[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 100 (Tuesday, July 7, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H7721-H7723]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          PROVIDING FOR ENGRAVEMENTS IN CAPITOL VISITOR CENTER

  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree 
to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 131) directing the Architect 
of the Capitol to engrave the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag and the 
National Motto of ``In God We Trust'' in the Capitol Visitor Center.
  The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
  The text of the concurrent resolution is as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 131

       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring),

     SECTION 1. ENGRAVING OF PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG AND 
                   NATIONAL MOTTO IN CAPITOL VISITOR CENTER.

       (a) Engraving Required.--The Architect of the Capitol shall 
     engrave the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag and the National 
     Motto of ``In God we trust'' in the Capitol Visitor Center, 
     in accordance with the engraving plan described in subsection 
     (b).
       (b) Engraving Plan.--The engraving plan described in this 
     subsection is a plan setting forth the design and location of 
     the engraving required under subsection (a) which is prepared 
     by the Architect of the Capitol and approved by the Committee 
     on House Administration of the House of Representatives and 
     the Committee on Rules and Administration of the Senate.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
the Virgin Islands (Mrs. Christensen) and the gentleman from 
Mississippi (Mr. Harper) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands.


                             General Leave

  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all 
Members may have 5 legislative days in

[[Page H7722]]

which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous matter 
on the resolution under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands?
  There was no objection.
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. I yield myself such time as I might consume.
  This resolution, introduced by the gentleman from California, Mr. 
Daniel Lungren, requires the Architect of the Capitol to engrave the 
Pledge of Allegiance and the National Motto ``In God We Trust'' in the 
Capitol Visitor Center.
  The details of the engraving, including their locations, would be 
approved in advance by the House Administration Committee and the 
Senate Rules and Administration Committee. Various Members have 
expressed support for this proposal which the committee approved by 
voice vote. The cost of these engravings has been estimated by the 
Architect as less than $100,000.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HARPER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may 
consume.
  I am honored to rise today in support of House Concurrent Resolution 
131, and I certainly greatly appreciate the leadership of Congressman 
Dan Lungren on this matter, who is delayed by travel and unable to be 
here at this time.

                              {time}  1515

  This resolution would direct the Architect of the Capitol to engrave 
our national motto ``In God We Trust'' and the Pledge of Allegiance in 
the Capitol Visitor Center. The installation of these two references 
will be a reminder of the importance our Founders placed on the 
guidance of Providence in the birth and development and future of our 
Nation.
  The Declaration of Independence, our Nation's first national 
document, spoke to inalienable rights given by our Creator. Those men 
acknowledged that in signing that document, one that would be seen as 
high treason by the King of England, they were placing themselves under 
the protection of ``Divine Providence.''
  When Congress adopted our Great Seal in 1782, included in its design 
were numerous allusions to biblical references, and the seal was marked 
by the words ``Annuit Coeptis,'' which translated means ``Providence 
has favored our undertakings.''
  As the Founders were drafting the Constitution, numerous sources 
point to their collective reliance on God for direction and wisdom. In 
1787, when the Constitution was framed at the Convention in 
Philadelphia, Benjamin Franklin reminded the delegates, ``To that kind 
Providence, we owe this happy opportunity of consulting in peace on the 
means of establishing our future national felicity.''
  During the War of 1812, when Francis Scott Key penned the Star 
Spangled Banner, he included in the final stanza: Praise the Power that 
hath made and preserv'd us a nation. Then conquer we must, when our 
cause it is just, and this be our motto: ``In God is our trust.''
  These glimpses into our history show but a few examples of the 
national consciousness that served as prelude to the establishment of 
our national motto.
  The establishment of ``In God We Trust'' as the Nation's motto sprung 
out of a Civil War letter. The letter from Reverend M.R. Watkinson of 
Pennsylvania urged Treasury Secretary Chase to install upon our 
currency some indication for future generations of the Nation's 
religious consciousness. Reverend Watkinson was concerned that the 
United States might be shattered beyond recognition by the Civil War.
  Secretary Chase agreed and instructed the Director of the U.S. Mint 
that, ``No nation can be strong except in the strength of God, or safe 
except in His defense. The trust of our people in God should be 
declared on our national coins.''
  The Presidency of Dwight Eisenhower saw the codification of both our 
national motto and the Pledge of Allegiance as we know it. On Flag Day, 
1954, President Eisenhower signed the Federal law which added ``Under 
God'' to the Pledge.
  Two years later, President Eisenhower signed into law the bill 
officially recognizing ``In God We Trust'' as our national motto. The 
motto has since been installed on both our paper currency and the 
Speaker's rostrum in the House.
  By incorporating our national motto and the Pledge of Allegiance as 
permanent fixtures in the CVC, we will provide further testimony to our 
Nation's rich history and the degree to which these two statements 
reflect the philosophical foundation of these United States.
  At this time, I would like to enter into the Record those of my 
colleagues who, in addition to the 160 cosponsors of House Concurrent 
Resolution 131, wished to be added but were unable due to time 
constraints:
  The Honorable Roscoe Bartlett of Maryland;
  The Honorable Roy Blunt of Missouri;
  The Honorable Bill Cassidy of Louisiana;
  The Honorable Ander Crenshaw of Florida;
  The Honorable David Dreier of California;
  The Honorable Elton Gallegly of California;
  The Honorable Brett Guthrie of Kentucky;
  The Honorable Darrel Issa of California;
  The Honorable Lynn Jenkins of Kansas;
  The Honorable Tim Johnson of Illinois;
  The Honorable Blaine Luetkemeyer of Missouri;
  The Honorable Jerry Moran of Kansas;
  The Honorable Bill Shuster of Pennsylvania;
  The Honorable Pat Tiberi of Ohio.
  I am proud to stand in support of this resolution and urge my 
colleagues' support.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. HARPER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe).
  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman yielding.
  This legislation basically directs the Architect of the Capitol to 
quit ignoring history, just like the last piece of legislation where it 
is not mentioned anywhere in Emancipation Hall or the Visitor Center 
that this Capitol was built in due part by slave labor. Neither does 
that expensive Visitor Center mention any religious history that this 
country has.
  I don't know if the Architect of the Capitol doesn't like the Pledge 
or approve of the national motto ``In God We Trust''; otherwise, both 
of those would already be in this expensive Visitor Center. Both 
mention God, and it appears that the Visitor Center, the way that it is 
conducted and constructed, wishes to disown and deny our religious 
heritage.
  You go to the Visitor Center and you are led to believe, Mr. Speaker, 
that the national motto is not ``In God We Trust'' but it is ``E 
Pluribus Unum,'' because the national motto is never mentioned in the 
propaganda video that all people see when they come into the Visitor 
Center. Well, the national motto is not ``E Pluribus Unum.'' It is ``In 
God We Trust,'' and that is the national motto and it should remain as 
such.
  Mr. Speaker, our religious history is a part of American history. 
When the Founders of this great country got together in the Continental 
Congress, before they decided to draft this new concept of freedom and 
liberty, Benjamin Franklin made the comment that if the good Lord is 
concerned about the birds that fall from the air, certainly he would be 
concerned about the birth of a new nation; and with that, the Members 
of the Continental Congress knelt down and they prayed. And, Mr. 
Speaker, we have continued that tradition every day since the 
Continental Congress.
  We start every day the same way. When the House is called to order, 
the first order of business is a prayer. The second order of business 
is the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag, and it is important that we 
continue those traditions, but it is also important that people who 
come to the Capitol understand that is part of our routine.
  Mr. Speaker, ``unless the Lord watches over this House, the builders 
build in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, those that watch 
watch in vain.''
  Above the flag behind you, Mr. Speaker, is the phrase ``In God We

