CONGRESSIONAL RECORD— Extensions of Remarks E518 HON
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E518 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks May 13, 2021 credit Captain Jacobs’ steadfast leadership in today there is no greater offense than hon- member of the Tarkio Community. Joyce Ellen the face of such hardship for saving the lives esty. Springer is turning a very independent 90 on of those 30,000-plus Vietnamese sailors and It seems a good time to examine how we Sunday. got to a place where such a large swath of Joyce Davenport was born on her Mother refugees. the electorate (70 percent of Republican vot- The United States Navy has a proud tradi- ers, according to polling) became willing to Helen’s Birthday in 1931 in Fairfax, Missouri. tion of courageous, competent, indefatigable, reject a truth that is so self-evident. She grew up in Fairfax, graduated from high and independent ship captains, who fear not This allergy to self-evident truth didn’t school, married her High School Sweetheart, what lies over the horizon, and who earn the happen all at once, of course. This frog has Robert Hedrick, had two sons and built a fam- respect and fidelity of their crews through their been boiling for some time now. The Trump ily in Fairfax as well. When tragedy struck and fair and steadfast leadership. Such will be period in American life has been a celebra- Robert passed away, she displayed grit and Captain Paul Jacobs’ legacy. In California’s tion of the unwise and the untrue. From the self reliance as a true child of Northwest Mis- ugly tolerance of the pernicious falsehood souri and the Great Depression. She picked Fourth Congressional District and in Captain about President Barack Obama’s place of Jacob’s childhood hometown in Maine, we birth to the bizarre and fanatical fable about herself up, dusted herself off and went from share profound grief over his passing. the size of inauguration crowds, to the intro- housewife to single working mother in a time And so today, I rise to bid Captain Paul Ja- duction of the term ‘‘alternative facts’’ into when that was not the norm. Whether she was cobs—the United States Navy’s most revered the American lexicon, the party’s steady em- working for the High School Principal as a humanitarian—farewell. May he always have brace of dishonesty as a central premise has secretary, as the receptionist for the doctor’s fair winds and following seas. brought us to this low and dangerous place. office or working at the Exchange Bank she I don’t know what will happen to Cheney f always met challenges head-on and with a politically after Wednesday. For me, I knew warm smile. She was blessed to find another that I couldn’t support Trump’s election or SHARING THE WASHINGTON POST great love in Bill Springer who she married in OP-ED BY FORMER SEN. JEFF reelection after his seminal falsehood about Obama’s birth certificate, to say nothing of 1972 and was married to for 43 years until his FLAKE the cascade of untruths, from the trivial to passing in 2015. the consequential, that followed daily. I had It would be easy to dismiss Joyce’s life as HON. STENY H. HOYER hoped that, over time, my Republican con- common or unremarkable. That would be a OF MARYLAND stituents would feel differently about the monstrous error. It would not account for the former president, or at least value a Repub- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES history that she has lived, the character and lican who pushed back, and that I could strength she has passed on or love she has Thursday, May 13, 2021 stand for reelection in 2018 with a reasonable both given and received. The legacy of Joyce Mr. HOYER. Madam Speaker, on Wednes- chance of surviving a Republican primary. It soon became apparent that Republican vot- Springer is one of her children, step-children, day the Republican Conference ejected the ers wanted someone who was all in with a grand children and great grand children. Joyce Gentlelady from Wyoming from the ranks of its president that I increasingly saw as a danger has a legacy that anyone should be proud to leadership because she dared to speak truth to the republic. That could not be me, so I have and it is undeniable proof of a life well and refused to join in spreading falsehoods re- spoke out instead and didn’t stand for reelec- lived. garding the recent election. This is a dan- tion. Madam Speaker, I proudly ask you to join gerous moment for our democracy, when one When I became an unwitting dissident in me in wishing Joyce Ellen Springer a wonder- party is operating according to a set of clearly my party by speaking in defense of self-evi- ful 90th Birthday. I wish her all the