Proclamation 6355.
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105 STAT. 2725 Proclamation 6355 of October 11, 1991 National Children’s Day, 1991 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Few joys here on earth can compare to that of a happy childhood. As we advance in years, we begin to recognize it as one of life’s greatest blessings. Of course, the ideal childhood is more than a precious age of innocence or of long, carefree days at play. It is also an exciting time of learning and discovery that shapes our values and our sense of identity, equipping us for the challenges and opportunities of the future.
Because the person who enjoys a healthy, happy childhood is most likely to become a healthy, well-adjusted adult, we do well to recall our obligation—as parents and as a Nation—to protect, nurture, and provide for our children. Most parents are keenly aware of their responsibilities of providing food, shelter, clothing, and basic health care—the fundamental material support that is essential to every youngster’s physical and emotional well-being. Yet parents also have a responsibility to nurture the spiritual and intellectual development of the child whom God has entrusted to their care.
Indeed, whether he or she is their biological, adoptive, or foster child, every youngster needs encouragement and discipline, as well as attention and affection. By word, deed, and example, parents must help their children recognize the meaning of love and respect—and the difference between right and wrong. Parents can and should help their children to recognize their own talent and potential, and instill in them an appreciation of the American traditions of freedom and tolerance.
Finally, because the days of childhood can never be reclaimed, we must allow our children to *be* children, never rushing them in our constant attempts to educate and inspire. Of course, meeting the responsibilities of parenting is not easy. For many families, putting food on the table and making ends meet is an enormous challenge in itself. Filling a child’s emotional and spiritual needs and material demands requires faith, sacrifice, fortitude, and commitment—virtues that are the measure of love and the strength of families.
Yet the importance of giving our children ample amounts of love, discipline, and guidance cannot be overstated; statistics on drug abuse, adolescent pregnancy, and other problems underscore the consequences of offering too little, too late. And we know that while government can and should assist parents in fulfilling their duties, it is no substitute for stable, loving family life. Thus, as we honor America’s youngest citizens on this National Children’s Day, let us recall the essential ingredients of a healthy, happy, and secure childhood and reaffirm our commitment to helping every American youngster to enjoy the best possible start in life.
As it is written in Scripture, “Train up a child in the way that he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” The Congress, by Senate Joint Resolution 126, has designated the second Sunday in October 1991 as “National Children’s Day” and has 105 STAT. 2726authorized and requested the President to issue a proclamation in observance of this day. NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE BUSH, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim Sunday, October 13, 1991, as National Children’s Day.
I call on the American people to observe that day with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities designed to honor children and to emphasize the importance of their physical and emotional well-being. I also urge all Americans to reflect on the importance of stable, loving families to children and to our Nation. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this eleventh day of October, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety-one, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and sixteenth.
GEORGE BUSH 6356 October 11, 1991 World Food Day, 1991 and 1992 Digitization Vendor By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Proclamation 6356 of October 11, 1991 World Food Day, 1991 and 1992 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation At a time when America traditionally celebrates the promise of a rich autumn harvest, we do well to remember that hunger and malnutrition are a painful reality for millions of people around the world today.
The situation is particularly tragic among infants and children in less developed countries. Each year millions die of starvation or disease; many others are permanently disabled as a result of chronic vitamin deficiencies. Recognizing the threat that hunger poses to human life and to the stability of nations, the United States is participating in the 11th annual observance of World Food Day. The American people have long been providing generous humanitarian assistance to the hungry and less fortunate.
This year alone, the United States will give more than 8 million metric tons of food, worth nearly $1.9 billion, to hungry people in other countries. In addition to sharing our Nation’s abundant agricultural resources, we will also continue to share our technical knowledge and expertise, helping needy peoples to achieve greater food production and economic development. Although we have taken important strides in the campaign against hunger, we still have much more to accomplish.
