Virginia Republican Congressman Randy Forbes and other members of the Congressional Prayer Caucus are being credited with helping correct some historical inaccuracies built into the new $621-million Capitol Visitor Center.
A few months ago, Congressman Forbes warned that The Capitol Visitor Center was obscuring references to the country's Christian history by, among other things, removing the national motto from the building and replacing it with "E Pluribus Unum." The change sparked an outcry from conservative lawmakers like Forbes and Senator Jim Demint (R-South Carolina). The last week Congress was in session, the House Administration Committee gave letters committing to put "In God We Trust" back in the Visitor Center, which they have done. Congressman Forbes says other important changes will now be made. "We're going to have a permanent display of the Pledge of the Allegiance to the flag with [the phrase] 'under God' in that pledge, a permanent display of the Declaration of Independence, and they have ordered the Architect of the Capitol to meet with representatives of the Smithsonian, the Library of Congress, and the Congressional Prayer Caucus to make sure we have a permanent exhibit of faith that will go in the Visitor Center," he explains. As OneNewsNow reported last week, the exhibit's "Wall of Aspirations" has generated concern among some constitutional scholars. Dr. Matthew Spalding of The Heritage Foundation says the exhibit is "Congress' temple to liberals' 'living Constitution,' the eternal font of lawmakers' evolving mandate to achieve the nation's ideals."
A few months ago, Congressman Forbes warned that The Capitol Visitor Center was obscuring references to the country's Christian history by, among other things, removing the national motto from the building and replacing it with "E Pluribus Unum." The change sparked an outcry from conservative lawmakers like Forbes and Senator Jim Demint (R-South Carolina).
The last week Congress was in session, the House Administration Committee gave letters committing to put "In God We Trust" back in the Visitor Center, which they have done. Congressman Forbes says other important changes will now be made. "We're going to have a permanent display of the Pledge of the Allegiance to the flag with [the phrase] 'under God' in that pledge, a permanent display of the Declaration of Independence, and they have ordered the Architect of the Capitol to meet with representatives of the Smithsonian, the Library of Congress, and the Congressional Prayer Caucus to make sure we have a permanent exhibit of faith that will go in the Visitor Center," he explains. As OneNewsNow reported last week, the exhibit's "Wall of Aspirations" has generated concern among some constitutional scholars. Dr. Matthew Spalding of The Heritage Foundation says the exhibit is "Congress' temple to liberals' 'living Constitution,' the eternal font of lawmakers' evolving mandate to achieve the nation's ideals."
If you believe OneNewsNow.com is an important source for Christian news, please consider a small tax-deductible gift for this service.
