g was an inscription that they think is a good summation of what it means to be in public service and i'm quoting from that precept inscribed on the building. here's what it says. all public service is a trust given in faith and accepted in honor. senator wicker and i and those were in the river elected officials have accepted that honor to serve. .. oasis from that politics of the

place. we gather at that breakfast for prayer, and to share some time with each other every wednesday morning. just as we're doing this morning. with people from so many different states, different countries, background faiths and beliefs. wee remind this morning of journey, the journey of faith we're all on. we believe that faith is a exist, a gift that we're blessed by today and expressed gratitude. senator wicker. [applause] >> thank you, bob. the senate prayer breakfast dates back to world war ii when a group of legislators met in the senate restaurant. we can only imagine the conversations that took place during those early days as the deadliest conflict in human

history swept the globe. then as now the weekly meetings which occur when the senate is in session, have remained largely low profile. january 1943, an article from the "washington post" describes them as without fanfare front page publicity or ballyhoo. that is still true. in many ways our prayer breakfast is a welcome sanctuary from the politics and partisanship we hear about. each week we sing a hymn we hear prayer requests, that we call the sick and wounded report. we actually join hand and we pray together. and we hear presentation from one of our members. but not before a very thorough introduction of that member by either senator mike enzi or senator jim inhofe. senator inhofe and enzi are here

today and i think it is high time something be said about their introductions. everything we do at the prayer breakfast is off the record but this, this needs to be said about senator enzi and senator inhofe's introductions. neither opposition research professionals nor the fbi have a thing on enzi and inhofe when it comes to background checks. mike and jim relentlessly call former classmates, teachers, old friend and relatives to discover something a little unusual about each week's presenter. sometimes i wins. -- wince. sometimes i cringe but introduction always ends on a high note with a verse of scripture and the suggestion that our speaker is much like a biblical character of old. thank you for that jim.

thank you for that mike. and then we hear from the senator himself or herself a democrat one week a republican the next week. what we learn about each other is a lot. during my time in the senate prayer breakfast, we've heard from our own "american sniper," our own astronaut he is here today. our own mission aries and we've ad several and our own award winning composer. from camp directors to university presidents we have heard the good and the bad. we heard about difficult family background. we heard about financial bankruptcy and home foreclosures. and we have heard about spiritual journeys, from the heights of achievement to really really tough types. it has been said there is so much good in the worst of us and

so batched in the best of us that it ill behooves any of us to find fault with the rest of us and that is true about the attendees at the senate prayer breakfast. in short on wednesday mornings we learn we are a lot like you and you and every other child of god. and almost always i come away with the blessing. this morning, i acknowledge and thank the people who have gone before bob and me, in the senate prayer breakfast leadership, over, the period of six decades and, along with bob i'm honored to continue with their tradition. now, at this time it is my pleasure to recognize a few distinguished guests at our head table, who will not be given the opportunity to speak. i will ask the next three ladies

to stand and remain standing. mrs. stevie waltrip. mrs. terese case system. -- casey. [applause] and mrs. gail wicker. [applause] thank you for joining us ladies. thank you so much. you may be seated. and it is my very special honor at this point to ask each of you to give our appreciation and love to the first lady of the united states, mrs. michelle obama. [applause]

and now, it a special privilege for me as a senator from mississippi to introduce a familiar face from home. jasmine murray is from columbus mississippi. she has been a broadcast communication major at mississippi state university. she was a finalist on "american idol." and she was a finalist in the miss america pageant where she proudly represented my home state of mississippi. ladies and gentlemen, please welcome miss mississippi, jasmine murray. [applause]

♪ ♪ why should i be sad, why should the shadows come ♪ ♪ why should my heart fail lonely and alone for heaven and

home ♪ ♪ when jesus is my portion, a constant friend is he ♪ ♪ as i his eye is on the sparrow, and i know he watches over me ♪ his eye is on the sparrow and i know he watches me ♪

♪ i sing because i'm happy, i sing because i'm free ♪ ♪ his eye is on the sparrow and i know he watches me ♪ ♪ his eye is on the sparrow and

i know he watches i know he watches, i know he watches me ♪ ♪ i sing because i'm happy, i sing because i'm free ♪ ♪ his eye is on the sparrow and i know he watches me ♪ ♪ his eye is on the sparrow and

i know he watches me ♪ ♪ he watches me ♪ ♪ i know he watches me ♪ ♪ he watches me ♪ [applause] >> thank you. >> thank you.

i don't know how to fix this stand so i will stand here. maybe someone within the sound of my voice can come help me with these technical difficulties. jasmine, that was wonderful, thank you. that was just great. [applause] i'm delighted to introduce our next guest. he is a former mayor of san antonio and current secretary of housing and urban development. as a member of the president's cabinet he represents the executive branch of the family while his twin brother, joaquin, covers the legislative side as a member of the house of representatives of the. please warmly welcome to read from the old testament, secretary of housing and urban development, julian castro.

[applause] >> thank you. thank you so much mr. president, for the great assist, and good mornings and mr. mrs. obama and cochairs, senator casey and senator wicker. to all of our distinguishes. >> guest: s, an honor to join you on this day of prayer and peace. last week i had the opportunity to travel to los angeles where i met some of our nation's most vulnerable citizens men and women living every day with homelessness. although they have endured incredible difficult circumstances, it was clear to me that they never led their hardship extinguish their hope.

i spoke with an older woman who spend her nights on a tattered quilt over cold concrete. night at knife that wears on a person's bod. yet this woman's spirit was unbroken, and her faith a true testament of strength and of brace. -- grace. it was this angel in the city of angels who reminded me the true measure of our progress is how we care for those with the least. the passage that i will read speaks to the hope we must preserve, the need we must meet, and the common humanity that we must always honor. a reading from the book of isaiah. is this the manner of fasting i would choose, a day to afflict one's self, to bow one's head like a reed and lie upon sack cloth and ashes?

is this what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the lord? is this not rather the fast i choose releasing those bound unjustly untying the thongs of the oak, setting free the oppressed, breaking off every yoke. is it not sharing your bread with the hungry, bringing the afflicted and homeless into your house? clothing the naked when you see them and not turning your back on your own flesh. then your light shall break forth like the dawn and your wound shall be quickly healed. your vindication shall go before you and the glory of the lord shall be your rear guard. then you shall call and the lord will answer. you shall cry for help and he will say here i am. if you remove the yoke from among you the accusing finger

and malicious speech if you lavish your food on the hungry and satisfy the afflicted then your light shall rise in the darkness and your gloom shall become like midday. thank you and may god bless you. >> amen. [applause] thank you secretary castro. our prayer for the for the poor will be offered by sister mary sculina she devoted her life to service, advocacy and of course god. she is one of the founders of project home in philadelphia. i'm proud to say that today. project home is a truly exceptional organization that does the important work of providing housing, employment opportunities, medical care, and education for the homeless and the impoverished.

for her work, sister mary was named one of "time" magazine's 100, world's 100 most influential people in 2009. sister mary. [applause] >> it's an honor to be here, mr. president and, mrs. obama. thank you very much and all honored guests and greetings to everyone from philadelphia pennsylvania. exactly. god of compassion shun and justice, we humbly come before you with gratitude and a clear understanding that it is in you that we all find our home for when we are rooted in your truth and grace, we are 'em powered to

pray thy kingdom come. we recall how through the ages you have been a god of compassion justice, and liberation, with a special love for the poor and the oppressed. we remember your servant moses, leading your people out of bondage. we recall jesus, healing the sick and proclaiming good news to the poor. we recall those times in our own nation's history when moved by the promise of liberty, and empowered by your spirit courageous leaders worked to end slavery, to enfranchise women, to welcome immigrants, and to expand economic opportunity for all. your constant revelation god, is one of non-violent liberation from anything that oppresses the human spirit.

as we gather here millions of your beloved children are suffering under the burden of poverty, oppression and violence. our prayers today can only be authentic, if they compel us to act. let us hear the cry of the loving parents struggling to provide for their children. let us hear the cry of those all around our world impacted by violence. and those in our nation who suffer the wounds of gun violence. let us hear the cry of millions of children whose magnificent gifts and possibilities are lost in underresourced schools and economically-plundered neighborhoods, condemning them to a life of persistent poverty. let us hear the cry of our veterans suffering from the wounds of war, especially those

who are homeless. open our eyes lord, so we can see suffering as a prophetic sign that calls us to radical transformation. god, we know that our faith does not give us answers, it gives us courage. as a people of faith, we pray for the courage to live truthfully justly, and compassionately. help us to see through our hypocrisy and falsehood. empower us to stand squarely on the side of those who are poor and struggling on the margins. help us to move beyond our idealogical polarizations and economic disparities. form us into a united community that affirms each person's dignity and works towards a shared prosperity. let us build the society free from the scourge of poverty, a

society that truly reflects our kingdom. most of all let us understand that your ancient call for compassion and justice is in truth, an invitation to us for fullness of life and richness of human community. as we, as we meet the needs of those who are poor we are healing ourselves and our nation. as we insure that all families have enough to eat we are building the banquet table for everyone. as we work to provide health care around education, we are making our whole society healthier and wiser, as we bring those living on our streets home, we are finding our own way home, because none of us are home until all of us are home. fill us with that same spirit of liberation that filledded jesus and the prophets.

fill us with the spirit of joy, of hope that inspired the prophet isaiah in his powerful challenge. if you spend yourself on behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noon day. god of compassion, god of justice, fill us with this yearning, and give us the strength, the grace, the courage, to make it real each and every day, as we pray thy kingdom come amen. [applause] >> thank you sister mary.

a few minutes ago when i said perhaps someone within the sound of my voice could come to my assistance i guess that did include you, mr. president. so i thought perhaps someone else would step forward but. thank you, young man for figuring that out. i first became involved in the prayer breakfast as a house member and i'm delighted today to introduce to say a few words the cochairs from the house prayer breakfast. robert holt from serving 10th term from alabama and congressman juan vargas, serving 10th term from california are cochairs in the house. by virtue of that they will be the cochairs of this breakfast

the. year. ladies and gentlemens juan vargas. >> well, good morning real honor, for juan and myself will be here on behalf of the house breakfast which meets every thursday morning about 8:00 at this time in the capitol when the house is in session. the house of representatives weekly prayer group meets. we come together as democrats and republicans. not promoting a party or particular issue or particular agenda. . .

in a bipartisan effort, and to work as i say with our colleagues and especially this year to work with my colleague juan vargas from california. [applause] >> thank you. greetings from the prayer breakfast, mr. president. it's great to see the assist you gave today. we went to law school together, played against him a couple times and basketball. he didn't assist like that. >> a little rougher out there.

>> great to see. we did come together every thursday morning and we call it the best hour of the week. we come together as democrats -- who would have guessed, a california democrat and republican from alabama. we come together and we pray and would bring jesus into our prayers and we lift up the country we lift up the congress. we know that special things can happen and they do. and because of that i think we are all here today and to pressure very, very much the prayers that you all have for us. we know that you pray for us throughout the country. i've gone to many many services where we hear that you prefer your lead you pray for the president, he pay for all of us in public office, and we love that and we understand that. we bring those prayers up, too. so again thank you very much. and for all my colleagues i invite you to come pray with us every thursday morning the best hour of the week from 8 a.m. until nine, and really it is

something special. you get to meet people that you wouldn't, who would've thought i would've loved louie gohmert? louie gohmert is one of our leaders and its fabulous to come and pray with them. he brings us of jesus every thursday, so thank you very much. it's an honor to be here. [applause] >> thank you very much for the members of congress. i'm pleased to introduce the honorable deborah lee james, the 23rd secretary of the united states air force. she joins us today to offer a prayer for the leaders of our nation. secretary james, of course, is a distinguished leader in her own right for our nation's military and has the response of managing more than 690000 air force personnel. and a budget of $110 billion. please welcome secretary deborah

lee james. madam secretary? [applause] >> thank you so much, senator casey, senator wicker. thank you so much. it is truly an honor and privilege for me to come before all of you today. mr. president mrs. obama, senators, congressmen distinguished guests, friends and allies from around the world, may i please invite all of you to join me in a prayer for our national leaders. oh, mighty god, it is in you that we trust. we ask for your blessings on our president barack obama. lord grant him the wisdom and the vision to lead our nation toward a more just peaceful and prosperous world. help him to keep the beacon of

american freedom burning brightly as an inspiration to all who long to live free from fear, free from want free to speak, and free to worship as they choose. we ask you also lord, to bless our first lady, michelle obama. strengthen her as she works to inspire all of america's children to retire and to live healthier lives, so that one day they will be ready to build strong families of their own. compassionate communities and contribute to a better world. please guide our vice president joe biden, lord, at all the members of the president's cabinet. grant to these and all others who serve and advice our president the grace to lean not only on their own understanding but also to trust in you with all of their hearts your lord bless our lawmakers sent from every corner of america to form

our congress. grant them the priceless gift of insight courage, and unity. shepherded them by your spirit to do what is right to love mercy and to walk humbly with you. grant our chief justice and all of our judicial leaders across the nation your wisdom, lord, that they may judge the law impartially as instruments of your will. and very close to my heart lord please, please protect our men and women in uniform, and all who stand in harm's way to preserve the freedom we cherish for our children and grandchildren. and as you watch over those serving far from home, also please encourage those who wait for their return, and comfort of those who have suffered unspeakable losses. lord, may the service and sacrifice of those who have gone before us, and the lives of the hero's to walk amongst us let those individuals inspired the

rest of us to give our country and our communities and our families the very best that we can with our fullness of heart particularly in these uncertain times. being always mindful and grateful to you, lord, for the many blessings that you have bestowed upon us. amen. >> amen. >> thank you. [applause] >> thank you, madam secretary. thank you so much. as you can see from the program in front of you, our next speaker was to have been king abdullah ii of jordan. we all know the heartbreaking circumstances his country is experiencing at this point. they required that his majesty king abdullah returned to jordan. our prayers are with the people of jordan during this troubling time of crisis. the passage that king abdullah

was expected to read this from the new testament, luke 10. i will read this passage at this point. luke 10, on one occasion and the -- an expert in law stood up to test jesus. teacher, he asked, what must i do to inherit eternal life? what is written into law he replied. how do you predict? he added, love the lord your god with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind. and love your neighbor as yourself. you have answered correctly jesus replied. do this and you will live. but he wanted to justify himself so he asked jesus, and who is my neighbor? in reply jesus said, a man was going down from jerusalem to jericho. when he was attacked by robbers. they stripped him of his

clothes beat him and went away leaving him half dead. a priest happened to be going down the same road and when he saw the man he passed by on the other side. so too a levite we came to the place and saw him passed by on the other side. but a samaritan, as he traveled, came with a man was and when he saw and he took pity on him, he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. then he put the man on his own donkey brought him to an inn, and took care of him. the next day he took out money and get into the income dashed into the. look after them. when i return i will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have. which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell to the head of robbers? the expert in the law replied

the one who had mercy on him. jesus told him go and do likewise. may god add his blessing to the reading of his holy word. and at this point it is my pleasure to introduce our next guest. he, too so recognized by "time" magazine for 2014, he was one of the persons of the year of "time" magazine. dr. kent brantly and his colleagues became known as the ebola fighters for the work saving lives and caring for those affected by this deadly disease. as a doctor with a christian relief organization samaritan's purse, dr. brantly contracted ebola in library. now fully recovered he gives thanks to god and to the power of prayer. today he is with us to offer a

prayer for the leaders of the world. is warmly welcome dr. kent brantly. [applause] >> let us pray. our father who art in heaven the lord, the lord the god of compassion and mercy, slow to anger and abounding in love and faithfulness, lover of all peoples of the earth, there is no god like you in all of heaven above or on the earth below. you keep your covenant and show unfailing love to all who walk before you in wholehearted devotion. hallowed thy name. remind us that all nations are

as nothing before you. their governments but a shadow of passing age. all authorities are intended to be your servants, to go to the people under their care and to ensure justice for those who have been wronged. but we all, including our leaders, will stand before your judgment seat oh god, and they sure as you live, oh lord every knee will bow and every tongue confess and give praise to you as thy kingdom come on earth. grant to the children throughout the world and especially to the leaders of the nations, the gifts of prayerful thought and a thoughtful prayer that following the example of our lord we may discern what is right and do it. bless the leaders of the nations that they may not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners, or sit in

the seat of mockers. bless the leaders of the nations that they might delight in the law of the lord, that they might meditate on it day and night that i will might be done on earth as it is in heaven. helpless, lord to protect and to provide all who are hungry and homeless especially those who were deprived of food and shelter family and friends. for true religion that is acceptable to you, o lord is this, to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to flee corruption. give us this day our daily bread. forgive us for neglecting to seek peace and pursue it and find ourselves in each new crisis more ready to make war than to make peace, for choosing violence and war over peace and reconciliation. we have not loved you with our whole heart, and we're not love

our neighbors as ourselves. forgive us for neglecting the needs of our people, for choosing corruption and greed over integrity and generosity. forgive us for a pressing the minority while the majority is filled with pride and self-reliance. we have all sinned and fallen short of your glory, o lord. forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. let us not seek revenge but reconciliation. let us not delight in victory but in justice. let us not give ourselves up to pride but to prayer. lead us not into temptation. be present lord, to all your children. be present to those who are killing and to those who are being killed. be present to the oppressed and to the oppressed are. be present to the leaders of the nations deliver us from evil.

subdue our selfish desire to possess and to dominate forbid us arrogance in victory and self-pity in defeat. bless the leaders of the nations, father, that they might act justly, and love mercy, and walk humbly with you, oh, god for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. in the name of jesus we pray amen. >> amen. [applause] >> thank you dr. brantly. and please pass along our good wishes to a friend at samaritan's purse. ladies and gentlemen, the

national association of stock car auto racing commonly known as nascar, is second only to the national football league in terms of tv ratings in our country. nascar races are broadcast in over 150 countries. our keynote speaker this one is one of the best known figures in nascar. soboba, darrell waltrip is one of the great race car drivers in history -- simply put. in first corinthians we here do you not know that in a race to all runners run the internal combustion engine had not been invented back then. [laughter] all runners run out only one receives the prize. well darrell waltrip has received that winning prize some 84 times. user the 809 races and 237773

laps. his life story includes an important faith journey. i believe god has placed a message on darrell's heart that can benefit us today. but first let's see this clip from 1991 at the daytona speedway. [inaudible] >> darrell waltrip coming down the back stretch.

toppling over five or six times and came to rest on its side. all we need now is to hold our breath. >> well, he made it. ladies and gentlemen mr. darrell waltrip. [applause] go >> let's go racing boys. last night i always chuckle when i see that clip because my interest me and says, have you ever had an accident? [laughter] i've had a couple. and good morning, mr. president, first lady all of the distinguished guests, congress members, everyone who was here this morning. this is a huge on her four kids

that grew up in owensboro kentucky, now resides in franklin tennessee. so i knew about the prayer breakfast. i heard about it going on since the early 1940s, so i've heard about it for a long time. i have to tell you a quick story. when the committee called me and asked they would like to come to breakfast, to the president's prayer breakfast and have breakfast with the president. i said, well met they must know it's my birthday. [laughter] what an honor to go to washington d.c. and have breakfast with the president. goal this is going to be great to by the way, we would like you to be the keynote speaker. i'll get back to you on that. but i thought about prayed about and they cut out a lot of really great friends that pray for me all the time but i thought about it mr. president, and i said i've got it but i'm

not a brain surgeon and i'm not running for office. so i'm the perfect guide to be your this morning -- perfect guy. [laughter] [applause] >> i hope that was okay. [laughter] my wife told me i maybe shouldn't say that but she's sitting down the shaking her a -- shaking her head that the fuel poverty met my beautiful redheaded wife stevie. jessica answer, my two daughters and their husbands are out there. and so it makes me feel so good to have them here this morning with me. i love my family and i love the lord. if the room should start vibrating just a little bit

don't get excited don't get nervous. it's just all my friends back in franklin tennessee, might do bibles tuesday morning bible study group all my friends over in charlotte, north carolina, at motor racing outreach, our minister at the track of all my friends are praying for me right now. and i don't know if you can feel it or not but i certainly can and i'm thankful for it. so it's a start shaking a little bit, it's okay. it's just the lord. he is amongst us. [applause] kind of being here this morning reminds me of, you know, before you start a big event the daytona 500 which comes up in a couple of weeks on fox before you start a big event as a driver you go down on pit road. you are with your car.

you get in your car, and quite honest i did it for 30 years, but it never fails. always, always that adrenaline those butterflies, exciting nervous because you really didn't know what when they dropped the green flag and they said let's go racing, boys you really did know what was going to happen. so that's kind of how i feel this would i really don't know what's going to happen here, folks. [laughter] they kept asking me, do you have an outline? i said no i've never really, i've never really done an outline for a speech before. [laughter] that's what i thought maybe i wasn't the right guy for this job. [laughter] i got to tell you this. i shouldn't but i'm going to. so they call me up and they tell me all the great speakers that any before all the great speeches that in giving her before. and as they went down the list i said wait just a minute boys.

i'm just not sure i'm qualified for this job. and they said, well, we kind of knew that going in. [laughter] so right away i knew i was in good company. you know sometimes i think all of us in this room know that sometimes your biggest assets can be something that works against you, that can be a blessing and a curse. and that's really how racing was for me. it was sort of a blessing and a curse but i grew up in owensboro contacting. kentucky. my dad drove a pepsi-cola truck. mom was a catcher the local grocery store had two brothers and two sisters. we didn't have a lot of money. we worked hard to put food on the table. so when i went to races as a search old kid with my grandmother and came home and

told mom and dad somehow wanted to be a racecar driver they said good luck, some. my dad was a believer in hard work. he said, you know if you really work hard and that's what you want to do then maybe someday you will be successful but that was about all the encouragement my dad gave me. because racing is expensive. it cost a lot of money to go racing, so we didn't have a lot of money so i had to cut away to make that happen. and i became a self promoter. in other words i brag a lot. godhead given me a calendar there was no question about that. i don't know where it came from the there's no reason from able to do what i was able to do other than that was my passion. that's what i cared about. i tell kids every day and mr. president, you know this. there's nothing anymore discouraging or disheartening

when you ask a kid what are going to be when you grow up? i don't know. really? embrace something. he's got to have a passion. my passion was racing. and quite honestly i went at it all the wrong way, all the wrong ways in the early years. i was just as aggressive off the racetrack as i was on. i did have a lot of friends. i didn't i didn't think i needed friends. i look over in the garden of the only one ever in their selected need any friends to be with me. [laughter] so my relationships early on in my life were shallow. i didn't have any real close friends. it was just quite honestly it was come as a look back, and it's the hardest thing for me this morning is to look back. because when i look back i see things that are disturbing to me. i see things and they say how

could i have felt that way? how could i've acted that way? how could i have been that way? but i was. this you are going to love this. this is what people said about me. they said i was brash ruthless your ruthless. pushy. cocky, conceded aloof boastful arrogant, and just downright annoying. [laughter] i hope you deal feel that way this point, but if you do i'm sorry. and i got to chile, those were people who liked me. [laughter] so you can imagine what people who didn't like me had to say about me. [laughter] the fans booed me when we have a driver introductions to it would just be like if i got up this morning to speak india started doing instead of hollering

boogie boogie. fans were everything but waltrip t-shirts to the track. they hated me. the drivers despise to me. richard petty once told me i don't know how you keep a sponsor. you are so unpopular with the fans i don't know how you keep a sponsor. and this is richard petty, the icon of our sport, the king of our sport. i wanted to be king but i went at it all the wrong ways, were sure. i was always, always arguing with nascar. i didn't like the rules. mainly because they never worked in my favor. size always try to change the rules. we know guys like that, right? always wanted to change the rules. [laughter] [applause] >> always like to say i thought

of the wall. the wall one. i fought the law and the law won. quite honestly that was things going on in my track and my personal life, it wasn't much better. i was so arrogant. i really was and that's what i say it's the hardest thing for me to do. my kids are sitting out here for heaven's sake. but the hardest thing to do is look back and see how you were. my personal life was a mess. i drank too much. i like to go to the bars and hang out with the boys. just did, i did everything to satisfy me. whatever felt good to me, i did it with no i didn't give it a second thought. it's just that was my lifestyle. that's how i lived. like i told you i didn't have any great friends, i did have any close friends. i always figured if you wanted friends get a dog. i have several dogs.

[laughter] but my wife my beautiful wife, my redheaded wife whom i love dearly, we've been married 45 years -- [applause] that in of itself is a miracle. she was married to that god god i was telling you about. she lived it. my wife once described me as that she had lived with two different men with the same name name. and that might be a little confusing to you, it's obviously i must explain, but that first guy that i told you about, that was the guy she was married to a rigidly. i knew god has his hand on me when i met stevie. i didn't acknowledge it. i didn't necessarily follow through but it's one of the few times in the early years of my life i felt like god spoke to

me. got sent to me i gave you this woman. i brought you this woman, don't let her get away. and so i tried always be on my best behavior when i was around her, and certainly when i was around her mother and father because they didn't think a whole lot of a racecar driver. when i told her father i wanted to be -- he said how am a i going to support stevie? i said i'm going to be a professional racecar driver. he was the president of texas gas and he didn't quite understand how a racecar driver couldn't make a living and be able to support his daughter. but he became, he wasn't sold on the idea but he became a big fan as time went by. so stevie would always pray for me. she would always, she's a godly woman and she loved the lord way before i did and she would always pray that someday somehow we would get involved in a bible study i would, we would get involved in a bible study or

church or something and i would blow off and say i race on sunday. i don't have time to go to church. i'm busy all through the week getting ready for the next race. i just don't have time for this church stuff and this god stuff. i didn't have time, okay? and you know what she said? well, i will just keep on praying. and let me you can when someone says they are praying for you you better pay attention. and don't take it lightly. people don't pray for you if they don't care about you and if they don't love you. and so when somebody, and it used to happen to me -- amen amen. [applause] it just happened to me at the track and people would come up and say, i'm praying for you. and i would say thank you very much. i've got to go now. don't ever do that. embrace that person because they don't, it's not a waste of time. it's them embracing you and caring about you. and that's the most important

thing in the world is that we all care about each other. i almost had us do this. stevie talked me out of it. at home when we pray we hold hands. and in bible study when we break we kind of like art or hold hands but i was going to ask everybody in the room to hold hands while we prayed but then i thought maybe maybe you weren't that close just yet. so i kind of let that one go. [laughter] i got a great opportunity in 1983. i got a chance to drive for junior johnson. junior johnson was a childhood hero. he's the last american hero. they made a film about in the they wrote books about him. he was the last american hero. as a kid growing up i listened to a little transistor radio and junior johnson drove this white number three chevrolet with a 427 mystery engine your junior

johnson, a moonshiner from wilkesboro north carolina, car number three with a mystery engine. i mean that's hero material right there for a guy like me. [laughter] to august the i couldn't committee that someday i would get to meet him. ever that the sum that would get to drive for him. but it was the best years of my career, 81-82 we won 24 races 18 pole positions, two championships to the junior was a no-nonsense kind of guy. he said let me play something, boy. when you come to drive for me, you work your hands and not your mouth. i said yes or. because when junior spoke, i listened. we had a great time together. we won races together but in 1983 i had a horrible wreck. worse than that one you saw there. i had a concussion. i went for a couple of weeks to the next couple of races i didn't even know i didn't remember being there. and when i finally came to, or woke up i realized that direct

had knocked the conscious. it scared the hell out of me. and i mean that literally. i realized i could have been killed that day. what if i'd lost my life right there at daytona but what i've done? done? what i've gone to heaven or when i've gone to hell? i thought i was a pretty good guy, and folks let me tell you something. good guys go to hell. if you don't know jesus christ as your lord and savior, if you don't have a relationship -- [applause] if he is not the master of your life, if you've never gotten on your knees and asked him to forgive you of your sins you are just a pretty good guy or a pretty good now you're going to go to hell. think about that. i did and like i said it was a wakeup call. it literally knocked me conscious. stevie and i started going to church.

we met doctor cortez cooper, one of the godly as men reached from the bible loves sports but like the president he could play any sport, pretty much knew a little bit about every sport there was and he knew me personally. and because of him and him talking to me just like i'm talking to you this work every time i went to him preach i felt like he was talking directly to me. and so we met in a high school in hillsboro just outside of nashville there while they were building a big century and we met in this high school it was july, hot, kind of like being in a race car. no air-conditioning. i got down off my high horse. i got down on my knees. and dr. cortez cooper and steve and i prayed that the lord come into my life and forgiving of my sins and be my lord and savior. and that was the greatest day of my life.

[applause] that changed everything. i will never forget. we were going home from that that night and i told stevie. i said man, i feel like the weight of the world has been lifted off my shoulders. i feel like i been born again. i feel like a new mean. and you know it did, i felt different and i knew i was different. when the lord comes into your life, you are going to be different. you have to be different. if he comes into your heart come into your life and you're not different, you better go back and try it again. [laughter] because the lord changes you, and he changed me. and it was for the better. we left there that night and listen you do make a deal with the lord but hey lord, if you do this i will do that. it don't work that way folks. he is there for you. is there to walk with you, but

you've got to do your part too. so did my life my personal life change things on the racetrack? i still had racks. i still had problems. things still happened but i wasn't in it alone. what i felt like i was always into by myself, now i had somebody to pray with talk with, the writer the wisdom of the lord. i had it and i had i needed to use it. stevie and i wanted to have a family. we were having trouble having kids. we have a couple of miscarriages and we were praying, god can you just, you know, can you give us a child? we got to the point where we thought well, we were just about. we are not going to build have kids of her own a dow. didn't stevie got pregnant and we prayed and the lord said davis peace about it. it. he said hanging in there this time. i've got something special for you. and sure enough, jess kelley waltrip, september 17, 1987, we

had our first child. i, folks, was on cloud nine. i was so excited that i could wait to get to the track. i left the weekend to go to martinsville. i get to the racetrack. i am a proud poppe commented that is congratulating me because they knew how badly we wanted kids. i go to my race car on sunday morning and in the seat of the car is a face with one rose in it. and a note. i pulled the note out. i opened it up and it said, win this one for me, daddy. that was quite a moment. i have never been called daddy before. and i had never been a father before. i was so happy. i have to tell you this is a fairytale. i never led a lap of that race. i want it to the i wanted so

badly to win that race for jessica, never led a dadgumm lab until the last one. [laughter] [applause] and you won't believe what happened. people say, can you tell me a time when god showed up? i don't think he was working against those are the guys but he's sure was working for me, i know that. white flag is in the air, man, i'm running third, there's nothing i can do. dale earnhardt was a little quicker than i was. they go back into third turn and teri bumps into the back of dale and when he does them both cars get a little loose, they slide up the racetrack and i go driving by. [laughter] [applause] daddy won that one. same thing, 1992, et cetera was

born. same deal go to the racetrack -- sarah was born. kind of a tough year. i dominated that race. bristol have mild trap. like being hung up in a salad bowl. spinning around your head is hurting, your eyes are burning but i get out of the attic every member my daughter's name last night so i'm trying really hard. i said, sarah? sera? caitlin? she had a lot of name. because when i left the hospital we really had decided on exactly what her name was going to be. [laughter] so it took a little time and it came to me and it certainly -- she has never let me forget that. one final story for you about dale earnhardt senior. i don't know how my view new the old intimidator. we were frenemies. [laughter] we were friends off the racetrack but not so much on the

racetrack. this beautiful redhead down here she loved dale and they loved her, and she witnessed to him just as much as she witnessed to me. in 1994 -- lost his life in a practice crash. sunday more stevie had a scriptures in my race car. on a note card. not good luck charms, just encouragement. whatever happened that week the scriptures were to fit the events of that week. we are standing on pit road praying with some of the chaplains from mr oh and dale walks by. dale is one of those guys, you know, he's a tough guy. and so for him to pray or to acknowledge that he may have a relationship with the lord was pretty hard for him to do but he walks by. stevie grabs him and says come and pray with us. we all huddled up on the pit road jericho and when we finished running, stevie has made a note card with

description on and dale grabbed it and he says what's that? and he read it. he looked at stevie and he said where's my? oh my gosh. she ran to the pit box got a note card, wrote of scripture put it on the note card and ran back to dale's car and dale put it on his dash. and so from that date until 2001 and he lost his life at daytona, he had a scripture in his car just like i had in my car. you have to know something. me and this guy, we were fierce competitors. he didn't like me and i didn't like him when we were on the racetrack. that woman would make us pray together. now stevie would grab him and grabbed me and say, i want you all to pray together and we -- [laughter] and then and then to make it worse, she would say tell him

you love him. [laughter] [applause] so as he was walking away and i was walking away, i love you. [laughter] as i said the hardest thing about being here this morning was as unprepared, and i did prepare, was -- [laughter] was looking back and remembering how i was. but the good news this morning is i'm not that way anymore. [applause] i just share this. you don't have to walk alone. hubinette to carry all those burdens like it's you against

the world. you have to do like i did. you've got to get off your high horse and get on your knees and ask for forgiveness. he is waiting for you. he was there all the time. i just didn't, i just didn't know it or acknowledge it. i told you when i got up here i wasn't running for anything, but i will tell you this. i am running to something. the lord is a strong tower. the righteous will run to it and be safe. god bless you. god bless america. got bless our president thank you for sharing with you this morning. [applause]

[applause] >> well, darrell, thank you for that great message. darrell, i want to ask your permission but i will do this as a pretending to ask your permission. your birthday is today. it's also the same birthday as my mother-in-law, nancy. so i've just scored big points, darrell. thank you very much.

[laughter] it's my honor now to introduce the president. mr. president first lady michelle obama, we are honored you are with us honored by your presence. and they have been here every year. so we are grateful to have them back. president obama -- ago i had. [applause] -- go ahead. president obama is the person of faith who has spoken often about his faith journey. his life has been, and continues to be a life of service, public service in the pursuit of justice here, at home, and around the world. my mother, ellen casey -- that way i got my mother-in-law and my mother in the same remarks. my mother, ellen case always does when we were growing up over and over again she would say count your blessings.

count your blessings. and i've tried to do that, probably don't do enough of it. i know that the president is one who follows my mother's advice. especially about the blessings of his family. so today as we gather to pray and to express gratitude for so much on a morning like today i count as one of our blessings, mr. president, your good work as our president and your abiding commitment to your family to your faith, and to our country. ladies and gentlemen the 44th president of the united states, barack obama. [applause] >> thank you. thank you so much.

thank you. thank you very much. thank you. well good morning. >> good morning. >> give all praise and honor to god. it is wonderful to be back with you here. i want to thank our co-chairs, bob and roger. these two don't always agree in the senate, but in coming together and uniting us all in prayer we invite the spirit of our gathering today. i also want to thank everybody who helped organize this breakfast and it's wonderful to see so many friends and faith leaders, dignitaries. michelle and i are truly honored to be joining you here today. i want to offer a special welcome to my good friend his

holiness, the dalai lama, who is a powerful example of what it means to practice compassion and to inspire us to speak up for the freedom and dignity of all human beings. i've been pleased to welcome him to the white house on many occasions, and we are grateful we are able -- that he is able to join us at this one. [applause] >> there weren't that many occasions that bring his holiness under the same roof as nascar. [laughter] this may be the first but god works in mysterious ways. and so i want to thank darrell for that wonderful presentation. darrell knows that when you're going to hundred miles an hour a little prayer cannot hurt. i suspect that more than once darrell has had the same thought

as many of us have had in our own lives. jesus, take the wheel. [laughter] although i hope that you kept your hands on the wheel when you were thinking that. [laughter] he and i obviously sure something in having married up, and we are so grateful to stevie for the incredible work that they have done together to build a ministry where the fastest drivers can slow down a little bit and spend some time in prayer and reflection and thanks. and we certainly want to wish darrell a happy birthday. so -- [applause] happy birthday. i will note ago ago, darrell can when you're reading that list of things folks are saying about you, you know i was saying you're a biker. [laughter]

-- piker. if you really want a list talk to me. [laughter] because that ain't nothing. that's the best they can do at nascar? slowing down and pausing for fellowship and prayer, that's what this breakfast is about. i think it's fair to say washington moves a lot slower than nascar. certainly my agenda does sometimes. but still it's easier to get caught up in the rush of our lives and then the political back and forth back and can take over this city. and we get sidetracked with distractions, large and small. we can't go 10 minutes without checking our smart phones. for my staff that's every 10 seconds. and so for 63 years this prayer

tradition has brought us together, giving us the opportunity to come together in humility before the almighty. reminds us what it is we sure as children of god. and certainly for me this is always the chance to reflect on my own faith journey. many times as president i've been reminded of a line of prayer that eleanor roosevelt was fun though. she said keep us at task too hard for us that we may be driven to be for strength. keep us at task too hard for us that we may be driven to be for strength. i've wondered at times if maybe god was answering that prayer a little too literally, but no matter the challenge, he has been there. for all of us. he certainly strengthen me with

the power through his spirit, as i saw his guidance, not just in my own life but in the life of our nation. now over the last few months we have seen a number of challenges, certainly over the last six years but part of what i want to touch on today is the degree to which we have seen professions of faith used both as an instrument of great good but also twisted and misused in the name of evil. as we speak around the world, we see faith inspiring people to lift up one another, feed the hungry, care for the poor and comfort the afflicted and make peace where there is strife. we heard the good work the

sister has done in philadelphia, the incredible work that dr. brantly and his colleagues have done. we see faith driving us to be right -- to do right we also see faith being twisted and distorted, used as a wedge or worse, sometimes used as a weapon. from a school in pakistan to the streets of paris we have seen violence and terrorists perpetrated by those who profess to stand for faith, their faith. professed to stand up for islam but, in fact, are betraying it. we see isil brutal, vicious difficult that in the name of religion carries out unspeakable acts of barbarism.

care rising religious minorities like the yazidis come subjecting women to rape as a weapon of war and claiming a mantle of religious authority for such actions. we see sectarian war in syria, the murder of muslims and christians in nigeria, religious war and the central african republic arising signs of hate crimes in europe. so often perpetrated in the name of religion. and so how do we as people of faith reconcile these realities? the profound good the strength, the tenacity, the compassion and love, that can flow from all of our faiths, operating alongside

of those who seek to hijack religion for their own murderous ends. humanity has been grappling with these questions throughout human history, and unless we get on our high horse and think that this is unique to some other place remember that during the crusades and the inquisition people committed terrible deeds in the name of christ. in our home country, slavery and jim crow all too often was justified in the name of christ. michelle and i've returned from india, and incredible, beautiful country full of this magnificent diversity, but a place where investors religious faiths of all type on occasion had been targeted by other peoples of

faith simply due to their heritage and their beliefs, acts of intolerance that would have shocked gandhi, the person who helped liberate the nation. it's not unique to one group or one religion. there's a tendency in us a simple tendency that can pervert and distort our faith. in today's world when hate groups have their own twitter accounts and bigotry can fester in hidden places in cyberspace it can be even harder to counteract such intolerance. god compels us to try. and in this nation i believe there are a few principles that can guide us -- mission -- particularly those who profess belief. and first we should start with

some recent humility. i believe that the starting point of faith is some doubt. not being so full of yourself and so confident that you are right and that god speaks only to us and doesn't speak to others, that god only cares about us and doesn't care about others, that somehow we alone are in possession of the truth. our job is not to ask that god respond to our notion. our job is to be true to him and his word and his commandments and we should assume humbly that we are confused and don't always know what we are doing.

we are staggering and stumbling towards him, and have some humility in that process. and that means we are to speak up against those who would misuse his name to justify oppression or violent or hatred with that fierce certainty. no god knows they are no justifies the taking of innocent lives, or the operation of those who are weaker or fewer in number. and so as people of faith we are summoned to push back against those who try to distort our religion. in ain the religion, for their own a nihilistic ends. here at home and around the world we will constantly reaffirm that that fundamental freedom, freedom of religion, the right to practice our faith, how we choose to change our faith it which is, to practice

no faith at all if we choose. and to do so free of persecution in fear and discrimination. there is wisdom in our founders, writing in those documents that helped found this nation, the notion of freedom of religion. because they understood the need for humility. they also understood the need to uphold the freedom of speech, that there was a connection between freedom of speech and freedom of religion to infringe on one right under one is the betrayal of both. but part of humility is also recognizing in modern complicated, diverse societies the functioning of these rights,

the concern for the protection of these rights calls for each of us to exercise stability and restraint and judgment. and if in fact, we defend the legal right of a person to insult another's religion we are equally obligated to use our free speech to condemn such insults. and stand shoulder and shoulder with the religious communities -- [applause] particularly religious minorities who are targets of such attacks. and so you have the right to say something doesn't mean the rest of us shouldn't, shouldn't question those who would insult others in the name of free speech. because we know that our nations are stronger when people of all faiths feel that they are welcome, that they, too, are full and equal members of our countries. so humility i think is needed. and the second thing we need is

to uphold the distinction between our faith and our governments, between church and between states. the united states is one of the most religious countries in the world, far more religious than most western developed countries. and one of the reasons is that our founders wisely embraced the separation of church and state. our government does not sponsor of religion, nor does it pressure anyone to practice a particular faith or anything at all. and the result is a culture where people of all backgrounds and beliefs can freely and proudly worship without fear or coercion so that when you listen to darrell talk about his faith journey, you know it's real. you know he is not saying it because it helps him advance or

because somebody told him to. it's from the heart. that's not the case in theocracies that restrict peoples choice of faith. it's not the case in authoritarian governments that elevate an individual leader or a political party above the people, or in some cases above the concepts of god himself. so the freedom of religion is a valued we will continue to protect here at home and stand up for around the world and is one that we guard visually -- vigilantly here in the country. lester we joined together to pray for the release of christian missionary kenneth bae, held in north korea for two years. and today we give thanks that kenneth is finally back where he belongs, home with his family.

[applause] laughter we pray together for faster saeed abedini detained in iran since 2012. and i was recently in boise idaho, and have the opportunity to meet with pastor abedini's beautiful wife and wonderful children and to convey to them that our country has not forgotten him and we're doing everything we can to bring him home. [applause] and then i received an extraordinary letter from pastor abedini. and in it he describes his captivity and expressed his gratitude for my visit with his family. ..

we are going to keep up this work. all those around the world that are unjustly held or persecuted because of their faith and we are grateful to the new ambassador for international religious freedom who has hit the ground running and is heading to iraq in a few days to help communities address challenges. where is david, i know she's here somewhere. thank you for the great work you're doing.

[applause] humility, suspicion of government getting between us and our faith. we are trying to dictate our faith, elevates one over another. and finally let's remember if there is one law we can be most certain of that seems to bind people of all faiths and people who are still finding their way towards faith that have a sense of ethics and morality and that the golden rule that we should treat each other as we wish to be treated. love thy neighbor as myself. in islam than a few truly be the

huntsville he loves his brother what he wants for himself. the bible tells us to put on love that binds everything together in perfect harmony. whatever our beliefs traditions , we must seek to be at peace and bring light where there is darkness and love where there is hatred. this is the loving message. like so many people around the world -- called on the release to suffering of justice mercy and passion to the vulnerable to walk with the lord and ask who am i to judge who challenges us to press on and what he calls the march of living hope. like millions of americans, i'm

very much again for two welcoming pope francis to the united states this year. [applause] his holiness expresses this basic law treat the neighbor as yourself. the dalai lama anybody that has had an opportunity to be with him has that same spirit. kent bradley expresses that same spirit very good kent was treating ebola patients when he contracted it himself and with world-class medical care and a deep reliance on faith, with god's help, kent survived. and then by donating his plasma he helped others survived as well yet he continues to

advocate for global response in west africa reminding the us that our efforts need to be on loving the people there. i couldn't have been prouder to work with kent and his wife amber to the oval office. we are blessed to have him here today because he reminds us of what it means to love via neighbor as theyself. each of us has a role in fulfilling a greater common purpose. not merely to seek high positions but to plumb greater death so we may find the strength to live more fully into this is our greatest challenge to see the reflection in each other, to be our brothers keepers into sisters keepers and to keep faith with one another. as children of god let's make that work together.

as children of god, let's work to end the unjust this come, the injustice of poverty and hunger. no one should ever suffer from such want when they are such plenty. as children of god at work to end homelessness because as sister mary said none of us are home until all of us are home. as children of god lets stand up to the dignity and value of every man and woman and a child because we are all equal in his eyes and work to end the scourge and the same of modern-day slavery and human trafficking and set the oppressed free. [applause] if we are properly humble, if we drop to our knees on occasion, we will acknowledge that we never fully know god's purpose.

we can never fully fathom his amazing grace. we see through a glass grappling with the expanse of his awesome love. but even with our limits we can heed that which is required to do justice and love kindly and walk humbly with our god. i pray that we will end as we worked together on this march of living hope, i pray that in his name we will run and not worry, walk and not be faint and we will heed those words and put on love. may the lord bless you and keep you and me -- may he bless this

country that we live. love. thank you very much. [applause] [applause] >> mr. president, thank you for your message. we are honored by your presence here today. we close our program with one song and one prayer. our last song this morning will be sung by a remarkable young

man and those words don't do justice to who this person is. a young man from tennessee. if you are a fan of the television show america's got talent you might recognize him as one of last year's finalists. but today singing at the national prayer breakfast in front of more than 3,000 or 3500, the number is getting bigger, at the age of 13 just imagine that that is going to be hard to top. now to sing the lord's prayer, please welcome quintavius johnson. [applause] ♪ our father which art in heaven

hallowed be thy name ♪ ♪ thy kingdom come and thy will be done ♪ ♪ on earth as it is in heaven ♪ ♪ and give us this day our dalia bread -- our daily bread ♪ ♪ and forgive us our debt as we forgive our debtors ♪ ♪ and lead us not into temptation ♪ ♪ deliver us from evil ♪ ♪ for thine is the kingdom and the power and glory forever ♪

♪ amen ♪ [applause] wow. thank you for your great performance. we are grateful you are with us this morning. finally this morning, our last prayer at this breakfast will be offered by an extraordinary

public servant who also happens to be a minister. he's a former member of congress, ambassador to the united nations the mayor of atlanta and recipient of the presidential medal of freedom a well-known civil rights leader and friend of doctor martin luther king jr.. the next speaker was instrumental in civil rights campaigns in selma and birmingham that ultimately led to the passage of the civil rights act of 1964 into and the voting rights act of 1965. [applause] of all of his titles and accomplishments, he's most proud of his role of husband father and grandfather.

ladies and gentlemen, the honorable andrew young. [applause] >> this morning i woke up to the hearings of the senate committee on the new appointment of secretary of defense. and as they went around talking about all the dangers and problems that he must confront and you must face every day i realized that's why we need prayer. and i wondered how is the world of urban in this bad of shape, and i remembered when i was about the age of quintavius maybe even a little earlier that japanese pearl harbor and the japanese sinking ships and america was far weaker.

we still have the same conflicts in congress. we still have the same differences racially and emotionally and religiously. but somehow we pulled together. we heard the president say the only thing we have to fear is fear itself. and then a little while later, the people with whom we have gone to war became our friends and trading partners into this country of ours helped unite the world and as a thanks for that president eisenhower asked that we come together at this breakfast to thank god for the spirit of jesus to forgive as we

forgave them to reconcile enemies and that same jesus that walked with president eisenhower and all the presidents since are with you mr. president and when i look at these young people from mississippi we have overcome so much. [applause] and we think you and we thank god, may we pray. be with us dear father, as we take on the challenges of life not just as government but as

business private sector and nonprofit sector, religious leaders, community leaders volunteers, fathers and mothers brothers and sisters mothers and sons and fathers and daughters. bind us together, he'll our wounds called our spirits and make us mindful that you came into the world to say all things are new but you would be with us always. as we go through the dangers and toils and snares by your amazing grace, make us always mindful that your presence is in the midst of us. that each of us because of you

know that we are your children into that our father loves us forgives us, saves us by the mercy that we must share with each other and the world in which we live in the name of jesus we pray amen. [applause] >> thank you, ambassador young. would you please remain in your places while the president and first lady president and first lady are given an opportunity to exit the building. thank you mr. president. [applause] and as we conclude the 63rd annual national prayer breakfast

with the support of god from the book of numbers the lord bless you and keep you keep his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, the lord lift up upon you and give you peace amen. you are dismissed. [applause] [inaudible conversations] as the prayer breakfast comes to

a close the associated press questions how much will president obama and the dalai lama interact during the first joint public event at the national prayer breakfast. the president did acknowledge the dalai lama in his opening remarks. china considers it an anti-separatist because of the question on the autonomy and china warned once again this week it strongly opposes any country's leader meeting with the dalai lama and regarded it as an interference in china's internal affairs. the u.s. senate comes in at 10:30 eastern and will continue working on the homeland security bill. the democrats for the second day in a row blocked the funding bill that would've rollback the executive actions on immigration. the motion to begin the debate field yesterday 53-47 with democrats voting against it with senator dean heller republican of nevada, 60 votes needed to take up the bill. part of the article includes what might develop today.

senator susan collins republican of maine floated a compromise that would flow to the difference between the two sides entitled an amendment that would allow the president's 2012 executive action creating creating the deep hurt action for childhood arrival program to continue while reversing the immigration workers. the president unveiled in november. quote, i filed my amendment to showing committed to bringing an alternative to the bill bill and i hope democrats will look at that and some of them will reach a different conclusion she said of the democratic filibuster blocking the debate. again today the senate will try for a third time to improve funding for the department of homeland security. that begins when lawmakers gaveled the next 10:30 eastern. here's a look at some of the db. cornyn mr. leading up to devote beginning the vote beginning with senator cornyn, blun t and schumer. >> yesterday our friends across the aisle blocked by filibusters funding a $40 billion funding bill that

would have paid the funds necessary to keep the department of homeland security up and running through the rest of this fiscal year. now, i understand that they have some differences over the content of the legislation that the house passed. but it's undeniable that the house acted responsibly by passing the appropriations bill for my particularly at the time of heightened security concerns not only here at home but around the world. and of course, the part that i guess confused me the most is our democratic friends said we don't want to debate the bill. what we want is a clean appropriations bill. so they want to get to the end of the process without even starting the process which strikes me as odd. as i pointed out last week in

the senate debate on the keystone pipeline senator durbin the assistant minority leader spoke sincerely in support of a process and grounded until. we we didn't all agree the keystone pipeline bill should be passed but we did have an open amendment process that allowed everyone to express their point of view and give votes on amendments up or down before concluding that piece of legislation. of course this was something the most notable part we actually had more votes in the united states senate and the three weeks that we were on the keystone xl pipeline than all of last year under the previous management. so it was amazing to me to see that the democratic leadership the senate minority work so hard to marshal the caucus together to block debate on the

40 billion-dollar appropriation bill to fund the department of homeland security especially considering the promise of the senator from illinois to continue to work with us to foster and open debate process and open opportunity on both sides of the aisle to offer good ideas and put them up for a vote on how to improve legislation. it was also to see this outcome considering what so many of our colleagues on the other side of the aisle said last fall when the president made his executive action on immigration. again i said yesterday and i want to repeat again we are not upset with people seeking a better life here in the united states. all we are asking for is a legal process. we are very upset with the

president of violating his oath of office and purporting to make a unconstitutional executive orders. that is the problem and that is what the house is focused on like a laser. the fact is this president actions were a stunning display of executive overreach and you don't have to take my word for it, take his word for it at least the first 22 times that he talked about it he said he didn't have the authority to do it 22 different times and then there's the review of the colleagues. he said i wish he wouldn't do it he said i have concerns about executive action and of course it is easy to understand why

because this is a uniquely legislative responsibility and the president doesn't have the authority to make the law on his own at least that used to be his position and then the senior senator from missouri said to the unilateral action how this is coming about makes me uncomfortable and i think it probably makes most from missouri uncomfortable. the public opinion polls that i have seen there that comment out. while many people think that we do need to fix our broken immigration system that majority of people in the public opinion polls disagree with the way the president tried to act by doing this unilaterally or purporting to do it unilaterally i have good news for senator

manchin, they have a good piece of the position that addresses the concerns and give them some comfort. the legislation would try to open the debate fully funds the department of homeland security while reining in the president's unconstitutional actions. this is one of the tools available to the congress using these legislative writers on appropriations to affect express disapproval and defined the acts by the executive. that's one of the tools we have available to us. i will renew my request to senator reid the democratic leader from yesterday and asked assistant minority leader to honor his commitment that he made when we were debating the keystone xl pipeline. please work with us to achieve the debate on the floor is not

some significant legislation but don't just throw a fit and say we refuse to start the debate on the legislation strikes me as more of a political move than it is a legislative solution so i ask my friends on the other side of the aisle who stood up to express their concerns with the president and executive actions only a few short months ago to again stand up this time to their own leadership and join us on the executive overreach and not hold hostage the $40 billion to house appropriated to fund the department through the end of the fiscal year for september september 31. if parts of the house bill that you don't like and there are parts that i have concerns over and that i hope we have a chance to vote on but that's the way

the senate and the house are supposed to relate to one another. the house passes legislation and if they are different then they get reconciled in a conference committee or a back and forth before they go to the president. but to just throw a fit and say we refuse to do our job of legislating just because you don't like where we are starting, to me that is extraordinarily counterproductive and it is an unfortunate return to the dysfunction that i believe the voters repudiated in their vote on november 4. so we will see whether there is a definite point of view. i know the minority leader will come to the floor and asked to reconsider the vote yesterday so it will be another opportunity

for our friends across the aisle to reconsider and i hope they will reconsider and join us to come up with a consensus solution. on another note i have and love and requests 11 requests for the committees to meet during the session. these have been approved by both the majority and minority leaders and i would ask unanimous consent is requests be agreed to and printed in the record. i would yield the floor and to suggest the absence of a quorum. i didn't see my friend here i will withhold that request. >> the senator from missouri. >> i want to follow up on what the majority has been talking

about. clearly the country is and should be concerned by the president's unilateral executive action on immigration. he announced this november 20 of last year and they've already gone down that list of a number of colleagues on the other side and have said this is the wrong way to do this. at the house happens to agree in fact the house has passed legislation that agrees with this being the wrong way to do it and to try to come up with another remedy. frankly there is another remedy. you're not going to find that if you don't have a debate you're not going to find it if you don't come to the floor and say here is how we think that bill should be changed. clearly the action taken last november by the president was an executive overreach and it was an affront and i believe in the rule of law and it was an affront to the constitution. article two, section three of

the constitution states the president shall take care that the law be faithfully executed. that is the end of the quota but it couldn't be more clear take care that the law is faithfully executed. that's why we call the president of the executive. his job isn't to make the law to rule as the court was on the wall. the president's job is to execute the law. the question here is does the law matter or not? spending bill that would allow the funding for the u.s. department of homeland security for the rest of the fiscal year, between now and september 30, their bill does try to stop president obama's executive amnesty plan. many people, it