Keep National Motto & Pledge in Capitol Visitor Center

Not surprisingly, theres a new legal challenge underway in the federal courts attacking the national motto and the Pledge of Allegiance.  This time, the group, the Freedom from Religion Foundation, Inc. (FFRF), recently filed a federal lawsuit challenging Congress directive to the Architect of the Capitol to engrave the national motto - In God We Trust - and the Pledge of Allegiance in prominent places in the Capitol Visitor Center in Washington, D.C..

The ACLJ is preparing an amicus curiae brief that will be filed in support of the government in this critically important case. We are currently working with members of Congress and will be representing their views in our brief as well.

The case, Freedom From Religion Foundation, Inc. v. Ayers, was filed in the United States District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin. The lawsuit alleges that Congress violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. The plaintiffs claim that the use of tax dollars to add the engravings lacks a secular purpose and has the primary effect of endorsing a religious viewpoint. According to FFRF, the use of In God We Trust as the national motto and the addition of under God to the Pledge during the 1950s lack a secular purpose and serve to impermissibly link the government with Christianity. The plaintiffs seek a judgment declaring Congress directive unconstitutional, an injunction preventing the engravings from being added, and costs and attorneys fees.

The fact is Congress acted appropriately and consistent with the Constitution in this case.  Colby May, who heads up our governmental affairs office in Washington, recently debated this issue with a representative of the FFRF on FOX News.  You can watch that interview here.

We will aggressively defend the use of In God We Trust and the Pledge of Allegiance in the Capitol Visitor Center case in the filing of our friend-of-the-court brief.