GOP Rep: 'Few things more important than re-affirming 'In God We Trust'

Before voting on the House resolution to reaffirm the phrase "In God We Trust" as the nation's motto Tuesday evening, Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX) expressed his view of how necessary this was for the country.

"There are few things Congress could do that would be more important than passing this resolution," Smith said, before the resolution easily passed 396 to 6. It reaffirms 'In God We Trust' as the official motto of the United States."

Smith wasn't the only GOP rep voicing his happiness over the resolution. Rep. Trent Franks told colleagues that without it, "there is no longer any reason for us to gather here in this place."

The watchdog group Americans United for Separation of Church and State slammed House Republicans Tuesday evening for having the vote.

“The American people want action on jobs and the economy, yet this Congress continues to waste time pandering to the Religious Right,” said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United. “This meaningless, purely symbolic vote won’t create one job, help one family struggling to pay its mortgage or rebuild one piece of infrastructure.”

“I think we know by now that this Congress likes God. Can we move on?” he added.

WATCH: Video from C-Span via Media Matters, which was broadcast on November 1, 2011.

(Photo credit: Ad Meskens)