Hello everyone this is the day the lord has made a lets rejoice and be glad. [applause] good morning. Welcome to the dedication of the museum of the bible the first worldclass museum in the history of a the world what a blessing to have you here. You will hear from wonderful people today making History Today is rededicate this museum in the of washington d. C. Area and also as the worlds museum. So as you can see we are located in the world stage theater we are coasting amazing grace. They are here with the second performance last night and will perform a limited engagement get your tickets go on line to the museum of the bible. [laughter] our mission as educational Innovative Institute our purpose is to invite all people to engage in this wonderful work recall the bible the history and its narrative and impact those are the three things you will see throughout the museum and it continues to lift up the people with those grand opening events before we created a new exhibit were policy or procedure we ask those questions every day. Well lift up the bible and lift up people . We are nonsectarian and in the tradition so we want to honor all of them and present gods word will speak for itself so the museum has been developed with three engagement elements of biblical scholarship everything you will see for accuracy and authenticity and also those exhibits are interactive if you have not seen already also engaging of program with community are reached to this Wonderful Community as well to the rest of the world. As a Nonprofit Museum of course, donations are accepted but were very pleased about that so now sit back and enjoy this history making yvette. [applause] ladies and gentleman give a welcome to the greatest gospel singer of all time the tenth time grammy award winner. [applause] good morning i did not know that. [laughter] this is an amazing place of gods amazing grace. Here we go. [applause] ladies and gentlemen be will receive the of blessings from leaders and scholars. Archbishop washington, chief chaplains of the United States navy in president of the rabbinic cabinet of the Jewish Federation of north america. My dear sisters and brothers first is to read of message that comes from the blessing and opening of a the museum of the bible from pope francis. His holiness with readings and prayerful best wishes that of gathered in washington with the inauguration of the museum of the bible. And with that constitution with an extensive collection and exhibits to promote a better understanding not only of the rich and complex history but also the enduring power with every time and place where all many others would be introduced into the chapter of this prayerful history. So with those dollars of various traditions and with cooperation to communicate the bibles teaching is. And call to shaping of our world with all associated with the museum of the bible and the participants of the opening ceremonies a blessing of wisdom and this message is signed by the secretary of state. I was also asked to make a comment in a prayer that the comment is to take the form of something that we see. I had an opportunity to work bin number of years ago in the vatican and. But as a part of that there is a facsimile end a couple of weeks ago when we visited mr. Summers and mario were kind enough to show us around we went into the river there were many exhibits i was reminded of our shared gaffes of this facsimile. Let us now pause and pray. Good and gracious father, as we come together today we ask your blessing on this museum of the bible and on all who make this day possible, the benefactors, the staff, the volunteers, as well as the board of directors and everyone was commitment is manifest here as the museum is dedicated and officially opens its doors to one and all. We ask that you bless all of those who visit the museum and that their ears, hearts and minds will be open to the good news that pours forth from the pages of the holy bible. May your word renew our faith and give us the confidence to share it with others as we strive to be a sign of your love and your mercy with the whole human race. This we pray in your most holy name, amen. Since 2003 perry black has opened our countrys Senate Deliberations with prayer and provided counseling and spiritual guidance for senators, their family and staff. Over his career as deputy chief of Navy Chaplains he has provided ministry to the chief of naval operations, secretaries of the navy and fence and commandant of the marine corps and coast guard. Please Welcome Senate chaplain perry black. [applause] ladies and gentlemen please welcome admiral. [applause] one would never want to follow chaplain perry black. [laughter] i will be important enough to proceed perry black. [applause] would you pay with me . Almighty and eternal god, we humbly ask your boundless presence here this morning, that you would bless the efforts and aspirations of all those who have labored to bring us to this day. We ask that you would follow this moment, open these doors to reveal how alive and active your word has been throughout the centuries, how sharply it has pierced through the competing voices of culture and power to reveal its own authority. How an eminently in his divided soul and spirit to influence the thoughts and attitudes of countless hearts of all ages. Breathe your gracious spirit into the displays of art, literature and history. It may these collections