[[Page H7723]]

Trust.'' It is not to the side. It is not below it. It is above it, 
symbolic of what we do each day, that we pray and then we have the 
Pledge of Allegiance. So I strongly support this legislation to make 
sure that the Architect of the Capitol does not deny our religious 
history. Put it in its proper perspective, because religion is a part 
of our history, whether the Architect of the Capitol likes it or not.
  And that's just the way it is.
  Mr. GINGREY of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support 
of H. Con. Res. 131, a resolution urging the Architect of the Capitol 
to engrave the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag and the National Motto 
of ``In God We Trust'' in the Capitol Visitor Center.
  The Pledge of Allegiance is an excellent example of national 
solidarity for all Americans and the foremost demonstration of America 
as ``one nation, under God, with liberty and justice for all.'' These 
words illustrate an eternal commitment to a nation unified by a common 
history, identity, and Constitution. The Pledge further represents that 
if God gives you a right, then no man should have the power to take it 
away. This is the premise of our nation, our rights, and our system of 
law, and it must be upheld in an effort to never lose sight of the fact 
that we are bound together as one nation--common in purpose--
endeavoring to provide an open and free democracy for all of mankind.
  ``In God We Trust'' was codified as our national motto in 1956 in 
recognition of the Judeo-Christian values upon which our nation is 
founded. Faith has always been a very important part of American 
history and culture, and I believe that it is imperative to uphold this 
cornerstone of our heritage to preserve the rights of all Americans to 
worship freely and openly. I am proud that my home state of Georgia has 
recognized ``God'' in its own Constitution and seeks to maintain a 
reliance on faith in God as one of its founding principles.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to make clear that the Pledge of Allegiance and 
our national motto are two public illustrations of the values to which 
we hold firmly in America. These two principles are demonstrated in 
this very chamber by our opening of each legislative day with prayer 
and by reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. One need look no 
further than behind the chair of the Speaker of this great body to see 
the inscription of ``In God We Trust.'' These two testaments of our 
founding must remain the stronghold of American values and continue to 
be espoused in every public meeting.
  Therefore, it is with great pride and honor that I stand here today 
to advocate for the engraving of the Pledge of Allegiance and our 
national motto in the newly constructed Capitol Visitor Center. 
Displaying these two documents prominently in an open arena for all 
tourists and citizens is just one more reminder of the founding and 
enduring principles of our nation, of which we must be reminded daily. 
As lawmakers, we must never cease to instill the doctrine of democracy 
and freedom of religion for the entire world, and by displaying these 
words in our nation's capitol we are only reaffirming our dedication to 
this endeavor. I urge all of colleagues to support this resolution and 
to hold steadfast to the values upon which our great nation was 
founded.
  Mr. HARPER. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands (Mrs. Christensen) that the House 
suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 
131.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. HARPER. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a 
quorum is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not 
present.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.
  The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn.

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