(White House-Washington, DC)—This morning, Congressman Cleaver met with the President of the United States to discuss preparations for the National Prayer Breakfast. Joining the President and Congressman Cleaver in the Oval Office was the other Co-Chair Representative Jo Ann Davis (R-VA). The purpose of meeting was to walk through the program of the Annual Prayer Breakfast with the President before the February 1 event.

“We talked a lot about Texas and football,” said Cleaver a native of Waxahachie, Texas who was sitting down with President Bush for the first time since his election in 2004. “Karl Rove called Representative Davis and I into the Oval Office after the President had finished his morning prayer. I mentioned to the President that I would have been glad to join a fellow Methodist in prayer and he said he would be glad to have me pray with him after the business part of the meeting. So, before we left, I prayed for us and the nation.”

Cleaver said he found the President a kind host and easy to talk to, just as friends had described him. “I do not agree with many of his policies, but we were able to talk about mutual friends, we laughed as we talked about being Methodists, and he said he would be visiting Kansas City next week. He extended an invitation to join him there, but understood that I couldn’t because Congress would be in session.”

The President went to great lengths to explain a painting on his wall in the Oval Office called “A Charge to Keep,” which is also the name of an old Methodist hymn. 

 Cleaver has served as the Chair of the House of Representatives’ weekly prayer meetings for the past year and was asked to serve as Chair of the 2007 National Prayer Breakfast after last year’s event. Next year it will be the Senate’s turn to host. 

Guests will include the President, Vice President, members of the Cabinet and members of both the House and Senate. The heads of state for 22 nations have already confirmed their attendance to an already over capacity event. 

The breakfast draws nearly 4,000 guests from around the world and is privately funded every year by the Fellowship Foundation.  

“It is a great honor to be asked to Chair this amazing event. My sincere hope is to make it inclusive and exciting to all faiths. Prayer is a universal language, and I will do everything I can to make it an event that brings people together to celebrate what we have in common.” Cleaver said.

Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Belton, Raymore and Peculiar, Missouri. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee.