NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER - Extensions of Remarks - April 29, 2014

SPEECH OF
HON. NICK J. RAHALL II
OF WEST VIRGINIA
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 2014

• Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I applaud the theme of this year's National Day of Prayer, ``One voice united in prayer.'' Echoing that sentiment of unity, those of us who grew up reciting the Pledge of Allegiance at school every morning recall its stirring words with absolute clarity to this very day: ``One Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.''

• Yet today in some schools, the Pledge has taken a back seat to busy class schedules and that crucial phrase, ``under God,'' seems under constant fire by an unrestrained judiciary. National Prayer Day serves to remind us we need to regain our footing in this country again if we are to stand tall in His eyes among the brotherhood of nations.

• My efforts in the Congress have long been to preserve our Constitutional guarantees of freely exercising our religion, and not vanquishing that right from the public square. Since the earliest days of our founding, and in the hearts and minds of those landing on our shores to settle a new world, hope endured through prayer.

• I have again introduced a Constitutional Amendment to ensure voluntary prayer in public schools. H.J. Res. 42 reads: ``Nothing in this Constitution, including any amendment to the Constitution, shall be construed to prohibit voluntary prayer or require prayer in school, or to prohibit voluntary prayer or require prayer at a public school extracurricular activity.'' In the past, I had jointly introduced this amendment with our late senator, Robert C. Byrd. And, I have co-sponsored H. Res. 547, supporting the 63rd annual observance of the National Day of Prayer on May 1, 2014, and urge all West Virginians to come together to pray and reaffirm the importance prayer has played in our nation's heritage.

• As wise old Ben Franklin told his fellow delegates in calling for daily prayer at our Constitutional Convention, ``the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth--that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid?''

• Being a firm believer in the power of prayer, I remain convinced that collectively, through the power of prayer, we can begin to heal our land. Because when we weigh what little our Lord asks of us--the faith of a mustard seed, the mere touch of a garment's hem--the return is nothing short of amazing grace.

• The leadership of our pastors helps guide us to greater understanding and appreciation of that sound investment. I thank them for their compassion and for their continuing commitment to the power of prayer, and the strength and guidance it grants us to make the Lord's work here on Earth our own.

END