Congressional Record United States of America PROCEEDINGS and DEBATES of the 107Th CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION
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E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 107th CONGRESS, FIRST SESSION Vol. 147 WASHINGTON, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2001 No. 158 House of Representatives The House met at 10 a.m. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE the United States alone. During these Imam Yahya Hendi, Muslim Chap- The SPEAKER. Will the gentleman troubled times, I believe it is impor- lain, Georgetown University, Wash- from Ohio (Mr. KUCINICH) come forward tant to show all Muslims and the world ington, D.C., offered the following and lead the House in the Pledge of Al- our good will toward the Muslim com- prayer: legiance. munity and our respect for the Islamic A reading from the Holy Koran, the Mr. KUCINICH led the Pledge of Alle- faith. Muslims’ Holy Scripture, chapter 5, giance as follows: Again, our thanks and appreciation verses 8 and 9: I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the to Imam Yahya Hendi for offering our ‘‘And remember the favor of God United States of America, and to the Repub- opening prayer this morning. unto you, and His covenant, which He lic for which it stands, one nation under God, f ratified with you, when you said: ‘we indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. COMMUNICATION FROM THE HON- hear and we obey.’ Fear God, for God f ORABLE GARY A. CONDIT, MEM- knows well the secrets of your hearts. WELCOMING IMAM YAHYA HENDI BER OF CONGRESS O you of faith! Stand up firmly for God, (Mr. LAFALCE asked and was given as witnesses to fair dealings. Let not The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. permission to address the House for 1 the hatred of others to you make you HANSEN) laid before the House the fol- minute.) lowing communication from the Honor- swerve to wrong and depart from jus- Mr. LAFALCE. Mr. Speaker, as we tice. Be just, that is next to righteous- able GARY A. CONDIT, Member of Con- begin Ramadan, we are especially gress: ness. Fear God for God is well-ac- pleased to have a Muslim Imam give quainted with all that you do.’’ our opening prayer to the House of NOVEMBER 14, 2001. Hon. DENNIS J. HASTERT, And now let us bow our heads before Representatives. I am honored to wel- God and pray: Speaker, House of Representatives, come Imam Yahya Hendi as our guest Washington, DC. Loving God! chaplain this morning, and I thank him DEAR MR. SPEAKER: This is to formally no- Source of justice, goodness and gen- very much for those inspiring words tify you, pursuant to Rule VIII of the Rules erosity! and reading from the Koran. of the House of Representatives, that my of- We ask You to guide the men and Imam Hendi currently serves as the fice has been served with a grand jury sub- women of this Congress with Your di- Muslim chaplain at Georgetown Uni- poena for documents issued by the Superior vine light, to empower them with Your versity, which is where I first heard Court of the District of Columbia. wisdom, to enable them to be agents of him. He also serves as spokesman and After consultation with the Office of Gen- eral Counsel, I will make the determinations peace in this Nation and around the member of the Islamic Jurisprudence required by Rule VIII. world. Council of North America and directs Sincerely, Help them lead us to act as brothers the ‘‘PEACE’’ office of the Muslim GARY A. CONDIT, and sisters. Empower them to help us American Society. Now an American Member of Congress. work out our differences. Help them citizen, Imam Hendi was born in f help us confront hatred wherever it ex- Nablus in the Palestinian Territories ists that we all may live as one Nation, and educated at the University of Jor- ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE SPEAKER united, under God. dan in Amman and the Hartford Semi- PRO TEMPORE God! nary in Connecticut. He was one of the The SPEAKER pro tempore. There Receive our thanks and hear our Muslim leaders who met with Presi- will be 10 one-minutes on each side prayers. Amen. dent Bush in the aftermath of the Sep- today. tember 11 tragedy. f f I asked Chaplain Dan Coughlin to in- vite Imam Hendi to deliver our opening WELCOMING IMAM YAHYA HENDI prayer today to mark the commence- (Mr. GILMAN asked and was given THE JOURNAL ment of Ramadan, the Islamic holy permission to address the House for 1 The SPEAKER. The Chair has exam- month of fasting and spiritual renewal. minute and to revise and extend his re- ined the Journal of the last day’s pro- Observance of Ramadan begins tomor- marks.) ceedings and announces to the House row evening at dusk, and fasting will Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am de- his approval thereof. commence at sunrise on Saturday. lighted to join in welcoming visiting Pursuant to clause 1, rule I, the Jour- There are 1.5 billion Muslims in the chaplain Imam Hendi as we greet the nal stands approved. world, including almost 7 million in onset of the holy month of Ramadan. b This symbol represents the time of day during the House proceedings, e.g., b 1407 is 2:07 p.m. Matter set in this typeface indicates words inserted or appended, rather than spoken, by a Member of the House on the floor. H8183 . VerDate 06-NOV-2001 22:44 Nov 15, 2001 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\A15NO7.000 pfrm02 PsN: H15PT1 H8184 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE November 15, 2001 Islam is a way of life for millions of URGING ACTION ON AIRLINE SE- my district, Muslims have made his- Americans, and we in the Congress CURITY AND ECONOMIC STIM- tory. They have become prominent want them and all Americans to know ULUS BILL citizens in all walks of life: medicine, of our Nation’s view that Islam should (Mr. FOLEY asked and was given per- engineering, law, business, education, be understood as a faith that firmly up- mission to address the House for 1 and entertainment. holds the values of respect for the indi- minute and to revise and extend his re- Our citizens built the first mosque in vidual human being, the value of the marks.) Ohio and the third in our Nation. And family, and justice for all. We join the Mr. FOLEY. Mr. Speaker, if you read just after September 11, people of faith growing American Muslim community Roll Call today, you will realize that joined hands around our Perrysburg in condemning those who try to tell us the majority leader of the other Cham- mosque in a strong show of unity with otherwise and who commit crimes ber decided at a very important en- our common bond to the Creator of us against humanity in the name of gagement with President Putin to all. Islam. make a joke about his height. A few During the upcoming Ramadan, Christmas, and Hanukkah seasons, Congress has expressed itself for- months ago, he seemed to make the may our national mosaic shaped by mally in condemnation of those who, in same reference to our own President people who have come here willingly the wake of the events of September 11, when he questioned his international from throughout the world shine beau- took illegal actions against people stature. The gentleman must obviously tifully as an example of how people can solely because they were, or seemed to have a height fettish. Rather than fo- live together with respect for one an- be, Muslims. Moreover, we support the cusing on things we can do for our other and without fear. President in his forthright expressions country, he is making fun of the gen- against all such illegal actions, his tleman’s stature. f prosecution of those who commit such Our President has led us successfully b 1015 crimes; and we join President Bush’s in Afghanistan. The words from the assurances that our efforts in Oper- field include: ‘‘The Taliban’s on the CONGRATULATIONS TO CORAL GA- ation Enduring Freedom against ter- run’’; ‘‘we’re focusing in on bin Laden’’; BLES FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH ON ITS 75TH ANNIVER- rorism are not directed against Islam and ‘‘we’re going to achieve our goal SARY or against Muslims. because the United States and its allies remain committed to the end of ter- (Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN asked and was Mr. Speaker, to the contrary, we em- rorism.’’ given permission to address the House brace our fellow citizens who are Mus- I salute our President. I urge the ma- for 1 minute and to revise and extend lims and all those of the Muslim faith jority leader of the other body to her remarks.) who are temporary or permanent resi- quickly take up the airline security Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, dents here as adherents of one of the bill which the House passed which in- this year marks the 75th anniversary of three great religions in the monothe- cludes options for localities to hire the the Coral Gables First United Meth- istic tradition. kind of screeners they need to protect odist Church, and I congratulate its Accordingly, Mr. Speaker, at the be- the traveling public. I also urge him to clergy and its parishioners. ginning of this holy month, we extend take up the economic stimulus bill Since July of 1926, when 100 Coral our warmest greetings to the American that is ready at his desk and ready for Gable citizens gathered to charter a Muslim community; and we wish them the American economy.