[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 15 (Monday, February 5, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E166-E167]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          REMARKS BY SENATOR NUNN AT NATIONAL PRAYER BREAKFAST

                                 ______


                            HON. TOM LANTOS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, February 1, 1996

  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, it is an honor and a great personal pleasure 
for me to introduce into the Congressional Record the following 
statement by our distinguished colleague and my good friend, Senator 
Sam Nunn. His speech, delivered at the National Prayer Breakfast this 
morning, was very powerful and given with his usual sense of 
thoughtfulness and sincerity. I strongly urge all of my colleagues to 
take a moment and read this moving address given the Senator Nunn.

               [National Prayer Breakfast, Feb. 1, 1996]

                Senator Sam Nunn--Transcript of Remarks

       Thank you Bob Bennett, President and Mrs. Clinton, Vice 
     President and Mrs. Gore, fellow sinners. Have I left anyone 
     out? I say to my good friend, Alan Simpson, Billy Graham 
     called me also, Alan. He said, as he did in his message, that 
     he was praying for us all. But, he felt particularly 
     compelled to pray for Alan Simpson and for me. Alan, I don't 
     know what he meant by that, but you and I appreciate it.
       A few years ago during the Bresznev era, Dr. Billy Graham 
     returned from a highly publicized trip to Moscow and was 
     confronted when he returned by one of his critics with these 
     words, ``Dr. Graham, you have set the church back 50 years.'' 
     Billy Graham lowered his head and replied, ``I am deeply 
     ashamed. I have been trying very hard to set the church back 
     2,000 years.''
       Today we represent different political parties, different 
     religions and different nations, but as your invitation 
     states, we gather as brothers and sisters in the spirit of 
     Jesus who lived 2,000 years ago, and who lives in our hearts 
     and minds today.
       The first prayer breakfast was held in 1953 in a world of 
     great danger. President Eisenhower was newly inaugurated and 
     had just returned from Korea where our young soldiers were 
     fighting desperately. World Communism was on the move. 
     Eastern Europe and the Baltics were locked behind the Iron 
     Curtain. All across the globe, the lights of religious 
     freedom and individual rights were going out, and the specter 
     of nuclear destruction loomed over our planet.
       I wonder this morning how those who attended that first 
     national prayer breakfast 43 years ago would have reacted if 
     God had given them a window to see the world of the 1980's 
     and 1990's.
       They would have seen truly amazing things: Catholic nuns 
     kneeling to pray in the path of 50-ton tanks--the power of 
     their faith bringing down the Philippine dictatorship; the 
     Iron Curtain being smashed, not by tanks of war, but by the 
     hands of those who built it and those who were oppressed by 
     it; the Cold War ending, not in a nuclear inferno, but in a 
     blaze of candles in the churches of Eastern Europe, in the 
     singing of hymns and the opening of long-closed synagogues. I 
     believe that God gave Joseph Stalin the answer to his 
     question, ``How many divisions does the Pope have?''
       They also would have seen a black man in South Africa 
     emerge from prison after 26 years and become the President of 
     his nation, personifying forgiveness and reconciliation; the 
     first hesitant but hopeful steps toward peace between Jews 
     and Arabs in the Middle East, and between Protestants and 
     Catholics in Northern Ireland. They would see that in 1996 we 
     are blessed to live in a world where more people enjoy 
     religious freedom than at any other time in history. Can we 
     doubt this morning that a loving God has watched over us and 
     guided us through this dangerous and challenging period?
       During the early days of the Russian parliament, the Duma, 
     I joined several other Senators in attending a meeting with a 
     number of newly elected members of that body. The second day, 
     a few of us were invited to a very small ``prayer breakfast'' 
     with a group of Duma members who were just forming a 
     fellowship, no doubt stimulated by Doug Coe. As in the larger 
     meeting the day before, the breakfast discussion started with 
     a degree of coldness and tension. One of the Russians, in 
     obvious sadness and a little embarrassment, remarked that 
     Russia was in great economic distress and that the United 
     States was the only remaining superpower. It was clear that 
     this was a very sensitive point for them. It had been 
     abundantly clear the day before.
       Senator Dirk Kempthorne and I then pointed out that in the 
     real sense there is only one superpower in the world, our 
     heavenly Father who watches over us all. The tension 
     immediately eased and the spirit of fellowship was built, and 
     we prayed together to that superpower, the God who loves us 
     all.
       Our world is a strange and tragic place. It is very ironic 
     in many ways. The Cold War is now over, but in a tragic 
     sense, the world has now been made safer for ethnic, tribal, 
     and religious vengeance and savagery. Such tragedy has come 
     to the people of Somalia, Bosnia, Rwanda, Burundi, Sudan, 
     Haiti and others.
       At home, the pillar of our national strength, the American 
     family, is crumbling. Television and movies saturate our 
     children with sex and violence. We have watered down our 
     moral standards to the point where many of our youth are 
     confused, discouraged and in deep trouble. We are reaping the 
     harvest of parental neglect, divorce, child abuse, teen 
     pregnancy, school dropouts, illegal drugs, and streets full 
     of violence.
       It's as if our house, having survived the great earthquake 
     we call the Cold War, is now being eaten away by termites. 
     Where should we turn this morning and in the days ahead?
       Our problems in America today are primarily problems of the 
     heart. The soul of our nation is the sum of our 
     individual characters. Yes, we must balance the federal 
     budget and there are a lot of other things we need to do 
     at the Federal level, but unless we change our hearts we 
     will still have a deficit of the soul.
       The human inclination to seek political solutions for 
     problems of the heart is nothing new. It is natural. Two 
     thousand years ago, another society found itself in deeper 
     trouble than our own. An oppressive empire strangled 
     liberties. Violence and corruption were pervasive.
       Many of the people of the day hoped for the triumphant 
     coming of a political savior, a long-expected king to 
     establish a new, righteous government. Instead, God sent his 
     son, a baby, born in a stable. Jesus grew up to become a 
     peasant carpenter in a backwater town called Nazareth. He 
     condemned sin but made it clear that he loved the sinner. He 
     befriended beggars and prostitutes and even 

