Bill Nelson: “Indeed, under our constitutional system--that is part of what I wanted to point out, and I pointed out to the Senate…”

“Indeed, under our constitutional system--that is part of what I wanted to point out, and I pointed out to the Senate earlier today--we have a mechanism of checks and balances. The check and balance here is the right of appeal from this court of appeals in San Francisco to the U.S. Supreme Court. I have the confidence that the Supreme Court's nine Justices representing the entire Nation would understand the difference between separation of church and state as being the difference between the separation of the state and God. As I was saying, the dignity of this institution is started off each day under the watchful words inscribed in gold above the center door, ``In God We Trust,'' with an opening ceremony in which the position of the Chaplain is actually elevated above the Presiding Officer until the Chaplain delivers the opening prayer which opens the business of the Senate. Furthermore, I point out to our colleagues that as part of our constitutional heritage--including the Constitution--one of the most important documents in our governmental archives is the Declaration of Independence. I call to the attention of the Senate the words of the second paragraph: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.…”