John Conyers: “To my colleagues this morning, I am very delighted to entertain Imam Hassan Qazwini and seven other members from the…”

“To my colleagues this morning, I am very delighted to entertain Imam Hassan Qazwini and seven other members from the Muslim community in Detroit and Dearborn, Michigan. He and I are very good friends and I am honored that the Islamic Center of America is located in my congressional district. I am also proud of the fact that they are building what might likely be the largest religious center for Muslims in the United States, which will be in Dearborn, Michigan, which my colleague and the dean of the House, Mr. Dingell, and I both represent. The important point I would leave with you in extending my welcome is that Imam Qazwini has worked tirelessly with those of us Christians, Muslims and Jews to continue a dialogue that has taken place more than a dozen times in Detroit and in the District of Columbia with the help of my former staffer, Ms. Alexia Smokler, and my current general counsel of the Committee on the Judiciary, Burt Wides. We have worked together with Congressman Dingell to continue the discussion that is so necessary for us to come together, understand each other's cultures and also be amazed at the similarities of concerns that we raise. It is in that spirit that I too join in the welcome to the House of Representatives on this day to Imam Qazwini.”