[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 8]
[House]
[Page 10324]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1015
                              TEA PARTIES

  (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 come to the floor today 
with a message from a few of my constituents. This scroll is a petition 
signed by hundreds of Centre County residents who participated in one 
of the many TEA parties that took place this past week in my district.
  Not only do I agree with their message that the Federal Government 
has overstepped its bounds and continues to spend, tax and borrow too 
much, but I am proud of these folks who took a stand.
  I came to Washington in January to be a part of democracy in action, 
and today, I can say that I am proud of my constituents who spoke out 
in their displeasure with this broken process that we call Washington. 
I am proud that they exercised their first amendment rights.
  You see, Mr. Speaker, what occurred this past week is democracy. It's 
what our forefathers envisioned when drafting the Constitution and, 
later, the Bill of Rights. It's what our soldiers fight for each and 
every day. Mr. Speaker, it is the American way.
  With that, I thank my colleague from Texas for his assistance.

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