HR1157: HR1157 United States national motto; reaffirm support

26 LC 129 0684 House Resolution 1157 By: Representatives Petrea of the 166th, Stephens of the 164th, Seabaugh of the 34th, Cannon of the 172nd, and Dickey of the 134th A RESOLUTION Reaffirming support of the United States national motto; and for other purposes.1 WHEREAS, the United States of America’s first president, George Washington, in his first2 inauguration speech in 1789, stated “no people can be bound to acknowledge and adore the3 Invisible Hand which conducts the affairs of men more than the people of the United States.4 Every step by which they have advanced to the character of an independent nation seems to5 have been distinguished by some token of Providential agency”;and6 WHEREAS, during the war of 1812, when Fort McHenry was under attack by the British.7 Francis Scott Key, wrote a poem entitled “The Defense of Fort McHenry” which contained8 the line “and this be our motto– IN GOD IS OUR TRUST”; and9 WHEREAS, this line, “IN GOD IS OUR TRUST,” was later incorporat ed into the fourth10 stanza of “The Star-Spangled Banner,” which was declared the Un ited States’ official11 national anthem by a joint resolution of Congress in 1931; and12 WHEREAS, in 1862, during the American Civil War, a time of great national division, the13 phrase “IN GOD WE TRUST” was adopted by regiments from both the Confederacy and the14 Union; and15 H. R. 1157 - 1 - 26 LC 129 0684 WHEREAS, in 1864, Samuel P. Chase, Secretary of the treasury, under President Abraham16 Lincoln, directed the Philadelphia mint to include the phrase on coinage, and the capitalized17 form "IN GOD WE TRUST" first appeared on the two-cent piece tha t same year, later18 expanding to all gold and silver coins in 1865; and19 WHEREAS, the United States Post office first placed the phrase “IN GOD WE TRUST” on20 liberty postage stamps in 1954; and21 WHEREAS, on July 30, 1956, both houses of the 84th Congress una nimously passed22 legislation that was then signed by President Eisenhower, declaring the phrase “IN GOD WE23 TRUST” to be our official national motto; and24 WHEREAS, in 2011, our National Motto was again recently affirmed by the United States25 House of Representatives by a vote of 396-6 encouraging all Americans to proudly display26 our motto; and27 WHEREAS, the display of our National Motto serves as a reflection of our National History28 and provides an opportunity to educate the public and commemora te the upcoming 250th29 anniversary of the United States of America.30 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that31 the members of this body reaffirm the United States national motto, “IN GOD WE TRUST,”32 and support its continuation.33 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized34 and directed to make appropriate copies of this resolution avai lable for distribution to the35 public and the press.36 H. R. 1157 - 2 -