[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 12]
[House]
[Pages 16741-16742]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     WELCOMING BISHOP MAR AWA ROYEL

  The SPEAKER. Without objection, the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Denham) is recognized for 1 minute.
  There was no objection.
  Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, it is my great honor today to introduce to 
the House our guest chaplain, Bishop Mar Awa Royel.
  Bishop Royel currently presides over the Holy Apostolic Catholic 
Assyrian Church of the East's Diocese of California and serves as 
Secretary of the Holy Synod. He was consecrated as a Bishop in 2008 and 
is the first American-born Bishop of the Assyrian Church of the East.
  Bishop Royel is one of five trustees of the Assyrian Church of the 
East Relief Organization. He is also the president of the Commission on 
Inter-Church Relations and Educational Development.
  I have been honored to know Bishop Royel and work with him to help 
raise awareness of the plight of Assyrians in the Middle East who are 
facing unspeakable violence and persecution. Many Central Valley 
residents have family members who are suffering under ISIL's campaign 
of terror. I am thankful for Bishop Royel's efforts. Bishop Royel is a 
gifted speaker, esteemed author, and leader of California's large and 
faithful Assyrian community.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in welcoming him today. 
We thank him for offering this afternoon's

[[Page 16742]]

opening prayer in the United States House of Representatives.

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