[applause]. Mister president good to see you i want to tell you story about this wristband that i wear every day on it are the words of the golden rule practiced the golden rule every day as you know the golden rule is a statement made by jesus recorded in the sermon on the mount in the gospel of matthew. It is translated in various ways but goes Something Like this. Do onto others as you would have them do unto you. A while back after a local event position in my hometown of st. Petersburg, florida, someone came up and he did me one of these. I put it on and i wear every day. I do myself dash i do so to remind myself that in this world the politics that we want to treat everybody the way that we would like to be treated. I hope you all will take the sentiment with you today when you leave. Remembering how jesus wanted all of us to live fairly and compassionately. As i mentioned its been a privilege that charlie and i have enjoyed this last year to lead a weekly Prayer Breakfast of house members that meets every thursday morning and really that is how we got to do all of this. It is a private meeting we each we sing we share praises in prayer needs then one of our members shares their stories and we pray. We walk into that room as republicans and democrats people from different generations and regions and backgrounds we do come in with our differences with our strongly held views but we always walk out with a little bit more understanding and more together and more unified. We are certainly all in perfect but we are on a journey together to civility towards reconciliation towards that spirit of love that jesus shows us. That is what prayer does. And my experience a prayer is not just asking god for stuff its about a relationship with him a real relationship about listening and really listening and then trying to live out what we hear. Prayer is that language of love. So here we all are people from 50 states. Hundred 40 countries i wish i could visit every table and join your conversations. We would like to introduce those who are going to lead us through the rest of that Prayer Breakfast this morning. They will each proceed up to the podium intern but before we do that i do want to honor a few special guests who are with us today. Please join me in welcoming the president of guatemala. [applause]. Please also join me in welcoming the president of kosovo. We are also grateful to have the Prime Minister of kosovo. And finally please join me in welcoming the president of a laugh you. Latvia. I will introduce the folks on my end of the table please hold your applause until the end. First and importantly our singers wife emily thank you for being with us. In our singer matthew west. Thank you so much for your talent. He is the founder of the simon we then stall center and he named the most elemental rabbi in america. Ms. Senator james lankford. And on his other side as my colleague and friend Cedric Richmond of louisiana who is also chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus and in the louisiana section of the head table congressman Steve Scalise. Next to the person who needs no introduction who i will be privilege to introduce in a couple minutes is the speaker of our house my wonderful wife christie helprin. We are privileged to have chris coons of delaware. And host of this event last year as well. She grew up in a workingclass family and became a social worker and a lawenforcement officer and rose to become the First Female Police chief in the city of orlando. She gets a last word this morning saying our closing prayer. Thank you to the both to the service of our country. The first lady of a lawanda lawanda who is already let us in prayer. And finally a great friend of this breakfast David Beasley he was governor of South Carolina from 1991 until 95 and is now the executive director of the uns world feud food program. The largest humanitarian program in the world. [applause]. I would ask you all to please direct your attention to the side screen where there is an introduction of our next guest. The United States army major known to his friends and family was born to sir. A star in his high schools state Champion Football Team graduated in 2003 engraved on the inside of the new officers class ring was his favorite bible verse. I can do all things through christ history strength. Now lieutenant smiley was serving as a platoon leader in the northern iraqi city of musil. They noticed at specific vehicle off to the right driving slowly with its backside dragging on the ground. A tale tell sign of a car bomb. Suddenly there was a bright flash a massive explosion and has world went black. He quickly realized the terrifying reality the blast and left had left him fully blind and paralyzed on one side fear soon turned to anger in time he would regain the use of his limbs but his blindness was permanent. And bitterness became part of his new reality however the love of his wife family, and friends remained. On a trip to hawaii and in need of an escape scotty convinced a friend to take him surfing and no surprise he was a natural. Surfing turned into sky skydiving and skydiving became mountain climbing he even summitted 14,000 foot Mount Rainier he would eventually return to active duty. He retired as a major in 2015 that same year he completed the toughest competition and sports the ironman triathlon though his world was different it was not impossible. He could do all things through christ and that scotty was still scotty. Lets honor major scott smiley and his wife tiffany. [applause]. [applause]. Thank you so much. Thank you. God bless you all. Im beyond honored both my wife and i are honored and humbled to be with you this morning. I remember waking up and Walter Reed ArmyMedical Center blinded the rest of my life. Not just losing both of my eyes but also partially paralyzed on the right side of the body. I truly felt worthless. I remember saying to my dad some soldier half. He was such a soldier. I began to lose my purpose in life. I began to lose my faith in god. My beautiful bride who stood by my side every waking moment and sleeping moment i also began to question my favorite verse philippians 413 i can do all things through christ who gives me strength. The love of god and my family that enabled me to believe in that verse again. You see the versa just said i can there is no mention of eyesight i can do all things to get it christ who gives me strength. There is the purpose and resolve that i was able to become the armys first active duty blind officer. The first Blind Company commander i was able to continue my education. In becoming a true ironman. It was the love and support that i began to understand that we are not fighting in a world that is seen but a world that is unseen. And it is the faith that we have that carries us forward every moment. No matter what trials or tribulations may face us if we state the true course we can live with the purpose and live with the faith. We all can do all things through christ who gives you strength. Thank you. I