America where people do not elect a full Voting Member of congress, yet they have to pay federal income tax and that is here in the district of columbia. So for that reason, i filed a bill, because they had tried to get a full Voting Member of congress, but to do that you have to have a constitutional amendment. And everybody knew that and agreed to that back in the late 1970s. The proponents of having a full voting representative got it through the house. Got it through the senate. But they never did get the requisite number of states to sign on. O it failed without ever being ratified by enough states. And i feel sure that would be the case if that were attempted again but it does require an amendment. And since that doesnt appear its going to happen any time soon, then i believe in each of the sessions of congress ive been, i filed a bill that would correct that injustice, because it truly is an injustice for the people that live in the district of columbia. And its very simple. It just says basically until, when and if the district of columbia has a full voting representative they are like any other u. S. Territory, they will not have to pay federal income tax. And i felt like that would certainly make people appreciate that, that they were treated like those in other places that dont elect a full Voting Member of the house. But so far i havent been able to get my friend, ms. Holmes norton, to sign on as a cosponsor. Im hoping to get her to sign on at some point because it really would help those people who live here in the city of washington not to have to pay any federal income tax. Of course puerto rico they pay no federal income tax and yet they have a higher local tax, income tax, than the federal income tax. A lot of states, i think somebody told me theyre paying 10 or so in california. But puerto rico, where i think over a third or about a third of the people there work for the government, then the government ad is just overwhelming, you know, i puerto rico is so beautiful. Even after all the disaster that needs to be cleaned up and fixed , i would hope at some point they become less heavy on the government and more heavy on free Market Opportunities and i could see puerto rico becoming the hong kong of the United States, where thats where people want to go. Thats where businesses want to locate because its such a great place to live. But the taxes have run people out of that area. Even though they dont pay federal income tax. I dont think that would happen here in washington. , t mr. Speaker, here we are last session before christmas, and its been amazing. The most often cited book in congress for our countrys entire history has been the bible. Theres no book that comes close that recitations from it has the bible. Throughout our history we were recognized as a christian nation. I believe president obama was right when he said were not a christian nation, we were, but were not anymore. But even the Supreme Court when it was a much more enlightened court, well after the civil war, back 30 years after the civil war was over, the Supreme Court looked at all of the evidence and declared in an opinion that the United States was founded as and is a christian nation. Not that everybody has to be a christian here, they absolutely dont. And i would humbly submit that the only way any people can truly have freedom of religion is if they have a constitution thats founded on Judeo Christian principles that recognize that all true rights, life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness dont have a right to happiness, but a right to pursue it those come from god. And the founders recognize that. Its a shame to hear people deceiving young people in school, teaching them that no the real founders were only deist they didnt believe in god. Ben franklin being the leading deist when, if they would just teach the children what ben franklin said in june of 1787 at the Constitutional Convention, after five weeks of nothing but rguing back and forth, 80yearold ben franklin, two or three years away from meeting his maker, got recognized, somebody wrote that president washington looked so relieved when dr. Franklin sought recognition. He finally stood up , he had gout, he had terrible arthritis, well overweight, but he got up and gave the speech that so many christians are aware of where he said what no deist would ever say, despite how many teachers these days say he was a deist. His words were, we know what his words were, because he sat down and wrote it down afterwards when he was asked for a copy of what he said. An he said, ive lived, sir, a long time, and the longer i live, the more convincing proofs i see of this truth. God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it possible an empire could rise without his aid . Weve been assured, sir, in the sacred writing, that unless the lord build a house, they labor in vain that build it. He said, i firmly believe that, which mean he is wasnt a deist, he said, i also believe that without his, without gods, concurring aid, we shall succeed in our political building no better than the builders of babel. Well be confounded by local partial interests an we ourselves shall become a byword down through the ages. Nd it was at the conclusion of hat days session in the Constitutional Convention that randolph from here in virginia, or across the river in virginia, made a motion that since here we are the end of june, were about to celebrate our nations birthday, and we all know we have not been able to accomplish