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Virginia Town Mulls "In God We Trust" for City Hall

CHESAPEAKE, Va. (AP) - A city in Virginia may consider whether to display the words "In God We Trust" inside city hall.

The Virginian-Pilot reports that Chesapeake Councilwoman Suzy Kelly has asked the council to consider the idea at its meeting next week.

Kelly said the Congressional Prayer Caucus Foundation has been asking local and state governments to adopt the national motto.

She said she believes her city will embrace the idea. But some towns have declined. For instance, the North Carolina town of Saluda voted against adding the motto to its City Hall, arguing it would exclude people with secular or non-Christian beliefs.

The United States made "In God We Trust" the national motto in 1956 after President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed it into law.

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Don Rush is the News Director and Senior Producer of News and Public Affairs at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.