect our freedoms, and we must protect our 
liberties at all costs.

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