Chris Pappas: “I just attended the Congressional Gold Medal presentation ceremony in the rotunda of this building in which that was…”

“I just attended the Congressional Gold Medal presentation ceremony in the rotunda of this building in which that was presented to His All Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew of the Greek Orthodox Church. It was a real honor to be there and be a Member of this House that made that possible in recognition for his leadership, not just as a religious leader, but as someone who is a defender of freedom around the world. I decided to come here and just take this moment to draw attention to the people around our country that this has taken place and that we in this country are very, very fortunate to be able to speak freely of our religious beliefs and, yes, even the U.S. Government through the U.S. Congress recognizes the importance that religion plays in our world and certainly in our Nation.”