[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 189 (Tuesday, December 6, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H8793-H8796]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          NATIONAL BIBLE WEEK

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 4, 2021, the Chair recognizes the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. 
Lamborn) for 30 minutes.


                             General Leave

  Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on the topic of this Special Order.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Colorado?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, it is a great honor for me to come to the 
floor tonight to commemorate the 81st Annual National Bible Week, a 
week in which we celebrate the tremendous influence of the Bible on the 
freedoms we enjoy today in America.
  In 1941, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt declared the week of 
Thanksgiving to be National Bible Week, on the eve of World War II. In 
the years since, every President has issued a national proclamation, as 
have many governors and mayors.
  The Bible has had a profound impact on my own life as well. When I 
was an 18-year old freshman at the University of Kansas, I was 
approached by some people who asked me if I knew what was in the Bible. 
I said I believed I knew what it was all about; however, I had never 
read any of it for myself.
  The only honest thing I could do at that point was to read it for 
myself. So when I read the gospel of John, I ended up discovering a 
personal relationship with Jesus Christ, who became my Lord and Savior.
  In that gospel, He said, ``I am the way, the truth and the life. No 
one comes to the Father but through me.''
  So we recognize the Bible's powerful message of hope. We cherish the 
wisdom of the Bible. We acknowledge its profound role in the founding 
of our country; and we thank God for providing this holy book. It has 
truly been, as it says, a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path.
  We are here, in keeping with tradition, to recognize National Bible 
Week.
  Mr. Speaker, we have a number of fellow Representatives from all 
across this great country of ours who want to comment on National Bible 
Week, on the importance of the Bible to them, to their districts, and 
to the country.
  We will go now first with Mr.   Robert Aderholt, and then continue 
down the list in the order that people arrived here.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Aderholt).
  Mr. ADERHOLT. Mr. Speaker, it is great to be here today to recognize 
National Bible Week and, especially, along with my colleague, Doug 
Lamborn from the great State of Colorado.

[[Page H8794]]

I appreciate his willingness to organize this this evening and to call 
attention to a book that has had more impact on world history than any 
other book I think that has ever been written.
  I just want to say that here in this Chamber we are reminded, as we 
look around, of the influence the Bible has had. I look around the room 
here and see the reliefs of many lawgivers that were depicted around 
the top of the ceiling that shows that there were men over the ages 
that have contributed to the making of laws; and it is, of course, to 
remind us of what our job here is, to make great laws.
  But what strikes me is the one that is over the main door that leads 
into the House Chamber here in the Capitol, and that is a relief of 
Moses. The relief of Moses that is behind me is different from the 
other reliefs there. He is neither looking to the left nor to the 
right. He is looking straight down, actually, on you, Mr. Speaker.
  I don't think it is any coincidence when they designed this room that 
they had that in mind; that Moses was the great lawgiver because he 
gave the laws that came from God.
  Of course, above the Speaker's chair are the words ``In God We 
Trust.'' So it is on and on throughout the Capitol building itself you 
see--we remember that the Bible has such a significant part.
  But there is one painting here in the Capitol building that I want to 
call your attention to, in closing, that a lot of people don't really 
think about, and that is the signing of the Constitution.
  They have seen this painting, but it is here just a few steps from 
where I stand right now, and it was painted in 1940. The artist was 
commissioned to design a painting showing the signing of the 
Constitution in Philadelphia.
  In that painting you will see several of the delegates, and most of 
the delegates are actually depicted in that particular painting. In 
that particular painting, you have George Washington that is 
presiding over the signing of the Constitution. You can see Ben 
Franklin prominently depicted there, and several other of the Founding 
Fathers that you can see depicted.

