1,000 Community Centers to get students from lowincome to get the tools to be ready for anything. Comcast supports cspan as a Public Service along with the other television providers, giving you a front row seat to democracy. Up next, house speaker, mike johnson, taking part in the ceremony unveiling a statue of the late rev vanned billy graham at the u. S. Capitol. The speakers is reverend Franklin Graham and the North Carolina delegation. He was a well known christian figure from North Carolina. He died in 2018. This is about 50 minutes. Ladies and gentlemen, the honorable mike johnson. Speaker of the house of representatives. [applause] good morning, everyone. It is a true honor to have you with us and the peoples house. As a speaker of the house, it is my pleasure to welcome you here as we honor one of the americas greatest citizens and enduring heros. Our capital is filled with monuments to the history. They teach us about where we were and where we are and where we are going as a nation. The statute of the oldest man in the capitol is john winthrop. He was an english puritan leader. He symbolized how the country began. With gods help, we could be a shining city upon a hill for the people. Of course, making the reference from scripture. Our newest statute is of a man that shared that same vision and who believed the same gospel. A man who looked back at where we were and who prayed and served endlessly for what we could become again. The shining city upon a hill. I want you to know this is this truly is a historic moment. There are only four people in the history of our country who have received the three highest honors here. Those three honors are congressional gold medal, having tie lied in state, and having a statute here in the capital to be honored. Two of them were president s. President s ford and reagan. And one is rosa parks. The other, as of today, will be reverend billy graham. [applause] ive done a few of the ceremonial events now. I dont ever get nervous for public speaking. Im nervous today. Billy graham is such a towering figure in my life and such a singular figure. The leading ambassador for the kingdom of our life sometimes. It means so much to us. It is always a long journey to get the statue here in the capital. We have a lot of things to get out today. Many who helped to bring this day about and make this possible. Billy graham takes this place on the Hallowed Ground of american democracy. Ladies and gentlemen, please stand for the presentation of the colors by the United StatesArmy Color Guard from the third infantry region, our National Anthem by the brass quintet, and retiring of the colors. [National Anthem] o say can you see, by the dawns early light, what so proudly we haild at the twilights last gleaming, whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight oer the ramparts we watchd were so gallantly streaming . And the rockets red glare, the bomb bursting in air, gave proof through the night that our flag was still there, o say does that starspangled banner yet wave oer the land of the free and the home of the brave . [song ends] ladies and gentlemen, please remain standing for the chaplain to deliver an address to the United States senate. Let us pray. Spirit of holiness, before whom none can stand in his or her own righteousness. Come into this statute dedication ceremony and dwell within our hearts. Lord, we thank you for this opportunity to honor the life and legacy of your servant, the reverend William Franklin billy graham jr. By placing his statue in the United States capitol building. We praise you. For his life which was like the light of mourning at sunrise on a cloudless day, and like the brightness after brain that brings the grass from the earth. Lord, we celebrate his laudable example of blameless living of obedience to your commands and of telling your good news about salvation around the world. Inspired by his great and sacrificial life, may we emulate his commitments by refusing to deviate from integrity, living upon reproach and striving to transform dark yesterdays into bright tomorrows. In all of our tomorrows, oh, mighty god, keep our eyes from tears, our seat from stoneling, and our hearts from despair. We pray in the name of the one dr. Billy graham passionately loved and served. Jesus christ, the king of kings, and lord of lords, amen. And amen. Please be seated. Ladies and gentlemen, the honorable mike johnson, speaker of the United States house of representatives. Well, one of the good thing about the ceremonies is we dont belator the point. We get right to the unveiling of the statute at the begin of the ceremony. I would like to do that. I would like to invite people to join me for the important exercise, beginning with governor cooper, the members of the North Carolina congressional delegation, the graham family it is a big family dr. Bruce, mr. Feigen, and the statue committee. Join me here and well do this together. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, the honorable roy cooper, governor of North Carolina. Well, mr. Speaker, elected officials, distinguished guests, family, and loved ones, i bring greetings from the state of North Carolina. It is such an honor to be with you on this special day. As im sure you know, it is always a great honor to be from the great state of North Carolina. Our state has given the nation its first flight, its first public university, its rich farmland, its best colleague basketball, even its first declaration of freedom. Today they give them a symbol representing one of our dearest treasures. The reverend billy graham. A man of faith. A man of North Carolina. The reverend graham was known as a minister to millions. A pastor to president s. A selfless man of god who lived out his calling by preaching and teaching across the world. Always returning to his beloved home in the blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina respite. Then to return again to his worldwide ministry. Ill never forget as a child hearing him preach in carterfinley stadium in raleigh. He brought together people of different faiths and different races. Today we acknowledge that he is a better representation of our state than the statute it replaces. Which brought memories of a painful history of racism. Not that reverend graham was perfect, he would have been the first to tell us that. Instead, he realized that he and all of us here today have feet of clay. We are imperfect. We have been found wanting. But he believed as many of us do, that theres redemption. He gave his life to delivering that message. The reverend billy graham recognized the responsibility of Public Servants such as as and especially that of the president of the United States was so anest that whoever was in the office deserved a presumption of good faith. The power of prayer. The gift of his wisdom, friendship, and advice. He did not seek to bludgeon or defie any political candidate or party. Instead he could use his magnetic, loving, ander is persuasive gifts to council and lift leaders of both parties. He did not seek to attack other religions. He treated all with dignity and respect. In fact, he once said, quote, racial prejudice, antisemitism, or hatred of anyone with different briefs has no place in the human mind or heart. Weve often strayed from that example. But it is as we stand together today as public officials, we can honor his legacy not just by unveiling the statute, but by being humble. Humble enough to know that our Public Service is not to honor ourselves but to serve our country and strengthen our democracy. And humble enough to put aside personal aggrandizement to do best for our country and not for personal gain. As we gaze upon North Carolinas newest statute here in the capital, let us reflect on the realization that the reverend Billy Grahams work to share counselor and guidance, to seek grace and peace, and live a life of faith, service, and humility is needed now more than ever. The work to bring people together for a higher calling, that work is unfinished. And that work must continue. Thank you. [applause] good evening. It is an honor to be here. This day is a day in the making. I want to thank you in honoring one of North Carolinas favorite sun sons. It is based on a simple message. Creation, fall, rediscussion in our ultimate hope set forth in scripture. You know, he took this message of hope in christ to more than 185 nations to more than 200 billion people in person. I was one of those two billion that would watch him on tv as a young kid. When i was young, i remember loving to watch billy graham. For two reason. 1 it was the good news of jesus christ whimically presented. If he was on tv, my parents would let me stay up late. You know, to this day, any time the hear the hymn, i want to get up and walk forward. You know, more people have heard the good news of jesus from billy graham than any man in the history. The incredible legacy. It didnt start with him. As with many things, it started in the prayers of prior generations and putting his parent the, his inlaws, and it was enriched by the love of his wonderful wife ruth. His legacy continues on through his children and grandchildren and for the north carolinians here today, it is our great honor to have billy graham and his family call our state home. He put his heart in the history. Let us never forget the bible he preached, the souls that were saved, and the lives that were transformed. Enough lives to affect the course of nations. It is our hope we as lawmakers and come and go as visitors passed by the statute here of billy graham, were reminded of his ministry and what he preached emphasizing two verses in the gospel john etched on either side of the beautiful statute. The first as we know, from the book of john and chapter 3 listen 16. For as god loved the world, he gave his one and only son. In john 14 listen 6, jesus declares im the way and truth and life. No one comes to the father but by me. His point was this. I quoted in his words in the final crew said in 20 05. Jesus christ came, he died on the cross, and to receive him by faith as lord and save yore. If we do, we have forgiveness of all of our sins. Friends, gods grace is un11 served. It is freely given. It is my testing in i hope and pray. Amen. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, the honorable tom, United States senator from North Carolina. Thank you, all. Thanks for being in south carolina. You are here to get consensus on what color the sky is on a cloudy day. I bereave we can all agree billy graham was a trail blazer. When they openly embraced segregation in the south, it was billy graham that spoke out against it. He insisted they be integrated. He shared his platform of black ministers, including one named Martin Luther king jr. Reverend graham was blessed with the differences and brought us all together. There were two things that were a staple in my family. Walter cronkite and billy graham. Reverend graham was blessed with a gift that brings us all together. You can remember it. In the crusades, we all came together. We divided americans. He lefted them up. He understand how to change the hearts and inspire us to live up to the highest ideals. I hope when members of congress walk by his statute, they reflect on the standards of faith, ethics, and decency that he exemplify throughout his life. We find efforts around what makes the nation great. Theres no north carolinian more deserving