[[Page E167]]
     tax collectors while condemning the hypocrisy of those in power. He 
     treated every individual with love and dignity and taught 
     that we should do the same. He died like a common criminal, 
     on a cross, and gave us the opportunity for redemption and 
     the hope of eternal life.
       He also put the role of government in proper perspective 
     when he said, ``Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's and 
     unto God that which is God's.''
       Shortly after I announced that I would not seek reelection, 
     a reporter asked me, ``You've been in the Congress for 24 
     years; what do you consider to be your greatest 
     accomplishment?'' I paused for a moment and replied, 
     ``Keeping my family together for 24 years and helping my wife 
     Colleen raise two wonderful children, Michelle and Brian.'' 
     Upon hearing this, the reporter scoffed, ``Don't give me that 
     soft sound-bite stuff. What laws did you get passed?
       When he said that, I had several thoughts--only a couple of 
     them I can share with you this morning. Four years ago, my 
     daughter, Michelle, and a few of her friends started an 
     organization in Atlanta called Hands on Atlanta, making it 
     exciting, efficient and fun for young people to volunteer 
     their time to help those in need. Now, about 5 years later, 
     10,000 volunteers each month render about 20,000 hours of 
     personal, one-on-one service. What laws have I passed that 
     have had this impact?
       I also thought about the difference between being a Senator 
     and being a father. When we in the Senate make a mistake, we 
     have checks and balances--99 other Senate colleagues, plus 
     the House of Representatives, plus the President, plus a 
     final review by the Supreme Court. But, when we as parents 
     make a mistake with our children, where are the checks and 
     where are the balances?
       Congress can pass laws cracking down on those who refuse to 
     support their children. But we cannot force husbands to honor 
     their wives, wives to love their husbands, and both parents 
     to nurture their children. Congress can pass laws on civil 
     rights and equal rights, but we cannot force people of 
     different races to love each other as brothers. Congress can 
     promote fairness and efficiency in our tax code, but we 
     cannot force the rich to show compassion toward the poor. We 
     can join with our NATO allies to separate the warring 
     factions in Bosnia, as we are doing, and give them a 
     breathing space, but we cannot force Muslims, Croats and 
     Serbs to live together as brothers in peace.
       I recently heard a story on the radio. It happened in 
     Bosnia, but I think it has meaning for all of us. A reporter 
     was covering that tragic conflict in the middle of Sarajevo, 
     and he saw a little girl shot by a sniper. The back of her 
     head had been torn away by the bullet. The reporter threw 
     down his pad and pencil, and stopped being a reporter for a 
     few minutes. He rushed to the man who was holding the child, 
     and helped them both into his car.
       As the reporter stepped on the accelerator, racing to the 
     hospital, the man holding the bleeding child said, ``Hurry, 
     my friend, my child is still alive.''
       A moment or two later, ``Hurry, my friend, my child is 
     still breathing.''
       A moment later, ``Hurry, my friend, my child is still 
     warm.''
       Finally, ``Hurry. Oh my God, my child is getting cold.''
       When they got to the hospital, the little girl had died. As 
     the two men were in the lavatory, washing the blood off their 
     hands and their clothes, the man turned to the reporter and 
     said, ``This is a terrible task for me. I must go tell her 
     father that his child is dead. He will be heartbroken.''
       The reporter was amazed. He looked at the grieving man and 
     said, ``I thought she was your child.''
       The man looked back and said, ``No, but aren't they all our 
     children?''
       Aren't they all our children?
       Yes, they are all our children. They are also God's 
     children as well, and he has entrusted us with their care in 
     Sarajevo, in Somalia, in New York City, in Los Angeles, in my 
     hometown of Perry, Georgia and here in Washington, D.C.
       In the book of Micah, the prophet asks, ``Shall I give my 
     firstborn for my transgressions, the fruit of my body for the 
     sin of my soul?''
       The cruelest aspect of our wars and our sins is what they 
     do to our children. Jesus said, ``Suffer the little children 
     to come unto me . . . For of such is the kingdom of God.'' 
     Too often today we shorten this commandment to--suffer--
     little children.
       Mrs. Clinton, thank you for the emphasis you have put on 
     children and the spotlight you have shined on our challenges. 
     You are great.
       The world is watching America today. People around the 
     world are watching not just our President or our Congress or 
     our economy or even our military deployments. They are 
