Ask Mr. Answer Person: "What is the Iowa Prayer Caucus Network?"

Iowa Governor Terry Branstad signs a proclamation urging the public to participate in the Iowa 99 County Bible Reading Marathon

In the wake of our story about the Bible reading being conducted this week at the Winneshiek County Courthouse on behalf of the Iowa Prayer Caucus Network, Cynthia e-mailed to ask what we knew about the organization.

Mr. Answer Person says: "Early this month, Iowa Governor Terry Branstad signed a proclamation calling on Iowans to participate in the Iowa 99 County Bible Reading Marathon.

The idea had been promoted by Iowa Prayer Caucus State Director Ginny Caligiuri, who had earlier promoted a reading of the Bible at the State Capitol in January.  She had also organized prayer meetings at the Capitol for state senators, state representatives and other elected officials.
 
Caligiuri's efforts in Iowa are part of a larger program at the U.S. Capitol, the Congressional Prayer Caucus Foundation (http://cpcfoundation.com/).  That group was founded In 2005, when Congressman J. Randy Forbes of Virginia gathered a small prayer group consisting of members of the U.S. House of Representatives.