painstakingly collected and preserved serve to the be useful for the instruction, wise in their correction of misunderstanding and effective in their revelation of the righteousness of the faithful you called and equipped to share its good news. For this light that you have shed on the paths of history we are eternally grateful and on this museum we pray your sustaining grace. It is in the strength of your name we pray, amen. Standing here in this beautiful new facility on this day of dedication, standing as representative of the people of the book, i cannot help say thank you for this museum. You for this wonderful gift and how appropriate to use that terminology for what we call the bible a gift. We speak of [inaudible], the gift of [inaudible] in this museum which is dedicated to the book which has had such a Lasting Impact on the world tells in a creative and imaginative way the story of the book, of the book that tells the story of the wanderings of a nomadic people, the history of a motley crew, a motley group of slaves who dare to challenge the supreme power of its era, who dare to go against the prevailing notion of the time and the belief in one god. It is the book that tells the story of israels encounter with the divine and what it is that god asks of us. For as the prophet micah talked what the lord require of you, only to do justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with by god. The bible indeed is unique work of literature with laws and legislation, morals and ethics, philosophy of poetry, even love poetry, as well as the inspiring idealism imparted by the prophets, imploring us to implement their clarion call for justice for all. The bible demands of us that we create a world where all will be treated with respect and dignity for in its opening passage we are told we are all created but [inaudible] in the image of god. Throughout the ages our people have studied the bible, pouring over its word and analyzing every veteran in search and nuance and meaning because it is treated as the word of god and is therefore the foundational sacred text of our heritage. To interpretation the book comes alive and remains relative and everchanging and in fact, as soon as we complete the annual cycle of reading material on holiday known as [inaudible] we began to renew the reading because we seek to clean from gods eternal message to us. The story is told about a rabbi who once was asked why is it that when you pray you do it so quickly but when you read the bible you take your time and it takes a long. Periodparagraph i replied that is because when i pray i am speaking to god and god has the prayers of a lot of people to listen to so i dont want to take up too much of his time. But when i read the bible he said god is speaking to me and so i must do it slowly so i can hear every word and understand what it is that god asks of me. My bible teacher once said there are those who say the bible is holy and that is why it is great and there are those who say the bible is great and that is why it is holy. Regardless, it is clear that it is great and it is holy. For are there any passengers or word more uplifting than love your neighbor as yourself. Do not stand idly by the blood of your neighbor, justice, justice shall you pursue. In the beginning, god. Am i my brothers keeper . Though i walk through the valley of the shadow of death i will fear no evil for thou art with me. You shall be holy because i, the lord your god is holy. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation neither shall they learn war anymore. There is a time for everything under the heavens. A man once asked rabbi thousands of years ago to sum up the essence of [inaudible] and while standing on 1 foot and after giving its concise answer he said the rest is commentary, go and study. So, dear friends, may this be a place where people from all over the world will come to study. May people come here to grow and be inspired. May we take to heart the word of the prophet isaiah in the days to come the mountain of the lord house sold stand firm about the mountain and shall tower above the hills and all the nations shall gain gaze upon it with joy. Many people so they come, let us go up to the mountain of the lord, to the house of the god of jacob so that he may teach us of his ways so that we may walk in his path for out of zion shall come forth the law and the word of the lord from jerusalem. We pray me the word of god emanate from this place, as well, we pray that may also come here may grow and be inspired by the eternal truths and messages that are found in this book so that its words are not just proclaimed is great but so that men and women shall strive to live by teachings and bring it into their daily life and let us say, amen. Ladies and gentlemen, please Welcome Senate chaplain perry black. [applause] praise the lord. To paraphrase cc winans i did not know that margaret wanted to follow me after i gave a presentation. This is my walter mitty moment. I have been the chaplain of the senate for nearly 15 years and ive had the opportunity to have some amazing moments, spend time with the dalai lama, shake hands with the pope, the first ones to show shake hands with him when he entered the capital and offer an indication at the funeral of Ronald Reagan and the funeral of gerald ford. Prayed a prayer when rosa parks was lying in honor in the Capitol Rotunda with president