[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>