Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., introduced legislation this week that would require the nation’s motto, “In God We Trust,” to be prominently displayed in federal buildings across the United States.
The bill, titled the "In God We Trust Act," 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 of the measure becoming law. Hawley said the requirement would serve to "restore faith to its rightful place" in government ahead of the country’s 250th anniversary.
Hawley told reporters that the motto dates to the Lincoln era and was adopted by Congress in 1956 "during the rise of godless communism." He said the legislation would ensure the federal government and the American people "never forget the ultimate source of the liberty and prosperity this country enjoys."
Supporters frame the proposal as a reaffirmation of the nation’s historical ties to faith, while proponents point to the motto’s long-standing use on currency and in federal settings. The measure would apply to properties under GSA oversight and, if passed by both chambers and signed by the president, would obligate the agency to complete installations within a one-year timeline.
The legislative push comes days after President Donald Trump unveiled an "America Prays" initiative encouraging Americans to set aside time weekly to pray for the nation. The White House characterized that program as an effort to highlight faith as central to the country’s founding and future; Taylor Rogers, a White House spokeswoman, said the president has "revived one of America’s most prominent and powerful founding principles — we are one nation under God." Rogers added that the administration invited Americans to pray as the nation approaches its 250th anniversary. The administration has described the "America Prays" effort as voluntary and without legislative force.
The proposal arrives amid a broader Senate debate about the role of religion in American civic life. In a recent exchange during a confirmation hearing, Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., criticized the notion that rights originate from any source other than government, calling the idea that rights come from a Creator "extremely troubling" and likening it to rhetoric used by the Iranian government. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, sharply rebuked Kaine’s comments, saying that belief in rights endowed by a Creator is a central principle of the Declaration of Independence and of the nation’s founding.
Cruz quoted the Declaration’s language that people are "endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights," and said that government protects rather than creates those rights. The exchange underscored partisan differences over the interpretation of the country’s founding documents and the role of religious language in public life.
The text of Hawley’s bill instructs the GSA to devise methods for displaying the motto in a manner "prominent and appropriate to the design of the facility." It does not specify a single form of display and leaves implementation details to the agency, including considerations for size, location and design consistent with existing security and operational requirements.
Legal scholars and civil liberties organizations have previously weighed in on government use of religious language, often pointing to constitutional questions involving the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. The bill’s sponsors have argued that the motto is ceremonial and historical. The proposal’s path now requires committee consideration and floor votes in both the House and Senate before it can reach the president’s desk.
Senators and House members have not yet released a coordinated schedule for hearings on the measure. If enacted, the requirement would join existing federal uses of the phrase, including its presence on currency and past placements in some government spaces. The proposal is likely to prompt debate in Congress over the intersection of historical practice, religious expression and constitutional limits.
Hawley framed the initiative as part of a broader effort to emphasize faith in public life as the nation marks its upcoming milestone anniversary. The bill’s prospects will depend on legislative support across both parties and on deliberations over implementation and constitutional considerations as it advances through Congress.