“IN GOD WE TRUST”

The original motto of the United States of America, which can be seen on the national seal, is “E Pluribus Unum” (Latin for “one from many”). This refers to the many colonies, now states, which joined together to become one nation.

The slogan “In God We Trust” dates back to the War of 1812. On September 14, 1814, after witnessing the British bombardment of Fort McHenry all night and then seeing the American flag flying triumphantly at dawn, Francis Scott Key was inspired to write a poem in which the last verse reads:

“And this be our motto: 'In God is our trust.'
And the Star Spangled Banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.”

Key’s poem was set to music and the song quickly became popular, while also continuing to increase in popularity over the years. On March 3, 1931, President Herbert Hoover signed a law by which “The Star-Spangled Banner” was adopted as the official national anthem of the United States of America.

In 1863, Secretary of the Treasury Salmon P. Chase ordered that the words “In God We Trust” be engraved onto United States coinage, largely because of the increased religious sentiment existing during the Civil War. The two-cent coin of 1864 became the first coin to bear the slogan. Thereafter, Congress extended its use to other currency. In fact, the last piece of legislation Abraham Lincoln signed before his assassination authorized the use of “In God We Trust” on all coins minted in the United States. The phrase has appeared on United States coins and currency ever since.

Decades later, Theodore Roosevelt stated his disapproval of the motto “In God We Trust” being used in this way. In a letter to William Boldly on November 11, 1907, he wrote: “My own feeling in the matter is due to my very firm conviction that to put such a motto on coins, or to use it in any kindred manner, not only does no good but does positive harm, and is in effect irreverence, which comes dangerously close to sacrilege...It is a motto which it is indeed well to have inscribed on our great national monuments, in our temples of justice, in our legislative halls, and in building such as those at West Point and Annapolis -- in short, wherever it will tend to arouse and inspire a lofty emotion in those who look thereon. But it seems to me eminently unwise to cheapen such a motto by use on coins, just as it would be to cheapen it by use on postage stamps, or in advertisements.”

On July 30, 1956, President Dwight Eisenhower signed a law officially establishing “In God We Trust” as the national motto of the United States of America and declaring: “It will be of great spiritual and psychological value to our country to have a clearly designated national motto of inspirational quality in plain, popularly accepted English.”

The words “In God We Trust” echo the conviction held by America’s Founding Fathers – that our freedoms come from God. This faith in God has been the foundation of the United States ever since Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence, which refers to the “Creator” as the source of all our fundamental human rights and in which the Founders expressed their “firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence.”

By passing legislation in 1956 that made “In God We Trust” our national motto, Congress acted for the express purpose of reaffirming America’s unique history and understanding of this truth, and to distinguish America from atheistic nations who recognize no higher authority than the State.

President Bush issued a proclamation on July 27, 2006, officially recognizing the 50th anniversary of “In God We Trust” as our official motto. He wrote, “As we commemorate the 50th anniversary of our national motto and remember with thanksgiving God’s mercies throughout our history, we recognize a divine plan that stands above all human plans and continue to seek His will.”

The words “In God We Trust” appear over the entrance to the Senate Chamber and above the Speaker's rostrum in the House Chamber. If this phrase is good enough for the chambers of Congress, good enough for all our coins and all our currency, good enough for national monuments, and good enough to serve as our national motto, then the phrase is good enough to appear “wherever it will tend to arouse and inspire a lofty emotion in those who look thereon” as Teddy Roosevelt suggested. It would be truly great to see our national motto prominently displayed in every classroom and public building in America.

While the Supreme Court has never addressed the constitutionality of the national motto directly, every court that has decided the issue has held that the slogan “In God We Trust” is of historical significance and represents no Establishment Clause issues. Indeed, other rulings by the Supreme Court support this idea. In 1892, the high court concluded that “this is a religious nation” (Church of the Holy Trinity v. United States). In 1963, the high court recognized that “religion has been closely identified with our history and government” (Abington v. Schempp). In 1952, the recognition of religion in our nation’s heritage was best expressed in Zorach v. Clauson. In that case, the high court stated:

“We are a religious people whose institutions presuppose a Supreme Being. We guarantee the freedom to worship as one chooses. We make room for as wide a variety of beliefs and creeds as the spiritual needs of man deem necessary. We sponsor an attitude on the part of government that shows no partiality to any one group and that lets each flourish according to the zeal of its adherents and the appeal of its dogma. When the state encourages religious instruction or cooperates with religious authorities by adjusting the schedule of public events to sectarian needs, it follows the best of our traditions. For it then respects the religious nature of our people and accommodates the public service to their spiritual needs. To hold that it may not would be to find in the Constitution a requirement that the government show a callous indifference to religious groups. That would be preferring those who believe in no religion over those who do believe.”

