he U.S. House of Representatives on Monday approved a resolution, H. Res. 548 encouraging display of the "In God We Trust" motto in public buildings.

    Rep. Bob Schaffer (R-Colo.) declared that the motto "unites us as a people and has made us the greatest country on the planet. We should not run from it. We should endorse it and embrace it." The move comes after the Board of Education in Schaffer's home state of Colorado recently adopted a similar resolution urging that the slogan be posted in public schools and other government buildings.

    The bill was introduced on July 11 and sent to Constitution Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee. Yesterday at 5:30 p.m., Rep. Bob Barr (R-Ga) moved to suspend rules and agree to the resolution; that essentially fast-tracked the measure without prolonged debate or committee hearings, but meant that 2/3 of any quorum present would be necessary for passage. A voice vote less than 20 minutes later agreed to pass the non-binding legislation.

   The list of those co-sponsoring the measure read like a who's-who of the Values Action Team (VAT), a congressional caucus operating out of the office of Rep. Joseph Pitts, established to coordinate a religious right social agenda with groups such as Christian Coalition and James Dobson's Focus on the Family.

    The resolution, "Expressing the sense of Congress regarding the national motto for the government of a religious people," comes just days before the Republican National Convention in Philadelphia, and in the midst of a national discussion over the role of religious mottos and symbols in the public square. The current motto, "In God We Trust," actually replaced the earlier "E Pluribus Unum" during the height of the cold war, when public profession of religious belief was seen as a litmus test in the ideological war against "godless" communism. Schaffer's resolution included numerous references to the history of the motto, as well as citations from cases supporting his claims about religious belief and American culture. He cited the origin of criminal law with its roots in religious principles, and added that the motto "recognizes the historical fact that our Nation was believed to have been founded 'under God.' "

    In a brief series of exchanges with Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va) -- the lone opponent of the resolution -- Schaffer vacillated between his insistence that the motto was an important religious statement and the claim that it had "nothing to do" with religion. Indeed, the resolution stated that "the motto reflects the national sentiment that we are a religious people whose institutions presuppose a Supreme Being" (taken from the ZORACH v. CLAUSON case in 1952), and the fact that the slogan "serves a secular purpose of expressing confident in the future and encouraging the recognition of what is worthy of appreciation in society."

    In the midst of "real" news like budget and defense appropriations and the talks over Middle east peace, why would Congress pause to enact such a resolution?

    One likely reason, of course, is the fact that it is an election year. Republican control of capitol hill could be in jeopardy (the GOP has earmarked a whopping $3.7 million for close congressional races) and both major political parties are making a strident effort to enlist religion-based issues, groups and leadership in their respective campaigns. Another reason for giving congressional attention to the motto is that the post-cold war religious motto "In God We Trust" is often cited in legal arguments to bolster the claim that more sectarian activities -- such as prayer in public schools or display of the Ten Commandments -- are thoroughly in keeping with both American law and tradition. Critics of such schemes, including the recent "Hang Ten" campaign to encourage public display of the Decalogue, warn that posting "In God We Trust" is simply the first step in trying to encourage and legalize school prayer, or other constitutionally suspect activities.

   Rep. Scott, though, warned that the resolution was opening up a Pandora's box of complex legal issues involving the separation of church and state. He noted that the Supreme Court recently struck down student-led prayer at high school athletic games (SANTA FE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT v. DOE, "We are inviting localities and states into this quagmire without any guidance at all," Scott warned.

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