Transcripts For CSPAN U.S. House Of Representatives U.S. Hou

America where people do not elect a full Voting Member of congress, yet they have to pay federal income tax and that is here in the district of columbia. So for that reason, i filed a bill, because they had tried to get a full Voting Member of congress, but to do that you have to have a constitutional amendment. And everybody knew that and agreed to that back in the late 1970s. The proponents of having a full voting representative got it through the house. Got it through the senate. But they never did get the requisite number of states to sign on. O it failed without ever being ratified by enough states. And i feel sure that would be the case if that were attempted again but it does require an amendment. And since that doesnt appear its going to happen any time soon, then i believe in each of the sessions of congress ive been, i filed a bill that would correct that injustice, because it truly is an injustice for the people that live in the district of columbia. And its very simple. It just says basically until, when and if the district of columbia has a full voting representative they are like any other u. S. Territory, they will not have to pay federal income tax. And i felt like that would certainly make people appreciate that, that they were treated like those in other places that dont elect a full Voting Member of the house. But so far i havent been able to get my friend, ms. Holmes norton, to sign on as a cosponsor. Im hoping to get her to sign on at some point because it really would help those people who live here in the city of washington not to have to pay any federal income tax. Of course puerto rico they pay no federal income tax and yet they have a higher local tax, income tax, than the federal income tax. A lot of states, i think somebody told me theyre paying 10 or so in california. But puerto rico, where i think over a third or about a third of the people there work for the government, then the government ad is just overwhelming, you know, i puerto rico is so beautiful. Even after all the disaster that needs to be cleaned up and fixed , i would hope at some point they become less heavy on the government and more heavy on free Market Opportunities and i could see puerto rico becoming the hong kong of the United States, where thats where people want to go. Thats where businesses want to locate because its such a great place to live. But the taxes have run people out of that area. Even though they dont pay federal income tax. I dont think that would happen here in washington. , t mr. Speaker, here we are last session before christmas, and its been amazing. The most often cited book in congress for our countrys entire history has been the bible. Theres no book that comes close that recitations from it has the bible. Throughout our history we were recognized as a christian nation. I believe president obama was right when he said were not a christian nation, we were, but were not anymore. But even the Supreme Court when it was a much more enlightened court, well after the civil war, back 30 years after the civil war was over, the Supreme Court looked at all of the evidence and declared in an opinion that the United States was founded as and is a christian nation. Not that everybody has to be a christian here, they absolutely dont. And i would humbly submit that the only way any people can truly have freedom of religion is if they have a constitution thats founded on Judeo Christian principles that recognize that all true rights, life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness dont have a right to happiness, but a right to pursue it those come from god. And the founders recognize that. Its a shame to hear people deceiving young people in school, teaching them that no the real founders were only deist they didnt believe in god. Ben franklin being the leading deist when, if they would just teach the children what ben franklin said in june of 1787 at the Constitutional Convention, after five weeks of nothing but rguing back and forth, 80yearold ben franklin, two or three years away from meeting his maker, got recognized, somebody wrote that president washington looked so relieved when dr. Franklin sought recognition. He finally stood up , he had gout, he had terrible arthritis, well overweight, but he got up and gave the speech that so many christians are aware of where he said what no deist would ever say, despite how many teachers these days say he was a deist. His words were, we know what his words were, because he sat down and wrote it down afterwards when he was asked for a copy of what he said. An he said, ive lived, sir, a long time, and the longer i live, the more convincing proofs i see of this truth. God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it possible an empire could rise without his aid . Weve been assured, sir, in the sacred writing, that unless the lord build a house, they labor in vain that build it. He said, i firmly believe that, which mean he is wasnt a deist, he said, i also believe that without his, without gods, concurring aid, we shall succeed in our political building no better than the builders of babel. Well be confounded by local partial interests an we ourselves shall become a byword down through the ages. Nd it was at the conclusion of hat days session in the Constitutional Convention that randolph from here in virginia, or across the river in virginia, made a motion that since here we are the end of june, were about to celebrate our nations birthday, and we all know we have not been able to accomplish anything. As franklin said weve been going nearly five weeks, we have nor noes than ayes on virtually every issue, and then franklin went on to say, how has it happened, sir, that we have not