It is also clear that the Establishment Clause was never intended as a guarantee that a person will not be exposed to religion or religious symbols on public property. In fact, the Supreme Court has rejected previous attempts to eradicate all symbols of this country’s religious heritage from the public’s view.

Since America’s Founders believed that our rights come from a Creator, the law which makes “In God We Trust” our national motto is an important one. As a nation, we have drifted far away from our founding principles, and it is time to restore our nation’s foundation of faith and its “firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence.”

On May 5, 2010, Representative Randy Forbes of Virginia authored the “In God We Trust” Resolution (H.Con.Res. 274), which reaffirms “In God We Trust” as our national motto and urges the motto to be publicly displayed “in all public buildings, public schools, and other government institutions.” As of August 10, 2010, over one hundred bipartisan members of Congress had signed on as co-sponsors.

Official Summary

5/5/2010--Introduced. Recognizes that trust in God is embedded into the fabric of this country's society and history. Rejects the notion that the laws and Constitution of this country require the exclusion of God from matters of government and public life. Reaffirms "In God We Trust" as the official motto of the United States. Supports and encourages its display in all public buildings, public schools, and other government institutions.

111th CONGRESS, 2d Session

H. CON. RES. 274

Reaffirming `In God We Trust' as the official motto of the United States and supporting and encouraging the public display of the national motto in all public buildings, public schools, and other government institutions.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

May 5, 2010

Mr. FORBES (for himself, Mr. SMITH of Texas, Mr. AKIN, Mr. JORDAN of Ohio, Mr. CONAWAY, Mr. ROGERS of Alabama, Mr. ALEXANDER, Mr. KING of Iowa, Mr. PENCE, Mr. BACHUS, Mr. JONES, Mr. BURTON of Indiana, Mr. KLINE of Minnesota, Mr. ROE of Tennessee, Mr. MORAN of Kansas, Mr. BOOZMAN, Mr. WILSON of South Carolina, Mr. GINGREY of Georgia, Mr. ADERHOLT, Mr. MILLER of Florida, Mr. MCCOTTER, Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania, Mr. NEUGEBAUER, Mr. LAMBORN, Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. TIAHRT, Mr. GOHMERT, Mr. FRANKS of Arizona, Mrs. BACHMANN, Mr. GARRETT of New Jersey, Mr. LATTA, Mr. HARPER, Mr. EHLERS, Mr. WOLF, Ms. FOXX, Mr. PUTNAM, Mr. CRENSHAW, Mr. MCHENRY, Mr. MCINTYRE, Mr. CHAFFETZ, Mr. COLE, Mr. HERGER, Mr. WAMP, Mr. SHUSTER, Mr. BROWN of South Carolina, Mr. HENSARLING, Mr. BISHOP of Utah, Mr. BROUN of Georgia, Mr. KINGSTON, Mr. SHADEGG, Mr. THORNBERRY, Ms. GRANGER, Ms. FALLIN, Mr. CAMP, Mr. GOODLATTE, Mr. PRICE of Georgia, Mr. CULBERSON, Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky, Mr. WHITFIELD, Mrs. CAPITO, and Mr. COFFMAN of Colorado) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Whereas `In God We Trust' is the official motto of the United States;

Whereas the sentiment, `In God We Trust', has been an integral part of United States society since its founding;

Whereas in times of national challenge or tragedy, the people of the United States have turned to God as their source for sustenance, protection, wisdom, strength, and direction;

Whereas the Declaration of Independence recognizes God, our Creator, as the source of our rights, `We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.';

Whereas the national anthem of the United States says `praise the power that hath made and preserved us a nation . . . and this be our motto: in God is our trust.';

Whereas the words `In God We Trust' appear over the entrance to the Senate Chamber and above the Speaker's rostrum in the House Chamber;

Whereas the oath taken by all Federal employees, except the President, states `I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.';

Whereas John Adams said, `Statesmen may plan and speculate for Liberty, but it is Religion and Morality alone, which can establish the Principles upon which Freedom can securely stand.';

Whereas if religion and morality are taken out of the marketplace of ideas, the very freedom on which the United States was founded cannot be secured;

Whereas as President Eisenhower said and President Ford later repeated, `Without God, there could be no American form of government, nor, an American way of life.'; and

Whereas President John F. Kennedy said, `The guiding principle and prayer of this Nation has been, is now, and ever shall be `In God We Trust.': Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That Congress--

(1) recognizes that trust in God is embedded into the fabric of society and history of the United States and rejects the notion that the laws and Constitution of the United States require the exclusion of God from matters of government and public life; and

(2) reaffirms `In God We Trust' as the official motto of the United States and supports and encourages the public display of the national motto in all public buildings, public schools, and other government institutions.

See H. Con. Res. 274 on THOMAS for the current status this resolution.