george w. Bush standing next to me and he did not even have a speaking part so this is but this is the walter mitty moment and the museum of the bible is god rewarding me for my faithfulness on capitol hill. You need to know that is why this building is here. Praise god. [applause] walking distance from my office and it is a museum that celebrates the thing that i am most passionate about in my life because the word of god has enabled me to live on the cutting edge. The word of god is powerful. Hebrews four twelve says it is quick and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing the dividing asunder of bone and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the human heart. That is why the rabbi credit so slowly. It searches you more than you search it. It is a treasure for me. I pray the scriptures and our a day because i love to hear the voices of god reverberating in the corridors of my spirit. It has taught me it is possible to live on the cutting edge. We are facing challenging times. When people start using Motor Vehicles as weapons of mass destruction, when people defile the sanctity of the house of worship with automatic weapons we are living in challenging times. In ephesians six reminds us that there is the element of the demonic in our world. We wrestle not against flesh and blood but against polities, powers, the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Ephesians six is put on the whole armor and there is only one offense of weapon in that armor. You got the helmet of salvation, the shield of faith, shoes, shots the preparation of the gospel of peace, but i love the sword of the spirit and that is what this museum celebrates, the sword of the spirit which is the word of god. That is cutting edge again. I discovered that the bible is three things it is powerful, convicting and it is effective. I discovered it was powerful when i was in south america. I was a student missionary and we went to prison for capital felons, in the jungles of peru, and i was seated between two serial killers. One guy had told me he had murdered the members of his family and i remember and it was the most uncomfortable worship experience i had ever had. There was the Mission Director declaring the word of god and there i was seated between him and he mustve seen my discomfort because he said and now barry will come and sing the hymn of invitation. I was not even a singing evangelist but i leapt up and iran to the front. I started singing and i didnt think anything of it but just singing. [speaking in native tongue] i wandered far away from god and now im coming home. [speaking in native tongue] fell and started coming down to accept my lord and we baptized about 40 prisoners that very night because the word of god is powerful. Then i learned the word of god was convicting when i arrived in college in alabama i didnt have much money and the students were on strike about 1500 students. My mother, who would give in my siblings and me a monetary incentive for knowing the word of god, had inoculated me against all kinds of challenges and although the student said this was horrible food, acts four sixteen, left to my mind strive to have a conscious void of offense toward god and humanity. I had to ask myself a boy from the hood who is used to eating welfare cheese is this the worst food youve ever had . [laughter] and my conscience said no. So, two of 1500 students cross the picket line and i lost a girlfriend from georgia because i did that. What i did not know that god was setting things up and not long after that the faculty got together to select the First Student missionary from that school and i did not realize that there was a full scholarship attached to the one who was selected and so asked 24 sixteen paid my way through college because of the convicting power of the word of god. Finally, i learned that the word of god is effective. I must confess senator langford, when i entered the ministry pastoring a church is simultaneously my biggest fear was that i would not be able to baptize anybody. I was depending upon my training to bring about souls coming to the lord and when i got up and simply preached the word of god things began to happen because second timothy three says the word of god is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness that the people of god may be completely equipped for every good work. I remember waiting to exhale and i was waiting to dip that we do in my tradition, we called it the watery grave of baptism to dip in the watery grave of baptism and when it happened i knew that in spite of my ineptitude this book was a weapon that could enable me to live on the cutting edge. In alabama, i use to end every television at the end when the television would go off they would quote high flight. I use to think when they would quote high flight from first thessalonians four sixteen and the lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout with the voice of the archangel and the god and i always imagined that as the day when i will meet the word made flesh. Jesus of nazareth said in john five thirtynine, search the scriptures for in them you thank you have eternal life and these are they that testify. So, one day i will slip the surly bonds of earth, danced the skies on laughters silver wings, joined the tumbling mirth of tongue split clouds and do a hundred things we have not dreamed of. Soar high in the sky, hovering there