House chaplain applauds budget deal during opening prayer

House chaplain Rev. Patrick Conroy praised congressional negotiators for striking a deal to increase spending and raise the federal borrowing limit during his opening prayer on the House floor on Tuesday.

The chaplain’s remarks came one day after President Trump announced he would support the two-year budget agreement, which suspends the national debt ceiling through July 2021, capping days of negotiations in Washington.

The deal was struck following talks between Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.).

“We are grateful for [the] success of negotiations between president and congressional leaders on debt limit and budget caps deal,” Conroy said in the floor.{mosads}

“Ask your blessing on them and those charged with moving the business of government and national economy forward.”

Conroy’s comments come as numerous GOP lawmakers have expressed hesitations over supporting the measure, citing concerns over spending levels and the process in which the deal came together.

It’s unusual for the House chaplain to weigh in on policy issues, since they are primarily tasked with providing pastoral services for members of both sides of the aisle. Conroy has also garnered attention before over his remarks in the chamber.

Last year, former Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) requested that the Jesuit priest resign, with some members speculating the push for him to leave was over what some perceived to be a partisan prayer during the debate on tax reform. Ryan denied the attempt to oust him was political and Conroy was ultimately reinstated.