will he had was in the secret place of the most high shall abide under the shadow of the almighty. I will say of the lord he is my refuge and my fortress my god in whom i will trust. Surely he shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler. And from the petulance he shall cover you with his feathers in under his wing you should take refuge. His truth shall be your shield and your butler. You should not be afraid of the terror by night nor the arrow that flies by day nor the petulance that walks in darkness. The daylight waste. A thousand may fall at your side and 10,000 at your right hand but it shall not come near you only with your eyes shall you look and see the reward of the wicked. Because you have made the lord who is my refuge even the most high your dwelling place no evil shall befall you nor shall any plague come near your dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over you to keep you in all your ways. In their hands they should bear you up. You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra. The young lion and the serpent you shall trample under foot. Because he has set his love upon me therefore i will deliver him i will set him on high because he has known my name he shall call upon me and i will answer him. I will be with him in trouble i will be delivering him and honoring him with long life i will satisfy him and show him my salvation. Please bow your head with me with thanks and glory. God we thank you for all youve given us the life, the freedom that beautiful country and help us each and every day to know your love understand that with faith we can do all things to jesus who gives us strength. Be with us to stay again we thank you for the food in the hands that prepared it and the unity that we have working together. We ask this in your son jesus christs process at holy name amen. Thank you all. [applause]. Let me begin by asking the almighty to bless our great country the United States of america our President Donald Trump into the members of congress the cabinet and all of the distinguished World Leaders that are gathered here today for this national Prayer Breakfast. The difference between prayer and prophecy came in the great h century singer thinker. And prophecy is god who initiates the call while in prayer it is always man who dials first. The other difference of cause is that unlike men gods line is never busy. In deuteronomy 30 it said the commandments i have given are not in the heavens for you to say who can ascend there but as the psalmist proclaims the heavens belong to god but the earth was given to man no human being my friends is ever consulted about when he would like to be born nor is he advised of the precise time of his death. But the great blessing of life is every man and his ability to turn the imposed faith he is born with into destiny. To convert life on alterable challenges into godgiven opportunities. A man by the name of Simon Weisenthal did exactly that. He began his career as an architect but he could not escape the horrors of the holocaust where 89 members of his family were murdered. Especially that unforgettable day when he heard that his beloved mother rosa was one of the hundreds placed on the cattle car about to be carted off to the death camp determined to see her one last time he chased after that cattle car as it left the platform shouting out her name over and over but she never heard his desperate cry as she was carted off to the bells like death camp so when the war ended and the whole world went home to forget he alone remained behind to remember he refused to live out his life as a silent spectator trapped forever by fate he picked himself up by the bootstraps and turns his faith into destiny and changed roles from being a mere observer to becoming gods partner to begin a new chapter that led tracking down more than 1,100 nazi war criminals amongst them he brought to justice the inventor of the mobile gas being in the person that arrested in frank. Switching roles from the builder of homes which he began his life to one that brought brought the justice and the killer who had destroyed homes. I will never forget what he said at the celebration of the h birthday at the Imperial Hotel in vienna. They had permanent suites there and i wanted to come here to show that his thousandyear reich is no more, but we, the jewish people, we wanted he wanted to exterminate are singing and dancing, even in hitlers favorite hotel. [applause] is this idea of turning fate into destiny is the main message of exodus chapter 2. And moses saw the bush was burning, but not consumed. So he turned aside and looked at this great sight and wondered why is the bush not consumed . And when the almighty saw moses turning toward the bush, he said, i have seen the affliction of my people, heard itsout cry, now go to the pharaoh and you shall take my people, the children of israel, out of egypt. Who am i, responds moses, that i should go to the pharaoh and take the children of israel out . Im not a man of word. Im slow of speech. Yes, replied the almighty, who has made mans mouth . Is it not i . Now, therefore, go. Still not satisfied, moses later demands of god, show my thy face, to which the almighty says, you can only see my back. My face shall never be seen. God was teaching moses, earth is your space not your creators. Its future, standing up to evil, feeding the hungry, caring for the infirm, planting the seeds for a better tomorrow for your childrens children, that is in your hands, not mine, said the creator. And so it was that moses, a humble man, with a speech impediment, accepted the task and delivers gods moral code, our capsule for survival to this very day, 3500 years later, still remains the core value of all religions and humankind. May god allow each of us to reach our fullest potential. Let us convert our faith into destiny for the betterment of mankind, amen. [applaus [applause] good morning. I am so pleased you could all join us for this remarkable breakfast of reflection, friendship, worship and fellowship. We gather today as gods children to share our experiences and our common understanding in a world that too often focuses not on the things that unite us, but on the things that divide us. In this room, we get to meet with faith leaders, with missionaries, with national leaders, with those living out gods call, that we would welcome and help the stranger, the orphan, the widow, the prisoner, the outcast, all those among us who might need our help and our heart. We represent all parts of the world and all segments of our society. Each week i am blessed to experience that same faithfilled fellowship, along with my senate colleagues, in the senate Prayer Breakfast, along with my wonderful cochair senator James Langford of oklahoma, we senators gather to pray, to sing, to worship, to witness to each other about our faith journey. It is the one time in the week in an otherwise too often divided senate when we listen to each other and trust each other, when we see each other not as opponents, but