The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“HONORING THE ISLAMIC CENTER OF CULPEPER” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Justice was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E1459 on Nov. 18, 2019.
The Department is one of the oldest in the US, focused primarily on law enforcement and the federal prison system. Downsizing the Federal Government, a project aimed at lowering taxes and boosting federal efficiency, detailed wasteful expenses such as $16 muffins at conferences and board meetings.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
HONORING THE ISLAMIC CENTER OF CULPEPER
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HON. RASHIDA TLAIB
of michigan
in the house of representatives
Monday, November 18, 2019
Ms. TLAIB. Madam Speaker, I rise today in tribute to the Islamic Center of Culpeper on the occasion of the ground breaking of their new mosque.
Culpeper, Virginia is home to a growing, close-knit Muslim community known as the Islamic Center of Culpeper, (ICC). For many years the ICC community has been worshiping in a very small space lacking proper heating in the brutal winters and air conditioning in the scorching summers. The facility even lacked an adequate washing facility to perform ablution before prayers. The ICC searched for nearly five years before finding and purchasing a parcel of land in January of 2016. Immediately, they made plans to begin constructing a brand-new mosque to serve as a place of worship and a place for community.
The ICC had no idea of the challenges they would face.
Since 1995, every pump and hall permit application submitted to the Culpeper County Government by a house of worship had been approved, but in April of 2016, the County denied ICC's permit application.
The County also ordered a moratorium on any new pump and haul applications, which barred ICC from any attempts to re-apply, and in advance of one of the local zoning hearings, protesters hung a banner stating, ``NO ISLAMIC CENTER!'' in big black letters.
The ICC fought back.
Muslim Advocates and Arnold & Porter Kaye Scholer filed a lawsuit against the County on behalf of ICC, following a lawsuit by the Department of Justice and one month later, the ICC and the County reached a settlement. The ICC could move forward with their plans to build a mosque, and the County issued a statement welcoming the ICC and compensated the community for their expenses.
Please join me in honoring the ICC and their resilience as they celebrate this milestone project.
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