anything. As franklin said weve been going nearly five weeks, we have nor noes than ayes on virtually every issue, and then franklin went on to say, how has it happened, sir, that we have not once humbly thought of applying to the father of lights to illuminate our understanding. So randolphs motion is that they, since they havent been able to accomplish really anything, just yelling back and forth, it was all the big 64 washington could do to keep things under control, and yes, i know , in the biography he said he was less than 62, because he was stand big a guy that was 62 and he was shorter but hes just wrong on that. George washington, 1799, when dead, flat on a slab, was 3 1 2. At 6 and randolphs motion passed. His motion was that he move, they recess, the Constitutional Convention and reconvene together in one of the local churches they agree on, and worship god together an then come back and try it again. That would pass, and they went to the reformed calvinistic church, i was sharing that with my friend, dave bratt, earlier, since he attends the calvinnist church, but the reformed calvinnist church, reverend William Rogers presiding, and you can go online and find at least one of the prayers that reprayed. I had this little book from dr. Richard g. Lee, great man of god, great little booklet, in god we still trust its called. I had some Great Stories from our history but he noted that one earlburger, chief justice of the United States from 1969 supreme elivered the courts opinion in the 1985 case of lynch versus donnelly hich upheld that the city of awtucket, rhode island did not violate the constitution by displaying a in aivity scene nativity scene, noting that president ial orders and proclamations from congress have designated christmas violate the constitution by displaying a in aivity as a National Holiday in religious terms for two centuries, and in the western world for 20 centuries he wrote, quote, there is an unbroken history of official acknowledgement by all three branches of government of the role of religion in american life. The constitution does not require a complete separation of church and state. N fact, those words, i would insert here, those words separation of church and state, unlike what many say when asked, they are not in the constitution. They were not intended to be in the constitution. The founders did not want church to be separated from state. They wanted the state to stay the heck out of the church business. Thats what they wanted. But Thomas Jefferson mentioned the separation of church and state, a wall of separation, but it was going to be a one way wall where the states stayed out of peoples religion, but expected religion because it was part of our founding. And the bible was so often mentioned as a source of wisdom as they tried to put together a government. Anyway, chief justicesburger sburger ce live esburger affirm mandates accommodation not merely tolerance of all religion and forbids hostility toward any, anything less would require the callous indifference we have said was never intended by this establishment clause. Indeed, we have observed such hostility would bring us into a, quote, war with our National Tradition as embodied in the first amendments guarantee of the free exercise of religion, unquote. He goes on talking about john hancock, to celebrate the victorious conclusion of the revolutionary war, governor john hancock of massachusetts issued a proclamation for a day of thanksgiving on december 11, 783. Just over a week ago i was the anniversary of this proclamation from governor john hancock, the president that signed as president of the Continental Congress on the declaration of independence. But john hancock said, whereas these United States are not only happily rescued from the danger and calamities to which they have been so long exposed, but their freedom, sovereignty, and independence ultimately acknowledged. Whereas the interposition of divine providence, they capitalize divine providence, nother expression meaning god, in our favor atbeen most abundantly and graciously manifested and the citizens of these United States have every reason for praise and gratitude , the god of their salvation impress therefore with an exsalted exalted sense of the bledings by which were surrounded and our entire dependence on that almighty being, almighty being both capitalized, from whose goodness and bounty they are derived. I do by and with the advice of the counsel appoint thursday, the 1 sth day of december 11th day of december, next the day recommended by congress to all the states to be religiously observed as a day of thanksgiving and prayer that all the people may then assemble to celebrate that he, he is capitalized, meaning god, been pleased to continue to the life of the blessed gospel. That we also offer a verfent supplications because pure religion and virtue to flourish. And to fill the world with his, capital h, his glory. Theres john hancock. As he pointed out that was directed by the congress of the United States. That they be recognized. That was just his proclamation as governor of massachusetts. But it seems when i mention god, mention some of our heritage, we often get a lot of alls from people that just become irate, which also testifies probably to the importance and to the become of our founding, and our founding reliance on god, because nothing else provokes that kind of anger and hatred. But some people say, that has no place in the capital of the United States. And bless them, they just have been