[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 92 (Thursday, June 5, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5218-S5219]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE RESOLUTION 587--DECLARING JUNE 6, 2008, A NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER 
   AND REDEDICATION FOR THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE UNITED STATES ARMED 
                        FORCES AND THEIR MISSION

  Mr. DeMINT (for himself and Mr. Hatch) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary:

                              S. Res. 587

       Whereas public prayer and national days of prayer are a 
     long-standing American tradition to bolster national resolve 
     and summon the national will for victory;
       Whereas the Continental Congress asked the colonies to pray 
     for wisdom in forming a nation in 1775;
       Whereas Benjamin Franklin proposed that the Constitutional 
     Convention begin each day with a prayer;
       Whereas General George Washington, as he prepared his 
     troops for battle with the British in May 1776, ordered them 
     to pray for the campaign ahead, that it would please the 
     Almighty to ``prosper the arms of the united colonies'' and 
     ``establish the peace and freedom of America upon a solid and 
     lasting foundation'';
       Whereas President Abraham Lincoln, in declaring in the 
     Gettysburg Address that ``this nation, under God, shall have 
     a new birth of freedom'', rededicated the Nation to ensuring 
     that ``government of the people, by the people, for the 
     people, shall not perish from the earth'';
       Whereas, as 73,000 Americans stormed the beaches at 
     Normandy, France, on June 6, 1944 (D-Day), President Franklin 
     Delano Roosevelt went on the national radio to lead the 
     Nation in prayer for their success;
       Whereas, in his D-Day radio prayer, President Roosevelt did 
     not declare a single day of special prayer, but instead 
     compelled all Americans to ``devote themselves in a 
     continuance of prayer'';
       Whereas the words of President Roosevelt calling on all 
     Americans to ``devote themselves in a continuance of prayer'' 
     for American soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines in harm's 
     way are just as appropriate today as they were in June 1944;
       Whereas, with our troops once again facing danger abroad 
     and the Nation looking for support here at home, the time is 
     ripe to once again heed the words and prayerful wisdom 
     contained in the D-Day radio address of the 20th century's 
     greatest Democrat president as he implored the Nation: ``as 
     we rise to each new day, and again when each day is spent, 
     let words of prayer be on our lips, invoking Thy help to our 
     efforts'';
       Whereas more than 300,000 men and women of the United 
     States Armed Forces are deployed worldwide today;
       Whereas about 200,000 of these troops are engaged in armed 
     combat in Iraq and Afghanistan against determined and 
     ruthless enemies;
       Whereas more than 4,500 brave Americans have been killed, 
     and over 42,000 have been wounded, while fighting the War on 
     Terror;
       Whereas, because the War on Terror will be long and hard, 
     because success is not likely to come with rushing speed, and 
     because the sacrifice will continue to be immeasurable in 
     human terms, it is appropriate to make the anniversary of D-
     Day, June 6, a national day of prayer and rededication for 
     the men and women of the United States Armed Forces and their 
     mission; and
       Whereas the D-Day radio address of President Roosevelt is 
     the inspiration and model for this annual national day of 
     prayer and rededication: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That--
       (1) June 6, 2008, will be a national day of prayer and 
     rededication for the men and women of the United States Armed 
     Forces and their mission; and
       (2) in encouraging our fellow Americans to join us in this 
     national day of prayer and rededication for our troops and 
     their mission, by reflecting on President Roosevelt's D-Day 
     radio prayer, as follows:
     ``My Fellow Americans:

       Last night, when I spoke with you about the fall of Rome, I 
     knew at that moment that troops of the United States and our 
     Allies were crossing the Channel in another and greater 
     operation. It has come to pass with success thus far.
       And so, in this poignant hour, I ask you to join with me in 
     prayer:
       Almighty God: Our sons, pride of our nation, this day have 
     set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our 
     Republic, our religion, and our civilization, and to set free 
     a suffering humanity.
       Lead them straight and true; give strength to their arms, 
     stoutness to their hearts, steadfastness in their faith.
       They will need Thy blessings. Their road will be long and 
     hard. For the enemy is strong. He may hurl back our forces. 
     Success may not come with rushing speed, but we shall return 
     again and again; and we know that by Thy grace, and by the 
     righteousness of our cause, our sons will triumph.
       They will be sore tried, by night and by day, without rest 
     -- until the victory is won. The darkness will be rent by 
     noise and flame. Men's souls will be shaken with the 
     violences of war.
       For these men are lately drawn from the ways of peace. They 
     fight not for the lust of conquest. They fight to end 
     conquest. They fight to liberate. They fight to let justice 
     arise, and tolerance and goodwill among all Thy people. They 
     yearn but for the end of battle, for their return to the 
     haven of home.
       Some will never return. Embrace these, Father, and receive 
     them, Thy heroic servants, into Thy kingdom.
       And for us at home--fathers, mothers, children, wives, 
     sisters, and brothers of brave men overseas, whose thoughts 
     and prayers are ever with them -- help us, Almighty God, to 
     rededicate ourselves in renewed faith in Thee in this hour of 
     great sacrifice.
       Many people have urged that I call the nation into a single 
     day of special prayer. But because the road is long and the 
     desire is great, I ask that our people devote themselves in a 
     continuance of prayer. As we rise to each new day, and again 
     when each day is spent, let words of prayer be on our lips, 
     invoking Thy help to our efforts.
       Give us strength, too--strength in our daily tasks, to 
     redouble the contributions we make in the physical and the 
     material support of our armed forces.
       And let our hearts be stout, to wait out the long travail, 
     to bear sorrows that may come, to impart our courage unto our 
     sons wheresoever they may be.
       And, O Lord, give us faith. Give us faith in Thee; faith in 
     our sons; faith in each other; faith in our united crusade. 
     Let not the keenness of our spirit ever be dulled. Let not 
     the impacts of temporary events, of temporal matters of but 
     fleeting moment--let not these deter us in our unconquerable 
     purpose.
       With Thy blessing, we shall prevail over the unholy forces 
     of our enemy. Help us to conquer the apostles of greed and 
     racial arrogances. Lead us to the saving of our country, and 
     with our sister nations into a world unity that will spell a 
     sure peace--a peace invulnerable to the schemings of unworthy 
     men. And a peace that will let all of men live in freedom, 
     reaping the just rewards of their honest toil.
       Thy will be done, Almighty God.
       Amen.''.

