109 HCON 411 IH: Commemorating the anniversary of, U.S. House of Representatives 2006-05-22 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

IV 109th CONGRESS 2d Session H. CON. RES. 411 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

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.