[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 18 (Wednesday, January 31, 2024)]
[House]
[Page H319]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             GROUNDHOG DAY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today ahead of a 
very special day back in my district.
  This Friday, February 2, is Groundhog Day.
  This annual event takes place in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, located 
in southern Jefferson County. For years, crowds have flocked to 
Gobbler's Knob on the evening of February 1 to see our weather 
predictor extraordinaire and hear his weather prediction firsthand.
  Mr. Speaker, I recognize and thank one of the most productive, job-
producing constituents in my district, Punxsutawney Phil. His hard work 
every year predicting the end of winter brings so much joy to 
Pennsylvania 15th and across the Nation.
  For more than 120 years, our furry friend has been predicting our 
winter weather. This tradition stems from Pennsylvania's strong German 
heritage. Legend has it if Phil sees his shadow, it is an omen of 6 
more weeks of winter. If not, we know spring is just around the corner.
  Crowds begin to gather the night before and wake Phil up by chanting 
his name in the early hours of the morning on February 2. As our seer 
of sees emerges from his burrow, the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club Inner 
Circle president translates Phil's prediction and relays the message to 
the crowd.
  Despite naysayers trying to replace him with an animatronic groundhog 
or a gold coin, Phil continues to bring a smile to so many faces. I 
believe in creating jobs, not eliminating them, and Punxsutawney Phil 
is no exception. I will always stand up for the hardworking men, women, 
and rodents in the 15th District of Pennsylvania.
  In all seriousness, Groundhog Day brings together people of all 
backgrounds and reminds us of the importance of tradition. It is not 
only an economic stimulus in the district, but it is also a great 
source of pride.
  Be sure to tune in on Friday morning to see Phil share his weather 
predictions. We could either have an earlier spring or 6 more weeks of 
winter. I have been told he is never wrong.
  Thank you, Phil, for sharing your wisdom and weather predictions with 
all of us.

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