[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 62 (Tuesday, April 29, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E622]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER

                                 ______
                                 

                         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.

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