i will chase the shouting wins along and fling through the optic, the scriptable, putting on immortality throughput calls and up the long delirious burning blue, we will top the windswept heights with easy grace where never lark or eagle even eagle flu and what a day it will be when on a sea of glass we will be beyond the sphere and can say with the poet we will be able to put out our hands in touch the face of god. God bless you. [applause] welcome on the newer, author, elevator and our lifelong student of the word, the president of museum of the bible, carrie summers. [applause] now i have to follow very black. [laughter] i told him several months ago i would never do that again and here i am. Thank you for being here this morning. Today the museum takes its place among one of the newest and brightest stars in the galaxy in the museum world and we are incredibly fortunate that it is here in washington dc. I made the statement several times that the corporation that was received in washington dc among the various committees and agencies that function within the district but also the federal committees that we had to work through and its one of the most experiences weve had. Its amazing cooperation, sometimes washington dc does not get that accolade but i can testify that for us it was just fantastic. News media, print that, if you would. [laughter] we are in this moment right now of dedication and sometimes it is nice to stay in the moment but just for a second and gives us a chance to reflect back on the long journey that is taken to get here, the challenges and the boundaries that we pushed this museum create new partnerships and to build a museum that is unlike any other in the world. One news article said that it may have redefined museums in the future, not sure if that is true or not but certainly i think there are things that weve done that other museums can benefit from and id be more than happy to share that with others. We also take a moment to thank the people put this together. We have an Amazing Construction Company and smith group and our Architect Firm and the many, many other contractors it took to assemble all of this. As we said last night that alter that 5000 people touched this job and the people who pour the concrete to the people who are still here holding all the duct tape together as we talk. But it also deals with the skilled artisans and all the people outside and that was another 3000 people and in total 8000 people have touched this and id also like to thank to all of you, many of you have offered your Financial Support to make this possible and the legions who have offered their prayers and invested their hope and belief in the state. I know many want the church in particular when this property was purchased it started Walking Around praying around his property every month and still today. That is an amazing commitment and many of you have similar commitments in other areas with this museum. We are standing on the side of it was an old refrigerator warehouse and for some of you who dont know the history it was built in 1923 in the first icehouse in washington dc. We have transformed this building into what you see it today and in the years leading up to this moment we have been asked many times why did you undertake this challenge and why did you under to take this building . If you notice outside it has nine different types of bricks. Its a Historical Building and we wrestled with the fact that should we take all the brick down and start over which was really impossible with the preservation rules to deal with the building but maybe we could take a few down and then we started that and we finally said, you know what . This is we are. Look at it. Its been here 100 years and its composed of different color bricks from all eras and today its as strong as it ever was 100 years ago. I thought, wow, what a tribute to the bible and were trying to do here. We have all these different faith traditions that have been involved with us and we hope this building will have that kind of impact for generations to come, just like the old brick building itself did for so many years. So when people ask why now and what is your objective with this and it is rather simple. We created this museum to help our guests understand and appreciate the role of the bible, not only in america but globally. That is it. Its to engage people in the bible so they too can enjoy and understand better what this amazing book is done. We have no other agenda. I truly believe that the museum will be an experience for the matter who you are, the matter what age you are and no matter what the background you are it will be an immersive educational, exciting experience and the use of our cuttingedge technology that we think will have the years spanned the tide for many years on what you see today and the space that weve put it in will continue to impact peoples lives way, way beyond our own lives. Today we are not only opening this museum but its our hope that were opening the heart in the minds and the visitors to learn the story, the greatest story ever told, the story of the bible through the contributions of more than 100 academic and archaeology in theology and cultural scholars from all different faiths. This museum is your museum and someone says what will you do with your museum its not our museum, its your museum. One each of you to take advantage of that. The worst thing to do is to build a museum and no one comes. Tell your friends about it. We built it in a way that hopefully it is something that you feel good in any walk around in and wow, this feels good. That is what we wanted to be. We want it to be a place where people can sit in a coffee shop and go up to a restaurant and pop into one of the exhibits and walk away and just feel good, that is what the bible is all about. Thank you. [applause] museum of the bible is taking its place among the great monuments and museums of washington dc. People come from all corners of the globe to experience the richness of history and culture. It is a right place for this museum to be in the museum is fortunate to have been able to work with the gracious and helpful hosts. