Proclamation 6181.
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104 STAT. 5393 Proclamation 6181 of September 20, 1990 Religious Freedom Week, 1990 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Many of the first colonists to settle in this country during the 17th century were driven by their desire to worship God freely, without fear of persecution. Devout in their faith and determined to enjoy the freedom denied to them in the lands of their birth, they braved the vast uncharted waters of the Atlantic in cramped wooden vessels and sought refuge in the New World.
These early settlers were members of many different religious groups, yet all yearned for freedom and tolerance. Thus, by the time our Nation’s Founders framed our Constitution and Bill of Rights, a unique tradition of religious liberty had already taken root in America. Our Constitution provides that “no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.” However, the most celebrated guarantee of religious liberty in U.S. law is contained in the First Amendment to the Constitution.
It states that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” For well over 200 years, we Americans have maintained that religious freedom is not bestowed by government; rather, religious freedom is an inherent and unalienable right that not only precedes the social contract of government but also imposes a fundamental limitation on government power. Ten years before the delegates to the Federal Convention framed our Constitution, in his draft Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom in Virginia, Thomas Jefferson eloquently expressed this belief:
Almighty God hath created the mind free, and manifested His supreme will that free it shall remain by making it altogether insusceptible of restraint; that all attempts to influence it by temporal punishments or burthens . . . are a departure from the plan of the Holy Author of our religion, who being Lord both of body and mind, yet chose not to propagate it by coercions on either, as was in His Almighty power to do. . . . Thus recognizing Man’s free will as both the design and gift of the Creator, the members of the Virginia House of Delegates affirmed the view of religious liberty as an inherent and unalienable right and guaranteed “that all men shall be free to profess, and by argument to maintain, their opinions in matters of religion, and that the same shall in no [way] diminish, enlarge, or affect their civil capacities.
” Throughout our Nation’s history, the free exercise of religion has not only enriched the lives of individual believers but also strengthened the moral fabric of our society. The American people’s faith in God, free from the weight of government oppression and interference, has shaped our Nation’s most cherished values and institutions. It has also inspired our efforts to defend the cause of freedom and justice, both here at home and around the world. In 1807, during his second term as President, Thomas Jefferson observed:
“Among the most inestimable of our blessings is that ... of liberty to worship our Creator in the way we think most agreeable to His will: a liberty deemed in other countries incompatible with good 104 STAT. 5394government and yet proved by our experience to be its best support.” This week, we celebrate the enduring truth of his words. In recognition of the importance of religious freedom and the spirit of tolerance in our society, the Congress, by Senate Joint Resolution 331, has designated the week beginning September 23, 1990, as “Religious Freedom Week” and has authorized and requested the President to issue a proclamation in observance of this week.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE BUSH, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim the week of September 23 through September 29, 1990, as Religious Freedom Week. I urge all Americans to observe this week with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twentieth day of September, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and fifteenth.
GEORGE BUSH 6182 September 20, 1990 National Teacher Appreciation Day, 1990 Digitization Vendor By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Proclamation 6182 of September 20, 1990 National Teacher Appreciation Day, 1990 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation The United States is currently engaged in a nationwide effort to restore excellence to our educational system. Today more and more parents, educators, and elected officials are determined to set high standards for our schools and to meet them.
Recognizing the importance of learning, not only in and of itself, but also as a means of maintaining the Nation’s strength and productivity in an increasingly competitive world, we have established ambitious national education goals for the year 2000. If we are to succeed, we must reaffirm our support for a group of men and women who are working hard to achieve these goals—our Nation’s teachers. Education is a lifelong process of learning and discovery that begins in a child’s home and extends through years of schooling and experience.
On this National Teacher Appreciation Day, we honor teachers for their unique and important role in advancing our children’s education. By helping their students to grow in knowledge, skill, and reasoning ability, teachers not only open the doors of opportunity for them but also help them to become responsible, productive citizens. In this way, the dedicated men and women who educate our Nation’s youth also help to shape the future of the United States. That is why their work is so important to all of us.
