“The remarks made about Giani Surinder Singh following his prayer on the House floor are offensive, ignorant, and fundamentally un-American. Singh is a respected religious leader in South Jersey whose life and faith exemplify service, humility, and peace—values that transcend any one faith or tradition and speak to the best of who we are as a nation. The suggestion that his presence or his prayer was somehow unwelcome in the People’s House is not only wrong, it’s a dangerous attempt to rewrite who gets to belong in America. Our nation was founded on the principles of religious freedom and pluralism, not religious litmus tests.

“Just last month, we were honored to have a Sikh leader offer the invocation on the Assembly floor. It was a moment of grace, reflection, and unity—everything a public prayer should be. We were proud to have him join us, and we are proud to stand with the Sikh community today. New Jersey is home to one of the largest Sikh populations in the country. Our strength comes from our diversity, and our democracy depends on mutual respect, and here in New Jersey we wholeheartedly reject this hateful, divisive behavior.”