[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 74 (Tuesday, June 14, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: June 14, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]


                              {time}  1700
 
                               THE BIBLE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Ms. Lambert). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentleman from California [Mr. Dornan] is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. DORNAN. Madam Speaker, I do not want to be too satirical or 
sarcastic here, because my intent is serious. But just for the sake of 
capturing your attention and the attention of the 1,200,000 or 
1,300,000 good caring Americans who follow the proceedings of this 
House electronically or those who go to their public libraries a week 
hence and look at the written transcript of these proceedings, I am 
tempted to be mirthful at the beginning and point out that I have come 
across a shocking example of the violation of the wall of separation 
between church and state, something that is so horribly politically 
incorrect that I called it to the attention of my colleagues and all of 
the distinguished men and women of the other body, the U.S. Senate.
  Madam Speaker, our tax dollars have been spent to create a religious 
book, a religious bible of Christians, not even the Old Testament, but 
just the New Testament, the written words of Matthew, Mark, Luke and 
that fourth one, the youngest one who had the effrontery to show up at 
the crucifixion of his Lord and leader, Jesus Christ. This is a tiny 
new testament, and it was put in my hand in the American cemetery on 
the bluff above Omaha Beach at the Colleville-sur-Mer, that 
unbelievably tranquil spot of American soil 172 acres given to us 
forever by the government and grateful invasion of France.
  This little Bible says on its cover, with the beautiful golden emblem 
of the patch that General Eisenhower had designed in early 1944 for the 
SHAEF headquarters, the Supreme Headquarters of the Allied 
Expeditionary Force to liberate Europe from the Nazi jackboots of Adolf 
Hitler, it says that this new testament is a commemorative edition for 
the Normandy invasion 50th anniversary.
  I looked at this and realized that this was taxpayer money going for 
this Christian endeavor. I looked at the back page. It said, everything 
in the scriptures is God's word, Second Timothy, 3 to 16.
  And then I opened it up and was I ever shocked at the political 
incorrectness of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, because I 
realized that this commemorative edition was a perfect replica of the 
1941 edition. And there is a letter from the Chief Executive, the White 
House, Washington, dated January 15, 1941, that is only 5 days into 
FDR's third term, the only President to ever run for or get elected to 
a third term, the first President sworn in on January 20, because his 
first two terms, as it had been all the way back to our second 
President, Presidents were sworn in on March 4. This Congress moved it 
because the delay was too great between the election date and the 
inauguration so they moved it up to January 20, 1941.
  Five days later, the draft had only been in existence for 2 years, 
passed by one vote, one vote in this Chamber. That one vote also 
encouraged the Japanese to attack Pearl Harbor at the end of 1941.
  So here is Roosevelt, writing to every single young member of the 
armed services before we were in the war 10 months later. Listen to 
what he says. This is shocking, Madam Speaker.
  ``To the Armed Forces:
  ``As Commander-In-Chief I take pleasure in commending the reading of 
the Bible to all who serve in the armed forces of the United States. 
Throughout the centuries men of many faiths''--he forgot to say women--
``men of many faiths and diverse origins have found in the Sacred Book 
words of wisdom, counsel and inspiration. It is a fountain of strength 
and now, as always, an aid in attaining the highest aspirations of the 
human soul.
  ``Very sincerely yours, Franklin Delano Roosevelt.''
  Of course, Madam Speaker, I love this, I will be doing this on Cal 
Thomas' show tonight nationwide on CNBC. What have we lost in the 
heritage of our country?

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