[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 25]
[House]
[Pages 33669-33672]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF CHRISTMAS AND THE CHRISTIAN FAITH

  Mr. MEEKS of New York. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and 
agree to the resolution (H. Res. 847) recognizing the importance of 
Christmas and the Christian faith, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 847

       Whereas Christmas, a holiday of great significance to 
     Americans and many other cultures and nationalities, is 
     celebrated annually by Christians throughout the United 
     States and the world;
       Whereas there are approximately 225,000,000 Christians in 
     the United States, making Christianity the religion of over 
     three-fourths of the American population;
       Whereas there are approximately 2,000,000,000 Christians 
     throughout the world, making Christianity the largest 
     religion in the world and the religion of about one-third of 
     the world population;
       Whereas Christians and Christianity have contributed 
     greatly to the development of western civilization;
       Whereas the United States, being founded as a 
     constitutional republic in the traditions of western 
     civilization, finds much in its history that points observers 
     back to its Judeo-Christian roots;
       Whereas on December 25 of each calendar year, American 
     Christians observe Christmas, the holiday celebrating the 
     birth of their savior, Jesus Christ;
       Whereas for Christians, Christmas is celebrated as a 
     recognition of God's redemption, mercy, and Grace; and
       Whereas many Christians and non-Christians throughout the 
     United States and the rest of the world, celebrate Christmas 
     as a time to serve others: Now, therefore be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) recognizes the Christian faith as one of the great 
     religions of the world;
       (2) expresses continued support for Christians in the 
     United States and worldwide;
       (3) acknowledges the international religious and historical 
     importance of Christmas and the Christian faith;
       (4) acknowledges and supports the role played by Christians 
     and Christianity in the founding of the United States and in 
     the formation of the western civilization;
       (5) rejects bigotry and persecution directed against 
     Christians, both in the United States and worldwide; and
       (6) expresses its deepest respect to American Christians 
     and Christians throughout the world.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Meeks) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe) each will 
control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York.


                             General Leave

  Mr. MEEKS of New York. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. MEEKS of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this 
resolution and yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Let me first thank our colleague from Iowa, Steve King, for 
introducing this important and timely resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, along with people of other faiths, our Christian friends 
and neighbors around the world mark this time of year as a special 
festive season. As Kwanzaa approaches and Hanukkah draws to a close, it 
is notably the

[[Page 33670]]

