WASHNGTON – Senate President pro tempore Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) today resumed his practice of opening the Senate floor for business as part of his constitutional role in the 119th Congress. Grassley delivers brief remarks upon the Senate’s opening. Today, he highlighted the start of the 119th Congress, as well as Vladimir Putin’s religious persecution of Ukrainian Christians.
As the 119th Congress kicks off, I look forward to continuing my work for Iowans.
As President pro tempore of the Senate, Iowa is number one with my leadership.
I look forward to working with my colleague, Senator Joni Ernst, to represent the people of Iowa and bring their views to the policymaking tables.
The two of us will work with our colleagues, Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Congresswoman Ashley Hinson, Congressman Zach Nunn and Congressman Randy Feenstra, across the capitol to represent the good people of Iowa.
We’re ready to roll up our sleeves and get to work.
I just emphasized the Iowa delegation putting Iowa first.
At the same time, we’ll remember the voters’ mandate of the last election, to put America first.
We will work with President Trump to bring that goal to fruition.
On another point, [today is] Christmas Day for many Christians of the Orthodox Faith.
But, during the Soviet Union, if you remember the history of the Soviet Union, Christmas had to be celebrated in secret, lest the Communist authorities find out and you’d be punished.
The Godless Soviet Regime encouraged celebrating the New Year with a visit from Grandfather Frost, a secular Russian folk character, in place of Jolly Saint Nick.
In a repeat of history, KGB Dictator Putin, now President Putin supposedly, banned Santa Claus in occupied Ukraine.
Christmas caroling, nativity scenes and any mention of Saint Nicholas were reportedly banned in Russian occupied Ukraine, for fear of spreading Western influence.
A video recently came out showing the Russian military shooting down Santa’s sled over Russia to the praise of Grandfather Frost.
This is a war on Christmas, Communist style.
In Russia today, religious expression outside the state-controlled church is discouraged.
In Russian occupied Ukraine, all Protestant churches have been closed.
The head of the Russian church is a KGB guy who answers directly to KGB Putin.
It is no wonder then that only 16 percent of Russians say religion is very important to them and only 7 percent attend church weekly.
It is also no wonder that most Ukrainians chose to celebrate Christmas with the West on the 25th, even while under rocket fire from Russia.
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