     watching our cities, our towns, and our families to see how 
     much we value our children, and whether we care enough to 
     stop America's moral and cultural erosion. Do we in America 
     in 1996 love our neighbors as ourselves as explained by Bob 
     Bennett as our theme for the morning and by Tom Lantos and 
     his personal example?
       I do not have the answer to these questions this morning, 
     and I don't pretend to. These problems can be solved only in 
     the hearts and minds of our people and one child at a time. I 
     do, however, have a few observations.
       The Cold War provided as with a clarity of purpose and a 
     sense of unity as a people. Our survival as a nation was at 
     stake. We came together often in fear. The challenges that 
     confront as today are far different, but the stakes are the 
     same. I pray that our children, all of our children, will be 
     the bridge that brings us together, not in fear, but in love.
       Each year millions of our children are abused, abandoned 
     and aborted. Millions more receive little care, discipline 
     and almost no love. While we continue to debate our deeply-
     held beliefs as to which of these sins should also be 
     violations of our criminal code, I pray that we as parents, 
     as extended families, and as communities, will come together 
     to provide love and spiritual care to every mother and to 
     every child, born or unborn.
       Government at every level must play a role in these 
     challenges, but I do not believe that it will be the decisive 
     role. What, then, are our duties as leaders, not just in the 
     world of politics and government, but in every field 
     represented here this morning and throughout our land? Like 
     basketball stars Charles Barkley and Dennis Rodman, we are 
     role models whether we like it or not.
       I believe that the example we set, particularly for 
     our young people, may be the most important responsibility 
     of public service. We must demonstrate with our daily 
     lives that it is possible to be involved in politics and 
     still retain intellectual honesty and moral and ethical 
     behavior.
       We are all sinners, so we will slip and we will fall. But I 
     have felt God's sustaining hand through every phase of my 
     life--growing up in Perry, Georgia, raising a family, my 
     relationship with my wife Colleen, in Senate floor debates, 
     in committee meetings, visiting our troops in war, or being 
     part of a mission for peace.
       In the years ahead, when I think back on my public service, 
     I am certain that my most cherished memories will be those 
     moments spent with my colleagues in the Senate prayer 
     breakfasts and in my meetings with leaders from around the 
     world, usually arranged by Doug Coe, in the spirit of Jesus.
       I have also been blessed by many friends in the Senate and 
     also a small fellowship with a group of Senate brothers like 
     the late Dewey Bartlett, Republican of Oklahoma; Lawton 
     Chiles, Democrat of Florida; Pete Domenici, Republican of New 
     Mexico; Harold Hughes, Democrat of Iowa; and Mark Hatfield, 
     Republican of Oregon. No one can accuse that group of being 
     of like minds politically.
       Yet, these brothers have listened to my problems, shared in 
     my joys, held me accountable and upheld me in their prayers. 
     Fellowship in the spirit of Jesus does amazing things. It 
     puts political and philosophical differences, even profound 
     differences, even profound differences, in a totally 
     different perspective.
       I believe that 2,000 years ago Jesus was speaking to each 
     of us when he delivered his Sermon on the Mount. And, my 
     prayer this morning for our leaders and our nation is in the 
     spirit of his words then.
       May we who would be leaders always be aware that we must 
     first be servants. May we who compete in the arena of 
     government and politics remember that we are commanded to 
     love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us. I can't 
     find any exception for the news media or our opponents. May 
     we who seek to be admired by others remember that when we 
     practice our piety before men in order to be seen by them, we 
     will have no reward in heaven. May we who have large egos and 
     great ambitions recall that the Kingdom of Heaven is promised 
     to those who are humble and poor in spirit. May we who depend 
     on publicity as our daily bread recall that when we do a 
     secret kindness to others, our Father, who knows all secrets, 
     will reward us. May the citizens whom we serve as stewards of 
     government be sensitive to the fact that we are human beings 
     subject to error and that while we need their critiques, we 
     also desperately need their prayers. May we never forget that 
     the final judgment of our tenure here on earth will not be 
     decided by a majority vote, and that an election is not 
     required to bring us home.
       May God bless each of you.

                          ____________________