  Mr. DeMINT. Mr. President, I rise to speak on a resolution I have 
submitted today that declares June 6 a national day of prayer and 
rededication for the men and women of the U. S. Armed Forces and their 
mission.
  As my colleagues know, when 73,000 Americans stormed the beaches at 
Normandy, France, on June 6, 1944, President Franklin Roosevelt went on 
national radio to lead the Nation in prayer for their success.
  With over 300,000 men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces deployed 
worldwide today, and many of these troops directly engaged in armed 
combat in Iraq and Afghanistan against determined and ruthless enemies, 
President Roosevelt's words calling on all Americans to ``devote 
themselves to a continuance of prayer'' for American soldiers, sailors, 
airmen, and marines in harm's way are as appropriate today as they were 
in June of 1944.
  It is appropriate to make every anniversary of D-day, June 6, a 
national day of prayer for the men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces.
  Now I will read President Roosevelt's D-day radio prayer:

       My Fellow Americans:
       Last night, when I spoke with you about the fall of Rome, I 
     knew at that moment that troops of the United States and our 
     Allies were crossing the Channel in another and greater 
     operation. It has come to pass with success thus far.
       And so, in this poignant hour, I ask you to join with me in 
     prayer:
       Almighty God: Our sons, pride of our nation, this day have 
     set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our 
     Republic, our religion, and our civilization, and to set free 
     a suffering humanity.
       Lead them straight and true; give strength to their arms, 
     stoutness to their hearts, steadfastness in their faith.

[[Page S5219]]

       They will need Thy blessings. Their road will be long and 
     hard. For the enemy is strong. He may hurl back our forces. 
     Success may not come with rushing speed, but we shall return 
     again and again; and we know that by Thy grace, and by the 
     righteousness of our cause, our sons will triumph.
       They will be sore tried, by night and by day, without 
     rest--until the victory is won. The darkness will be rent by 
     noise and flame. Men's souls will be shaken with the 
     violences of war.
       For these men are lately drawn from the ways of peace. They 
     fight not for the lust of conquest. They fight to end 
     conquest. They fight to liberate. They fight to let justice 
     arise, and tolerance and goodwill among all Thy people. They 
     yearn but for the end of battle, for their return to the 
     haven of home.
       Some will never return. Embrace these, Father, and receive 
     them, Thy heroic servants, into Thy kingdom.
       And for us at home-- fathers, mothers, children, wives, 
     sisters, and brothers of brave men overseas, whose thoughts 
     and prayers are ever with them--help us, Almighty God, to 
     rededicate ourselves in renewed faith in Thee in this hour of 
     great sacrifice.
       Many people have urged that I call the nation into a single 
     day of special prayer. But because the road is long and the 
     desire is great, I ask that our people devote themselves in a 
     continuance of prayer. As we rise to each new day, and again 
     when each day is spent, let words of prayer be on our lips, 
     invoking Thy help to our efforts.
       Give us strength, too--strength in our daily tasks, to 
     redouble the contributions we make in the physical and the 
     material support of our armed forces.
       And let our hearts be stout, to wait out the long travail, 
     to bear sorrows that may come, to impart our courage unto our 
     sons wheresoever they may be.
       And, O Lord, give us faith. Give us faith in Thee; faith in 
     our sons; faith in each other; faith in our united crusade. 
     Let not the keenness of our spirit ever be dulled. Let not 
     the impacts of temporary events, of temporal matters of but 
     fleeting moment--let not these deter us in our unconquerable 
     purpose.
       With Thy blessing, we shall prevail over the unholy forces 
     of our enemy. Help us to conquer the apostles of greed and 
     racial arrogances. Lead us to the saving of our country, and 
     with our sister nations into a world unity that will spell a 
     sure peace--a peace invulnerable to the schemings of unworthy 
     men. And a peace that will let all of men live in freedom, 
     reaping the just rewards of their honest toil.
       Thy will be done, Almighty God.
       Amen.

  Mr. President, I hope the Senate will take up this resolution and 
make June 6 a national day of prayer for our Nation.

                          ____________________