[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 14839]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

  (Mr. LaMALFA asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. LaMALFA. Mr. Speaker, reflecting on Pope Francis' historic 
engagement with us here in the House yesterday, he opened with 
gratefulness for our freedom. We know we have that freedom because of 
the brave that our respective homelands have blessed us with. He spoke 
of the responsibility that we, as leaders, are to help grow a nation 
and the freedom with it. Freedom is essential in that success.
  Pope Francis said it is for all Americans--not just its 
representatives in this room and others like it--to help sustain 
society with action and the service attitude of organizations that are 
truly helpful for those truly in need.
  Through faith, not its misuse or extremism, but with humility, with 
that attitude of service, we are a better people. But it requires 
religious freedom, a cornerstone of our Nation's founding, indeed, 
important enough to be articulated and underlined in the First 
Amendment of our Bill of Rights. With that amendment, it has brought us 
peace and prosperity and helped the USA to be a beacon of hope and 
service to the world.
  Hand in hand with that religious freedom goes the respect of innocent 
life and preserving the family. As Pope Francis closed his remarks on 
the legacy for our youth, these ideals of life and family are the 
spirit we can all endeavor to pass to our youth, their future of a 
great land filled with freedoms and opportunity, that comes with all of 
us at that service. For all of us Americans, that is our job.

                          ____________________