Diana Harshbarger
Representative for Tennessee · Republican · United States
“During the earliest beginnings of our Nation, it was abundantly evident that Christianity played a formative role in shaping our Nation's founding. Christian principles shaped the Founders' thinking in a profound way. They believed that humans are created in the image of God with an informed conscience of what is right and what is wrong.”
“Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to speak on faith tonight. You know, the Bible so beautifully defines faith. In Hebrews 11:1, it says: ``Faith is the assurance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.'' This Nation is in the midst of spiritual warfare--make no bones about it--for the soul of not only America but…”
“His name was William Wilberforce. He wrote: ``I am disturbed when I see the majority of so-called Christians having such little understanding of the real nature of the faith they profess.”
“This generation of leaders has a tremendous opportunity to leave a Christ-honoring legacy that can possibly change not only our country but the world. We should let our faith be the catalyst for every decision that we make.”
“Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, Chairman Gus Bilirakis, who I affectionately call Gus, and Ranking Member Pallone for supporting this act. We have the opportunity today to vote on legislation centered around something that brings us all together, and that is music.”
“Importantly, let me emphasize this bill will not require any additional taxpayer dollars. It is a smart, efficient, and unique way to support our economy without increasing spending. Whether it is New Orleans, the birthplace of jazz; Seattle, where they rock out to grunge; the cradles of hip hop, which are L.A.”
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“This generation of leaders has a tremendous opportunity to leave a Christ-honoring legacy that can possibly change not only our country but the world. We should let our faith be the catalyst for every decision that we make. I am thankful, as a Christian, I can share my faith from a platform that very few people will ever have the opportunity to share from, and that is right here in the House of Representatives. Wilberforce's work is an example to generations going forward to integrate faith, reason and courage into our engagement with those we have been called to serve. I am honored to be part of Faith Month ``for such a time as this.''”
“His name was William Wilberforce. He wrote: ``I am disturbed when I see the majority of so-called Christians having such little understanding of the real nature of the faith they profess. Faith is a subject of such importance that we should not ignore it because of the distractions or the hectic pace of our lives.'' He goes on to say: ``I would suggest that faith is everyone's business. The advance or decline of faith is so intimately connected to the welfare of a society that it should be a particular interest to a politician.'' Being a Christian in a secular society is not an easy task, but we have examples who left benchmarks for not just our country to follow but for the world to follow.”
“During the earliest beginnings of our Nation, it was abundantly evident that Christianity played a formative role in shaping our Nation's founding. Christian principles shaped the Founders' thinking in a profound way. They believed that humans are created in the image of God with an informed conscience of what is right and what is wrong. They believed that humans are inherently sinful, and because of that, we always would need laws and a system of checks and balances. They believed God is the source of moral standards and that legislation should be in agreement with the moral law. They believed that religious liberty is a God-given right and must be protected. There was a British politician who served in the late 1700s, early 1800s. He was against the slave trade, and he devoted his life to promoting Christian values.”
“Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to speak on faith tonight. You know, the Bible so beautifully defines faith. In Hebrews 11:1, it says: ``Faith is the assurance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.'' This Nation is in the midst of spiritual warfare--make no bones about it--for the soul of not only America but for the world. There is an assault on Christianity, and we have to be diligent in sharing our faith if we profess to be Christians. As my colleague, Mr. Babin, just quoted, Psalm 33:12 declares: ``Blessed is the Nation whose God is the Lord.'' America is a Nation that is blessed, in [[Page H1720]] large part, because we are rooted in Judeo-Christian values. I want to speak about faith as it pertains to politics.”
“I can't forget a little town in my district called Sneedville, Tennessee, and that is the home of Morgan Wallen. My favorite song is ``The Way I Talk.'' I thought for a long time, Mr. Speaker, that he wrote that about me, but I have come to find out that he didn't. As a tribute to Dolly Parton, all I have to say is that we have been working longer than ``9 to 5'' to get this bill across the finish line. I am so thankful for the strong bipartisan partnership that made it possible today. Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this legislation.”
“Importantly, let me emphasize this bill will not require any additional taxpayer dollars. It is a smart, efficient, and unique way to support our economy without increasing spending. Whether it is New Orleans, the birthplace of jazz; Seattle, where they rock out to grunge; the cradles of hip hop, which are L.A. and New York; or Austin, which proudly calls itself the Live Music Capital of the World, our Nation is overflowing with the rich history of music. For those of us in Tennessee's First District, which I represent, this bill is especially personal. We are home to [[Page H1637]] treasures like Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, the home of Dolly Parton, and the Birthplace of Country Music, which is in Bristol, Tennessee--places that just don't celebrate our culture but also drive tourism, create jobs, and strengthen our communities.”
“Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, Chairman Gus Bilirakis, who I affectionately call Gus, and Ranking Member Pallone for supporting this act. We have the opportunity today to vote on legislation centered around something that brings us all together, and that is music. Today, we will take the American Music Tourism Act under consideration. It is a bipartisan piece of legislation that I am proud to have led through the House alongside my co-lead, Representative Nanette Barragan. It will require the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Travel and Tourism to develop a plan to boost music tourism, welcoming both domestic and international visitors to experience the rich musical heritage we have across America. It also ensures that Congress stays informed, with regular reports on our progress, our success, and any challenges that we face.”