Whether they work in the traditional academic setting, vocational training, continuing education, or special education, teachers influence both the personal and the intellectual development of their students. Indeed, teachers who convey a genuine commitment to excellence—as well as respect for authority and a sense of responsibility and concern 104 STAT. 5395for others—are among the best role models a young person can have. When a teacher cultivates in his or her students not only knowledge but also a lifelong love of learning, that teacher has given them a great and lasting gift.
The work of a good teacher endures, long after his or her students have said farewell. As we advance in years, we cannot fail to remember gratefully our best teachers—perhaps the elementary school teacher who recognized our potential and patiently helped us to develop it; or the high school English instructor who challenged and inspired us; or the college history professor who breathed life into ancient texts and enabled us to become a thrilled companion on the journeys of entire nations.
We can never thank these teachers enough, and we can never fully trace the extent of their influence in our lives. For all they do on behalf of our children and the Nation, teachers merit our abiding respect and gratitude. Let us ensure that we express both, not only on National Teacher Appreciation Day, but also throughout the year. In grateful recognition of America’s teachers, the Congress, by Senate Joint Resolution 313, has designated October 3, 1990, as “National Teacher Appreciation Day” and has authorized and requested the President to issue a proclamation in observance of this event.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE BUSH, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim October 3, 1990, as National Teacher Appreciation Day. I urge all Americans to observe this day with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twentieth day of September, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and fifteenth. GEORGE BUSH 6183 September 20, 1990 Leif Erikson Day, 1990 Digitization Vendor By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Proclamation 6183 of September 20, 1990 Leif Erikson Day, 1990 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation When Leif Erikson landed in North America nearly a millennium ago, he helped to chart a course that would one day be followed by generations of brave European explorers and missionaries.
He also established the first of the now centuries-old ties between the peoples of this continent and those of northern Europe. The son of Eric the Red, who led the first group of Europeans to colonize Greenland, Leif Erikson is believed to have returned to his native Norway in the year 1000. There, according to the Icelandic Saga of Eric, the young navigator became a convert to Christianity. Later commissioned by King Olaf Tryggvason (Olaf I) to return to Greenland as a missionary, Erikson set sail once more. 104 STAT. 5396 During a number of his journeys on the open seas, “Leif the Lucky” explored portions of North America.
Many others eventually followed in his wake, hoping to see for themselves the rich and beautiful territories he had called Helluland, Vinland, and Markland. Since Leif Erikson first set foot on the North American continent, generations of Nordic men and women have come to the United States, bringing with them the wealth of their unique cultural heritage. Over the years immigrants from Iceland, Greenland, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, and Finland have greatly enriched our country and added their own chapters to the ever-unfolding story of America’s development.
Each October 9, as we remember Leif Erikson, the bold Son of Iceland and Grandson of Norway, we also celebrate our Nation’s magnificent Nordic heritage. This daring navigator with a missionary zeal, whose name is so often associated with images of adventure and romance, is also a beloved symbol of the deep and enduring ties between the people of the United States and our friends in all the Nordic countries. In honor of Leif Erikson and our Nordic American heritage, the Congress, by joint resolution approved on September 2, 1964 (78 Stat. 849, 36 U.S.C. 169c), has authorized and requested the President to proclaim October 9 of each year as “Leif Erikson Day.
” NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE BUSH, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim October 9, 1990, as Leif Erikson Day, and I direct the appropriate government officials to display the flag of the United States on all government buildings on that day. I also encourage the people of the United States to observe this occasion by learning more about our rich Nordic American heritage and the early history of our continent. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twentieth day of September, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and fifteenth.
