Republican lawmaker introduces 'Fidelity Month' bill to rededicate US to its 'core values'
Three other Republican House members signed on as cosponsors of the 'Fidelity Month' bill
Rep. Alex Mooney introduced a bill recently that would designate one month every year as "Fidelity Month," with the hope that Americans will unite in rededicating themselves "to the values of faith, family and patriotism."
"Our survival as a country depends on the shared bonds of faith, family and patriotism," the West Virginia Republican said in a press release. "It is therefore fitting to observe a month where Americans of all faiths and beliefs can come together to reaffirm and rededicate ourselves to our core values."
Fox News Digital spoke with the West Virginia representative, discussing what led him to write the bill, along with addressing his concerns for the nation.
Mooney said the bill was inspired by Dr. Robert P. George, a conservative Christian philosopher and Princeton University professor who initiated the idea of dedicating the month of June as "Fidelity Month."
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The professor proposed the holiday after seeing a Wall Street Journal-NORC poll in late March that showed a decline in traditional values and a moral foundation among Americans over the last 25 years.
Rep. Mooney relayed that he and other members of Congress have noticed the same concerns and trends of a decline in the Christian faith, patriotism, community and recognizing the importance of hard work and value of family.
"Look, since Biden became president, even in the nine years I've been in Congress, I've seen this whole woke agenda being pushed more than ever in ways that are totally absurd, like men playing women's college sports and taking away their chances to be a champion. I mean, the woke agenda is just out of control. What we need is not this woke nonsense. What we need is a return to faith and family and traditional values. So, that's where it came from."
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He wrote an opinion piece for The Journal of Martinsburg discussing the results of the downward trend in American values seen in the WSJ's poll, which was first conducted in 1998.
This year, the poll revealed Americans' view of patriotism being "very important" has dropped from 70% to 38%. The view of religion being "very important" has decreased from 62% to 39%. The view of having children as being "very important" has gone down from 59% to 30%. And being involved in community dropped down to 27%. The view of money being "very important" however, has risen from 31% to 43%.
Rep. Greg Steube, one of the cosponsors of the bill, said in a statement to Fox News Digital that the U.S. has "lost" its way.
"As a society, we’ve removed God from schools, encouraged elimination of the nuclear family, disregarded our national anthem and ignored the Judeo-Christian values that America was founded upon," the Florida Republican said.
"Fidelity Month will help ensure our survival as a country by reinstating the core American values of faith, family, country and community for generations to come."
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Rep. Josh Brecheen quoted John Adams in part of his explanation as to why he is also supporting this bill.
"As President John Adams stated, ‘Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people, it is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.’ The success of our experiment as the world’s longest running Republic has been possible because biblical and family values fostered self-governance and limited government," the Oklahoma Republican said.
"As personal virtue declines, the federal government grows in its place. I am proud to cosponsor Congressman Alex Mooney’s bill to designate one month each year as Fidelity Month to celebrate our true hope in remaining not only a limited government but also a ‘shining city upon a hill.’"
Fox News Digital reached out for comment from Rep. Mary Miller's office but did not receive a response from the Illinois Republican before publication.
Rep. Mooney explained how countries that have chosen a socialist or communist system and removed God have always failed, emphasizing that "it's a clear choice" for America, while highlighting that "patriotism and faith" can lead to success.
The representative remains hopeful, however, that Americans can still embrace the values and moral foundation that the nation was founded on.
"I think it needs to be clear to everyone: It's the values of hard work, faith in God and love of community that has made this country the greatest country that the world has ever seen. It's those values," he argued. "It's not this woke nonsense. It's not dressing up boys as girls and trying to claim they're a different gender — which is a total lie, by the way. It's not drag shows for grade schools."
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He explained how values such as faith have positively impacted the U.S. throughout history, pointing out the significance of the statues of lawmakers placed in the U.S. Capitol on top of the House chamber.
"You have all of these lawmakers throughout history, but one and only one is looking forward. He's right smack dab in the middle. He's looking straight at the speaker of the house. And that's Moses, who gave us the Ten Commandments.
"It's those Ten Commandments and other precepts of faith that have made this country great and will make anybody reading this article or any American happy and successful. It's not all of this noise you're hearing with the woke agenda these days."