as creations of our god. We share common bond as people of faith striving to live out each day as a witness to gods justice, glory and grace. So, thank you for joining us here this morning in that same spirit. On behalf of my colleagues in the senate, welcome. Let me now offer a prayer for World Leaders. Would you please bow your heads and join me in prayer. Heavenly father, i address you as the god of no country and the god of all countries. I am astounded by the infinite variety of your creation, by the range of the human person and the thousands of ways we are collected that cultures, languages, groups and nations, tells us something about who you are, lord, that you created all of us and love all of us. My prayer this morning is for the leaders of the world. I pray for those with titles like president , Prime Minister, king, or queen, senator, congressman, mayor, governor. I pray also for those who lead in less public ways, in education, or business, and in the arts and the faith communities and in the allimportant realm of family life. Leadership was your idea, lord, in the first place, a way for us to make the most of our lives together. Lord, you gave us the image of leader, as servant and she shepherd. Inspired the leaders of our world to care for and nurture their people, to be watchful for threats and to be humble. Last, oh, lord, our world with better leaders, by helping all those who lead, to seek your wisdom and your way, jesus name i pray, amen. [applaus [applause] so it is a joy for us to be together. While i wish you could look in on it, im grateful you cant look in on our gathering, 20 or 30 of us that gather week to week democrat and republicans to be able to talk and pray and encourage each other. We begin our times with sharing prayer requests, and whats happening in our families, whats going on in our personal life, how our staff are doing, praying for them and others and our own needs. Its incredible to say to someone else, i have needs and we need to go to god and fix this. As surprising as it may sound, senator cant do everything, in fact, we havent been able to do a lot for a while. [laughter] we understand, there is someone much larger than us. We did not create the world, but we have the opportunity to stop and speak to the one who did. And to be able to say, this is what we need. Whoever is speaking that week picks a song and i am determined that some of my colleagues are trying to pick the most obscure song ive neverered of before. And if you ever want to really be vulnerable in front of a group of friends, sing together. We sing a song and one of us stands up and just shares our story, personally, what were doing in our own personal life, how were doing spiritually, what were reading in scripture, what were struggling with and how were worki working walking with god. Our time is not complicated. Its very simple. Its just us. Your time can be just like that wherever you are in the world. To gather with people that others would see as enemieses or opponents and to be able to sit down and say, lets try praying together. Charlie chris mentioned earlier the passage from the sermonal, golden rule, do onto others as we would want them to do unto us. And jesus made the statement, ask and it will be given to you. Seek and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened. We too often as leaders go do our own work and we dont stop to ask, seek, and knock. This is a Prayer Breakfast, but we would encourage you wherever you are in your workplace or in whatever legislative body or place where you serve around the world to start your own time that together you ask, seek, knock and admit together, we dont know everything, and we dont run everything, but we have the opportunity to speak to who does. Lets take one more moment to pray together. Father, our leaders need your wisdom. You have said when we lack wisdom we should ask you. And for around the world for a moment, we stop and declare again, we dont know everything. But we are so grateful to know the one who does. Give us the humility as leaders to ask, to seek, to knock, to come to you to get guidance. I pray for our president and vicepresident , that you would overwhelm them with wisdom and for his captain and his staff and leaders across the United States, whether they be in consumers, or whether they be in legislative bodies or mayors and leaders and school boards, we need your guidance. You are the one who knows the way. And today we declare, if you will guide, we will follow. Thank you, jesus for your great love for us, in your name we pray, amen. [applaus [applause] the words of jesus of nazareth, for i was hungry and you gave me food, i was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me. Then the righteous will answer him, lord, wait a minute, we see you hungry and feed you or thirsty and give you drink, and when did we see you a stranger and welcome you or naked and clothe you and when did we see you sick and in prison and visited you . And the king will answer them, truly say to you as you did it to one of the least of these, my brothers, you did it to me. And then he says, for i was hungry and you gave me no food. I was thirsty and you gave me no drink. I was a stranger and you did not welcome me naked and you did not clothe me, sick and imprisoned and you did not visit me, then they also will answer, lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick imprisoned, and did know the not minister to you and he would answer them, truly say to you as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me. 815 Million People in the world today go to bed hungry. 110 Million People around the world go to bed not knowing where their next meal is on the brink of starvation. Every five seconds, as we sit here in this room, a child is dying of starvation. And yet, theres 300 trillion dollars of available wealth in the world today. Should one child go to bed hungry . But this breakfast is not about preaching or politics, and even though this world is facing the worst humanitarian crisis since world war ii and four countries on the brink of famine, the leadership of the United States and the men and the women of this room they may have their differences from daytoday in washington, but i can assure you, these men and women have come together to bring about hope for the hopeless, help to those that are hungry, and i want to applaud these men and women because amidst this tough time it was these democrats and these republicans that meet together every wednesday and thursday mornings, working with the president of the United States to deliver more food aid than any time period in world history. You see, the United States [applaus [applause] this Prayer Breakfast is not just about preaching and politics, its about loving our neighbor. So let us pray, lord, youve told us that every human being on the face of the planet is created in your image and that image is not republican or democrat or black or white or male or female. That image is beautiful. And that image, when one child