DEMINT CVC AMENDMENT ACCEPTED

Yesterday the Senate voted to accept Sen. DeMint's amendment to the Legislative Appropriations bill that requires that the Pledge of Allegiance and the national motto, "In God We Trust" be displayed in the Capitol Visitors Center. After several months of fighting for the changes to be made, DeMint was able to convince his fellow senators to move ahead and insist the Architect of the Capitol to make the changes. Originally, a display in the CVC incorrectly stated that "E Pluribus Unum" was the national motto and the Pledge of Allegiance was nowhere to be seen. "The Capitol Visitor Center is designed to tell the history and purpose of our nation's Capitol, but it fails to appropriately honor our religious heritage that has been critical to America’s success,” said Senator DeMint several months ago when he first drafted his amendment. “While the Architect of the Capitol has pledged to include some references to faith, more needs to be done. You cannot accurately tell the history of America or its Capitol by ignoring the religious heritage of our Founders and the generations since who relied on their faith for strength and guidance. The millions of visitors that will visit the CVC each year should get a true portrayal of the motivations and inspirations of those who have served in Congress since its establishment. “The current CVC displays are left-leaning and in some cases distort our true history. Exhibits portray the federal government as the fulfillment of human ambition and the answer to all of society’s problems. This is a clear departure from acknowledging that Americans’ rights ‘are endowed by their Creator' and stem from ‘a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence.’ Instead, the CVC’s most prominent display proclaims faith not in God, but in government." For more background on the amendment, click here.

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