[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 15708]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  THE ROLE GOD AND FAITH HAVE PLAYED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR GREAT 
                                 NATION

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Kline) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. KLINE of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, many of us have been discussing 
the role God and faith have played in the development of our great 
Nation and how this foundation is ever present today in our Nation's 
capital.
  Washington is replete with examples of how our founders viewed faith 
as an integral part of our culture. The subtle manner in which our 
faith history is portrayed in our monuments and landmarks underscores 
the fact that faith is a part of who we are. That these references 
often go unnoticed is simply a testament to the fact that faith in God 
has been inextricably woven into the fabric of our Nation. As a Nation 
and as a people, we believe in God.
  The Washington Monument, a tribute to our first President, contains 
in its very cornerstone a copy of the Holy Bible, the Declaration of 
Independence, and the U.S. Constitution. The symbolism is simply 
profound. From the beginning of our founding, we have paid homage to 
the ideas of freedom and liberty under God. The presence of these 
sacred documents, housed together in what can be viewed as the 
metaphorical cornerstone of the United States, transcends the 
simplicity of separation of church and State, and reclaims for us the 
fact that our Nation was indeed founded with faith as our guiding 
light.
  As a Member of Congress and a man of faith, I am encouraged by the 
presence of faith in our daily rituals. We here in this body, as we 
enter the Chamber of this House, we are greeted by the inscription, 
``In God We Trust,'' inscribed above the Speaker's desk. We seek favor 
in His grace and pray His blessings upon our work each day, and we open 
with the Pledge of Allegiance, acknowledging ``one Nation under God.''
  The universal nature of faith and the acknowledgment of our goals as 
a Nation of faith are often the unifying force that brings Republicans 
and Democrats together. Across the table, we bow our heads in prayer, 
and we readily accept the spirit of the Almighty working through us.
  Throughout Washington, we can easily find examples of our Judeo-
Christian roots. If we step across the street to the Supreme Court, we 
are presented with the image of Moses bearing the Ten Commandments, 
often considered the basis for much of modern law. Its presence within 
the halls of the Supreme Court recognizes the origins of our modern day 
laws and serves as a reminder that we are a Nation seeking justice in 
the eyes of God.
  One of my favorite buildings is the Library of Congress. As you enter 
the Great Hall, you are greeted by two permanent displays. The first is 
the handwritten Giant Bible of Mainz. The second is the Gutenberg 
Bible, the first mass printed book. These Bibles are coupled with the 
inscribed scripture passage from Proverbs 4:7, ``Wisdom is the 
principle thing; therefore, get wisdom and with all thy getting, get 
understanding.''
  Mr. Speaker, last week one of my constituents, a young high 
schoolgirl, came in and expressed her concern that she had heard there 
was an effort underway to remove God from these walls. And I told her I 
certainly prayed that was not the case, but I was concerned because we 
are about to open the new Capitol Visitor Center which, in many 
respects, is an extension and a reflection of the Capitol that it will 
be the entrance to, in many ways, in many respects, but not in its 
reference to God, as part of our founding.
  Faith is the underpinning of this great Nation. Thomas Jefferson's 
words, seen in the Jefferson Memorial, remind us of the importance of 
that underpinning: ``God who gave us life gave us liberty. Can the 
liberties of a Nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that 
these liberties are the gift of God?''
  That, Mr. Speaker, is the question.

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