[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 7]
[House]
[Page 9945]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

                                 PRAYER

  Rabbi Gary Klein, Temple Ahavat Shalom, Palm Harbor, Florida, offered 
the following prayer:
  Religious traditions teach that people and God are to work together 
to create a better world. Therefore, as we begin this day of work of 
the House of Representatives, we pray first, O God, that You join with 
medical professionals to help Congressman Scalise and others injured 
with him experience complete recoveries.
  We also pray that You bless the efforts of this legislative body so 
that the collective courage, dedication, compassion, and wisdom of its 
Members help this country maintain its position as ``a light unto the 
nations.''
  You have also taught us through the Talmud, a work of Jewish 
religious literature, that trying to improve the world, even if you do 
not complete the task, is life's most sacred duty. Help us and our 
legislators to also understand the Talmudic concept that reinforces 
this when it states: If you save a single life, it is as if you saved 
the entire world.
  O God, help each of us as Americans recognize the significance of the 
work done by our legislators, and help us to always be grateful to 
them. God, we also pray that You keep our legislators healthy and safe 
so that they may continue their work of improving the world.
  Amen.

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