IV

106TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. RES. 494

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Ohio State

motto is constitutional and urging the courts to uphold its constitutionality.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

MAY 4, 2000

Mr. OXLEY (for himself, Mr. HALL of Ohio, Mr. PORTMAN, Mr. GILLMOR, Mr.

NEY, Mr. LATOURETTE, Mr. REGULA, Mr. TRAFICANT, Mr. KUCINICH,

Mr. CHABOT, Ms. PRYCE of Ohio, Mr. SAWYER, Ms. KAPTUR, Mr.

BOEHNER, Mr. HOBSON, and Mr. KASICH) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that

the Ohio State motto is constitutional and urging the

courts to uphold its constitutionality.

Whereas the official motto of the State of Ohio—‘‘With God

All Things Are Possible’’—has been the State motto for

41 years, since October 1, 1959;

Whereas the motto is a powerful expression of hope and humility for all the people of Ohio;

Whereas the motto does not establish, promote, endorse, advance, or discriminate against any specific set of religious

beliefs;
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Whereas the motto is consistent with the American tradition

of seeking spiritual guidance in matters of public affairs;

Whereas faith in God was a founding principle of the Nation

and the State of Ohio;

Whereas the motto helps promote positive values and citizenship in the youth of Ohio;

Whereas several States or territories and the United States

have mottoes or seals making explicit reference to God or

Providence;

Whereas the Declaration of Independence and the constitutions or preambles of 45 States make explicit reference

to a divine power;

Whereas since 1864, United States coins have borne the

motto ‘‘In God We Trust’’, which Congress made mandatory on all gold and silver coins in 1908 (35 Stat. 164,

Chap. 173) and on all United States coins and currency

in 1955 (69 Stat. 290, Chap. 303);

Whereas in 1956, Congress declared the national motto of

the United States to be ‘‘In God we trust’’ (70 Stat. 732,

Chap. 795); and

Whereas Members of Congress take an oath to uphold the

Constitution and vigilantly do so in the performance of

their legislative duties: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved, That—

2 (1) it is the sense of the House of Representa3 tives that—

4 (A) the Ohio State motto and other long5 standing mottoes which make reference to God

6 or Providence do so as long-accepted expres-
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1 sions consistent with American tradition and

2 rooted in the sentiments of the American peo3 ple;

4 (B) such mottoes are ‘‘those references to

5 God that we accept in ceremonial phrases or in

6 other contexts that assure neutrality’’, Lynch v.

7 Donnelly, 465 U.S. 668, 717 (1984) (Brennan,

8 J., dissenting), and State and Federal courts

9 should uphold them as such; and

10 (C) the decision of a three-judge panel of

11 the United States Court of Appeals for the

12 Sixth Circuit striking down the Ohio State

13 motto is a misinterpretation and misapplication

14 of the United States Constitution; and

15 (2) the House of Representatives—

16 (A) finds repugnant all misinterpretations

17 and misapplications of the Constitution by Fed18 eral courts which disregard those references to

19 God which are well within the American tradi20 tion and within the Constitution;

21 (B) supports the decision of the Governor

22 and the Attorney General of the State of Ohio

23 to appeal the ruling; and
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1 (C) affirms its support for the Ohio State

2 motto and other State mottoes making ref3 erence to a divine power.

Æ