{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://mcbride.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-mcbride-recognizes-separation-day-house-floor", "Rep. McBride Recognizes Separation Day on House Floor", "2025-06-16", "2025", "2025-06", "Democrat", "House", "DE", "Sarah McBride", "M001238", "mcbride.house.gov", "mcbride", "https://mcbride.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Congresswoman Sarah McBride (D-DE) took to the floor of the United States House of Representatives to commemorate the 249th anniversary of Delaware\u2019s longest running tradition: Separation Day. The occasion marks Delaware\u2019s historic declaration of independence from both Pennsylvania and the British Crown in 1776\u2014a pivotal moment in the state\u2019s and the nation\u2019s history.\n\n\u201cI rise today to commemorate the anniversary of the liberation of Delaware from the tyrannical yoke of Pennsylvania and the British Crown,\u201d said Rep. McBride.\n\nEach year, Delawareans gather in Old New Castle\u2014one of the most historic towns in the country\u2014to celebrate Separation Day with a community parade, local food vendors, live music, and fireworks over the Delaware River.\n\nBut McBride emphasized that Separation Day is more than a celebration of the past\u2014it\u2019s a call to civic action.\n\n\u201cSeparation Day isn\u2019t just about the past,\u201d McBride said. \u201cIt is a reminder that democracy isn\u2019t something we inherit\u2014it's something we practice. Because that bold act in 1776 wasn\u2019t made by kings or generals. It was made by ordinary people who believed that a better future was worth the risk.\n\n\u201cAnd they understood something we should all remember to this day:\n\n\u201cThere are no kings in a democracy.\u201d\n\nWatch the full floor speech here. Read the full transcript below.\n\n\u201cMr. Speaker,\n\n\u201cI rise today to commemorate the anniversary of the liberation of Delaware from the tyrannical yolk of Pennsylvania and the British Crown.\n\n\u201cIn June of 1776, Delawareans laid the groundwork for the single longest running tradition in our state\u2019s history: Separation Day.\n\n\u201cSeparation Day serves as a reminder of the fierce commitment at the heart of the greatest state in The Union. It marks the moment when Delaware said:\n\n\u201cWe can govern ourselves. We can shape our own future.\n\n\u201cThat commitment\u2014to dignity, to democracy, to self-determination\u2014is the essence of who we are as Delawareans.\n\n\u201cEach June, my neighbors gather in Old New Castle, one of the most historic towns in America, to honor our legacy with joy and pride.\n\n\u201cBut Separation Day isn\u2019t just about the past. It is a reminder that democracy isn\u2019t something we inherit\u2014it's something we practice. Because that bold act in 1776 wasn\u2019t made by kings or generals. It was made by ordinary people who believed that a better future was worth the risk.\n\n\u201cAnd they understood something we should all remember to this day:\n\n\u201cThere are no kings in a democracy.\n\n\u201cSo this year, as we celebrate our independence from one empire and one governor across the state line, let us also reject any attempt to crown a new monarch\u2014whether with a golden crown or a gilded oval office.\n\n\u201cBecause in this country, no one is above the law.\n\n\u201cHappy Separation Day, Delaware.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T01:08:28Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://mcbride.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-mcbride-recognizes-separation-day-house-floor"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.9616969618946314, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}