suffers, as you say, when we do not help just one of the least of these, were not helping you because thats your image, and when we help the poor, the needy, were helping you or give us the continued strength and the wisdom because we know out there in the world that we know like you, you use food as a weapon of peace, of reconciliation, and there are those out there like Isis Al Qaeda and boca haram who want to use starvation as a weapon to recruit. Lord continues to strengthen the men, women, leaders in this room, from nations all over the world, from the president of the United States to the senate and house and president s and Prime Ministers from parliament all over the world to give them the wisdom to continue to stand tore the vulnerable, for the poor, for the needy so that their hopes and dreams can be fulfilled. Lord, theres so much wealth in the world today, may the leaders of this nation and nations around the world continue to provide the policies that will bring sustainability and resilience and hopes and dreams for our children, so that not one will die, nor one will go to bed hungry. Bless the men and women in this room and the leaders all around the world. In the name of jesus of nazareth, amen. [applaus [applause] mr. President , you know the history of this event goes back 66 years to the days of president eisenhower. Each year we express our prayers for god to bless the person and family who occupy the white house. Mr. President , we, along with millions of americans pray for you. We pray for gods comfort and wisdom to guide you as you lead this nation in our challenging world. Ladies and gentlemen, the 45th president of the United States, donald j. Trump. [applaus [applause] thank you. [applaus [applause] thank you very much and thank you, randy, for that very kind introduction. I want to thank you and congressman charlie crist, and with dignitaries around the world as we continue to tradition. Im glad to be joined by many members of my cabinet. Youre doing a terrific job. I want to extend our appreciation to the first lady of rwanda for leading the opening prayer, thank you. Thank you very much. [applaus [applause] i also want to thank my two great friends, mark burnett and roma downney, theyre here somewhere. Two terrific people. Stand up, mark, you deserve it, even though he comes from hollywood. Roma, thank you very much, thank you for being here. [applause] major Scotty Smiley and tiffany, were moved by your faith and courage and inspired by your service and sacrifice. That was really beautiful. Thank you very much. Thank you. [applaus [applause] and to my friend and everybodys friend, Steve Scalise, we are so glad to have you with us today. Your presence reminds us of jesus words, the book of matthew, with god all things are possible. You are fantastic. [applause] you really are, steve, a fantastic man. [applaus [applause] americas a nation of believers and together we are strengthened by the power of prayer. This morning, our hearts are full of gratitude as we come together for the 66th annual national Prayer Breakfast. But our hearts are also saddened by the absence of the cofounder of this wonderful breakfast, who passed away last year, doug coe, who everybody loved. [applaus [applause] for 60 years, doug devoted his time and passion to this Prayer Breakfast and to many other wonderful causes. Today were blessed to be joined by dougs wife jan and two of their sons, david and tim. [applaus [applause] thank you. Thank you very much. Great man. I want to thank you for carrying on dougs legacy, also, and bringing our nation together in prayer. You are, indeed, carrying on his great legacy. Each year this event reminds us that faith is central to American Life and to liberty. Our founders invoked our creator four times in the declaration of independence. Our currency declares in god we trust. [applause] and we place our hands on our hearts as we recite the pledge of allegiance and proclaim we are one nation under god. [applaus [applause] our rights are not given to us by man, our rights come from our creator. [applaus [applause] no matter what, no earthly force can take those rights away. [applaus [applause] that is why the words praise be to god are etched atop the washington monument, and those same words are etched into the hearts of our people. So today we praise god for how truly blessed we are to be americ american. [applaus [applause] on our land we see the splendor of gods creation. Throughout the history we see the story of god province. And in every city in town we see the lords grace around us through a million acts of kindness, courage and generosity. We love god. We see the lords grace in the Service Members who risk their lives for our freedom. We see it in the teachers who work tirelessly for their students and the police who sacrifice for our communities and sacrifice they do. [applaus [applause] and we see the lords grace in the moms and dads who work two and three jobs to give their children the chance for a better and much more prosperous and happier life. As the bible tells us, for we are gods handy work, created in jesus christ to do good works. Americas heroes rise to this calling. In their selfless deeds they reveal the beauty and goodness of the human soul. When catastrophic hurricanes struck, First Responders and everyday citizens dove in to Rushing Waters to save stranded families from danger, and they saved them by the thousands. Neighbors opened their homes to those in need of food, clothes, shelter, firefighters braved blinding smoke and flames to rescue children from devastating wildfires. During the horrific shootings, strangers shielded strangers and Police Officers ran into a hail of bullets to save the lives of their fellow americans. Right in las vegas, the terrible day, a terrible night, but such bravery. Families have adopted babies orphaned by the Opioid Epidemic and given them loving homes. Communities churches have reached out with those struggling with an n i addiction, and showed them a job, renewed purposes. Soldiers, sailors, coast guardsmen, marines, spent long months away from home defending our Great American flag. [applause] all we have to do is open our eyes and look around us and we can see gods hand in the courage of our fellow citizens, we see the power of gods love at work in our souls and the power of gods will to answer all of our prayers. When americans are able to live by their convictions, to speak openly of their faith and to teach their children what is right, our families thrive, our communities flourish, and our nation can achieve anything at all. [applaus [applause] together as americans, we are a tireless force for justice and for peace. We have witnessed this truth over the past year. For years isis had brutally tortured and murdered christians, jews, religious minorities, and countless muslims. Today, the coalition to defeat isis has liberated almost 100 of the territory recently held by these killers in iraq and all throughout syria. [applaus [applause] much work will always