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 reso-
lution; 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 hu-
mility for all the people of Ohio;
Whereas the motto does not establish, promote, endorse, ad-
vance, or discriminate against any specific set of religious
beliefs;
•HRES 494 IH
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 citizen-
ship 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 constitu-
tions 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 manda-
tory 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
Resolved, That—
(1) it is the sense of the House of Representa-
tives that—
(A) the Ohio State motto and other long-
standing mottoes which make reference to God
or Providence do so as long-accepted expres-
•HRES 494 IH
sions consistent with American tradition and
rooted in the sentiments of the American peo-
ple;
(B) such mottoes are ‘‘those references to
God that we accept in ceremonial phrases or in
other contexts that assure neutrality’’, Lynch v.
Donnelly, 465 U.S. 668, 717 (1984) (Brennan,
J., dissenting), and State and Federal courts
should uphold them as such; and
(C) the decision of a three-judge panel of
the United States Court of Appeals for the
Sixth Circuit striking down the Ohio State
motto is a misinterpretation and misapplication
of the United States Constitution; and
(2) the House of Representatives—
(A) finds repugnant all misinterpretations
and misapplications of the Constitution by Fed-
eral courts which disregard those references to
God which are well within the American tradi-
tion and within the Constitution;
(B) supports the decision of the Governor
and the Attorney General of the State of Ohio
to appeal the ruling; and
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(C) affirms its support for the Ohio State
motto and other State mottoes making ref-
erence to a divine power.
Æ