[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 1]
[House]
[Page 969]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


[[Page 969]]

           HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES--Tuesday, January 30, 2001

  The House met at 2 p.m.
  The Chaplain, the Reverend Daniel P. Coughlin, offered the following 
prayer:
  With the psalmist we pray: ``O Lord open my lips and my mouth will 
declare Your praise.''
  Even before the first word is formulated, Lord, guide our minds, our 
thoughts, our hearts and desires. By Your Holy Spirit, breathe into us 
a new spirit. Shape this Congress and our world according to Your 
design that we may fulfill Your holy will.
  Give us the gift of attentive hearts and open minds, that through the 
diversity of ideas, we may sort out what is best for this Nation. Let 
us not be afraid of silence; that even before we speak, we may heed 
Your revealed Word with longing.
  May our speech be deliberately free of all prejudice that others may 
listen wholeheartedly. Then our dialogue will be mutually respectful, 
surprising even us with unity and justice. And our words as well as our 
lives will give You praise now and forever. Amen.

                          ____________________