Ted Poe: “Today is the National Day of Prayer. It's the day of the year that is proclaimed that we honor how prayer and how…”

“Today is the National Day of Prayer. It's the day of the year that is proclaimed that we honor how prayer and how religion has affected our culture as a Nation. Every day, in this very House, we start with a prayer. Down the hallway in the United States Senate, every day, the U.S. Senate starts with a prayer. And then we have the Pledge of Allegiance. The Supreme Court has ruled that it is constitutional for us, the Senate, and all State legislatures, to start every day with a prayer. And so it is throughout the country. We have the National Day of Prayer today, but it has a long history of establishment here in the United States, where we recognize this very important day. Many Congresses and Presidents have proclaimed days of prayer and fasting throughout our Nation's history. From Washington all the way to Madison and all the way through World War II, Presidents set aside days of national prayer. In 1952, 58 years ago, a bill proclaiming an annual National Day of Prayer was unanimously passed by the House and the Senate and signed into law by President Truman. It's not often in our history that everything passes this House and the Senate by unanimous consent. The new law required the President to select a day for national prayer every year. In 1988, the day was fixed by Congress as the first Thursday in May of each year. That law was signed by President Ronald Reagan. Nobody is forced to pray on the National Day of Prayer.”