[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 19]
[House]
[Page 26675]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             ISSUE OF GOD AND FLAGS FLOWN OVER THE CAPITOL

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Burton) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Poe talked about this just a 
few minutes ago, and I'd like to carry on his thinking regarding the 
Architect of the Capitol or the Acting Architect of the Capitol.
  There was a 17-year-old boy who was about to become an Eagle Scout. 
His name was Andrew Larochelle, and he wanted to give a flag that's 
flown over the Capitol to his grandfather, who was one of his heroes, 
and he asked that his Congressman be able to put this language into the 
certificate that goes along with the flag. And he said, ``This flag was 
flown in honor of Marcel Larochelle, my grandfather, for his dedication 
and love of God, country and family.''
  The Acting Architect of the Capitol, if you can believe this, Stephen 
Ayers, took ``God'' out of that and sent the certificate back. And he 
said there can't be a reference to God in any kind of certification 
like that that comes out of the Capitol.
  I'd just like to say to my colleagues, right here we have ``In God We 
Trust'' over the Speaker's rostrum. We have ``In God We Trust'' on our 
currency. We have ``In God We Trust'' on our coinage. We have ``In God 
We Trust'' in the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag.
  And I can't imagine anybody wanting to take God out of a certificate 
for a Boy Scout or an Explorer Scout or anybody else in scouting 
because they wanted to honor their grandfather.
  I'd like to just tell my colleagues that a few of our Founding 
Fathers had something to say about having God in our activities and in 
our government. Patrick Henry said, ``It is when people forget God that 
tyrants forge their chains.'' Thomas Jefferson said, ``God who gave us 
life gave us liberty.''
  And John Adams, I want to read you this because it's a little longer 
but it's very important. He says, ``It is the duty of all men in 
society, publicly, and at stated seasons to worship the Supreme Being, 
the Creator and Preserver of the universe. And so no subject shall be 
hurt, molested, or restrained in his person, liberty, or estate, for 
worshipping God in the manner most agreeable to the dictates of his own 
conscience; or for his religious profession or sentiments; provided he 
doth not disturb the public peace, or obstruct others in their 
religious worship.''
  The Acting Architect of the Capitol should be removed from office 
posthaste for doing this, and anybody who tries to infringe upon the 
rights of American citizens to express themselves regarding God and 
country should be taken to task.
  This country was founded upon the principles of believing in God and 
a supreme being, and we're now trying to take that apart one step at a 
time.
  The Architect of the Capitol, who represents the Congress of the 
United States and this Capitol, has no right to tell a Scout that he 
can't honor his grandfather by giving him a flag and a certificate that 
says, ``This flag was flown in honor of Marcel Larochelle, my 
grandfather, for his dedication and love of God, country and family.''
  And so the President, as I understand it, appoints the Architect of 
the Capitol. Mr. President, if he happens to be listening, I hope he 
will remove this man and replace him with somebody who really loves 
God, country, and his fellow man.

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