Floor SpeechCeremonial2025-03-11

CELEBRATING 314 DAY

ImmigrationForeign PolicyChina

Context

On 2025-03-11, Representative Wesley Bell (D-MO-1) delivered a floor speech titled "CELEBRATING 314 DAY" in the House. The speech addressed immigration and also covered foreign policy, China.

Full Text

CELEBRATING 314 DAY

Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 45 (Tuesday, March 11, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 45 (Tuesday, March 11, 2025)] [House] [Page H1079] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] CELEBRATING 314 DAY (Mr. Bell of Missouri was recognized to address the House for 5 minutes.) Mr. BELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise as this week on March 14 in my hometown of St. Louis we are celebrating 314 Day. This day is much more than just our area code or an excuse to celebrate our hometown sports teams: the Cardinals, the Blues, St. Louis City Soccer Club, the Battlehawks. I am also going to acknowledge Mathews-Dickey and a huge shout-out to the St. Louis Stars, our Negro league baseball team back in the day, and St. Louis' own James ``Cool Papa'' Bell. God rest his soul. It is not just about what high school you attended, which is also a St. Louis thing, or it is not just about the beer, which we are known to make a lot of. It is not about the gooey butter cakes. It is not just about Imo's Pizza, Vess soda, and Ted Drewes. God rest his soul. It is not about the fact that many St. Louisans sincerely believe that our Chinese food is better than Chinese food in China. I won't even quiz you on what a chicken St. Paul with cheese is, which is also a St. Louis thing. It is about recognizing and renewing the powerful bonds and resilience that define our community. St. Louis is a city of complexity, a rich history, and deep contrasts. From neighborhoods in Webster Groves, Normandy, and the 24-1 communities to historic neighborhoods in North City and Ferguson and Florissant, from Saint Ann to Soulard and South City, our city encapsulates both the beauty and the struggle of America. We have faced challenges, economic inequality, racial injustice, and public health crises, but we have never backed down from confronting hard truths or demanding necessary change. That is why 314 Day matters. In a country that feels deeply divided, days like today remind us of the power of community. Families in Tower Grove Park, the immigrant communities of the Hill and our Bosnian brothers and sisters in South City and South County, businesses thriving in the Central West End in Clayton all remind us of the collective strength we gain from unity and cooperation. St. Louisans know what it means not to fall in the shadow of hateful rhetoric, but instead to rise in the face of adversity. Whether it is organizing for justice, rebuilding neighborhoods, or simply coming together to support each other through difficult times, our community exemplifies resilience and compassion every day. On 314 Day, let's not just celebrate our history, our food, and our iconic art. Let's celebrate our city's extraordinary spirit, the unwavering belief that our greatest challenges can become opportunities for growth, justice, and meaningful change. Today, we recommit to that ideal because St. Louis deserves nothing else. On a solemn note, rest in peace Berkeley, Missouri, Mayor Babatunde Deinbo and his fierce passion for his community. I wish a happy birthday to Jordan Sanders and to Justin Tatum, a former St. Louis University basketball star and father of St. Louis- born and bred NBA champion Jason Tatum. Boston, you are welcome. Finally, I wish a very special--and I won't say the number because I don't think she wants me to--but a very special birthday to my mother, Sharon Gardner, our matriarch, the primary reason that I rise in these Halls so that I could rise before you today. Happy birthday to my mom. ____________________

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CELEBRATING 314 DAY Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 45 (Tuesday, March 11, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 45 (Tuesday, March 11, 2025)] [House] [Page H1079] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] CELEBRATING 314 DAY (Mr. Bell of Missouri was recognized to address the House for 5 minutes.) Mr. BELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise as this week on March 14 in my hometown of St. Louis we are celebrating 314 Day. This day is much more than just our area code or an excuse to celebrate our hometown sports teams: the Cardinals, the Blues, St. Louis City Soccer Club, the Battlehawks. I am also going to acknowledge Mathews-Dickey and a huge shout-out to the St. Louis Stars, our Negro league baseball team back in the day, and St. Louis' own James ``Cool Papa'' Bell. God rest his soul. It is not just about what high school you attended, which is also a St. Louis thing, or it is not just about the beer, which we are known to make a lot of. It is not about the gooey butter cakes. It is not just about Imo's Pizza, Vess soda, and Ted Drewes. God rest his soul. It is not about the fact that many St. Louisans sincerely believe that our Chinese food is better than Chinese food in China. I won't even quiz you on what a chicken St. Paul with cheese is, which is also a St. Louis thing. It is about recognizing and renewing the powerful bonds and resilience that define our community. St. Louis is a city of complexity, a rich history, and deep contrasts. From neighborhoods in Webster Groves, Normandy, and the 24-1 communities to historic neighborhoods in North City and Ferguson and Florissant, from Saint Ann to Soulard and South City, our city encapsulates both the beauty and the struggle of America. We have faced challenges, economic inequality, racial injustice, and public health crises, but we have never backed down from confronting hard truths or demanding necessary change. That is why 314 Day matters. In a country that feels deeply divided, days like today remind us of the power of community. Families in Tower Grove Park, the immigrant communities of the Hill and our Bosnian brothers and sisters in South City and South County, businesses thriving in the Central West End in Clayton all remind us of the collective strength we gain from unity and cooperation. St. Louisans know what it means not to fall in the shadow of hateful rhetoric, but instead to rise in the face of adversity. Whether it is organizing for justice, rebuilding neighborhoods, or simply coming together to support each other through difficult times, our community exemplifies resilience and compassion every day. On 314 Day, let's not just celebrate our history, our food, and our iconic art. Let's celebrate our city's extraordinary spirit, the unwavering belief that our greatest challenges can become opportunities for growth, justice, and meaningful change. Today, we recommit to that ideal because St. Louis deserves nothing else. On a solemn note, rest in peace Berkeley, Missouri, Mayor Babatunde Deinbo and his fierce passion for his community. I wish a happy birthday to Jordan Sanders and to Justin Tatum, a former St. Louis University basketball star and father of St. Louis- born and bred NBA champion Jason Tatum. Boston, you are welcome. Finally, I wish a very special--and I won't say the number because I don't think she wants me to--but a very special birthday to my mother, Sharon Gardner, our matriarch, the primary reason that I rise in these Halls so that I could rise before you today. Happy birthday to my mom. ____________________