[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 18 (Monday, February 1, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E75-E76]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




COMMEMORATING THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE GOVERNMENTAL PRAYER BREAKFAST 
                         OF PENSACOLA, FLORIDA

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JEFF MILLER

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, February 1, 2016

  Mr. MILLER of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise to commemorate the 40th 
anniversary of the Governmental Prayer Breakfast of Pensacola, Florida.
   The hand of God has guided this country from the Pilgrims' landing 
at Plymouth Rock in 1620 through today. Without God and faith, our 
Nation simply would not exist. Indeed, our Founders pledged their 
lives, fortunes, and sacred honor to the Declaration of Independence 
``with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence,'' and we 
can look back far past 1776 to see that God has always been a part of 
the fabric of American life. One hundred fifty-six years before the 
Declaration of Independence, the first Pilgrims at the Plymouth Colony 
signed the Mayflower Compact affirming that the very reason for 
settling in what would become the United States was ``for the glory of 
God, and advancement of the Christian faith.''
   The Constitution may make no specific mention of God, but it 
reflects the religious principles that a diverse group of thinkers used 
to guide this country throughout history. While there are some 
Americans who think that politics and faith cannot coexist and believe 
that prayer and public service do not mix, many of us believe that our 
Nation's leaders need faith as a guide. We need it because man alone is 
imperfect and flawed. We need God's direction in our lives because our 
American freedom rests not on the written words of our founding 
documents, but on the moral strength of the American people. George 
Washington believed that ``It is impossible to rightly govern the world 
without God and Bible.'' Freedom is only possible if men believe in God 
and seek to do His will in their lives and for this country.
   In order to live our lives as servants of the Lord, our Founders 
recognized that we must look to prayer. Prayer has been a guiding 
principle of private citizens and public officials alike, and prayer 
has long been used to open important public meetings and events. In 
fact, the tradition dates back to at least September 7, 1774, when 
Reverend Jacob Duche delivered a prayer to open the First Continental 
Congress. This tradition continues today, with Congress opening its 
daily sessions with a prayer offered by the House Chaplain or a guest 
chaplain, and the religious history of our Nation is also reflected in 
our National Motto--``In God We Trust''--the National Day of Prayer, 
and the Pledge of Allegiance, amongst many others.
   Just as our Founders looked to prayer, elected officials and 
community leaders at all levels of life and government continue the 
sacred tradition of prayer. This is the very essence behind the 
founding of the Governmental Prayer Breakfast of Pensacola. Since it 
was established four decades ago by a group of ministers from the 
Greater Cantonment-Ensley Ministerial Alliance in Escambia County, 
Florida, this annual tradition has gathered hundreds of Northwest 
Floridians, including elected and appointed officials, together to pray 
for our Nation and all levels of our government.
   Our Father gave America its democracy, its prosperity, and its 
liberty because America has embraced God's will for its future. But we 
must continue to keep our faith in God in order to keep our faith in 
government. It was not our Founders' intent to keep God out of 
government, but to keep the government out of the church. As Thomas 
Jefferson wrote, ``The constitutional freedom of religion is the most 
inalienable and sacred of all human rights.'' We establish no religion 
in this country, nor should we. But we continue to honor the Lord and 
the blessings of liberty and freedom that he has bestowed upon this 
Nation, and by bringing together leaders of Faith from all levels, 
Pensacola's Governmental Prayer Breakfast honors the Lord and the 
founding principles of this great Nation.
   On behalf of the United States Congress, I would like to recognize 
the Governmental Prayer Breakfast's founding members and those who have 
followed in their footsteps in helping to preserve its original mission 
of encouraging moral and spiritual values in government. My wife Vicki 
joins me in congratulating all of its members and past participants on 
this important milestone and thanking them all for their service to God 
and country. We wish them continued success, and may God continue to 
bless Northwest Florida, leaders of all levels of government, and all 
Americans across this great Nation.

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