Just as there is no single cause behind this large and complex problem, there is no single solution. For example, the worst reports of hunger and starvation often come from countries that have been racked by years of political upheaval and civil war. Indeed, in countries such as the Sudan, Ethiopia, and Mozambique, famine has not been so much the result of adverse weather conditions and crop shortages as of strife-related barriers to the distribution of food. The needless suffering of millions of innocent men, women, and children compels us to persevere in the quest for lasting peace and security. 105 STAT. 2727 We must also continue to promote private enterprise and free markets as catalysts for economic development and technological progress among nations.
In many countries, centralized government planning has destroyed incentives for farmers and stifled agricultural production, leading to widespread poverty and hunger. Elsewhere—even where crops are abundant—excessive trade barriers prevent farmers from selling their goods on world markets, thereby limiting economic opportunity and growth. That is why we must continue working to open the world’s markets and to liberalize trade through negotiations such as the Uruguay Round of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.
Another threat to the future of some developing nations is the systematic degradation of the natural resource base on which sustainable agriculture depends. Forests are being destroyed at a rapid rate and soils depleted through subsequent erosion. Failure to protect the environment poses a significant long-term threat to the ability of those countries to feed their inhabitants. The observance of World Food Day reminds us that the chilling specter of hunger and starvation is often nothing less than the lengthening shadow of illiteracy, poverty, government repression, and civil unrest.
On this occasion, as we renew our commitment to feeding the hungry, let us also reaffirm our determination to find the lasting answers that go hand in hand with peace, opportunity, and education. The Congress, by House Joint Resolution 230, has designated October 16, 1991, and October 16, 1992, as “World Food Day” and has authorized and requested the President to issue a proclamation in observance of these days. NOW, THEREFORE. I, GEORGE BUSH, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim October 16, 1991, and October 16, 1992, as World Food Day.
I call on all Americans to observe these days with appropriate programs and activities. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this eleventh day of October, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety-one, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and sixteenth. GEORGE BUSH 6357 October 15, 1991 National Law Enforcement Memorial Dedication Day, 1991 Digitization Vendor By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Proclamation 6357 of October 15, 1991 National Law Enforcement Memorial Dedication Day, 1991 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Each and every day of the year—and at every hour of the day—our Nation’s law enforcement officers walk the thin blue line, putting themselves in harm’s way to protect the lives and the property of their fellow Americans.
Statistics provided by the Department of Justice underscore the risks and sacrifices that they accept for our sake: on average, one officer dies in the line of duty every 57 hours: that is, 150 law enforcement personnel each year. Another 20,000 are injured, and some 105 STAT. 272860,000 are assaulted. Because such numbers, like news headlines, can too often belie the reality of human suffering, we must always remember that each of these officers is a beloved son or daughter, a husband or wife, a sister or brother, a mother or father, or a friend.
This year, on October 15, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial will be dedicated in Washington, D.C., to honor these American heroes. The names of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country are inscribed along the Memorial’s “Pathway of Remembrance.” They include names such as that of U.S. Marshal Robert Forsyth, who, in 1794, became the first American law enforcement officer to die in the line of duty. He was killed while serving an arrest warrant.
The Memorial also contains the names of Hammond, Indiana, Police Officer Donald P. Cook, who was shot and killed in January 1947 after serving only 7 days on the job; New Salem, North Dakota, Police Chief Ed Memby, who was shot and killed in July 1953 by a man who refused to pay a 1 cent sales tax on a soda; U.S. Marshal Samuel Enoch Vaugh, the father of 13 children, who was shot and killed by a prisoner in August 1953; and Julie Y. Cross, the first female Secret Service casualty, who was shot and killed during a stakeout in October 1979.
These, of course, are just a few of the brave and selfless individuals to whom our National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial has been dedicated. We also remember with solemn pride and gratitude the hundreds of others who have gone before them, as well as those who have since joined their ranks. Years from now, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial will continue to remind visitors of the debt that we owe to those who have died in the service of public safety and justice.
On this occasion, however, as we honor the fallen, let us also remember the heroic individuals who, at this very moment, continue to wage our Nation’s fight against crime. