The chaplain of the U.S. Senate blasted lawmakers in his opening prayer on day 27 of the government shutdown, saying that “no gold medals are given for breaking shutdown records.”
Senate Chaplain Barry Black, who has served in the role since 2003, delivered the fiery prayer on Monday afternoon:
“Eternal God, our King, when our children and grandchildren want to know what we were doing in the 19th Congress during the famous shutdown, may we not have to give these answers; ‘I helped set a new record for keeping the government closed. I failed to appeal to the better angels of my nature. I forgot Matthew 7:12, which states do to others whatever you would like them to do to you,’” Black said on the Senate floor.
The longest ever U.S. government shutdown lasted for 35 days in 2018, with the current shutdown just a week away from matching that.
He continued, “This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and prophets. Lord, remind our lawmakers that no gold medals are given for breaking shutdown records. But a crown of righteousness is given to those who take care of the lost, last, and least.”
“We pray in your loving name, amen,” Black concluded.
The chaplain delivered a similar message during the 2013 government shutdown, saying, “Lord, when our federal shutdown delays payments of death benefits to the families of children dying on far-away battlefields, it’s time for our lawmakers to say enough is enough.”
President Donald Trump on Monday again called on Senate Democrats to end the shutdown, as Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) continued to lead the charge against a clean continuing resolution (CR).
Olivia Rondeau is a politics reporter for Breitbart News based in Washington, DC. Find her on X/Twitter and Instagram.
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