A federal appeals court has ruled against a lawsuit to remove "In God We Trust" from U.S. currency, dismissing claims that the phrase was unconstitutional.

Carlos Kidd, an atheist from Texas, sued President Barack Obama and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke because he felt including God on national currency violated the separation of church and state. Kidd's claim called for the government to "destroy or recycle all circulating currency and replace it with new currency without religious inscription."

The lawsuit was dismissed in Oct. 2009 -- which Kidd appealed. But a three-judge panel of the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled July 21 to uphold the lower decision.

"[The court] has rightfully recognized that our Constitution does not require the exclusion of references to God from the laws governing this nation," Rep. Randy Forbes, R-Va., said in response to the ruling.

Congress made "In God We Trust" the national motto in 1956.

Forbes and other lawmakers have introduced legislation to reaffirm the national motto and help against future lawsuits for its removal.