[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 29 (Wednesday, February 14, 2024)]
[House]
[Page H593]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                       HONORING LONG'S DRUG STORE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Tennessee (Mr. Burchett) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BURCHETT. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Long's Drug Store, 
a family-owned and operated pharmacy that has been serving the 
Knoxville community since its opening in 1956. After 67 years, Long's 
had its last day on January 16.
  My very good friend Hank Peck and his family has kept the store 
running for over 60 years. His dad became a pharmacist at Long's in 
1959 alongside Clarence Long and John Benson. Actually, Mr. Peck was my 
Sunday schoolteacher for a while, so if you all need to blame anybody 
for anything, that would be him.
  When Long's first opened, the idea was to open a drugstore that would 
also be Knoxville's first shopping center. It was a place where you 
could stop and pick up your prescriptions, enjoy a milkshake, and pick 
up some comic books. All the folks at Long's Drug Store are wonderful 
people. I am so grateful I got to know Sharon, who worked behind the 
pharmacy counter; Ruth, who has been working there for 47 years and who 
is pictured right there with Hank; and all the other lovely folks at 
Long's Drug Store.
  They have been good friends to me and my family for a long time, and 
I wish them very well in the next chapter of their lives.
  Knoxville will not forget Long's Drug Store and its many years of 
service to our great community.


                Celebrating Joe Duncan's 100th Birthday

  Mr. BURCHETT. Madam Speaker, today I rise to honor Judge Joe Duncan 
as he celebrates his 100th birthday.
  Joe was born February 11, 1924, in Scott County, Tennessee.
  He was raised on a farm with his nine siblings where his parents 
taught him all the values of hard work, responsibility, and a good 
education.
  During World War II, Joe enlisted in the United States Army Air 
Corps, and he was honorably discharged in 1945. He then got his law 
degree from the University of Tennessee. Later on, he worked as a 
special agent for the FBI and was given a letter of commendation from 
none other than J. Edgar Hoover when he retired.
  He also served as the Knox County criminal court judge and spent 15 
years on the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals.
  In 1946, Joe married the love of his life, Louetta; and they had a 
son, Phillip, and two grandchildren, Meredyth and Tyler.
  Joe and his family have been working in public service in east 
Tennessee for many years. Joe supported his brother John's successful 
bid for Knoxville mayor in 1959 and 1963, as well as John's successful 
campaign for U.S. House of Representatives in 1964. Joe also supported 
the political careers of his nephew, my predecessor, John Duncan, Jr., 
who was Tennessee's Second District Representative in Congress before 
me; as well as his niece, State senator, Becky Massey; and his son, 
Falls Church city councilor Phillip Duncan.
  Judge Duncan has lived a beautiful and full life in public service, 
and I am honored to wish him a happy 100th birthday on the House floor 
today.


        Recognizing Charlie and Patsy Daniels' 70th Anniversary

  Mr. BURCHETT. Madam Chair, I want to recognize my dear friends, 
Charlie and Patsy Daniels, who are celebrating their 70th wedding 
anniversary this year.
  Charlie spent 60 years as a successful political cartoonist in east 
Tennessee, and he just retired a few years ago. Many of his cartoons 
are hanging on the walls of my Knoxville office. As you can see on one 
of them in the poster beside me, during my first years of Congress, I 
spoke here on the House floor about his retirement. I said back then--
and it is as true today--that I have been made fun of by people all 
over the world, but my friend, Charlie, is my favorite.
  His cartoons were razor sharp while still being very respectful. 
Charlie's lovely wife, Patsy, has been at Charlie's side since they 
were childhood sweethearts. They made their home in Powell, Tennessee, 
where Charlie cooks breakfast for Patsy every morning.
  Charlie and Patsy often attend reunions for the alumni of Fork Union 
Military Academy where Charlie attended high school, as well as Tarheel 
football games. When they travel for reunions or to visit family, 
Charlie is always the willing chauffeur.
  They have a great love for their children, Charles, Jr., and Sarah, 
as well as their grandkids and great-grandkids.
  Madam Speaker, I wish a happy anniversary to Charlie and Patsy. They 
are an example to all of us of a faithful and loving marriage that has 
lasted a lifetime.
  I would be remiss if I did not note that Charlie is also a member of 
the United States Marine Corps.

                              {time}  1100


        Corruption in the United Nations Relief and Works Agency

  Mr. BURCHETT. Madam Speaker, for a long time, there have been rumors 
that the United Nations Relief and Works Agency had a relationship with 
Hamas. Last week, those rumors were confirmed when we discovered that 
12 members of the agency were directly involved in the horrific attacks 
by Hamas on our friends in Israel on October 7. Another 1,200 employees 
of the agency have direct connections to Hamas. That is 10 percent of 
all the agency's employees in Gaza.
  The State Department did the right thing by pausing its funding to 
the agency, but it is also something President Trump did years ago. The 
Biden administration restarted the funding in 2021. Clearly, the 
administration did not do proper research to ensure this funding wasn't 
going to friends of terrorists.
  Also, pausing the funding did not have the huge impact they want us 
to think it did, since the United States has given them at least $730 
million in taxpayer dollars since 2021. That is about 99 percent of 
what has been allocated, and we only paused about $300,000 in the 
remaining funding.
  Now, an Israeli firm is investigating the United Nations Relief and 
Works Agency's digital wallets to see where their cryptocurrency is 
going. The firm has found that at least one digital wallet that belongs 
to Hamas is still active.
  We need to defund the United Nations, Madam Speaker.

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