The Freedom From Religion Foundation sent a letter to the U.S. State Department on July 25 to object to religious quotations printed on official United States passports. FFRF has been protesting religion in passports since 2007.

FFRF, a state/church watchdog based in Madison, Wis., is a national nonprofit with more than 19,000 members across the country.

Multiple quotes on the United States passport include religious references:

"May God continue the unity of our country as the railroad unites the two great ocean of the world." Inscribed on the Golden Spike

"That this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom." Gettysburg Address by Abraham Lincoln

"The God who gave us life, gave us liberty at the same time." Jefferson Memorial, Thomas Jefferson

"We have a great dream. It started way back in 1776, and God grant that America will be true to her dream." Martin Luther King, Jr.

FFRF Staff Attorney Rebecca Markert has requested a copy of documents showing when State Department officials decided to add the religious quotes and documents pursuant to adding the religious quotes.

Markert wrote: "The FFRF has First Amendment Establishment Clause concerns that are triggered by these overtly religious references on government-issued documents. It is a fundamental constitutional principle that the 'First Amendment mandates governmental neutrality between religion and religion, and between religion and non-religion.'"

"We've received so many complaints since the unnecessary intrusion of godly quotes in passports under the Bush Administration," noted FFRF co-president Annie Laurie Gaylor. "The United States is governed under a secular and godless constitution, and our passports should be secular, too."

FFRF hopes to receive this documents in a timely manner.