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Letter to the Hon. Paul Ryan, Speaker of the House of Representatives - Request Information on His Decision to Remove House Chaplain

Letter

By: Joyce Beatty, Dan Kildee, Val Demings, Anna Eshoo, Richard Neal, Charlie Crist, Jr., Jamie Raskin, Matt Cartwright, Grace Meng, Nanette Barragán, Katherine Clark, Ami Bera, John Larson, Ron Kind, Jim Cooper, Juan Vargas, Hakeem Jeffries, Marcy Kaptur, Debbie Dingell, Jimmy Panetta, Jacky Rosen, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Joe Crowley, Don Beyer, Jr., Mike Capuano, Niki Tsongas, Grace Napolitano, John Delaney, Jim Langevin, Jerry Nadler, Gregory Meeks, Barbara Lee, Stephen Lynch, Dan Lipinski, Alcee Hastings, Sr., Steve Cohen, Luis Gutiérrez, Rosa DeLauro, Jan Schakowsky, Mike Quigley, Tom O'Halleran, Ruben Kihuen, Sandy Levin, Kathy Castor, Rick Larsen, Suzan DelBene, Ted Deutch, Gerry Connolly, Walter Jones, Jr., Carol Shea-Porter, Eric Swalwell, Michelle Lujan Grisham, David Scott, Donald McEachin, Denny Heck, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Tim Ryan, Bill Foster, Robin Kelly, Ed Perlmutter, Donald Norcross, Bonnie Watson Coleman, Yvette Clarke, Lucille Roybal-Allard, Karen Bass, Keith Ellison, Nydia Velázquez, Peter Welch, Lloyd Doggett II, Pete Visclosky, Linda Sánchez, Bill Keating, Judy Chu, Ted Lieu, André Carson, Elijah Cummings, Norma Torres, Collin Peterson, Jim Himes, Jared Polis, Gwen Moore, Doris Matsui, Mark Takano, Ben Luján, Jr., Danny Davis, Mark DeSaulnier, Alan Lowenthal, John Yarmuth, Maxine Waters, Thomas Suozzi, Mike Thompson, Mike Doyle, Jr., Pramila Jayapal, Jim McGovern, Suzanne Bonamici, Julia Brownley, Sean Maloney, Lois Frankel, Dwight Evans, Brendan Boyle, Bobby Scott, Darren Soto, Kathleen Rice, Derek Kilmer, Henry Cuellar, David Cicilline, Carolyn Maloney, Conor Lamb, Emanuel Cleaver II, Albio Sires, Joe Courtney, José Serrano, Rick Nolan, Bill Pascrell, Jr., Kurt Schrader, Colleen Hanabusa, Earl Blumenauer, Sheila Jackson Lee, John Garamendi, Brian Higgins, Dina Titus, Elizabeth Esty, Alma Adams, Cheri Bustos, Susan Davis, Pete Aguilar, Nita Lowey, Eddie Johnson, Adriano Espaillat, Bob Brady, David Price, Brad Sherman, Betty McCollum, Sanford Bishop, Jr., Jerry McNerney, Marcia Fudge, Frederica Wilson, Paul Tonko, Jackie Speier, Bobby Rush, Don Payne, Jr., Brad Schneider, Salud Carbajal, Raul Ruiz, Jared Huffman, Diana DeGette, Gene Green
Date: April 27, 2018
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Religion Government Operations

Dear Mr. Speaker,

We respectfully write regarding your decision to remove the House chaplain without cause from his office prior to his term's expiration.

Since the election of Reverend William Linn in 1789, the Chaplain of the House of Representatives has provided pastoral counseling to individuals who serve in and support our institution. The House chaplain is vested with a special mission, including the free exercise of religion, the integrity of which must be safeguarded.

To that end and in the expectation of a shared commitment to transparency and due process, we are seeking additional information regarding your decision to request the resignation of Reverend Patrick J. Conroy, the 60th Chaplain of the House of Representatives. The sensitive nature of this situation requires a description of the process followed to arrive at the decision and a justification for that decision. We believe that, absent such details, questions will inevitably arise about the politicization of the process for hiring and dismissing a House chaplain. Not revealing such details could also risk resurrecting prior questions of religious bias. Absent transparency, we are also concerned about the implicit damage done to the reputation of the House chaplain personally. Continued silence on this matter could allow unfair and utterly unfounded inferences to be made about his character and the evenhandedness of the House on dealing in matters of faith.

We appreciate your urgent attention to our request. This is a matter that has serious implications for our institution, and we look forward to your reply to address the concerns raised by your decision to request Reverend Conroy's resignation.

Sincerely,


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