Congress puts `God’ back in Capitol Visitor Center

WASHINGTON (RNS) When the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center opened in December 2008, the national motto, “In God We Trust,” was nowhere to be found. But almost a year later, after complaints from members of Congress, a new engraving of the phrase was unveiled. “This was accomplished due to the efforts of so many individuals in […]

WASHINGTON (RNS) When the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center opened in December 2008, the national motto, “In God We Trust,” was nowhere to be found. But almost a year later, after complaints from members of Congress, a new engraving of the phrase was unveiled.

“This was accomplished due to the efforts of so many individuals in Congress and across the country who were willing to stand up on behalf of our nation’s religious heritage,” said Rep. J. Randy Forbes (R — Va) in a statement.

In July 2008, Forbes, founder and chairman of the Congressional Prayer Caucus, led more than 100 members of Congress to sign a letter to the architect of the Capitol about the lack of “historical religious content” in the new Visitor Center.


Committees in the House and Senate voted to make a number of changes to the $621 million visitor center, including plastering over incorrect references to the national motto being “E Pluribus Unum.”

Last July, the House and Senate voted to instruct the architect of the Capitol to engrave the national motto and the Pledge of Allegiance in the visitor center.

“Thousands of visitors will walk through the center each day. The efforts of the individuals that have joined in this issue have enabled those visitors to experience a more accurate depiction of our nation’s heritage written in stone,” said Forbes.

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