Reaffirms the national motto, "In God We Trust," on its 50th anniversary. Commends it as fundamental to America's national life and affirms its substance as vital to the nation's future success.
[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 411 Introduced in House (IH)]
109th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. CON. RES. 411
Commemorating the anniversary of, commending, and reaffirming the
national motto of the United States on the 50th anniversary of its
formal adoption.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 22, 2006
Mr. Duncan (for himself, Mr. Pitts, Mr. Gingrey, Mrs. Blackburn, Mr.
Rogers of Kentucky, Mr. Wamp, Mr. Goode, Mr. Sullivan, Mr. Sessions,
Mr. Wilson of South Carolina, Mr. Hayes, Mr. Weldon of Florida, Mr.
Tancredo, Mr. Lewis of Kentucky, Mr. King of Iowa, Mr. Hostettler, Mr.
McCotter, Mr. Terry, Mr. Ryun of Kansas, Mr. Westmoreland, Mr. Miller
of Florida, Mr. Shimkus, Mr. Tiahrt, Mr. Kuhl of New York, Mr. Chabot,
Mr. Pickering, Mr. Jones of North Carolina, Mr. Everett, Mr. Souder,
Mr. Davis of Tennessee, Mr. Ford, Mr. Herger, Mr. Schwarz of Michigan,
Ms. Foxx, Mr. Poe, Mrs. Jo Ann Davis of Virginia, Mrs. Myrick, Mr.
Stearns, Mr. Buyer, Mr. Gohmert, Mr. Doolittle, Mr. Cannon, Mr. McKeon,
Mr. Burton of Indiana, Mr. Jenkins, and Mr. Alexander) submitted the
following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on
the Judiciary
_______________________________________________________________________
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Commemorating the anniversary of, commending, and reaffirming the
national motto of the United States on the 50th anniversary of its
formal adoption.
Whereas on July 30, 1956, Public Law 84-140 was enacted, making ``In God We
Trust'' the official motto of the United States;
Whereas that Act formally adopted what had been for nearly a century the
Nation's unofficial motto, which had appeared on certain United States
currency since the War Between the States;
Whereas on July 30, 2006, the formal adoption of this motto will have its 50th
anniversary;
Whereas the historical fact of the fundamental trust of the American people upon
the God of the Bible is irrefutable;
Whereas this American trust in the Christian deity dates from the earliest
colonial days, extends to American independence, the establishment of
this Republic, and throughout the Nation's history;
Whereas the initial adoption of ``In God We Trust'' as the Nation's motto by
Treasury Secretary Salmon Chase essentially captured what had been the
assumed central tenet of the American people and her leaders from the
first colonial settlement and continuing throughout American history;
Whereas Psalm 33:12 states, ``Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.'';
Whereas Psalm 127:1 says, ``Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor
in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard
in vain.'';
Whereas Proverbs 14:34 warns, ``Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a
disgrace to any people.'';
Whereas the colonial charter of Virginia, issued in 1606 by King James I,
commended ``the Furtherance of so noble a Work, which may, by the
Providence of Almighty God, hereafter tend to the Glory of his Divine
Majesty, in propagating of Christian Religion to such People, as yet
live in Darkness and miserable Ignorance of the true Knowledge and
Worship of God.'';
Whereas these Virginia settlers acknowledged the hand of God as central to the
success of their endeavor;
Whereas the Mayflower Compact of 1620, written and signed by the Pilgrims,
established ``for the glory of God, and advancement of the Christian
faith'' a ``civil body politick'' that rested on their firm reliance on
God for its success;
Whereas the founding fathers declared American independence from Great Britain
by firmly planting their trust in God Almighty, culminating the
Declaration of Independence with, ``And for the support of this
declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine
Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and
our sacred honor.'';
Whereas that eminent founding statesman Benjamin Franklin, speaking at the
Constitutional Convention, declared, ``Our prayers, Sir, were heard, and
they were graciously answered. All of us who were engaged in the
struggle [for independence] must have observed frequent instances of a
superintending Providence in our favor. To that kind providence, we owe
this happy opportunity of consulting in peace on the means of
establishing our future national felicity. And have we now forgotten
this powerful Friend? Or do we imagine we no longer need His assistance?
I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more
convincing proofs I see of this truth--that God governs in the affairs
of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice,
is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid? We have been
assured, Sir, in the Sacred Writings, that `except the Lord build the
house, they labor in vain that build it.' I firmly believe this; and I
also believe that without His concurring aid, we shall succeed in this
political building no better than the builders of Babel ...'';
Whereas the ``Father of our country,'' George Washington--of whom it was said
that he was ``First in war, first in peace, first in the hearts of his
countrymen''--affirmed the faith and trust in God Almighty honed through
profound struggles, such as the snow and deprivations of Valley Forge,
when in his first inaugural address in 1789, as the first President of
the United States, he proclaimed, ``It would be peculiarly improper to
omit in this first official act my fervent supplications to that
Almighty Being who rules over the universe, who presides in the council
of nations, and whose providential aids can supply every human defect,
that His benediction may consecrate to the liberties and the happiness
of the people of the United States, a government instituted by
themselves for these essential purposes, and may enable every instrument
employed in its administration to execute with success the functions
allotted to his charge.'';
Whereas the occasion of the half-century anniversary of the formal adoption of
our national motto, ``In God We Trust'', presents an opportunity for the
country to reaffirm the concept embodied in that motto: the proper role
of civil government as under the authority and protection of the Lord,
and its success fully dependent upon divine sovereignty; and
Whereas furthermore, this occasion comes at a time when the motto and other
public--particularly official--recognitions that acknowledge the
historical, right understanding of the appropriate place of civil
society under the authority of the Almighty have come under intense
attack: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),
That the Congress--
(1) reaffirms the national motto, ``In God We Trust'', on
its 50th anniversary;
(2) acknowledges the 50th anniversary of the national
motto, and encourages its celebration as a display of
patriotism and love of God and country;
(3) encourages the American people to devote time to
reflect on the national motto and the long, integral part it
has played in the life of the United States, during periods of
its official and unofficial adoption;
(4) encourages the American people to reflect upon the
historical basis underlying the national motto;
(5) commends the national motto as fundamental to America's
national life and as central to the hopes and vision of the
Founders for the perpetuity of this Republic, and affirms the
substance of the national motto as no less vital to the future
success of this Nation; and
(6) encourages the American people to commemorate the
national motto through personal acts of piety, patriotic and
sacred assembly, prayer and petition on behalf of the Nation's
elected and appointed leaders at the Federal, State, and local
levels of government, and through a rededication of trust in
God for the good and providential protection of this great
Nation.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
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