peace, dent truths, I assumed that more and more happiness and fulfillment that her heart de- debunked falsehoods and punishes its Mem- of my colleagues would follow me. I remain bers who prefer actual facts. To underscore astonished that so few did. Congresswoman sires, now and in the years to come. I am that danger, I include in the RECORD the fol- Cheney, I know how alone you must be feel- proud to represent her as a citizen of Mis- lowing op-ed, which was published in The ing. But just know that history keeps the souri’s Sixth Congressional District. Washington Post on Tuesday and written by score, not Kevin McCarthy or Elise Stefanik. f the former Republican Senator from Arizona, In January 2018, three years before the CELEBRATING THE OPENING OF Jeff Flake. I hope all of my colleagues—on Capitol insurrection, I said the following on LITTLE INDONESIA both sides of the aisle—will read his words the Senate floor: ‘‘Mr. President, let us be clear. The impulses underlying the dissemi- and consider carefully this perilous moment in nation of such untruths are not benign. They HON. CHRIS PAPPAS which our country and this Congress finds have the effect of eroding trust in our vital OF NEW HAMPSHIRE itself. institutions and conditioning the public to [From the Washington Post, May 11, 2021] no longer trust them. The destructive effect IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OPINION: IN TODAY’S REPUBLICAN PARTY, of this kind of behavior on our democracy Thursday, May 13, 2021 THERE IS NO GREATER OFFENSE THAN HON- cannot be overstated.’’ Mr. PAPPAS. Madam Speaker, I rise today ESTY Three years later, it’s clear that I didn’t know the half of it. The destructive effect of to recognize the opening of the Little Indo- (By Former Sen. Jeff Flake (R–AZ)) the president’s behavior—and the willingness nesia in Somersworth, New Hampshire. After ‘‘The further a society drifts from the of Republican elected officials to indulge, ex- years of diligent planning, Indonesian Commu- truth, the more it will hate those who speak cuse, defend, justify and, in many cases, just nity Connect Inc. has made international his- it.’’—George Orwell roll with it—has taken a devastating toll. tory by unveiling this new cultural landmark Near the beginning of the document that It is elementary to have to say this, but we and opening the first Little Indonesia in the made us free, our Declaration of Independ- did not become a great nation by believing ence, Thomas Jefferson wrote: ‘‘We hold United States. or espousing nonsense, or by embracing lu- My state is home to a vibrant and wel- these truths to be self-evident.’’ nacy. And if my party continues down this There you have it. From the very begin- path, we will not be fit to govern. coming Indonesian community seeking to con- ning of America, our freedom has been predi- Cheney has proved her fitness, and today it tribute to their home as proud Granite Staters. cated on truth. For without a principled fi- seems that adherents to the ‘‘big lie’’ will ICC has built strong ties within the community delity to truth and to shared facts, our de- cast her out. Hold your head high, congress- and created lasting connections by hosting mocracy will not last. woman. Those of us who believe in American cultural events and offering educational oppor- On Wednesday, Rep. Liz Cheney (R–Wyo.) democracy and who live in objective reality tunities for all to attend. The opening of Little will most likely lose her leadership post are grateful that you have chosen to take a Indonesia aims to expand on this spirit of to- within the House Republican Conference, not stand for truth—self-evident truth—regard- because she has been untruthful. Rather, she less of the consequences. getherness, and I am proud to see this project will lose her position because she is refusing come together. As this region emerges from f to play her assigned role in propagating the the pandemic, Little Indonesia will serve as a ‘‘big lie’’ that the 2020 election was stolen JOYCE E. SPRINGER cultural and community gathering spaces for from Donald Trump. Cheney is more dedi- all to enjoy for years to come. cated to the long-term health of our con- On behalf of my constituents in New Hamp- stitutional system than she is to assuaging HON. SAM GRAVES OF MISSOURI shire’s First Congressional District, I want to the former president’s shattered ego, and for congratulate the Indonesian Community Con- her integrity she may well pay with her ca- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES nect Inc., the City of Somersworth, and the reer. Thursday, May 13, 2021 No, this is not the plot of a movie set in an members of the community who have made asylum.