[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 2]
[House]
[Page 2100]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  HONORING FALLEN TOLEDO FIREFIGHTERS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Ohio (Ms. Kaptur) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, tonight, the President will deliver his 
State of the Union address to the Nation. Our Nation is great because 
of the patriotism, strength, and self-sacrifice of our people.
  In that spirit, Mr. Speaker, I rise today to give honor to two fallen 
Toledo firefighters, Stephen Machcinski and James Dickman.
  Mr. Machcinski is survived by his parents, sister, and brother. Mr. 
Dickman is survived by his wife, 3-year-old daughter, 1-month-old son, 
and parents.
  Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of these brave men. 
These heroes responded to a two-story apartment building fire where 
people were reported inside. Toledo Mayor Michael Collins said it best:

       The average person would run in the opposite direction than 
     they do, but that is their profession.

  As we all go about our busy lives every day, we often fail to 
recognize that we likely owe our way of life to someone else because of 
their sacrifice. Firefighters, police officers, and other emergency and 
law enforcement personnel put their lives on the line for us every 
single day. We should all take a moment every now and then to say thank 
you to these extraordinary citizens.
  Our hearts go out to the families who lost such brave and generous 
loved ones. May they be comforted with the knowledge that Stephen and 
James died in a noble profession founded to protect and serve our 
people and our Republic. They accomplished their mission for our city. 
We are forever indebted to them, and are flying flags over this Capitol 
today in their memory.


               Calling For an End to Violence in Ukraine

  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I want to reference as well this morning the 
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which reads:

       Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and 
     association.

  Sixty-five years after the ratification of this most important 
document, police in Ukraine continue to brutally fend off protesters 
and journalists, who have been demonstrating for over 2 months in the 
bitter cold for their human rights and democratic freedoms. We know 
there have been countless injuries, and now, sadly, there have been 
five deaths.
  Kiev, a beautiful and historic city, now resembles a war zone, 
covered with ash and burning fires. The situation in Ukraine grows more 
dire everyday, and we in Congress have the responsibility to stand with 
Ukraine's freedom marchers.
  I call on our fellow Members to support the passage of H. Res. 447, 
which supports the democratic aspirations of the people of Ukraine and 
calls for condemnation of the regime's undemocratic practices. We 
implore President Yanukovych and the opposition leaders to advance the 
cause of freedom for all the people of Ukraine.
  Last evening, Ukraine's parliament rightly repealed its early passage 
of the anti-free assembly laws, and its prime minister resigned. These 
are hopeful signs to calm the unrest.
  As we gather this evening to learn about the state of our own Union, 
let us not forget the state of our trusted allies around the world. I 
ask President Obama to please draw attention to the economic and 
political crisis in Ukraine here tonight.
  No more blood should be shed in Ukraine. The world community looks to 
Ukraine to live up to the magnificent nation she can be, linking East 
and West, North and South. Her potential is unlimited.
  Ukraine's people, who have suffered so much, not just currently, but 
over the last century, are owed their most deserved day in the sun. 
History's clock is ticking. May God be with them.

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