The bill asking the U.S. House of Representatives to censure Episcopal Bishop Mariann Budde for her sermon at Washington National Cathedral Jan. 21 has been referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
That powerful committee is chaired by Rep. James Comer, a conservative Republican and a Southern Baptist from Kentucky. He was baptized at First Baptist Church of Tompkinsville, Ky., and is a member of Forks of the Elkhorn Baptist Church in Midway, Ky.
James Comer
Comer has been pursuing an agenda to investigate former President Joe Biden and his family. Three of the four current topics highlighted on the committee’s website are about “Biden Family Investigation,” “The Bidens’ Influence Peddling Timeline” and “Biden’s Border Crisis.
A news release on the site carries the headline: “Chairman Comer Blasts Preemptive Pardons for the Biden Crime Family.”
As committee chairman, Comer will have wide latitude about the fate of House Resolution 59, which is captioned, “Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the sermon given by the Right Reverend Mariann Edgar Budde at the National Prayer Service on January 21st, 2025, at the National Cathedral was a display of political activism and condemning its distorted message.”
The bill is not yet scheduled for committee hearing. The only two upcoming hearings shown on the committee calendar are on “Rightsizing Government” and “Transgender Lab Rats and Poisoned Puppies: Oversight of Taxpayer Funded Animal Cruelty.”
Josh Brecheen
The unusual resolution to publicly censure a minister was filed by Rep. Josh Brecheen of Oklahoma.
A new release on his own website claims Budde “used the pulpit at the National Prayer Service earlier this week to publicly accost President Trump and Vice President Vance in a shocking display of left-wing political activism.”
That release quotes Brecheen saying: “Today, I introduced a resolution to fully condemn the distorted message that was preached at President Trump during the National Prayer Service on Monday. I strongly urge my colleagues to act quickly on this resolution to show President Trump that the sermon given is not reflective of the faith community at large.”
His bill currently has 22 cosponsors, all Republicans. They are: Clyde Andrews, Ga.; Glenn Grothman, Wis.; Eric Burlison, Mo.; Mary Miller, Ill.; Mark Harris, N.C.; Stephanie Bice, Okla.; Anna Paulina Luna, Fla.; Barry Moore, Ala.; Andrew Ogles, Tenn.; Marjorie Taylor Greene, Ga.; Ralph Norman, S.C.; Daniel Webster, Fla.; Rick Allen, Ga.; Brian Babin, Texas; Erin Houchin, Ind.; Beth Van Duyne, Texas; James Baird, Ind.; Sheri Biggs, S.C.; Lauren Boebert, Colo.; Morgan Griffith, Va.; Richard McCormick, Ga.; and Mike Collins, Ga.
The text of the bill states:
Whereas the National Prayer Service is a longstanding tradition in which the United States publicly affirms dependence upon God and prays for the success of our President and Vice President;
Whereas, on January 21, 2025, President Donald J. Trump and Vice President JD Vance took part in the National Prayer Service at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC; and
Whereas the Right Reverend Mariann Edgar Budde, the bishop leading the inaugural prayer service, used her position inappropriately, promoting political bias instead of advocating the full counsel of biblical teaching: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That—
(1) it is the sense of the House of Representatives that the sermon given at the National Prayer Service on January 21st, 2025, at the National Cathedral was a display of political activism; and
(2) the House of Representatives condemns the Right Reverend Mariann Edgar Budde’s distorted message.
Related articles:
Now the US House wants to censor a preacher? | Opinion by Rodney Kennedy
Trump at the National Cathedral: We’ve already fought this war | Opinion by Mark Wingfield
Basham and others link criticism of Budde to threat of female preachers
At prayer service, Episcopal bishop calls on Trump to show mercy
Two versions of Christianity cross swords at the National Cathedral | Opinion by Alan Bean
Presidents, pardons, prevarications and (women) preachers | Opinion by Bill Leonard