  But on the far right, at the bottom, you will see one of the 
delegates there, who was Delegate Robert Morris from Pennsylvania. 
Unless you look closely at that painting, you may not notice, but he 
has his elbow on the table and right beside his elbow is a book that is 
open.
  If you are like me, you may have passed by that painting on many 
occasions but never noticed what that book was about because you just 
think it is maybe some law book that was open there during that 
particular time.
  But quite honestly, if you look closely at the painting, you can see 
that it says, ``Saint Matthew, Chapter 5.'' I can't help but believe 
that during the discussions that day, when they were drawing up the 
Constitution and signing it, that that particular book of the Bible had 
a very significant impact, importance upon the discussion that was made 
there.
  Because of that, I have read through Chapter 5 of Matthew and tried 
to really sort of figure out what it is that maybe they were talking 
about that particular day. But I can only guess that one of the verses 
in Chapter 5 that they may have been paying attention to in particular 
was the verse that says, don't hide your light under a bushel, and let 
your light shine before men.
  They wanted the United States of America to be a light to the rest of 
the world. They wanted it to be a city on a hill that would not be hid; 
and that is exactly what I believe that our Nation has done over the 
last 250 years.
  So Mr. Speaker, it is great to have a chance to talk about the Bible, 
National Bible Week, and I congratulate my colleague, Congressman 
Lamborn, for his work here. I thank him for us being able to draw 
attention to this book that has really changed the life of so many and, 
literally, millions of people around the world.
  Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, secondly, we have the gentleman from Texas, 
Representative Babin, and then the gentleman from Mississippi after 
that.
  I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Babin).
  Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, I wish to thank my good friend from Colorado 
(Mr. Lamborn) for having this Special Order for National Bible Week.
  Mr. Speaker, I am elated to recognize National Bible Week once again 
and to share why God's Word is such an immovable pillar, not only in my 
life, but millions and millions of people's. From guidance and 
encouragement to past lessons and future promises, the Bible holds the 
answers to all of it.
  Our nation is in the midst of a moral and spiritual war currently, 
the likes of which we have never seen. The rule of law is being 
trampled. Men compete in women's sports. Child pornography is used to 
sell clothing. Babies continue to be murdered, even after a botched 
abortion.
  Now more than ever, the direction of God's Word is crucial. As we 
maneuver through these woke and morally corrupt times, I pray that we, 
as a country, the great United States of America, the shining city on a 
hill, would find our way back to the teachings of Scripture.
  America would not even exist today had God's divine providence and 
written word not stirred the hearts of our Founding Fathers 246 years 
ago. Only a fool would think that our Nation could ever survive without 
God.
  I will close with a biblical passage, and I pray that we remember 
Proverbs 3:5-6: ``Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not 
unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He 
shall direct thy paths.''
  Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, next I yield to the gentleman from 
Mississippi (Mr. Guest).
  Mr. GUEST. President Ronald Reagan once said, ``Within the covers of 
the Bible are the answers for all the problems men face.''
  The Bible has provided our Nation with wisdom and guidance over our 
history. Within this Chamber, Members of Congress have gathered to 
debate and ultimately address the most significant challenges to our 
country.
  Since 1962, we have worked under those simple, yet powerful words, 
the words etched behind me, ``In God We Trust.''
  Without God's direction, we would have faced these challenges alone. 
As we face the future, we must never forget that our Nation was founded 
on biblical principles, recognizing that we are blessed to live in a 
country that we can worship freely, and we must work to see that we 
always remain ``one nation under God.''
  Proverbs 3:5-6: ``Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not 
on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He 
will make your paths straight.''
  My hope is that all Americans will continue to live by the truth and 
wisdom found in the word of God. May God continue to bless the United 
States of America.
  Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Tennessee 
(Mr. Rose).
  Mr. ROSE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. 
Lamborn) for yielding and for claiming the time this evening to 
acknowledge and honor our Nation's 81st National Bible Week.
  Mr. Speaker, tomorrow marks 81 years since the world changed forever 
when Japanese pilots attacked Pearl Harbor, killing 2,403 Americans and 
pulling America into the Second World War. We will never forget their 
sacrifices.
  The day after that infamous day, the National Broadcasting Company, 
the leading radio station at the time, began the day with the founders 
of the National Bible Association. As the news of the gruesome attack 
on U.S. soil broke, producers at NBC requested that the National Bible 
Association continue reading the Bible all throughout the day.
  Coincidentally, before the attack on Pearl Harbor, President 
Roosevelt had invited the founders of the National Bible Association to 
the White House to help commemorate the first National Bible Week. 
However, they canceled and left a telegram for President Roosevelt 
stating, ``May God bless and guide you in this emergency.''
  This story reminds me of Mark 13:31, where Jesus says: ``Heaven and 
earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.''
  As we recognize our country's 81st National Bible Week, I remember 
that although we may choose to leave God's words behind, the Lord's 
words will never leave us behind.
  Every day it seems as though there is a story in the news that shows 
our