ignorant, but just down the hall the original House Chamber was the largest Christian Church in washington, d. C. Area for most of the 1800s, a guy named Thomas Jefferson that put those words, coined the expression, separation of church and state, wall of separation, he put that in a letter, the Danbury Baptist why we should not have, in essence, an official denomination that thats not the governments role, and he saw, jefferson saw no problem in having Christian Worship Services down the hall because it was nondenominational. So he came every sunday that he was in washington during his eight years as president , he would come, normally he would ride a horse, according to the Congressional Research service, dont have to rely on my historical interpretation, the bipartisan objective Congressional Research service says, yeah, usually came riding a single horse. And unlike jefferson, madison, who is given credit for writing much of the constitution, when he was president for those eight years, he normally came in a horse drawn carriage. With multiple horses drawing his carriage. Jefferson, on the other hand, came to church here in the capitol with multiple horses drawing his normally on a horse by himself. Before the days of the secret service. And jefferson n. Fact, since it was nondenominational christian service, he saw no problem with inviting the marine band to come do the accompaniment many sundays for the hymns that were to be sung. The first woman to address officially address a group in the u. S. Capitol, earl i early 1800s, christian eadvantagelies evangelist gave the sermon just down the hall in what was then the house of representatives chamber. I have a book, miracles in american history, susi federer did this. Adapted from william j. Federers american minute, and this is a typical story from r history and our founders ho knew how valuable it was in getting this little bubble in time and space wherefore the first time in history persecuted re not for being christians. For the First Time Since jesus came over 2000 years ago. This america, this United States, a place where you were persecuted for being a christian. Obviously persecuted for being christians. For the First Time Since thats now we have governmental entities that are afraid of christians as potentially a big hate group. Although anyone who professes that christian groups need to be havent to be violent in order to accomplish our purposes cant truly be christian. And based on the bible unless they are enacting government in so doing. And acting under romans 13, but otherwise they miss the whole point of jesus preaching. Ut in this book from the cowpens the battle of was january 17, 1781. Also january 17 happens to be fathers birthday, hell be i wont tell the age. Hes over 90. But the battle, january 17, 1781, depicted in the movie the patriot involved American General Daniel Morgan having a line of maliciousa fire into wall wall general corn lists doctor goons, regulars, highlanders, and loyalists. When the americans hisily retreated, british colonel known as the butcher, gave in to the temptation to pursue only to be surprised by american connintals waiting just over the hill. Continentals, waiting just over the hill, firing at pointblank range, in the confusion the americans killed 110 british, captured 830. The battle is widely considered the tactical masterpiece and turning point of the war. Talking about the revolutionary war, of course. General Daniel Morgan met up with American General nathaniel green and they made a hasty retreat north toward virginia. Orn wall list regrouped cornwallis regrouped, burning equipment and supplies along way to travel faster. He arrived at the catawba river americans had crossed. Just two hours after the but a storm made the river mpassable delaying the british pursuit. He nearly overtook them as they were getting out of the river, river. Flooded the now it was a race to the dan river. But general nathaniel green again made it across before the british arrived. British commander Henry Clinton wrote, here the royal army was again stopped by sudden rise of the waters. Which had only just fallen almost mly miraculously to let the enemy over. Then march, 1781, general George Washington wrote to william gordon. General washington wrote, quote, we have abundant reasons to thank providence w. A capital p, he off referred to god as providence, to thank providence for its many favorable interpositions in our behalf. It has at times been my only dependence for all other resources seem to have failed us. British the british general ordered him to move 8,000 troops to the position where the york river entered the Chesapeake Bay. By this time, ben franklin and marquee de lafayette, this gentleman depicked here, the only fulllength portrait of a foreigner in our u. S. Capitol, but lafayette were finally successful in their efforts to xvi de french king louis to send troops. French admiral degrause left off fighting in the indy, sailed 24 ships to the Chesapeake Bay and drove off 19 british ships which are trying to evacuate corn wallis men. Degrasses 3,000 french troops troops,ral rochambeaus hurriedly ginned general lafayettes division as they marched to help washington trap corn wallis against the sea. They ginned the troops of general lincoln, baron von steuben, henry knox and nonpeter mulenberg, all together 17,000 french and american troops sur rounded corn wallis and on october 19, 1781, he surrendered. Yale president ezra styles quote, who 1783, but god, and think we way, yale