once humbly thought of applying to the father of lights to illuminate our understanding. So randolphs motion is that they, since they havent been able to accomplish really anything, just yelling back and forth, it was all the big 64 washington could do to keep things under control, and yes, i know , in the biography he said he was less than 62, because he was stand big a guy that was 62 and he was shorter but hes just wrong on that. George washington, 1799, when dead, flat on a slab, was 3 1 2. At 6 and randolphs motion passed. His motion was that he move, they recess, the Constitutional Convention and reconvene together in one of the local churches they agree on, and worship god together an then come back and try it again. That would pass, and they went to the reformed calvinistic church, i was sharing that with my friend, dave bratt, earlier, since he attends the calvinnist church, but the reformed calvinnist church, reverend William Rogers presiding, and you can go online and find at least one of the prayers that reprayed. I had this little book from dr. Richard g. Lee, great man of god, great little booklet, in god we still trust its called. I had some Great Stories from our history but he noted that one earlburger, chief justice of the United States from 1969 supreme elivered the courts opinion in the 1985 case of lynch versus donnelly hich upheld that the city of awtucket, rhode island did not violate the constitution by displaying a in aivity scene nativity scene, noting that president ial orders and proclamations from congress have designated christmas violate the constitution by displaying a in aivity as a National Holiday in religious terms for two centuries, and in the western world for 20 centuries he wrote, quote, there is an unbroken history of official acknowledgement by all three branches of government of the role of religion in american life. The constitution does not require a complete separation of church and state. N fact, those words, i would insert here, those words separation of church and state, unlike what many say when asked, they are not in the constitution. They were not intended to be in the constitution. The founders did not want church to be separated from state. They wanted the state to stay the heck out of the church business. Thats what they wanted. But Thomas Jefferson mentioned the separation of church and state, a wall of separation, but it was going to be a one way wall where the states stayed out of peoples religion, but expected religion because it was part of our founding. And the bible was so often mentioned as a source of wisdom as they tried to put together a government. Anyway, chief justicesburger sburger ce live esburger affirm mandates accommodation not merely tolerance of all religion and forbids hostility toward any, anything less would require the callous indifference we have said was never intended by this establishment clause. Indeed, we have observed such hostility would bring us into a, quote, war with our National Tradition as embodied in the first amendments guarantee of the free exercise of religion, unquote. He goes on talking about john hancock, to celebrate the victorious conclusion of the revolutionary war, governor john hancock of massachusetts issued a proclamation for a day of thanksgiving on december 11, 783. Just over a week ago i was the anniversary of this proclamation from governor john hancock, the president that signed as president of the Continental Congress on the declaration of independence. But john hancock said, whereas these United States are not only happily rescued from the danger and calamities to which they have been so long exposed, but their freedom, sovereignty, and independence ultimately acknowledged. Whereas the interposition of divine providence, they capitalize divine providence, nother expression meaning god, in our favor atbeen most abundantly and graciously manifested and the citizens of these United States have every reason for praise and gratitude , the god of their salvation impress therefore with an exsalted exalted sense of the bledings by which were surrounded and our entire dependence on that almighty being, almighty being both capitalized, from whose goodness and bounty they are derived. I do by and with the advice of the counsel appoint thursday, the 1 sth day of december 11th day of december, next the day recommended by congress to all the states to be religiously observed as a day of thanksgiving and prayer that all the people may then assemble to celebrate that he, he is capitalized, meaning god, been pleased to continue to the life of the blessed gospel. That we also offer a verfent supplications because pure religion and virtue to flourish. And to fill the world with his, capital h, his glory. Theres john hancock. As he pointed out that was directed by the congress of the United States. That they be recognized. That was just his proclamation as governor of massachusetts. But it seems when i mention god, mention some of our heritage, we often get a lot of alls from people that just become irate, which also testifies probably to the importance and to the become of our founding, and our founding reliance on god, because nothing else provokes that kind of anger and hatred. But some people say, that has no place in the capital of the United States. And bless them, they just have been ignorant, but just down the hall the original House Chamber was the largest Christian Church in washington, d. C. Area for most of the 1800s, a guy named Thomas Jefferson that put those words, coined the expression, separation of church and state, wall of separation, he put that in a letter, the Danbury Baptist why we should not have, in essence, an official denomination that thats not the governments role, and he saw, jefferson