Hawley pushes federal ‘In God We Trust’ displays nationwide to ‘restore faith to its rightful place’

FIRST ON FOX: Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., is introducing legislation on Tuesday that would require federal buildings across the country to prominently display America’s national motto, “In God We Trust.”

If passed by the House and Senate and signed by President Donald Trump, the bill would direct the head of the U.S. General Services Administration to ensure that all federal buildings “inscribe or display” the national motto within one year.

“Our national motto goes all the way back to the days of President Lincoln. Congress adopted ‘In God We Trust’ as our national motto in 1956 during the rise of atheist communism, and it remains our national motto today,” Hawley told Fox News Digital in a statement.

“The ‘In God We Trust Act’ will ensure that the federal government—as well as the American people for whom it works—never forgets the ultimate source of the liberty and prosperity this country enjoys. As the United States prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday, this bill would restore faith to its rightful place in the halls of government,” he added.

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The legislative push comes just days after Trump announced his own “America Prays” program, which calls on Americans to dedicate time every week to pray for the country and to underscore faith as central to the nation’s founding and future.

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Trump’s push is merely an encouragement and holds no legislative weight, however. The initiative also suggests people join with at least 10 others each week to pray.

“President Trump has revived one of America’s most prominent and powerful founding principles — we are one nation under God,” White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers told Fox News Digital on Monday. “As we approach the 250th anniversary of the greatest country in the world, President Trump invites Americans to pray for our nation and for our people. America is stronger with the power of prayer.”

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Debate over America’s Christian foundations was thrust into the spotlight last week thanks to a back-and-forth between Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., and Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas.

Speaking to a federal nominee, Kaine mocked the idea that rights are grounded in anything other than government.

“The notion that rights don’t come from laws and don’t come from the government, but come from the Creator — that’s what the Iranian government believes,” Kaine argued. “The statement that our rights do not come from our laws or our governments is extremely troubling.”

After Kaine left the hearing, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, reacted forcefully to the comments. 

“I almost fell out of my chair because that ‘radical and dangerous notion’ — in his words — is literally the founding principle upon which the United States of America was created,” Cruz said.

He went on to quote Thomas Jefferson’s words in the Declaration of Independence, saying, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Cruz shared a video of Kaine’s remarks alongside his own and wrote, “The casual condemnation of America’s founding principle is exactly what is wrong with today’s Democrat Party. Government protects our God-given rights, it does not create or destroy them.”

Fox News’ Alexander Hall contributed to this report.