[[Page H8795]]

country turning away from God. High school football coaches are being 
fired for praying on the field. The Bible is no longer being taught in 
our schools, and it has become almost scandalous to want to live a life 
practicing the traditional Christian values we are taught in the Bible.

                              {time}  1915

  But remember, no matter what, the Lord's words will never pass away. 
I hope that one day, our country will embrace the Lord again.
  As a devoted Christian, I am proud to recognize National Bible Week, 
and I pray I will be able to bring more souls to know Jesus Christ as 
their Lord and Savior. But until then, may God continue to bless our 
great Nation.
  Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate what the gentleman had to say. 
Tomorrow will be the 81st anniversary of Pearl Harbor Day. That day has 
lived in infamy.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Grothman).
  Mr. GROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Lamborn for organizing this 
little group of speeches.
  As has been mentioned, the first National Bible Week was less than 2 
weeks before Pearl Harbor in 1941. Why do we have a National Bible 
Week? Because the Bible was the preeminent text of our forefathers when 
they wrote our Constitution.
  To leave you with a couple quotes, George Washington said: ``It is 
impossible to govern the world without God and the Bible. Of all the 
dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, our 
religion and morality are indispensable supporters.''
  John Jay, the first Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court: ``The 
Bible is best of all books, for it is the word of God and teaches us 
the way to be happy in this world and in the next. Continue therefore 
to read it and regulate your life by its precepts.''
  Clearly, if you want to understand the Constitution, you have to 
understand the Bible. That is why John Adams said that the Constitution 
is made only for a moral and religious people and totally unfit for any 
other kind.
  The most read book or most cited book, by our forefathers, in the Old 
Testament was Deuteronomy. I have always felt the reason they quoted 
Deuteronomy so much is they wanted America to be the type of country 
that God had wanted Israel to be.
  Deuteronomy ends with the death of Moses. As has been mentioned, in 
the relief up here, the wisest man, or the man with the most important 
position in this room, is Moses, which shows that Congress, even at the 
time we built this Capitol, talked about the importance of the Bible in 
understanding what behavior should be and in understanding what our 
Constitution has made a reference to.
  In any event, I thank Congressman Lamborn one more time for putting 
together this ceremony and encourage, particularly all of the young 
people out there, to read the Bible so you understand the basis of our 
country.
  Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his words.
  Mr. Grothman mentioned John Adams. I have a great quote here from 
John Quincy Adams, the younger of the two that became President: ``I 
speak as a man of the world to the men of the world; and I say to you, 
Search the Scriptures. The Bible is the book of all others, to be read 
at all ages, and in all conditions of human life; not to be read once 
or twice or thrice through, and then laid aside, but to be read in 
small portions of one or two chapters every day, and never to be 
intermitted, unless by overruling necessity.''
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Bacon).
  Mr. BACON. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Lamborn for organizing 
this Special Order.
  I thank God for the Bible. The Bible is God's Word, and it tells us 
who God is, that He loves us, that He made us and created the world, 
that He has an eternal plan for us. The Bible gives me hope. It teaches 
me how to live, love, forgive, be humble, have self-control, and to be 
kind. It has given me life's roadmap and a compass to steer me right.
  Knowing God's eternal plan and that He gave guidelines on how to 
live, gives me meaning in life. Without meaning, I would not have been 
able to face the darkest days of my life, like when I lost my best 
friend and sister. I have lost four siblings and my mom. Without God, I 
would not have been able to move forward on many of these days. One of 
my favorite hymns says: ``I can face tomorrow because He lives.''
  My theme verse, that comes from Matthew, says:

       Do not store up treasures on Earth, where moth and rust can 
     destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But store up 
     treasures for yourselves in heaven, where neither moth nor 
     rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.