Christmas season. We are in the midst of Advent, and this discussion 
today is bracketed by two holidays observed by many Catholics who make 
up the majority of Christiandom: the Feast of the Immaculate 
Conception, and Our Lady of Guadalupe. There are approximately 2 
billion Christians, making Christianity the largest religion of the 
world and the faith of about one-third of the global population.
  On December 25, Christians will celebrate Jesus the Christ, whom they 
have embraced as their savior. For believers, this holiday is a 
recognition of God's redemption, mercy, and grace. For Christians and 
non-Christians alike, Christmas is also a time to serve others. The 
celebration of Christmas requires devotion to faith, community, and 
family, truly universal values we all can share.
  It is both fitting and important for the United States House of 
Representatives to mark this event. This legislation expresses the deep 
respect we feel for Christians in the United States and throughout the 
world. The House must reject bigotry and persecution directed against 
Christians, both in the United States and worldwide. We must affirm the 
values of religious freedom in this country and abroad. I strongly 
support this legislation, and I encourage my colleagues to do the same.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased, as original cosponsor, to rise in support 
of this timely resolution recognizing the significance of Christmas and 
the contribution of the Christian faith to the United States and to 
other nations throughout the world. While Christmas does not have the 
same religious meaning for all citizens, it nevertheless invokes the 
values of friendship and goodwill that are common to all nations.
  December 25, or Christmas, as we say, commemorates a birth that 
influenced the world in an unmatched way. Christ's life, his teachings, 
his example, his sacrifice, and his death brought to life one of the 
great religions of the world, one which underpins the foundations of 
democracy in our own United States of America and even other countries 
throughout the world.
  Even in complex times such as those in which we live at this time, 
the simple central message of Christianity endures: ``love thy neighbor 
as thyself.''
  For many, Christmas invokes the images of Santa Claus and exchanging 
of gifts. This comes from the patron St. Nicholas, who helped poor 
children hundreds of years ago by giving them presents. But 
Christianity is more. It is the birth of the Christian religion and 
commemorates the birth of its founder, Jesus, on Christmas day.
  At its core are the fundamental important ideals of ``Peace on Earth, 
Goodwill toward men.'' The poor, the suffering, those left alone or far 
from their families, and those departed who were dear to us whom we 
remember from time to time are all recognized in this great religion of 
Christianity, and, through it, all have been offered hope.
  At this time of year in this season of Christmas, I ask my colleagues 
to join in supporting House Resolution 847 introduced by our colleague, 
Mr. King of Iowa, recognizing the importance of Christmas and the 
Christian faith.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. MEEKS of New York. I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. 
Gingrey) such time as he may consume.
  Mr. GINGREY. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding, and I 
rise today in support of House Resolution 847, which recognizes the 
importance of Christmas and the Christian faith.
  While there may be some who bristle at the idea of the House of 
Representatives considering this resolution or any similar resolution, 
I would note that though the first amendment states that the Congress 
shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, the first 
amendment also states that the Congress shall make no law prohibiting 
the free exercise thereof.
  Mr. Speaker, our Founders had the foresight to realize that a state-
run church of America would do more harm to the perseverance of faith 
and the hearts of our citizenry, and it would certainly lead to 
irreconcilable division. However, at the same time, the Founders and 
writers of the Constitution also recognized that the success of this 
great American experiment, this historic social contract, was 
contingent upon a moral and a religious people and the recognition that 
we had inalienable rights, because those rights are given to us by our 
Creator. If these rights are given to us by a Creator, then no human 
being can take them away. And this is the foundation of our system of 
justice, the foundation of our American society.
  And so today we take just a few minutes to consider this resolution 
which respects the faith and the beliefs of a vast majority of this 
country and a plurality of the world, stating that, and I quote:
  ``Whereas Christians identify themselves as those who believe in the 
salvation from sin offered to them through the sacrifice of their 
savior, Jesus Christ, the son of God, and who, out of gratitude for the 
gift of salvation, commit themselves to living their lives in 
accordance with the teachings of the Holy Bible.''
  So I hope that no Member of this Congress, no individual anywhere 
takes offense to this debate and this resolution, because none is 
intended. This resolution simply offers recognition to a faith and the 
values of that faith which has sustained hundreds of millions of people 
throughout the world, not just the United States. And after more than 
two millennia, we once again approach the commemoration of a birth that 
many recognize as holy but all recognize as historic.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to point out that just this past weekend I took 
my granddaughters, 9-year-old, almost 10 they would want me to say, 
identical twin granddaughters with my wife, and we were in 
Representative Meeks' great City of New York and we had an opportunity 
to take our grandchildren to the Radio City Music Hall to see that 
annual Christmas performance. That 1\1/2\ hour performance, Mr. 
Speaker, was absolutely wonderful and a great tribute to the city, a 
great tribute to Representative Meeks and all of our colleagues from 
New York.
  In that performance, Mr. Speaker, they had a nativity scene, the most 
beautiful nativity scene that I have had the opportunity to witness. 
And it meant so much to my granddaughters for me to explain about our 
Christian faith and heritage. So if it is good enough for New York City 
and Radio City Music Hall, it is good enough for this Congress. And, by 
golly, I want to encourage all my speakers to support the resolution of 
Representative King from Iowa. He was detained because of inclement 
weather; otherwise, he would be on this floor. But I commend and thank 
my colleague from New York, Representative Meeks, and also my colleague 
from Texas, Representative Poe, for allowing me time.
  Mr. MEEKS of New York. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, the author of this resolution, Mr. King from 
Iowa, is already having a white Christmas. He is stuck in Iowa because 
of the snow. He could not be here.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. MEEKS of New York. Mr. Speaker, this just shows how great our 
Nation is as we celebrate holidays, as we indicated Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, 
we look at other religions, Islam and Ramadan. It shows the diversity 
and it shows the tolerance that we have for all. And as we enter this 
great holiday season, this is the example I think that we show around 
the world, that we celebrate each other's religion in great joy here, 
recognizing with respect whom they worship.
  Mr. KING of Iowa. Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by thanking the 
Ranking Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, the gentlewoman from 
Florida, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen, for her support and help in getting this 
important measure to the House floor for a vote.
  Mr. Speaker, it is a privilege to address the House today to discuss 
the importance and relevance of Christmas, the Christian holiday 
celebrating the birth of our savior Jesus Christ.
  As this resolution notes, there are approximately 225 million 
Christians in the United States, making Christianity the religion of 
over