remain, but we will never rest until that job is completely done and we are really doing it like never before. [applaus [applause] we know that millions of people in iran, cuba, venezuela, north korea, and other countries suffer under repressive and brutal regimes. America stands with all people suffering oppression and religious persecution. Last week during the state of the union, the world was inspired by the story of a north korean defector, mr. Ho who is back in north korea, before his escaping when sung ho was being tortured by north korean officials. There is one thing that kept him from losing hope, over and over again, he recited the lords prayer. He prayed for peace and he prayed for freedom and now, as you know, sung ho is free and a symbol of hope to millions of people all around the world. [applaus [applause] here with us today is another symbol of hope. A very brave nineyearold girl named sophia marie calm campa peters. Sophia suffers from a disease that causes her to have many strokes. At one point the doctors told sophia that she would not be able to walk. Sophia replied, if youre only going to talk about what i cant do, then i dont want to hear it. Just let me try to walk. [applaus [applause] she tried, and she succeeded. And one of her doctors even told her mom and theyre right here in the front row where they should be, this little girl has god on her side. [applaus [applause] thank you, sophia, thank you, mom. Great mom. I said do you love your mom . She said i have a great mom, i love my mom. Right . Just two weeks ago sophia needed to have a very high risk surgery. She decided to ask the whole world to pray for her and she hoped to reach 10,000 people. On january 24th, as sophia went into surgery, she far surpassed her goal. Millions and millions of people lifted sophia up in their prayers. Today we thank god that sophia is with us, and shes recovering, and shes walking very well. [applaus [applause] and i have to say this, sophia, you may only be nine years old, but you are already a hero to all of us in this room and all over the world. Thank you, sophia. [applaus [applause] heroes like sophia come from all across our country and from every different background. But they all share one thing in common, through their love, their courage, their sacrifice, we glimpse the grace of almighty god. So, today inspired by our fellow citizens, let us resolve to find the best within ourselves. Let us pray for that extra measure of strength and that extra measure of devotion, and let us seek to build a more just and Peaceful World where every child can grow up without violence worship without fear and reach their godgiven potential. As long as we are true to america and the example that the great founders have said, we can all be heroes to everybody and they can be heros to us. As long as we open our eyes to gods grace and open our hearts to gods love, then america will forever be the land of the free, the home of the brave, and the light onto all nations. [applaus [applause] thank you for this incredible event and to our wonderful hosts and thank you to all of our heroes for serving, protecting, and inspiring america each and every day. God bless you, and god bless america. Thank you very much. Thank you. [applaus [applause]. [applause]. [applause]. President trump, thank you for being with us and inspiring us today. Our prayers go with you now and until were together again next year. Ladies and gentlemen, again, thank you, President Trump. Well ask everyone to remain in their seats until the president departs. Thank you, President Trump. [applaus [applause] please turn your attention to the side screen. Shots being fired, victims involved. A victim down in a baseball field. A total of five down. Appears that something has happened at a Congressional Ball game. Reports of shots fired. Police are on the scene right now. This was the g. O. P. Baseball team. And House Majority whip Steve Scalise has been shot. Steve scalise was shot and he was praying during those moments to just see his family, his wife and his daughter and his son again. When he arrived he was in Critical Condition the. The shooter was taken down by a member of the security detail who had already been shot. Without these two heroes, agent bailey and agent greiner, many lives would have been lost. The significance of the injuries are really considerable. It was one gunshot wound, but that bull did a lot of damage. A severe blood loss, damage to organs, broken bones. The outpouring for steve and his family has been truly inspiring. Congressman scalise is a friend and hes a fighter. It is a long recovery ahead. Hes going to be okay. Hes going to walk awe, but hes going to have to relearn how to do it. He joined the g. O. P. Conference on the phone, he was talking about work, talking about getting back to work and getting things done. The outpouring of love, of warmth, of prayer, it just means more to me than you could imagine. You have no idea how great this feels to be back here at work in the peoples house. [applaus [applause] needless to say what a terrifying day that was for all of us. I think every member of congress felt deeply connected to steve on that day. Every american did. It was an attack on one of our own brothers, on our institution, on our very democracy and how to tell the story of what came after that day, please welcome two of our fellow members of the house of representatives, one, a dyed in the wool democrat, the other a dyed in the wool republican. Most important, two good friends, Congressional Black Caucus chairman, Cedric Richmond and House Majority whip, Steve Scalise. [applaus [applause] blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is a kingdom of heaven. Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth. And blessed are the peace makers for they shall be called the sons of god. Many people wonder how steve and i can be such great friends when we disagree on 80 of most issu issues. And let me clarify that. We dont differ on the end goal of helping the needy and protecting our citizens and caring for our elders. We dont disagree on where we want to end up. Most times we disagree on how to get there, but we know that we want the same things. Even when it comes to the congressional baseball game, we want the same thing. We want to win. [laughter] fortunately, we win and they dont. But the other thing is, our faith unites us. Our faith allows us to put purpose first. We put purpose over politics. We put purpose over profits. Because at the end of the day we know that were here on earth to fulfill a purpose and make this world a better place, make this country a more perfect union. We also agree we were all created in the likeness of god. No matter what country, no matter what state, no matter what city, no matter what zip code. No matter what block. We were all made in the likeness of god. And the last thing that i know that we agree on is what the lord requires of us. And that is to do justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with our