president , Yale University president , for those who are shocked that yale had such a strident christian leader, but actually originally harvard and yale you couldnt even get in unless you swore that jesus was your lord and savior in very stark terms, but the Yale University president , ezra styles, 1783, says, quote, who but god could have ordained the critical arrival of the galic or french fleet, so as to assist in the siege of yorktown . Should we not ascribe to a supreme energy, supreme capitalized, the wise generalship displayed by general green leaving the roving corn wallis to pursue his helterskelter, ill fated march into virginia . It is god who had raised up for us a powerful ally, a chosen army, and a naval force who sent us a rochambeau, a to fight sidebyside with washington. In the battle of yorktown. To defuse the general joy diffuse the general joy through every breast the general orders, and this is from George Washington. George washington wrote this his was one of his orders. To diffuse the general joy through every breast, the general orders, these were his orders, im quoting from washington, Divine Service is to be performed tomorrow in the several brigades. The command for the chief earnestly recommends troops not on duty should universally attend with that gratitude of heart which the recognition of such astonishing interposition of providence, of course providence is capitalized, demands. Then the next year, on october 11, this is what congress passed. Congress said, it being the indispensable duty of all nations to offer up their supplications to almighty god, the United States and Congress Assembled do hereby recommend it to the inhabitants of these states in general to observe the last thursday of november next as a tai of solemn thanksgiving to god for his mercies. September 3, 1783, the revolutionary war was officially ended with the treaty of paris, signed by ben franklin, john adams, john jay, and david hartley. And i was surprised, going through the state department with my wife and my pastor, david dykes and his wife, cindy, we were going through and there was a copy, original copy of the treaty of paris. And i looked at the big letters that started it and i was shocked. I said, you know, it start did you know it started that way . David is quit a historian himself, written a lot of great books, but he didnt know it started. But then it made sense. If youre going to get the british to sign a document swearing that the United States has the right to be free and independent of the most powerful country in the world, the most powerful army, most powerful navy, which is why i agree with washington, the grace of god, we were able to defeat without the grace of god there is no defeat, we are not an independent country so what do you start that with to make the british swear under that would be something they would not want to break the oath to . And this is how it starts. These were the big letters, huge print, in the name of the most , thennd undivided trinity smaller letters for the rest of the document, it having pleased the divine providence, or god, to dispose the hearts of the ost serene and most potent Prince George iii by the grace of god in Great Britain and of the United States of america to forget all past misunderstandings and differences. Anyway, it was signed at paris, this third day of september, in the year of our lord, 1783. And of course our constitution is dated the same way, in the ear of our lord, 1,7 7. 1,787. Those were founders. Those were things that got us started. A i, mr. Speaker, recognize riend here, my friend jody arrington, also a fellow texan, would like to yield to for such time heas may use. Mr. Arington i want to thank the distinguished gentleman from texas and my new friend and helped me make my transition into this great body and he tells me that all freshmen members come in and have big wins like tax reform and these big tremendous wins, not for the Republican Party but for the American People and im so proud to have been part of that, im proud to call mr. Gohmert my friend. Mr. Speaker, today i rise to celebrate the Gordon County coyotes hardfought victory over jonesboro in the 1a sixman football championship. This was their seventh state championship apeernts, fifth state championship win and the second year in a row these two teams faced off in the sixman state championship game. Going into the championship game, only six opposing teams had scored against the coyotes all year long. They boast the best sixman defense in the state, have been named the best sixman team in the nation, and are ranked number one in the class 1a division rankings. With the discipline and determination they showed all season long, this team turned a twopoint lead at halftime into a 6022 win in the state championship. Now i want to commend both teams on their tremendous success and sportsmanship and congratulate especially coach richie on preparing our coyotes to achieve a perfect season. I would be remiss if i did not thank the parents and the teachers the administrator and the fans who were always there throughout this season to ensure he coyotes always gave their Borden County best. Theres nothing Like High School football in west texas. Go coyotes, go west texas. Mr. Speaker, i rise to wish a happy birthday, 80 years, to a dear friend, a lubbock native, and a legend at texas tech, dr. Bill dean. Dr. Dean is has always been a leader and has always had a Servant Heart when it comes to serving his community and the Campus