  When I was deployed in Iraq in 2007 and 2008 and we were losing so 
many soldiers, brothers and sisters in arms, I thought of this other 
verse from Matthew every single day: ``Do not be afraid of those who 
kill the body but cannot kill the soul.''
  I knew al-Qaida and the Shia militias could possibly kill me, but I 
was assured that my soul was secure with God.
  When things are not going well, I think of Paul's words when God told 
him: ``My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in 
weakness.''
  Now that I am in political office, I often apply this verse, one I 
overlooked much of my life: ``Love your enemies and pray for those who 
persecute you.''
  We are all imperfect and need God's redemption. Thankfully, God sent 
His only Son to take the punishment of the sins we commit. He saved us. 
The Bible says that when we put our faith in Him, we are redeemed.
  John Newton famously wrote: ``When we've been there ten thousand 
years, bright shining as the sun, we've no less days to sing God's 
praise than when we'd first begun.''
  Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for sharing that 
message from the heart, and I appreciate what the Bible has done in his 
life.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Allen).
  Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Lamborn for arranging 
this Special Order.
  Mr. Speaker, when President Roosevelt convened the inaugural 
celebration of National Bible Week, as was mentioned, it was 1941. 
America was still recovering from an economic collapse, and across the 
sea, war raged in Europe.

  It seemed the whole world was shrouded in darkness. But Roosevelt 
believed that the Bible is an eternal source of hope.
  We know that the Bible is life-changing. As mentioned about the news 
of the attack and as mentioned before, NBC was broadcasting the reading 
of the Bible; they made a monumental decision during that process. As 
they were broadcasting the news, during breaks, they would continue to 
read the Bible. They recognized one simple truth: There is no greater 
spiritual armor than the Word of God.
  So where are we some 81 years later? The pollsters say that 7 in 10 
Americans believe that our Nation is in crisis and at the risk of 
collapse. There continues to be wars and rumors of wars. But I believe, 
as President Roosevelt believed, in the awesome life-changing power of 
God's Word.
  Ephesians 6 says:

       Put on the full armor of God that you may be able to stand 
     against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle 
     against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the 
     authorities, against this present darkness, against the 
     spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

  As we look around our Chamber here, fellow Members, we are without 
excuse. As mentioned earlier, we have ``In God We Trust'' here. We have 
lawmakers all around us and, obviously, the full face of Moses, who 
gave us the first four chapters of the Bible.
  Some 40 years later, after National Bible Week was declared, Billy 
Graham gave this prayer, and I will read part of it. He said: ``Our 
Father and our God, Thou hast said, `Blessed is that nation whose God 
is the Lord.' We recognize on this historic occasion that we are `a 
nation under God.' We thank Thee for this torch of faith handed to us 
by our forefathers. May we never let it be extinguished. Thou alone has 
given us our prosperity, our freedom and our power. This faith in God 
is our heritage and our foundation.
  ``Thou has warned us in the Scriptures, `If the foundations be 
destroyed, what can the righteous do?'

[[Page H8796]]