saw no problem in having Christian Worship Services down the hall because it was nondenominational. So he came every sunday that he was in washington during his eight years as president , he would come, normally he would ride a horse, according to the Congressional Research service, dont have to rely on my historical interpretation, the bipartisan objective Congressional Research service says, yeah, usually came riding a single horse. And unlike jefferson, madison, who is given credit for writing much of the constitution, when he was president for those eight years, he normally came in a horse drawn carriage. With multiple horses drawing his carriage. Jefferson, on the other hand, came to church here in the capitol with multiple horses drawing his normally on a horse by himself. Before the days of the secret service. And jefferson n. Fact, since it was nondenominational christian service, he saw no problem with inviting the marine band to come do the accompaniment many sundays for the hymns that were to be sung. The first woman to address officially address a group in the u. S. Capitol, earl i early 1800s, christian eadvantagelies evangelist gave the sermon just down the hall in what was then the house of representatives chamber. I have a book, miracles in american history, susi federer did this. Adapted from william j. Federers american minute, and this is a typical story from r history and our founders ho knew how valuable it was in getting this little bubble in time and space wherefore the first time in history persecuted re not for being christians. For the First Time Since jesus came over 2000 years ago. This america, this United States, a place where you were persecuted for being a christian. Obviously persecuted for being christians. For the First Time Since thats now we have governmental entities that are afraid of christians as potentially a big hate group. Although anyone who professes that christian groups need to be havent to be violent in order to accomplish our purposes cant truly be christian. And based on the bible unless they are enacting government in so doing. And acting under romans 13, but otherwise they miss the whole point of jesus preaching. Ut in this book from the cowpens the battle of was january 17, 1781. Also january 17 happens to be fathers birthday, hell be i wont tell the age. Hes over 90. But the battle, january 17, 1781, depicted in the movie the patriot involved American General Daniel Morgan having a line of maliciousa fire into wall wall general corn lists doctor goons, regulars, highlanders, and loyalists. When the americans hisily retreated, british colonel known as the butcher, gave in to the temptation to pursue only to be surprised by american connintals waiting just over the hill. Continentals, waiting just over the hill, firing at pointblank range, in the confusion the americans killed 110 british, captured 830. The battle is widely considered the tactical masterpiece and turning point of the war. Talking about the revolutionary war, of course. General Daniel Morgan met up with American General nathaniel green and they made a hasty retreat north toward virginia. Orn wall list regrouped cornwallis regrouped, burning equipment and supplies along way to travel faster. He arrived at the catawba river americans had crossed. Just two hours after the but a storm made the river mpassable delaying the british pursuit. He nearly overtook them as they were getting out of the river, river. Flooded the now it was a race to the dan river. But general nathaniel green again made it across before the british arrived. British commander Henry Clinton wrote, here the royal army was again stopped by sudden rise of the waters. Which had only just fallen almost mly miraculously to let the enemy over. Then march, 1781, general George Washington wrote to william gordon. General washington wrote, quote, we have abundant reasons to thank providence w. A capital p, he off referred to god as providence, to thank providence for its many favorable interpositions in our behalf. It has at times been my only dependence for all other resources seem to have failed us. British the british general ordered him to move 8,000 troops to the position where the york river entered the Chesapeake Bay. By this time, ben franklin and marquee de lafayette, this gentleman depicked here, the only fulllength portrait of a foreigner in our u. S. Capitol, but lafayette were finally successful in their efforts to xvi de french king louis to send troops. French admiral degrause left off fighting in the indy, sailed 24 ships to the Chesapeake Bay and drove off 19 british ships which are trying to evacuate corn wallis men. Degrasses 3,000 french troops troops,ral rochambeaus hurriedly ginned general lafayettes division as they marched to help washington trap corn wallis against the sea. They ginned the troops of general lincoln, baron von steuben, henry knox and nonpeter mulenberg, all together 17,000 french and american troops sur rounded corn wallis and on october 19, 1781, he surrendered. Yale president ezra styles quote, who 1783, but god, and think we way, yale president , Yale University president , for those who are shocked that yale had such a strident christian leader, but actually originally harvard and yale you couldnt even get in unless you swore that jesus was your lord and savior in very stark terms, but the Yale University president , ezra styles, 1783, says, quote, who but god could have ordained the critical arrival of the galic or french fleet, so as to assist in the siege of yorktown . Should we not ascribe to a supreme energy, supreme capitalized, the wise generalship displayed by general green leaving the roving corn wallis to pursue his helterskelter, ill fated march into virginia . It is god who had raise