[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 29 (Wednesday, March 3, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H1031-H1032]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    WELCOMING IMAM ABDULLAH ANTEPLI

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the gentleman from North 
Carolina (Mr. Price) is recognized for 1 minute.
  There was no objection.
  Mr. PRICE of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, I wish to introduce to my 
colleagues my distinguished constituent and today's guest chaplain, 
Imam Abdullah Antepli. I also want to welcome in the gallery our many 
guests from the Duke University community, the Muslim community, the 
Turkish community, both from the triangle area of North Carolina and 
from the Washington area.
  Imam Antepli has a long and distinguished record of faith-based and 
humanitarian service in countries ranging from his native Turkey to the 
Southeastern Asian nations of Burma and Malaysia. Since moving to the 
United States in 2003, he has been a true pioneer in the field of 
Muslim campus ministry, serving as the first Muslim chaplain at 
Wesleyan University and as the founding member of the Muslim Chaplains 
Association. He later served at Hartford Seminary, where he completed 
his doctorate on the challenges and opportunities facing the Muslim 
campus ministry in the United States.
  In July 2008, he came to Duke University to serve as the school's 
first full-time Muslim chaplain. Although he has been on campus less 
than 2 years, he has made an enormous impact on the university 
community. His role is obviously to facilitate worship and study for 
the school's Muslim students, but he has taken on much more than that. 
He counsels students of all faiths, fosters understanding of the Muslim 
faith, and is much in demand as a speaker and a participant in a 
variety of community events. This is a

[[Page H1032]]

remarkable accomplishment at a time when religious differences still 
threaten to divide us from one another and from other nations.
  I first met Imam Antepli last September at a meeting of Islamic study 
scholars in which he participated, and I was immediately struck by 
enthusiasm, his intellect and his readiness to engage. Throughout his 
career, he has truly exemplified the notion of faith in action and has 
made a habit of practicing the values of tolerance, understanding and 
respectful dialogue, which he preaches.
  So, Madam Speaker, I am pleased on behalf of all of our colleagues to 
introduce and welcome Imam Abdullah Antepli to the House here today.

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