OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Groundhog Day

Floor Speech

Date: Jan. 31, 2024
Location: Washington, DC

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

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.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT


Source
arrow_upward