{"database": "openregs", "table": "congressional_record", "rows": [["CREC-2010-12-22-pt1-PgE2244-4", "2010-12-22", 111, 2, null, null, "HONORING THE PUBLIC SERVICE AND EXTRAORDINARY CONTRIBUTIONS OF CHAIRMAN DAVID OBEY OF WISCONSIN", "HOUSE", "EXTENSIONS", "HONORING", "E2244", "E2244", "[{\"name\": \"Betty McCollum\", \"role\": \"speaking\"}]", null, "156 Cong. Rec. E2244", "Congressional Record, Volume 156 Issue 173 (Wednesday, December 22, 2010)\n\n[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 173 (Wednesday, December 22, 2010)]\n[Extensions of Remarks]\n[Page E2244]\nFrom the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]\n\nHONORING THE PUBLIC SERVICE AND EXTRAORDINARY CONTRIBUTIONS OF CHAIRMAN\n                        DAVID OBEY OF WISCONSIN\n\n                                 ______\n\n                          HON. BETTY McCOLLUM\n\n                              of minnesota\n\n                    in the house of representatives\n\n                      Wednesday, December 22, 2010\n\n  Ms. McCOLLUM. Madam Speaker, with the conclusion of the 111th\nCongress, a career of extraordinary public service in the House of\nRepresentatives comes to an end. My colleague, friend and mentor--\nChairman David Obey--is concluding his career in Congress representing\nthe families of northwestern Wisconsin that began in 1969. For twenty\nterms, David Obey has been a liberal champion and a fierce defender of\nworkers and their families. He has been a passionate and effective\nlegislator for right of all Americans to access quality health care and\neducation. And, in the realm of U.S. foreign policy, Chairman Obey has\na lifetime record of always striving to advance human dignity, peace,\nand the highest ideals of the American people around the world.\n  It has been my privilege to serve in this House with Rep. Obey for\nthe past ten years--one-quarter of his congressional career. For the\npast four years, I had the honor of serving on the House Appropriations\nCommittee, calling the gentleman from Wisconsin ``Mr. Chairman.'' I\nhave watched David Obey work--work hard, tirelessly, and with\ntremendous determination and intellect--to advance an agenda that makes\nthe lives of regular Americans the highest priority of the federal\ngovernment. Chairman Obey always fought for the less fortunate, the\nvulnerable, those struggling for an opportunity to succeed, and to\nensure those who have made this country great with their toil and\nsacrifice in the factory, the farm field, or on the battlefield. He\nfought so they too could live and retire with security, respect, and\ndignity.\n  It is often said that Mr. Obey was tough and rough on the outside,\nbut I always found him to be a kind, warm soul who knew the importance\nand magnitude of his responsibilities and carried them out with the\nhumble expertise of a legislative master. ``I started as a shy boy from\na troubled family of modest means,'' Rep. Obey once said. Well, that\nshy boy has made a lifetime of contributions to our country that will\nbe judged by history as both profound and far reaching. People who will\nnever know David Obey are living better lives with more opportunities\nbecause of him. The State of Wisconsin and the United States are better\nplaces because of his years of service in the U.S. House.\n  As a Wisconsin Progressive in the tradition of Robert LaFollette,\nRep. Obey has never shied away from calling out injustice or just plain\ndumb policymaking. In his book, ``Raising Hell for Justice,'' he\nreminds citizens and policymakers that ``federal budgets that pay for\ntax cuts for millionaires with budget cuts in education, Medicaid,\nchild care, and health care are not just unfair; they are immoral.''\n  This quote was again put to the test only last week as Chairman Obey\nvoted against extending massive tax cuts for millionaires and\nbillionaires. I was proud to join Chairman Obey in opposing this tax\ncut for the wealthy that only continues the disturbing pattern of\nincome re-distribution away from working families and towards a class\nof economic elites.\n  As the longest serving Member of Congress in Wisconsin history, I\nknow David spent far too much time away from his wife, Joan, and their\nfamily. I wish David, Joan, and their sons' families many happy days\ntogether in the coming years.\n  In conclusion, let me simply say--Mr. Chairman, you have served our\ncountry so very well. It is personally difficult to see you leave, but\nyour lifetime of service will live on in the lives of millions of\nAmericans whose lives you have helped to improve. As a colleague and a\nfriend, you have made me a better legislator and for that I am grateful\nto you.\n\n                          ____________________"]], "columns": ["granule_id", "date", "congress", "session", "volume", "issue", "title", "chamber", "granule_class", "sub_granule_class", "page_start", "page_end", "speakers", "bills", "citation", "full_text"], "primary_keys": ["granule_id"], "primary_key_values": ["CREC-2010-12-22-pt1-PgE2244-4"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.7171178478747606, "source": "Federal Register API & Regulations.gov API", "source_url": "https://www.federalregister.gov/developers/api/v1", "license": "Public Domain (U.S. Government data)", "license_url": "https://www.regulations.gov/faq"}