god. About you our paths have crossed many times, starting back in the state legislature. Steve was still a very conservative legislator and i was in the black caucus when katrina hit and its in those times of need and struggle where our people were the most vulnerable that theyve ever been that we forged a connection and the connection was based around the song, lord dont move my mountain and dont move my stumbling blocks and lead me all around. When you think about that song, were asking god for the ability to fix what needs to be fixed and here in congress, we should sing that song every day. And speaking of days, ill just go back to that day of the shooting when democrats heard the news and we were just doing our daily baseball practice, i had my threeyearold little cedric there with me and we got the news, they called us into the dugout, they said, hey, there was a shooting at the Congressional Republican baseball practice, and we dont know any details yet, but we do know people were injured. So we came together and then over the phone and others, we got the news that steve was one of the people that was hit. So, our coach called in all of our democratic Baseball Team and the first thing we did was we got on our knees and we prayed. We prayed for safety, we prayed for health, we prayed for divine intervention and we prayed for a miracle. And it wasnt about politics, it was the reminder of how fragile life is, whether its at the hands of a gunman or family life is precious. And when i think back, i think about the story of the good samaritan. And how the lord not only works in mysterious ways, but will send various kinds of people to be that good samaritan. So, in steves case, it was david bailey, young africanamerican male, and crystal greiner, a gay africanamerican female, but im sure at that time none of that mattered. What mattered was protecting lives. And so, as much as steve and i ever can be together and share a podium without joking, i wanted to be serious at this Prayer Breakfast because that is a remind er of the mercy and the strength of our god, but more importantly, the faith that we have to have and the courage that we have to have to march on. Now, i tell you, when i got to the hospital and i think i was the first member of congress at the hospital and the only thing i could think of crazy enough, was not steve. I was thinking about his wife jennifer and his kids madison and harrison. How do you tell them what happened . Theyre in new orleans getting ready to come up for a baseball game to watch their dad lose to me. [laughte [laughter] , but how do you tell them something that bad happened . And as we gathered in the hospital to continue to pray and work out, jennifer and the kids getting here, the one thing that i knew about steve is his faith in god and love for his family and it would take a lot more than one bullet to keep him from his family, and to make him question his faith. So, with that, let me bring up my dear friend, a soso baseball player. [laughter] but a great man of faith and a great leader for our republican congress, and the majority whip of the United States congress, congressman Steve Scalise. [applaus [applause] thank you all. Thank you so much, cedric, for being here to be a part of this, to stand up here and have a little fun, but also get serious about our faith and our friendship, and its a true friendship. Its a deep friendship and it goes back a long ways. Cedric says we served together in the state legislature, thats when we started to become friends and when katrina hit we both represented parts of the city of new orleans and the water did not know any political boundaries, there were people in deep need and there were people hurting, struggling, who had lost everything, and we needed to come together, we needed to come together quickly and help those people and we did. And we stayed Close Friends ever since. I get a rebuttal on some of the things on the baseball game. He failed to say in 2016 when we played, we actually beat cedric and his democratic colleagues. This last year i wasnt able to play and we lost, so, i am coming back, i am going to fight for my starting job again at second base, and cedric is going to be a different day in 2018. But i cant thank you enough for being here, for being a part of this, for our friendship and our familys friendship. Jennifer and cedrics lovely wife raquel are great friends and we get together from time to time and we share stories, but we also share a great bond and i think a lot of people are often confused about that, how can they the head of the Congressional Black Caucus and the majority whip on the republican side be Close Friends . And i think, hopefully, it serves as a lesson to all, sure, we have differences, our differences are what make our country great, the fact that were able to express our faiths that might be different, to fight for the things that we believe in and as cedric said, i believe we all want to get to the same place and we sometimes have different roads that we take to get there, but we have that ability because of the way that our country was founded. And as all of you come together for this event, i want to thank you for being a part of this. So many World Leaders, so many people of faith, faith leaders around our country. You are what hold the bond together that make this country so strong. Who would have thought that one of the hottest tickets to get in washington is a gathering of over 3000 people of faith to come together at 7 30 in the morning to share our belief in god. This literally is one of the toughest tickets to get in washington and i really want to thank randy and charlie for keeping this great tradition going. 66 years of a national Prayer Breakfast. Thank you. [applause] senator kuhns and lankford as well. While you hear about the political differences in the town you dont hear about the times that we come together. Whether its legislation that will pass together, probably even today where republicans and democrats do come to agreement, but also, when we share our faith together in ways like we do now. And believe me, this is a nation that was not founded in agnostic views. This was a nation founded with a deep belief in god. Our Founding Fathers talked about it when they were preparing to draft the constitution. In fact, thomas jefferson, who was the author of the constitution, if you go to the Jefferson Memorial right now, go read this inscription from thomas jefferson, god who gave us life gave us liberty. Can the liberties of a nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are the gift of god . You cant separate church from state. This idea that there is no [applaus [applause] im a catholic, we have people of all favorites. This idea that you can just check your faith at the door, people would say, you know, when youre voting on issues, how do you separate your faith from the way you vote . Faith is part of who you are. Its part of who i am. Its part of what establishes the values that i bring to this job and i would hope