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the mayor of washington dc. [applause] good morning everyone. I am delighted to be here and to welcome you and to congratulate everyone involved on the opening of the museum of the bible. I bring greetings from the 680,000 washingtonians will also be able to enjoy this magnificent building and museum. I was struck by what the chaplain said earlier and he said that he thought this museum was gods gift to him. What i thought as he was speaking is that the word of god and everyone can express it and bring those worlds alive, like the chaplain did so well, is gods gift to all of us. Let me again just say how much it is appropriate that in the Nations Capital where we have soaring museums and monuments and where people visit us from around the world that the museum of the bible would be built here. We are experiencing in our city and tested growth and part of that growth is international and domestic visitations that goes up and up each and every year. I have been able to go to cities around the world and talk about all the new destinations and offerings in washington dc. I look forward to being able to talk about the museum of the bible as well. Visitors to our city come from all walks of life and all faith traditions and in the world and for them to be able to experience the wonderful journey through the bible is just a wonderful addition to the landscape of washington dc. Let me congratulate tony and thank you carrie for that wonderful endorsement of working with local governments. We appreciate it and we want to send the word out to everyone that business has come to washington dc and we get things done working handinhand with all of our friends in the private and philanthropic community. Once again, congratulations. House brought up of arc of the world. Ladies and gentlemen, which a fw centers earlier joshua had led the children battles he hopes make jerusalem situated between north and south, capital that could unite the 12 tribes. But david knew that jerusalem could not serve as the national and Spiritual Center of the nation without the bible at its core. So he brought the arc into jerusalem, and he rejoiced before it. He placed it at the top of mount mariah where abrahams hand had been stayed fromming a have i facing isaac and where the two temples would later stand for near lay thousand years. When those temples stood, the jew wish people made a pilgrimage to jerusalem three times a year. To celebrate our holidays to worship god, and to hear the bible read. And they left the city with renewed commitment to the values our people have always held sacred and the moral life that demands. Today nearly two and a half centuries after americas founding, we are gathered to celebrate the arrival of the bible in your capitol. I do not know if anyone here will be dancing or blowing a but someone should. Because just as the bible has always been the most prized possession of the jewish people, the bible has always been cherished by the american people. The towering figures that our memorialized with monuments in the great city surly testify to that. President washington proclaimed it was the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of almighty god and reportedly said that it is impossible to rightly govern the World Without god and the bible. Jefferson said that the bible is the source of liberty, and that it study would make men better citizens, better fathers, and better husbands. Lincoln called the bible the best gift god has begin man, and advised to take as much of that grave book upon reason that you can, and the balance by faith, so that you will live and die a better man. And in the greatest speech ever given in this city, a modern day prophet quoted an ancient one, when dr. King said that he sacred struggle would not end until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like a mighty string. But nation has honored be bible with more than the worlds of its greatest leaders. It has honored it through its most sacred values and highest ideals. As the son of america, i know that the idea that all are created equal, that this is a nation of laws and not men, and that you welcome in the tired, poor, and huddled masses yearning to be free. That is the very essence of america, but those ideas inscribed in your founding documents and etched on your iconic statutes, are not nearly the values of america. They are very values of the bible. There is a more fundmental expression of eye quality than the biblical verse that all are created in the image of god. Is there a more powerful example that no man is above the law than the prophet nathans rebuke of king