of this honor. I wanted to thank the many people who played a role in getting the statute here. I see one of those people, my friends, former colleagues, Charlie Jeter in the audience. He lead the charge to get the state law passed in 2015. Started the whole process. Chase feigen, charlotte hardin, what a wonderful job you did with the statute. I also have to thank the graham family. Franklin and all of you. Thank you for sharing such a wonderful treasure with rest of this world. Our nation is grateful to have billy graham as the nations pastor. It is North Carolinas honor to be able to call him our native son. Thank you for being here today. Thank you for gracing this beautiful capital with billy graham. God bless you all. Ladies and gentlemen, william Franklin Graham iii and son of billy graham and ceo of Billy Graham Association and samaritans first. [applause] thank you, mr. Speaker. Vice president pence. Members of the senate and members of the house and governor cooper. Distinguished guests, friends, and lots of family. My father would be a little uncomfortable. With this being here. Because he would want the focus to be on the one that he had preached. He would want the focus to be on the lord jesus christ, the son of god. [applause] john 3 16. John 14 listen 6 are inscribed. God so loved the world that he sent his son on a rescue mission. To save sinners. He didnt come to condemn. He came to save. If we would confess our sins and repent and believe on the name of the lord jesus christ, we can be saved. This was his message that he preached. His entire life. He never got off track. Of course, jesus said im the way and the truth and the light. No man comes through the father except by me. My father believed it. He believed the bible cover to cover. He didnt understand it all. He certainly believed it all. Every word of it. Our family is honored. That our earthly father will be here this this capitol. Pointing to the future generations to our heavenly father and his son, the lord jesus christ. Thank you. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, michael w. Smith performing i surrender all. It is an honor to be here. I cant help reflect on the many few years. The last few years of his life, and the last few months when i would sit at his piano beside him in his wheelchairs. He didnt want to hear friends, he wanted to hear him hymns, is what he wanted to hear. I would play his favorite hymns. He would try to sing along. This is one ill remember for the rest of my life that we had the treasure of experiencing together. I think really just maybe billy would want this to be our theme song today. [singing] [applause] ladies and gentlemen, the honorable patrick mchenry, United States representative from the 10th district of North Carolina. This is a program that i would not follow. Franklin graham or michael w. Smith. Forgive me. This will pass quickly. But one of the great moments and i would say the greatest moment of my service in congress was in 2012. Redistricting just occurred in North Carolina. Which is traditional. Seasonal. Just new parts of my district when i got a call from the folks in reverend grahams office. He says he would welcome the opportunity to meet his new congressman. And so you see my new district had taken in a whole town called a Little College town in the valley of western North Carolina. And it was in this small town in western North Carolina that reverend graham and his beloved ruth for married, made his home, and raised a family. He was just as comfortable chatting with locals as a coach restaurant and neighboring black mound as he was in the world stage. It was in the low trend stop in Black Mountain that he would take the overnight train in the 1950s and 60s to come here to washington. He could get off the station down the road. He would go meet with folks here in the capital. Both parties. He would go to the white house. No matter the president , they wanted him as their counselor. No matter the party, they wanted him as their counselor. And to be able to speak with reverend graham in the home that he and ruth raised their amazing family. To pray with him. To feel the warmth. That so many had felt. In his experience and memory i will always, always treasure. So today is a true honor to be part of the lasting tribute to americas past. Who counseled 13 president s and nearly 215 Million People and 185 countries. A man who scary was in the public eye but who transcended politics. The Public Servant who was raised on his fathers dairy farm in charlotte. He went on to be the finest north carolinian. Without the doubt, the finest north carolinian, North Carolina has ever produced. It is altogether fitting he could take his place among the greatest americans here in the statuary hall. Thanks so much. God bless. [applause] thank you from the representative of the Fifth District of North Carolina. He said he didnt want to follow the program. What about me . Good afternoon, everyone. People who have traveled all the way from the beloved mountains from North Carolina. Welcome. The statues in the United States capitol, a building that i love and admire deeply, should represent the very best of america. Thats why it is such a proud moment for me and north carolinians to see reverend grahams statute take its place here. Millions will be able to every year look upon the statute, read the verses, and be encouraged. The North Carolina delegation general assembly, the design committee, worked with expediency to bring the suggestion to fruition. Everyone involved in the process understood reverend grahams impact within our country and across the world. It is a tangible way here in the capitol. During the lifetime, he councilled foreign digni