everybody brings a set of values rooted in faith when theyre making consequential decisions that dont just affect our country, but that affect the entire world. One of the unique things about the United States of america is that we were founded in a deep belief in god and as President Trump just said, the rights that we have were not given to us by men, they were given to us through men from god. The first right we have in the constitution through the bill of rights is the right to express our faith and i appreciate what the president s done to fight for religious freedom. When he challenged us last year to repeal the Johnson Amendment. [applaus [applause] im proud to say the house was able to successfully repeal the Johnson Amendment and people in the workplace arent threatened, if youre trying to express your views, you shouldnt be fearing intimtation by your own government that you cant express your faith freely. So this all comes to us this all comes to us as part of the founding of this great nation and so when i was watching that video, it was hard not to tear up a little bit because it brings back so many memories and you know, when the shooting started, i did not i never saw the shooter. I didnt necessarily know the first gunshot. Thinking its a gunshot, were practicing for a Charity Baseball game. This is something that another great tradition of congress that goes back generations, where republicans and democrats come together and go and play a game of baseball and forge great friendships and raising a lot of money for local charities. Typically a half a Million Dollars for local charities. I am proud to say when i found out after the fact when the you know, after the shooting, there was an increased interest in the game. In fact, we had over 25,000 people come to Washington National ballpark. Typically you get about 10,000 people which is a lot of people, to watch, you know, a bunch of people that maybe had maybe a High School Career at best go out and play on a major league ballpark. But instead of raising about 500,000, the event raised over 1. 5 million with 25,000 people there. So, there were so many things that were rooted in faith that not only started that day, but carried me throughout the recovery, that im still engaged in. And so, the first shot comes and you know, i was looking over in the direction and saw a tractor, thought maybe a tractor back fired. The second shot comes and then by the third shot i fell to the ground. And when i fell to the ground i was crawling to get away. And i was crawling and eventually my arms gave out and once my body just kind of went into shutdown mode i could still hear everything going on. I was hearing a gun fight, it wasnt just one shooter at that time. I knew my Capital Police detail there were engaging with the shooter, but i couldnt see anything. The first thing i thought of was to pray. I just started praying. And i said, im going to put this in gods hands. Ive always been a man of faith. I dont go around talking about it a lot, but i have a conversation with god every night, i talk to god, and i dont just talk to him to ask him for things. I try to remember every night to thank god for the good things that happen that day, if theres something i want, i shouldnt be asking him, it should be a twoway street. We should thank god every day for what he delivers for us. In so many ways we should thank him for it. At that point i asked him for things, i knew i didnt know how bad it was, i knew i was hit and couldnt move. And as cedric mentioned, ive got a beautiful family. A 10yearold daughter who is daddys little girl and i said, god, please dont let madison walk up the aisle alone. It hits me and draws a lot of emotion from me, but i just didnt want to see that visual carry itself out. And then i started praying for the ability to see my family again, and at that point im hearing gunfire back and forth, im hearing a different caliber of fire, so i know that david and crystal had engaged and i prayed that they would be successful at carrying out their duties, thank god for the United StatesCapitol Police, some of who are here today. [applaus [applause] we always ought to thank Law Enforcement when we see them, theres secret service here and other Law Enforcement agents, but they quietly do their job to keep us safe and usually they dont have to engage and this day they did. And both were hit. Both were shot in the shootout and continued to battle the gunman. And believe me, this, this would have been a this would have been a scene just like sandy hook or sutherland springs, it would have been a massacre, thats what the shooter set out to do. There were at least 15 members of congress who were shot, in the dugout and if not for the United StatesCapitol Police and then the Virginia Police who came behind them, it would have been that way, but luckily, through the grace of god it wasnt. And believe me, god answered those prayers. Were miracles that happened on that baseball field that day. Not just to save my life, but so many others. Go ask my colleague from mississippi, trent kelly. The first shot that was fired was maybe 30 feet away from trent kelly and the gunman was looking right at him and there was a chain link fence in between trent and the gunman, and it hit a part of the chain link fence and it hit it and not him. And he has a picture of that, and you tell me that god didnt work miracles. If my colleague brent from ohio wasnt that day, he was playing in the outfield, but he was a combat surgeon. He served time in iraq and one of his jobs was, if somebody was injured in the battlefield he would get them ready so when the helicopter took them away they could make it to the hospital. Well, i was his patient that day. He was watching as the shooting was going on and watching me to see if there were signs of life, and he said he kept seeing some movement in my feet and arms and knew i was still alive, but he knew the way i was hit, it could be really bad because of some of the things he had seen. As soon as the so shooter went down, and brad made a beeline to me, and he applied a tourniquet. And my surgeon said even without that tournament i wouldnt have made it. Even then, i arrived at the month with zero blood pressure, somehow i made it through. Cedric figured out which hospital i was at and he was the first one there in his baseball uniform showed up at the hospital. They were initially taking me to George Washington and they didnt have an helipad there driving me in an ambulance at 7 30 in the morning fighting virginia traffic and needless to say they werent moving fast. One of the emts saw a helicopter coming, a park ranger helicopter and took a gamble. The helicopter is coming for steve, were not making to George Washington and the ambulance turns and goes back to the baseball field and sure enough, transferred me and four minutes later im in the emergency room at medstar where they ultimately saved my life. I would not have made it to George Washington if not for that helicopter. So, jennifer and i refer