On this day in history, July 30, 1956, 'In God We Trust' is declared national motto

On this day in history, July 30, 1956, the 84th Congress passed a joint resolution declaring "IN GOD WE TRUST" to be the national motto of the United States, according to History.com.

Passing in both the House and the Senate unanimously and without debate, the resolution replaced "E pluribus unum," which had existed before as a de facto official motto, the same source noted.

Just two years earlier, on June 14, 1954, President Dwight Eisenhower signed a bill to insert the phrase "under God" into the Pledge of Allegiance, said History.com. 

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Before this bill, the U.S. Pledge of Allegiance, originally written in 1892, had contained no reference to religion.

The phrase "In God is our Trust" appears in the 1814 poem "Defence of Fort McHenry" by Francis Scott Key, noted the National Museum of American History. 

The poem was written in reaction to the British invasion in 1812, the same source indicated. 

Key wrote, "And this be our motto — ’In God is our Trust’" in the poem’s final stanza. 

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The poem became the basis of the national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner," the National Museum of American History said.

The phrase is also woven into other aspects of American history. 

The official use of "In God We Trust" dates back to the Civil War era, reported The Pew Research Center.

In 1861, the Rev. M. R. Watkinson, a Christian minister from Ridley Township, Pennsylvania, sent a letter to Secretary of the Treasury Salmon P. Chase requesting "the recognition of the Almighty God in some form on our coins," according to the same source. 

Sec. Chase agreed and instructed the director of the mint to prepare a motto for use on coins. 

The director proposed "God, Our Trust," but Chase altered the phrase to "In God We Trust," which first appeared on a two-cent coin in 1864, according to The Pew Research Center. 

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The following year, Congress authorized the mint to put the motto on all silver and gold coins that had space for the phrase, the same source indicated.

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The first paper currency bearing the motto entered circulation on Oct. 1, 1957, when it appeared on the $1 silver certificate, according to Politico. 

"Gradually, as new indigo printing processes were perfected, the motto was printed on all currency denominations. 

The initial idea of adding the motto to paper currency came from George Humphrey, Eisenhower’s Treasury secretary," said the same source.

On Nov. 2, 2001, the House of Representatives passed a non-binding resolution reaffirming "In God We Trust" as the national motto. 

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It was approved 396-9, with two abstentions, according to PBS. 

The measure was sponsored by Rep. Randy Forbes, R-Va., the same source indicated. 

"In God We Trust" continues today to be displayed on all U.S. currency and on government buildings throughout our nation.

"No longer religious in nature, the phrase has become, rather, a historical artifact, a public recognition of the role of religion in national life, and an expression of patriotism," said the Free Speech Center of Middle Tennessee State University. 

Biden calls Speaker Johnson ‘dead on arrival’ in odd response to criticism of proposed radical SCOTUS changes

President Biden called House Speaker Mike Johnson "dead on arrival" during a strange interaction with a reporter on Monday.

The exchange came shortly after Biden called on Congress to impose term limits and a code of conduct on the Supreme Court. In a statement released earlier on Monday, Johnson condemned Biden's proposal to "radically overhaul the U.S. Supreme Court," and argued that doing so would "tilt the balance of power" and erode the rule of law.

"This proposal is the logical conclusion to the Biden-Harris Administration and Congressional Democrats’ ongoing efforts to delegitimize the Supreme Court," the Louisiana Republican argued. "Their calls to expand and pack the Court will soon resume."

"It is telling that Democrats want to change the system that has guided our nation since its founding simply because they disagree with some of the Court’s recent decisions," he added. "This dangerous gambit of the Biden-Harris Administration is dead on arrival in the House." 

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When a reporter asked Biden for his response after he arrived in Austin, Texas, on Monday afternoon, Biden gave a garbled response.

"Mr. President, House Speaker Johnson says your Supreme Court reform is ‘dead on arrival.’ What’s your reaction, sir?" a reporter inquired.

"Who said that?" Biden responded.

"Speaker Johnson said it’s ‘dead on arrival,’" the reporter repeated.

The president then responded, "I think that’s what he is."

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When the journalist asked for clarification, Biden doubled down on his retort.

"That he is – dead on arrival," he replied.

The president then vowed that he was going to "figure [out] a way," to get his proposed radical changes to the Supreme Court passed.

Around an hour later, Biden clarified his remarks during a speech and explained that he was referring to Johnson's thought process.

"The Republican Speaker of the House said, whatever he proposes, [is] dead on arrival," Biden said to the audience. "I think his thinking is dead on arrival."

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House and Johnson's office for comment.

Fox News Digital's Sarah Tobianski and Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.