Community at texas tech. I dont know anyone that loves Texas Tech University and the students at texas tech like bill dean. He was elected to the student body presidency when he was a student at tech hsm egot three degrees. Nd became a professor and an associate dean and ultimately in his current role serves as c. E. O. To Texas Tech University alumni association. He was named the best teacher nine times by his students. Dr. Dean, you are the very best and you represent the very best of west texas. And red raider nation. And i want to say blessings to you and i hope you have many, many more years on that College Campus because you have had an amazing impact on thousands of the lives of young people who come through that university. Like me. Thank you for your commitment, thank you for your service and your leadership, and god bless you and peggy, guns up. Yield back. Mr. Gohmert always happy to share time with my friend from west texas. We are on opposite sides of the state but same side of the heart, caring for this country. Weve got a lot to be thankful for in this country and im thankful that were going to have 11 months for people to realize that all the gloom and doom that was preached in this room about what the tax bill was ing to do, the tax cuts, the reforms, wasnt made as simple as i would hope, just a flat tax across the board, but there will be more people who dont pay tax and most everybody should pay ess tax. Its just amazing the things that have been said, you know, one person even said this is the worst bill ever the tax bill, when i think, wow, i would have thought those bills that were really punishing slaves and allowing the continuance of slavery, those might have been, well in my opinion, just nowhere near the same category, but according to at least one source here across the aisle, this tax bill was worse than all of those, the worst bill ever. But people are going to have 11 months to see that even though the stock market was doing better, people werent really doing better. Incomes had been pretty well flatlined. And i think theres going to be a great deal to be grateful for. Now its not just going to be the stock market going up. Its going to be americans having more money in their own pockets, there are going to be more job, there are going to be people making more than they have in the past. Therell be a chance for many in this upcoming generation to experience what many of us did coming out of school, but most of them havent, and thats having multiple firms, companies, employers, wanting them. Its just going to be a new experience for so many. And i hope when it happens they will do as our funders did and know where to give the proper credit. John adams, fall of 1798, to the officers of the first brigade, he was president at the time, having succeeded washington, president adams said we have no Government Armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morblity an religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge, gallantry, would break the strongest cords of our constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is holy it is wholly inadequate to the government of any other. Of course john adams on december 25, what we call Christmas Day, in 1813, wrote to what was his new friend, they had been friends, then when jefferson had been greatly unfair in the election, defeated adams, they had nothing to do with each other for many years, and then benjamin at benjamin rushs recommendation, adams wrote to Thomas Jefferson and they rekindled a great friendship. December 25, 1813, former president john adams wrote to former president Thomas Jefferson and said, i have examined all religions as well as my narrow sphere, my straightened means, and my busy life would allow. And the result is that the bible is the best book in the world. It contains more philosophy than all the libraries i have seen. Thomas Thomas Jefferson, this is inscribed in his monument. Mr. Speaker, i share this as we go leave session, the last time before christmas, because i find so many people get upset when we mention god or the bible here in congress, when actually thats the most oft cited thing in our whole history of congress. So people have been miseducated. This is a one chance to thank god, mr. Speaker, and help people realize how we came to be as were. Thomas jefferson said the god who gave us life gave us liberty. Can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people, that these liberties are a gift of god. And god is capitalized. That they are not to be violated, but with his, capital h, wrath, indeed i tremble for my country when i reflect that god is just, that its justice cannot sleep forever. Mr. Speaker, this was a time when people had turned from god, and it was scaring jefferson because he knew, as adams did, if we were not a religious and moral people, the constitution would cease to serve the needed purpose. Madison has such great pronouncements. As madison himself said in 1815, no people ought to feel greater obligations to celebrate the goodness of the great disposer of events, capitalized, and of the destiny, capitalized, of nations than the people of the United States to the same divine author of every good and perfect gift, capitalized. Were indebted for all those privileges and advantages, religious as well as civil, which are so richly enjoyed in this favored land. He also referred to our heavenly benefactor. Monroe, same type of messages. John quincy adams, he wrote his son, 1811, so great is my veneration for the