The president pro tempore the senate will come to order. Todays opening prayer will be offered by rear admiral brent w. Scott, deputy chief of chaplains for the United States navy and chaplain of the marine corps in washington, d. C. The guest chaplain please join me in prayer. Heavenly father, we begin this day in the privilege of prayer, thanking you for this great nation, a people gathered from every tongue and tribe, bound together through the more noble ideals of liberty and justice and equality, formed and favored as one nation under god. We ask your help as you continue to make us as one. We pray for our senate in this session, and ask you to bless them with wisdom and discernment to lead our people toward reconciliation, to rebuild our nations confidence in justice, to restore our sense of equality. Free each one from the divisive distractions of any lesser ideals that they may more powerfully serve the people as a body of, by, and for the people, making every effort to keep an