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ADERHOLT ANNOUNCES CHRISTIAN HERITAGE CONTENT TO BE ADDED TO THE NEW CAPITOL VISITOR CENTER

WASHINGTON – Congressman Robert Aderholt (R-Haleyville) announces that the Committee on House Administration and the Senate Rules and Administration Committee have agreed to include references to our nation’s Christian heritage in the new Capitol Visitor Center, scheduled to open in December 2008.

The addition comes in response to a letter that Congressman Aderholt and over 100 Members of Congress sent to the Architect of the Capitol expressing their concerns with inaccurate and incomplete historical religious content in the Capitol Visitor Center, including omission of the current national motto “In God We Trust”, factual inaccuracies regarding Capitol church services, and the exclusion of the reference to “religion, morality, and knowledge” in the Northwest Ordinance.

“The Capitol Visitor Center tells the story about how our Nation was founded and I feel that it’s important that the Capitol’s nearly 3 million annual visitors see that America’s Christian history is an important part of our Nation’s story,” said Aderholt. “I am very pleased that the Committee on House Administration and Senate Rules Committee have acknowledged this important part of our nation’s history.”

Rep. Aderholt welcomes dozens of visitors per month from North Alabama to the Capitol during the Fall and Winter seasons, and hundreds per month during the Spring and Summer seasons. Beginning in December, all visitors who participate in a Capitol tour will be escorted through the new Capitol Visitors Center.

Among the additions recommended by Rep. Aderholt and the Congressional Prayer Caucus, the Committee on House Administration and the Senate Rules and Administration Committee have agreed to include the engraving of "In God We Trust" in stone in a prominent location within the Capitol Visitor Center, and the proper acknowledgement that it is our national motto.

The Congressional Prayer Caucus was formed in 2005 for the purpose of encouraging prayer for America’s leaders and the legislation they face.

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