GEORGE BUSH 6184 September 20, 1990 Emergency Medical Services Week, 1990 Digitization Vendor By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Proclamation 6184 of September 20, 1990 Emergency Medical Services Week, 1990 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Each day, members of our Nation’s emergency medical services
(EMS)teams help to save lives. Providing swift, specialized care for seriously ill or injured persons—at all hours of the day or night and often while enduring difficult and even hazardous conditions—emergency medical personnel demonstrate daily the depth of their bravery, dedication, and compassion. At some time in our lives, most of us will witness or even benefit from the extraordinary efforts of EMS personnel in the wake of a motor vehicle collision, an industrial or household accident, sudden illness, or 104 STAT. 5397natural disaster. Medical emergencies arise from many such sources, but emergency medical care is always a team effort. From the paramedics and emergency medical technicians who provide immediate care at the scene of a crisis to the physicians, nurses, and technical specialists who offer emergency care in the hospital setting, thousands of hardworking, highly skilled men and women labor together to ensure the success of our Nation’s emergency medical services systems. The unsung heroes of our Nation’s EMS teams include dispatchers and other communications specialists, transport personnel who move patients quickly to medical centers for treatment, administrators, and educators who provide training in emergency skills and accident prevention. Whether full-time workers or volunteers, the dedicated men and women who serve their communities as members of EMS teams deserve the highest recognition and praise. This week, we applaud their lifesaving efforts in emergency care and accident prevention and express our determination to cooperate with them in building a safer, healthier America. The Congress, by House Joint Resolution 568, has designated the week beginning September 16, 1990, as “Emergency Medical Services Week” and has authorized and requested the President to issue a proclamation in observance of this week. NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE BUSH, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim the week beginning September 16, 1990, as Emergency Medical Services Week. I call upon all Americans to observe this week with appropriate ceremonies and activities. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twentieth day of September, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and fifteenth. GEORGE BUSH 6185 September 24, 1990 National School Lunch Week, 1990 Digitization Vendor By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Proclamation 6185 of September 24, 1990 National School Lunch Week, 1990 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Established less than half a century ago, the National School Lunch Program has become the mainstay of the United States’ Child Nutrition programs. The National School Lunch Act of 1946 underscored the depth of our concern for our youngest and most vulnerable citizens. It also declared it to be our policy “as a measure of national security, to safeguard the health and well-being of the Nation’s children and to encourage the domestic consumption of nutritious agricultural commodities and other food.” When he signed the National School Lunch Act on June 4, 1946, President Truman observed that, “in the long view, no nation is any healthier than its children or more prosperous than its farmers.” By promoting 104 STAT. 5398good nutrition among our Nation’s schoolchildren, as well as the purchase and distribution of U.S. agricultural products, the National School Lunch Act has benefitted not only America’s youth and farmers but also the entire country. Since its enactment, the National School Lunch Program has been expanded to include the School Breakfast Program. Legislation has also been enacted to provide free meals to children from families with very low incomes. Today the National School Lunch Program serves appetizing and nutritious meals to more than 23 million children in over 91,000 schools. Recognizing the importance of a good breakfast to learning, nearly half of these institutions also participate in the School Breakfast Program and provide nutritious morning meals to nearly 4 million children each day. Over 80 percent of these children receive breakfast without charge because they are from families with low incomes. The School Breakfast and National School Lunch Programs not only encourage participating students to develop healthy eating habits, but also help to ensure that children come to class ready and able to learn. By providing the Nation’s schoolchildren with nutritious meals, these valuable programs help to ensure that they have the energy, stamina, and good health needed to remain eager and attentive students. In so doing, these programs strengthen the educational process. During National School Lunch Week, we pay due recognition to the many concerned Americans who devote their time and skill to providing children around the country with good nutrition at school. These individuals include Federal and State officials, food service professionals, school administrators, teachers, parents, local civic leaders, and many volunteers. Their generous cooperative efforts are a wonderful example of a successful partnership among Federal and State governments and local communities. By joint resolution approved October 9, 1982 (Public Law 87780), the Congress designated the week beginning on the second Sunday of October in each year as “National School Lunch Week” and requested the President to issue a proclamation in observance of that week. NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE BUSH, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim the week beginning October 14, 1990, as National School Lunch Week. I call upon all Americans to recognize those dedicated and hardworking individuals who contribute to the success of the School Lunch Program. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-fourth day of September, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and fifteenth. GEORGE BUSH 6186 September 24, 1990 National Hispanic Heritage Month, 1990 Digitization Vendor By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation
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