The Congressional Prayer Caucus

Floor Speech

Mr. WITTMAN. Thank you, Representative Forbes. I want to thank you for your leadership in the Congressional Prayer Caucus and for taking the time to make sure we got together today to recognize the importance of today's date and the efforts by our forefathers to make sure that we have those liberties and freedoms to make sure that we can freely practice our religious beliefs here.

I'm pleased to be here as a member of our Prayer Caucus and join with my other colleagues on the Prayer Caucus to honor Constitution Day and the religious freedoms of all our citizens.

September 17, 2013, marks the 226th anniversary of the signing of the greatest governing document the world has ever known: our Constitution. Religious freedom is the very first freedom protected in the First Amendment. And just as Chairman Forbes has spoken of, it was really a discussion that took place years ago in Virginia.

Governor Patrick Henry, there in the church at St. John's in Richmond, got up and spoke about the importance of the individual liberties and freedoms and the importance to make sure that we as a Nation had a Constitution that preserved those. As you know, he led that fight to make sure that James Madison, the author of the Constitution, provided in the Constitution just those individual liberties and freedoms. In fact, I think a lot of folks don't know he actually voted against ratifying the Constitution originally because it did not contain those basic individual liberties and freedoms, and it was his work that made sure that we enjoyed those individual liberties and freedoms today, based on our Constitution.

It was that First Amendment that read:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.

In today's world, there are far too many obstacles for many of our citizens to truly practice what is promised in the First Amendment. There are challenges to religious symbols. Religious freedom for members of our military is under attack.

Air Force Senior Master Sergeant Phillip Monk was recently dismissed from his position and reassigned after he refused to voice his opinion when his commanding officer asked him if he could agree with her belief that openly voicing a religious or moral opposition to same-sex marriage is discrimination. He stood by his beliefs and paid the price professionally for that.

Religious liberties are threatened, for many, each and every day.

The Commonwealth of Virginia, as has been so eloquently stated, has a direct tie to the First Amendment. I stated Governor Patrick Henry's efforts there; but also Thomas Jefferson was very, very adamant and passionate about preserving those religious freedoms.

The Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom was authored by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison in 1779, and it states:

No man shall be compelled to frequent or support any religious worship place, or ministry whatsoever, nor shall be enforced, restrained, molested, or burthened in his body or goods, nor shall otherwise suffer on account of his religious opinions or belief; but that all men shall be free to profess, and by argument to maintain, their opinions in matters of religion, and that the same shall in no wise diminish, enlarge, or affect their civil capacities.

Thomas Jefferson, the second President of the United States, and one of our Nation's Founding Fathers, understood the need for protecting our natural rights, those provided to us by our Creator, those protected by our government, all of which were more important to him than any other element of what he espoused in the creation of our government. And we know that none meant more to him or to our Nation than the freedom of religion. The statute declares that compulsory religion is wrong, that no religion should be forced on an individual, and that the freedom of religion is a natural right.

The statute's doctrine and principles have inspired individuals throughout the Commonwealth and across our Nation.

Thomas Jefferson requested that three of his greatest accomplishments be listed on his epitaph. Freedom of religion was so important to him that the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom was listed along with the founding of the University of Virginia and the writing of the United States Declaration of Independence as his greatest lifetime achievements. Thomas Jefferson believed deeply in that freedom of religion and wanted to make sure that it was something that our Nation continued to espouse today, and it was his moral foundation.

The statute ultimately facilitated the path to complete religious freedom in the United States. As we know, the discussions that took place took place based upon that Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom. That was eventually included in the First Amendment to our Constitution.

It is our duty to ensure that the Congress continues to protect our First Amendment freedoms for now and for future generations. And I want to thank all of my colleagues in the Congressional Prayer Caucus to make sure that we remember each and every day as we are here the practice of religious freedom, and to make sure that we understand that our projection of that freedom is what makes us the great Nation that we are today.

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