bible and so strong my belief that when duel read and meditated on, it is of all books in the world that which contributes most to make men good, wise, and happy. That the earlier my children begin to read it, the more steadily they pursue the practice of reading it throughout their lives, the more lively and confident will be my hopes that they will prove useful citizens of their country and respectable members f society. Abraham lincoln said this, and it was official. This was his proclamation. Those that think its inappropriate for government to say these things, this was Abraham Lincoln who knew where in our hopes lie. Lincoln said in his official proclamation, its the duty of nations as well as of men to own their own dependence upon the overruling power of god. To confess their sins and transgressions in humble sorrow yet with assured hope that genuine rependence will lead to mercy, and mercy and pardon and to recognize the sublime truth announced in the holy scriptures and proven by all history that those nations are only blessed whose god is the ord. N his second inaugural, just 45 days before he was struck down by assassins bullet, Abraham Lincoln was trying to make sense of such a bloody, the north between and south and its inscribed on o the inside wall of the Lincoln Memorial on the north side. Thank god, the literal, thank g no one has required that those beautiful words be removed. But hes trying to reconcile how there could be something so bloody and awful if there were a good and just god. Obviously he had done a lot of theological wrestling with that issue, and in talking about the north and south, Abraham Lincoln said, north and south, read the same bible. Both pray to the same god. The prayers of both could not be answered. The prayers of neither have been fully answered. That of neither has never been answered fully. The almighty has his own purpose, but then he quotes scripture. Woe unto the world because of offenses. He continues on, yet if god will, that it continue until all the wealth piled by the bondsmans 250 years of unrequited toil shall be sunk and every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword as was said 3,000 years ago, so it must be said. Again quoting the bible, quote the judgments of the lord are true and righteous all ogether. All president s have these type of proclamations. Proclamation Grover Cleveland had in november, 1885, official u. S. Government proclamation proclamation the American People have always, he abundant cause to be thankful to almighty god whose watchful care and guiding hand have been manifested in every stage of their national life. Guarding and protecting them in time of peril and safely leading them in the hour of darkness and of danger. It is fitting and proper that a nation thus favored should on one day every year for that purpose equally appointed publicly acknowledge the goodness of god and return thanks to him, capitalized him, for all his, capitalize h, racious gifts. Oving to franklin roosevelt. Franklin roosevelt delivered just hristmas eve message weeks after we were attacked at pearl harbor. Said, roosevelt sincere and faithful men and women, for asking themselves this christmas, how can we light our trees . Said, how can we give our gifts . How can we meet and worship with love and uplifted spirit and heart in a world at war, a world of fighting and suffering and death . How can we pause even for a day , even for Christmas Day, in our urgent labor of arming a decent humanity against the enemies which beset it. How can we put the world aside as men and women put the world aside in peaceful years to ejoice in the birth of christ . Franklin roosevelt went on to say, looking into the days to come, i have setaside a day of prayer and in that rock la mation i have said, quote, the year, 1941, has brought upon our nation a war of aggression by powers dominated by arrogant rulers whose selfish purpose is to destroy free institutions. They would thereby take from the freedom loving peoples of the earth the hardwon liberties gained over many centuries. For w year of 1942 calls the courage. Our strength as the strength of all men everywhere is of greater avail as god upholds us. Therefore i, franklin roosevelt, do hereby appoint the first day of the year of 1942 as a day of prayer of asking forgiveness for our shortcomings of the past, of consequence craigs to the task of the present consequence craigs consecration of the task of the present. We need his guidance in spirit but strong in the conviction of right a steadfast to endure sacrifice, and brave to achieve a victory of liberty and peace. Our strongest weapon in this war is that conviction of the dignity and brotherhood of man which Christmas Day signifies. Against enemies who preached the principles of hate and practice them, we set our faith in human love and in gods care for us and all men everywhere. He had so many beautiful, beautiful messages. One ended like this. It is significant that tomorrow, Christmas Day, our plants and factories will be stilled. That is not true of the other holidays we have long been accustomed to celebrate. On all other holidays work goes on gladly for the winning of the war. So christmas becomes the only holiday in all the year, i like to think this is because. Hristmas is a holy day may all it stands for live and. Row throughout the years harry truman, that seceded him after his death, finished one his christmas proclamations this way. Our thoughts and aspirations in the hopes of future years turn to a little