david . There is a more profound conception of social justice than the simple biblical commandments to care for the widow and the orphan, the poor and the stranger. Ladies and gentlemen, it whereas those values that king david was celebrating when he danced 3,000 years ago. It was those values that preserved my people in our long march through a dark exile and those values that gave us the strength to turn tragedy into triumph, restore our sovereignty and rebuild jerusalem, the original d. C. , davids capitol. So let us all rejoice in the bible that is now come to the heart of your d. C. True it is housed in a museum and not a temple, but here, too, people will come from across your country and across the world to celebrate holidays, to worship god, and to discover and rediscover the bible, and they may leave here with the renewed commit to its values and the moral life it demands. Main the bible continue to protect and guide america as it is protected and guided israel. May it you identity now people as much as is has united mine. And may give this nation the strength to continue to lead the world for generations and generations to come. [applause] it is our privilege to introduce israeli minister of tourism, yarib levine, who brings a message of friendship and community from Prime Minister netanyahu, to commemorate the museums opening and the artifacts exhibit. Please welcome, minister leavine. Good morning, really what a day. Congratulations. It is a great honor to attend the dedication of the museum of the bible, which will display so much of the richness of the bible. Its religious, cultural and archaeological significance. The government is israel is proud to partner with the museum in this very Important Initiative by opening here the first and only permanent exhibition of the israeli an tech quits authority outside the state of israel. I consider visiting the museum as an important part of a full experience that i hope will conclude with the visit to israel, the place where it all actually happened. There is no doubt that visiting the museum and enrich egg the knowledge about the book of books, its significant to each who visits the land of the bible. I am privileged to convey to you a special message from our Prime Minister, benjamin netanyahu, for this very, very special moment. Dear friends, i send warm greetings from jerusalem, the eternal and up divided capitol of the jewish people in the state of israel. As gather to cut the ribbon for the museum of the bible in washington, dc. The jewish people are known as the other people of the book because of the centrality of the hebrew bible in our faith, our history and our life. Our roots in the land of israel is described in the holy scriptures, stretch back nearly 4,000 years, but it was only 70 years ago, after millenia of exile that we were finally able to reconstitute our National Home at the holy land. The hebrew spoken on the street israel today is still recognize by bed the same ancient language of the torah, having been with the modern zionist movement. This impressive building and the fascinating and exceptional exhibits it contains is a fitting home for the thousands of religious texts and art facts in your remarkable collection. By featuring jewish, protestant, catholic, and other faith traditions can the Museum Highlights our shared values and beliefs, as well as the history and development of the judeochristian culture over the centuries. I wish you great success. Sincerely, benjamin netanyahu, jerusalem, israel. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, please welcome businessman, author, philanthropist and educator, steve green, the cofounder with his wife, jackie, of museum of the bible, and our visionary chairman of the board and president of hobby lobby. Ladies and gentlemen, steve green. [applause] take a deep breath. This is a journey that has been running fast for seven years, and we wanted to just take a moment and stop and celebrate and rejoice that this dream is coming true. Not just my dream or the familys dream. This is a dream of thousands of our employees, workers, over 50,000 donors. This is a dream of millions all over the world that love this book, that use it as a guide for life, and we just want to take some time and celebrate and dedicate this space to our god. Over the next many months and years, we anticipate millions of people coming through this facility, and celebrating being inspired to learn more about this book and to know it better. If we were to take time and have time with each one of this room, able to spend time with each one in this room, just to discuss your thoughts and beliefs on this book, you eventually would find differences. But everyone in this room. Because minute of us have this book figured out. Were all on a journey. We will never fully delve the depths of this book. That is an amazing part of this book. But we want to take a moment to sit our differences aside and say, here is a book that has change ordinary world, impact lives, and we want to celebrate it in this facility here today. So we are honored to have you to be part of being a part of this phenomenal building that points people to a book, book that has had such an impact on our world that its hard to describe, hard to fully grasp. There are people walking the street that have no idea to the degree this book has impacted their lived and yet it has. Hopefully they will come and see