Washington, DC, November 21–Rev. Rob Schenck enters the US Senate office of Majority Leader Harry Reid to hand deliver a report of more than 4000 petitioners asking for Congress to recognize this year’s National Bible Week observance.

For the first time in many years both the Senate, under Mr. Reid, and the House, under Nancy Pelosi, have ignored a bipartisan resolution declaring next week, November 23 – 30, as National Bible Week. The principle sponsors of the act were Democratic senator Daniel Akaka of Hawaii and Republican representative Todd Aiken of Missouri.

Rev. Schenck earlier delivered the same report to Mrs. Pelosi’s office. Additional petitions supporting the measure continue to pour into the ministry center of Faith and Action and will also be delivered, but time is running out. House and Senate members are expected to leave Washington for their holiday break late Friday and not return for the remainder of the year, leaving National Bible Week orphaned by partisan wrangling. Faith and Action’s ministry team has resolved to launch a national petition drive in 2009 to ensure that National Bible Week is restored under the new Congress.