  ``As George Washington reminded us in his farewell address, morality 
and faith are the pillars of our society. We confess these pillars are 
being eroded in an increasingly materialistic and permissive society. 
The whole world is watching to see if the faith of our fathers will 
stand the trials and tests of this hour. Too long we have neglected Thy 
word and ignored Thy laws. Too long we have tried to solve our problems 
without reference to Thee. Too long we have tried to live by bread 
alone. We have sown to the wind and are now reaping the whirlwind of 
crime, division, and rebellion.''
  That prayer was given in 1969, and here we are today. So just as we 
turned to the Bible then, I pray that we will turn to it now.
  Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Georgia for his 
words.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Carter).
  Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for 
yielding, and I thank him for sponsoring this Special Order. This is 
certainly important, important to all of us who are believers, and I 
count myself as one of those.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in celebration of one of the greatest gifts 
that God has given us, His Word that is the Bible.
  As we near the holiday season, we must be mindful of why we 
celebrate, which is the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
  As we enter the Christmas season, it is easy to be consumed by the 
laundry list of items and tasks that must be completed before you host 
or travel to see family and friends. It is easy to become lost and 
forget the true meaning and purpose of Christmas.
  Friends and fellow Americans, I urge you to remain grounded in the 
true story of Christmas, because it is indeed some great news.
  Luke Chapter 2, verses 9 through 11, tells us: ``An angel of the Lord 
appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they 
were terrified. But the angel said to them, `Do not be afraid. I bring 
you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in 
the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the 
Lord.' ''
  Wow, what a powerful moment that must have been to the shepherds that 
night.
  The Christmas story is the greatest feel-good story anyone could ever 
ask for, that no matter how we sin, what we do, or the disagreements we 
may have, the Lord our God, the living God, sent His one and only Son 
to die for each of us so that we may all join Him in eternal paradise. 
Now, that is the awesome Christmas gift.

  Thank you to my friend from Colorado for hosting this important 
Special Order. It is indeed important, particularly during this time of 
year.
  Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. 
Carter) for reminding us of what the reason for the season really is.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Clyde).
  Mr. CLYDE. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Lamborn for leading this 
important Special Order.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and celebration of National Bible 
Week.
  For multiple millenniums, the Bible has served as God's revelation to 
His creation, providing an account of His divine plan. The future hope 
of glory through the gospel of the Word of God renders guidance to us 
so that we have the hope of eternal life offered by His grace through 
faith.
  The Bible is also the very reason we can live freely in the United 
States of America. More than 400 years ago, settlers bound together in 
search of the New World to escape religious persecution and establish a 
free government.
  Our Founding Fathers wove the Word of God into the very fabric of our 
Nation, with the Bible playing a critical role in the unity and success 
of these wise men as they forged a future that is free.
  As John Adams once said: ``The Bible contains the most profound 
philosophy, the most perfect morality, and the most refined policy that 
ever was conceived upon Earth.''
  It is because of these men that our Lord and Savior's guidance has 
been key to the preservation of our Republic.
  Now, more than two centuries later, I pray this body uses God's Word 
as our guiding light. Because a government whose foundation is built on 
God and His Word is a government that will have peace, freedom, and 
liberty.

                              {time}  1930

  Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for those thoughts on 
this commemoration of National Bible Week.
  To conclude, Mr. Speaker, I have two more quotes from other 
Presidents of the United States.
  Ronald Reagan, in his own declaration of National Bible Week when he 
was in office, said: ``When I took the oath of office, I requested that 
my mother's Bible be opened to 2nd Chronicles 7:14, which reads, `If my 
people which are called by my name shall humble themselves and pray and 
seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from 
Heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.' This 
passage expresses my hopes for the future of this Nation and the 
world.''
  Lastly, to make this bipartisan, President Truman said during an 
address at the Attorney General's Conference on Law Enforcement 
Problems: ``The fundamental basis of this Nation's law was given to 
Moses on the Mount. The fundamental basis of our Bill of Rights comes 
from the teachings which we get from Exodus and St. Matthew, from 
Isaiah and St. Paul. I don't think we emphasize that enough these 
days.''
  If that was true in the late 1940s, that is certainly true today.
  He continued: ``If we don't have the proper fundamental moral 
background, we will finally end up with a totalitarian government which 
does not believe in rights for anybody except the State.''
  I am going to conclude by saying this, Mr. Speaker: It has been an 
honor and a pleasure to commemorate National Bible Week this evening. I 
am grateful for all of my colleagues who joined me to honor the Word of 
God.
  The Bible is the single most important book ever written. It has the 
power to change lives. It has liberated many from oppression by its 
clear teachings. It is truly an amazing and remarkable piece of 
writing. It contains pure truth about God, about life, the nature of 
mankind, and our own hearts as human beings.
  I am thankful for the Word of God, the impact that it has had on my 
life, on the lives of those who have spoken here today, and on the life 
of our great Nation.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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