town in the hills of judea where the winters night 2000 years ago the prophecy of isaiah was fulfilled, shepherds keeping watch by night over their flock heard the glad tidings of great joy. Angels of the lord angels of t singing, glory to god in the highest and on earth, peace good will toward men. This is the president of the United States official proclamation. Government proclamation. Truman said, the message of bethlehem best sums up our hopes tonight. If we as a nation and the other nations of the world will accept it, the star of faith will guide us into the place of peace as it did the shepherds on that day of christs birth so long ago. We shall find strength and courage at this christmastime because so brave a beginning has been made. So with faith and courage we should work to hasten the day when the sword is replaced by the plow share and nations do not learn war anymore. Selfishness and greed, individual or national, cause most of our troubles. He whose birth we celebrate was the words greatest teacher. Worlds greatest teacher. He said therefore all things whatsoever you would that men would do to you, do ye even so to them. For this is the law and this is the prophets. Through all the century since he, jesus spoke, history has vindicated his teaching. Andn this great country of ours has been demonstrated the fundamental unity of christianity and democracy. Under our heritage of freedom for everyone on equal terms, we also share the responsibilities of government. Our support of individual freedom, free speech, free schools, free press, and a free conscience transcends all of our differences. Although we may not hope for a new heaven and a new earth in our day and generation, we may strive with undaunted faste and courage, to achieve in the present some measure of that unity with which the nations sons and the sons of our allies went forth into war. We had this glorious land not because of a particular religious, not because our ancestors sailed from a particular port, we have a unique National Heritage because of a common aspiration be free and because our purpose to achieve for ourselves, for our children the good things of. Fe which the christ declared he came to give to all mankind. We may have started toward good peace in the world. Ahead lies a larger task of making the peace secured. Employee agrees we made gives hopes that in the beginning year we make the goal. May 1947 entitled us as the benediction of the master. Master capitalized, talking about jesus. He quotes jesus, blessed are the peace makers or they shall be called the children of god, unquote. Truman goes on, because of what we have achieved for peace, because of all the promise our uture holds, i say to all my countrymen, merry christmas. Merry christmas, and may god bless you all. Just want to conclude, mr. Peaker, with this best message. Ronald reagan, 1988, christmas message. This is his official message. He said, the themes of christmas and of coming home for the holidays have long been intertwined in song and story. There is a profind irony and lesson in this because christmas celebrates the coming of his savior who is born without a home. There was no room at the inn for the holy family. Young mary chose young mary close to childbirth and her carpenter husband joseph found the shelter of a stable. There born the king of kings, the prince of peace and which history would turn. Jesus would again be without home and more than once on the flight to egypt during his Public Ministry when he said, the foxes have holes and the irds have the air, they have nests but the man has nowhere to lay his head. Reagan goes on from his infancy, our redeemer was reminding us that from then on we would never lack a home in him. Like the shepherds to whom the angel of the lord appeared on the first Christmas Day, we could always say let us now go even into bethlehem and see this thing which has come to pass. Which the lord hath may known onto us. As we come home to family and friends with gladness this christmas, let us also remember our neighbors who cannot go home themselves. Our compassion and concern this christmas and with all year long will mean much to the hospitalized, the homeless, the orphanned and come to the joyce and peace of bethlehem and the child christ. For it is only in finding and living the eternal meaning of the nativity that we can be truly happy, truly at peace, truly home. Merry christmas, and god bless you. Official proclamation of the United States government by the president of the United States. Words well to remember. With that, mr. Speaker, i yield back. The speaker pro tempore does the gentleman have a motion . Mr. Gohmert i move we do now hereby adjourn for christmas and new year. The speaker pro tempore the question is on the motion to adjourn. Those in favor say aye. Those opposed, no. The ayes have it. The motion is adopted. Accordingly, the house stands adjourned until 2 00 p. M. With that, the house has finished work until the new year. There is no legislative is this expected tomorrow at a proformer session. Mr. Spazzed disaster aid for members passed disaster aid for hurricanes and wildfires today. The vote was 231188. Time ago, the Senate Passed the government funding bill to avoid a Government Shutdown tomorrow night when spending would have expired. It now goes to President Trump for his signature. 2017,these last votes of members of the house left the capital for the holidays. [indiscernible] chatter]nible
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