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House resolution honoring role of prayer in American history advanced by State Affairs committee
Summary
Representative Barbara Ehart presented House Resolution 11 to recognize prayer's historical role in American public life; the committee approved sending the resolution to the floor with a due-pass recommendation by voice vote.
Representative Barbara Ehart presented House Resolution 11 to the House State Affairs Committee, describing it as a measure to recognize the historical role of prayer in American public life.
Ehart said the resolution was brought in coordination with the prayer caucus, the majority leader and a Senate companion. She cited historical examples, including an 1787 reference to the practice of opening deliberative sessions with prayer and a Supreme Court decision affirming the practice. The transcript records the sponsor's account of George Washington calling for a time of prayer in the context of early federal deliberations.
"...it was our elder statesman, the very man who people say wasn't religious, that moved that prayers employing the assistance of heaven and its blessings on our deliberations be held in this assembly every morning before we proceed to business," Ehart said, as recorded in the transcript.
Representative Scott moved to send House Resolution 11 to the floor with a due-pass recommendation. The committee approved the motion by voice vote and the motion carried.
