[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 9] [House] [Page 12533] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov] PRAYER Reverend Bradford Braley, First Presbyterian Church, Cedar Falls, Iowa, offered the following prayer: Great and gracious God, we gather today from north and south and east and west as representatives chosen to lead Your people. As we approach the 234th anniversary of the birth of this great Nation, we ask You to rekindle the spirit of independence which values and respects each person's freedom. Reignite the spirit of unity that overcame sharp differences of opinion to form these United States. Renew a spirit of interdependence which seeks the common good of all above personal preferences. Inspire a sense of awe and wonder at the bountiful resources of this land, and in light of the environmental tragedy in the Gulf of Mexico, may we humbly dedicate ourselves to preserving and protecting those resources. Guide these leaders in their work today, and in the days to come, that our Nation's example of democracy and compassion may be a beacon of hope to all the world. Amen. ____________________