to those as the little miracles, the True Miracles that happened along the way, and then Something Else happened, and as i was in the hospital fighting for my life in those first few days and especially the first few hours, by the time jennifer got to the hospital, cedric was there, President Trump and melania came to the hospital and provided great comfort to her as well as she was wondering whether or not i was going to make it through. And luckily, through the grace of god i did. I had a lot of surgeries, a lot of great surgeons, a lot of blood transfusions, so many people prayed. So many of you prayed for me and i cant thank you enough for those prayers because many of you i know. Many of you i serve with and know through other means and a lot of you i dont know and never met and yet, you prayed for me, too. Let me just share with you, because you do it all the time. Your faith leaders and asked through a friend. My friends got cancer, can you pray for them. When you pray for somebody you dont know, they feel it. I felt that prayer. The prayers of so many people that id never met before. It wasnt just the prayer groups from my local church at st. Katherine, but it was colleagues from other states and i was in the Shopping Center and someone said to me, how is that congressman that was shot doing . Were praying for him. Thank you for those prayers, they are felt and it truly did help lift me up and lifted my family up through incredibly difficult times. As you continue to pray for my recovery, i appreciate it. Im happy to say david bailey is back on our team and the Capitol Police detail. [applaus [applause] crystal is still working through her recovery so please keep crystal in your prayers because theres going to be a day when she comes back and is able to serve again, so i appreciate all the prayers that you give to all of us who are recovering, and continue to fight through this, but its incredibly uplifting as well because you know, as much as some people want to focus on the negative, i never had the opportunity to do that because i was overwhelmed with all of the outpouring of love and support and prayers for so many people. So i got to see the good in people. Sending us signals every day. And he is sending us signs. There might be good sons but there also i am focusing on good things that happen. It is because of the deep faith of god. As i close i want to share something that i saw when i was able to return. It was such a wonderful feeling one is able to return to work. I spent over 15 weeks in the hospital battling. To be able to come back to the house chamber. Under those words inscribed, in god we trust. We pray every morning in the house and the senate. When we open a business we say prayers. And, in god we trust is there. When i went home for the first time and i was in my church again for the first time, during the sermon i started flipping through ms. Aleppa. Every day there is a different scripture. I flipped back to june 14. I wanted to read the scripture of that day. And i got goosebumps when i read the scripture in the mess lit for june 14. I want to be the stupid it is psalms 27. The lord is my light and salvation. Whom shall i fear . The lord is the stronghold of my life, whom should i dread . When those who do evil drawing near, they stumble and fall. The man who meant to do evil, stumbled and fell through the grace of god. That is the scripture on june 14 when i slipped through that missile it. I still get goosebumps to this day when i read it. It is in fact what we put on our christmas card. For our scripture. God is good and god is great. God has blessed this great nation. Not only to bring together so many great leaders that are here today, but every single day. The fact that no matter where you are in the world, if you believe in freedom, if you believe in the ability to express your religious faith, that beacon about the capital, the statue of freedom, tells everyone around the world that the United States is the place that stands up for those religious freedoms that we all hold so dear because we are a nation that was founded under god. Thank all of you for being here and may god continue to bless this United States of america. [applause] [applause] what an incredible morning one powerful story of redemption after the other. Each one, a glimpse of gods grace in our lives and a reminder that the author of all stories is not done when our stories are in the middle of a broken chapter. How many of you believe that gods plan for each one of our stories is to be a victorious, a comeback story . Are you thankful for that this morning . [applause] [music] [singing] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [applause] amen thank you [applause] let us pray. Father, we continue to thank you for this day. Lord, this is the day that you have made. And we shall continue to rejoice and be glad in it. Father, we thank you for the privilege of being able to call on your name. We thank you father for your love and protections for the president , for his family, lord god, we thank you or sparing steves life. We pray that you will continue to heal and restore him lord. We pray you will continue to strengthen his family. We thank you for cedric and his family and the precious gift of friendship. Lord god, we ask that you will continue to bless major smiley and his wife tiffany as they stand on your word. Which is for all of us. I can do all things through christ who gives me strength. Now lord, as we depart from this place, we know that we will not depart from your grace. Your grace is sufficient. For any obstacles, any barriers that may try to stand between you and us. Father, we pray that you will continue to strengthen the ties that bind our hearts together. As a nation and binds our hearts together to our friends and allies around the world. Father, we pray this prayer in the name of the only one who can keep us from falling. Thank you, lord. Amen. [applause] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] if you missed any of the Prayer Breakfast you can watch this in its entirety on our website, cspan. Org. Type national Prayer Breakfast in the search bar. Thousands and are in session today. Congress has until midnight tonight to extend government funding. Both chambers expected to take up a sixweek funding bill during todays sessions. All of the live pass debate on cspan Senate Deliberations here in cspan2 along with briefings, interviews and related events and you can watch all of our coverage anytime at cspan. Org. Congressional leaders have unveiled a budget deal that as 300 billion of defense and nondefense spending over the next two years. It increases Discretionary Spending by 21 percent over current limits. Also the debt ceiling until 2019 in march. And as many for medical research, Community Health centers and disaster relief. More about the budget deliberations and what may happen today, spoke this one with a reporter covering the debate on lcapitol hill. Thank you for joining us. Thank you for having me. Talks about the