WASHINGTON (KMOX) – Missouri Congressman Todd Akin defends his decision to open committee meetings in Washington with a prayer.

Congressman Akin says Congress has long had the practice of starting every day with prayer. So now he does the same thing when he chairs a committee hearing.

“I think its a good procedure,” said Akin. “So I take just a very short moment at the front of my committee hearing to ask the Lord’s blessing on all of us to help us make good decisions.”

The head of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, Barry Lynn, says Akin’s prayers are obviously Christian in nature and not non-denominational as they are when opening Congress.

Akin responds by saying he always ends by saying I pray in “Jesus name” meaning, in his words, others in the room can pray in the name of any God they want.