[[Page 33671]]

three-fourths of the American population. Beyond that, there are 
approximately 2 billion Christians throughout the world, making 
Christianity the largest religion in the world and the religion of 
about one-third of the world population.
  And yet, Mr. Speaker, in recent decades there have been some who have 
undertaken efforts to diminish the significance of this great religion, 
and these efforts are no more apparent than during this time of 
Christmas.
  It is not hard to look out over this great country of ours and find 
those who, for one reason or another, have engaged in a highly-
politicized and highly-publicized crusade to rid the public square of 
any reference to the religious underpinnings of the Christmas holiday. 
These are individuals who have subscribed to a radical interpretation 
of our Constitution's free exercise and establishment clauses and have 
sought to impose their secular views and beliefs on the nation as a 
whole.
  In many respects, it is this ongoing effort to bring about the 
secularization of Christmas--and all of our everyday lives for that 
matter--that motivated me to bring this resolution before the House 
today.
  Regardless of how others may define it, Mr. Speaker, Christmas is a 
religious holiday. It is the day on which Christians--those who 
identify themselves as believers in the salvation from sin offered to 
them through the death and resurrection of their savior, Jesus Christ, 
the Son of God, and who, out of gratitude for the gift of salvation, 
commit themselves to living their lives in accordance with the 
teachings of the Holy Bible--celebrate the birth of their savior. For 
Christians, the birth of Jesus is cause for great celebration. As the 
Son of God, Jesus was sent to earth, by our Heavenly Father, to become 
a human being, live a sinless life, be crucified on a cross for our 
sins, and rise from the dead three days later. The purpose of this, as 
you well know, Mr. Speaker, was to save sinners from eternal death--the 
price to be paid for their sin.
  And so, Mr. Speaker, the birth of Christ, as celebrated by Christians 
on Christmas is a truly important and significant day because it is 
celebrated as a recognition of God's redemption, mercy and Grace.
  The importance of Christmas, however, does not end with the tenets of 
Christianity. Because Christmas is one of the most important holidays 
on the Christian calendar, I believe that its annual passage should 
serve as an opportunity for all Americans, Christian or not, religious 
or not, to recognize the important role played by Christianity in the 
formation of our nation and in the founding of our civilization.
  It is no coincidence, Mr. Speaker, that courthouses throughout this 
country proudly display the Ten Commandments. It is no accident that, 
in this very chamber, it is the face of Moses, the human author of 
those divinely dictated commandments, that looks down upon you, keeping 
close watch on all that transpires in this chamber. Mr. Speaker the 
framework of our laws and the fabric of our society is heavily 
dependent upon the maxims of Christianity, and I believe that as we 
Christians begin our annual celebration of the birth of our savior, the 
one from whom Christianity derives its name, it is wholly appropriate 
for us, as a nation and as members of this House, to take the time to 
acknowledge the contributions that the Christian religion has made to 
our country and our way of life.
  Mr. Speaker, I think we all can agree that virtually any American, 
whether Christian, atheist, agnostic, or otherwise, when confronted 
with the fact that he has in some way wronged his neighbor, will 
rightly respond in one universal way--knock on his door, confess to 
him, repent, and ask for forgiveness. The neighbor would then forgive 
them as Christ has taught us. True and simple as this may seem, it is 
important to ask why we as Americans naturally react in such a way. The 
answer of course is that in this ``conditioned behavior'' we see very 
clearly the positive effect that Christianity has had on the 
development of our country and culture.
  There are few places in the United States--if any--that you can visit 
where the laws ``do not steal'' and ``do not murder'' do not apply. 
Likewise, there are few households in this great country in which moral 
character is developed in young children without the invocation of the 
ninth and tenth amendments regarding lying and coveting that which 
belongs to others.
  Mr. Speaker, we as Americans live in a moral society and in a country 
that is governed by moral laws. While many of these laws obviously 
cannot be found in any explicit sense within the pages of the Holy 
Bible, when we survey the content of that book--the document that 
outlines how it is the Christians are to live their lives here on 
earth--we do find much in the way of foundational principles that has 
come to guide not just the development of our laws, but also the 
foundation of our nation.
  It was from the Bible and the example of Jesus that Pilgrims first 
established government on this continent, from which the Founders 
outlined the political thought that shaped our nation, and by which 
Congress first intended to educate our children. Furthermore, as the 
scholar David Barton and others have tirelessly pointed out, it was 
from the Bible that early American leaders derived concepts like 
private ownership, the free-enterprise system, an industrious work 
ethic, and workfare rather than welfare. As a result, the life and 
teachings of Jesus Christ have permeated every aspect of life in 
America. He has shaped our culture and transformed every great leader 
to rise from our population. As a testament to this, each of our 
American Presidents has acknowledged God's hand on this Christian 
nation that is the United States. If there never had been a Jesus 
Christ, there would never have been an America.
  In an address to the nation President Truman once said that, ``In 
love, which is the very essence of the message of the Prince of Peace, 
the world would find a solution for all its ills. I do not believe 
there is one problem in this country or in the world today which could 
not be settled if approached through the teaching of the Sermon on the 
Mount. The poets' dream, the lesson of priest and patriarch and the 
prophets' vision of a new heaven and a new earth, all are summed up in 
the message delivered in the Judean hills beside the Sea of Galilee. 
Would that the world would accept that message in this time of its 
greatest need!''
  He went on to say that, ``This is a solemn hour. In the stillness of 
the Eve of the Nativity when the hopes of mankind hang on the peace 
that was offered to the world nineteen centuries ago, it is but 
natural, while we survey our destiny, that we give thought also to our 
past--to some of the things which have gone into the making of our 
Nation.''
  In 1940, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt said of Christmas, ``it 
is well for all humanity to remind itself that while this is in its 
name a Christian celebration, it is participated in reverently and 
happily by hundreds of millions of people who are members of other 
religions, or belong actively to no church at all. The reason is not 
far to seek. It is because the spirit of unselfish service personified 
by the life and the teachings of Christ makes appeal to the inner 
conscience and hope of every man and every woman in every part of the 
earth.''
  President Eisenhower called the nation to reflect during his remarks 
at the lighting of the Nation's Christmas Tree on December, 15th 1967 
when he said, ``In a few days we shall all celebrate the birth of His 
Holiness on earth. We shall recreate in our minds, once more, the 
ancient coming of that Spirit who remains alive for millions in our 
time. We shall acknowledge the Kingdom of a Child in a world of men.''
  He went on to say, ``That Child--we should remember--grew into 
manhood Himself, preached and moved men in many walks of life, and died 
in agony. But His death--so the Christian faith tells us--was not the 
end. For Him, and for millions of men and women ever since, it marked a 
time of triumph--when the spirit of life triumphed over death. So--if 
this Christmas season in a time of war is to have real meaning to us, 
it must celebrate more than the birth of a Baby.''
  During his Radio Address to the Nation on Christmas Eve, 1983 
President Reagan pointed out that ``It's been said that all the kings 
who ever reigned, that all the parliaments that ever sat have not done 
as much to advance the cause of peace on Earth and good will to men as 
the man from Galilee, Jesus of Nazareth.''
  As the words of these great men--these revered and honored presidents 
of the United States of America have clearly demonstrated, it is not a 
stretch to say that the precepts and principles of Jesus have so 
completely permeated the culture of this nation that even an American 
atheist would be hard pressed to separate his worldview from the impact 
of the first Christmas.
  Though we are not all Christians, Mr. Speaker, we are all Americans. 
By virtue of that simple fact, I will again reiterate my belief that it 
is not only appropriate but, more importantly, is necessary during this 
special time of year to remember not only the birth of Jesus Christ, 
the savior of the world, but also to recognize the important impact 
that the Christian faith has had on the foundation and development of 
our society, our nation, and our civilization.
  Mr. MEEKS of New York. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my 
time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New York (Mr.

[[Page 33672]]

Meeks) that the House suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. 
Res. 847, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. POE. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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