Rep. Mary Miller (R-IL) is under fire for a since-deleted post saying a Sikh or Muslim should not be allowed to lead prayer in the House.
It is a long-standing tradition in the House to introduce legislative sessions with prayer, with Congress members regularly inviting guest chaplains from their districts. Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ) asked Giani Surinder Singh, a Sikh cleric from New Jersey, to lead lawmakers in prayer Friday morning.
The decision upset Miller, who posted and then deleted a social media post that said allowing a non-Christian to deliver the prayer “never should have been allowed to happen.” Miller initially mistakenly identified Singh as a Muslim before editing the post to say “Sikh,” which refers to an Indian religion. She then deleted the post.
“It’s deeply troubling that a Muslim was allowed to lead prayer in the House of Representatives this morning,” Miller said in the initial post.
“This should have never been allowed to happen. America was founded as a Christian nation, and I believe our government should reflect that truth, not drift further from it. May God have mercy,” she added.
Miller appeared to be Singh’s singular critic on Friday as Republicans and Democrats alike condemned her post.
In comments to the Washington Examiner, Rep. David Valadao (R-CA) suggested Miller’s position constituted harassment and discrimination. Valadao introduced a congressional resolution last year to commemorate the Sikh genocide of 1984 in India.
“I’m troubled by my colleague’s remarks about this morning’s Sikh prayer, which have since been deleted,” Valadao said. “Throughout the country — and in the Central Valley — Sikh-Americans are valued and respected members of our communities, yet they continue to face harassment and discrimination. Religious freedom is one of our nation’s founding principles, and I started the American Sikh Congressional Caucus to draw attention to this very issue and work toward religious tolerance for all. Sikh-Americans deserve the right to live and work peacefully in our communities, and I remain committed to continuing to bring awareness to anti-Sikh hate crimes and transnational repression, which still persist today.”
Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-TX) called Miller’s post “racist” in a statement on X.
“Our country was founded on the Constitution — which happens to care enough about freedom of religion that it’s in the very first amendment,” Escobar said. “Not only is this racist, it dishonors the ‘founding document’ you referenced.”
Singh’s prayer on the House floor said in part: “Almighty God … . We call you by many names, sir. But you are one. Keep your divine hand over the members of this House … Keep truth on our tongues, sir, love in our hearts, and sound judgment in our minds. Remind us, sir, of our purpose: To love and serve one another and create a more peaceful world. We ask you for blessings unto all leaders, sir, and their work for the common good. Give all who govern this land humility and courage, integrity and compassion. Help us remember that we belong to one family … We ask for the Almighty also to keep watch over our nation’s protectors who work tirelessly day and night to ensure our safety and our freedom.”
Singh leads a Sikh congregation in New Jersey. He was introduced by House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) before leading prayer Friday morning and was praised by Van Drew for exemplifying “American values.”
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“Day after day, year after year, he leads not just with words, but with example, with peace, with humility, with service towards all,” Van Drew said during remarks on the House floor. “These are not just Sikh values. They are American values.”
The Washington Examiner reached out to Miller’s office for comment.
Rachel Schilke contributed to this article.