that. They will know that it has had a positive impact on their life in so many different ways. When they leave, hopefully they will be inspired to open it, to get engaged with it and to get to know it better. Let me ask you a question. Have you read your bible today . I wouldnt be doing my job if i didnt encourage you to engage with this book yourself. You can download it free. If you have a smartphone, put it on your smartphone. Pick a bible app. Pick a reading plan. Pick a language. Engage with this book. Let it have an impact in your life as it has my life or familys lives and so many people all over the world. That is ultimately what we want to do. We just want to encourage and inspire and engage and hopefully motivate people to engage with this book to let it have an impact on their life. Its my understanding i am the only thing standing between you and more of the beautiful voices cece winans, so im going to take care of that. God bless you. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, please welcome back, the great cece winans. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Im so honored and humbled to be part of this historical event and im golly proud of the green family and everyone who has about part of bridging this magnificent vision to reality. My prayer is that when people hear about this museum, and when people get a chance to experience it, they would fall in love with our heavenly father. This song is a prayer called let them fall in love. [music] note note note block god bless. [applause] please welcome back, tony zeiss. Wow, cece, thank you so much for sharing that gift with us. Were coming to the close, and i have to give some thanks to some people. Theres so many people. The first thing im going to do is with a blanket thanks, if you had anything to do with this museum, i thank you for it. You guys are wonderful. I want to thank our stage guest for your participation and i want to thank Susan Davis International and all of her staff. They were absolutely wonderful and creating and preparing for all of these events this week. Hold your applause, heave a number of these. I want to thank our Incredible Museum staff. Theyre wonderful. And tim, just ten short month wes start with two or three people and now have about 170. Well move to 190 people, plus 150 volunteers, all put together, all trained, ready and excited about opening tomorrow to the public. I want to thank our corporate staff also for help us open this extraordinary museum, thanks also to their spouses and the families who made the many sacrifices to make this day come true, including my open without, beth, who is sitting here. You can applaud her. A big shoutout to our consulting scholars, volunteers, dough sent docents, and thank again as carrie did the smith group architects, led by David Greenbaum and the construction crew and our exhibit desired including cmg part in other words, Jonathan Martin creative, brc, imagination art and coldwater media. Thank our exhibit installers and curators who came from all over the world and are partners from all over the world, who loaned exhibits to us. We awful special thank you to dan murphy and Phillip Brady and hari hard grave and jim scofield and the city of washington, dc. What a wonderful city this is, and it leaders, and its media, and our peer museum leaders. So gracious and welcoming us to the district. Were almost we must also thank our 50,000 plus members and growing. If youre not a member, theres a hint. And donors, in particular. We appreciate of course our largest donor family, the green family, led by david and barbara green. Thats worth a round of applause right there. [applause] want to thank our Corporate Board of trustees, the chair, steve green and his wildfire, jackie, thank our ceo, carrie summers for his visionary focus and his wife also, jackie. Were grateful for all of the Vice President s of the corporation and the leaders and the staff of that entire organization. Finally, give a heartfelt thanks to my cochair and all these grand opening events we put together and worked hard on, her name is linda colden, and i want to thank her and thank the committee members, also shannon bennett, sasha field. Lets give them a round of applause. Thank you so much. [applause] i want you to know that its not just people in the museum that are celebrating this dedication. We had people across the nation celebrating the dedication and many churches rang their bells at 11 17 on 11 17 in commemoration of this grand opening. Thank them, too. [applause] so now ill ask the stage party, well have a ceremonial Ribbon Cutting at the entrance down on the first floor, and then for the rest of you, you can join us if you want. Not enough room for everybody but if youre hungry, like most of us are, want the people in the theater, if you would just go to the sixth floor, one floor up to the gathering room. We have a buffet for you then for those in the overflow, we have food tables on, i believe, floors three, four and five, that youll find very convenient for you, right out of where you are at this moment. With that, thank you so much for joining us today. God bless. [applause] [inaudible conversations] the house this week passed the republican tax reform plan by a vote of 227 to 205. The finance committee in the Senate Passing their version, 1412. Were joined by politico tax and Financial Services reporter, colin wilhelm. Huh big of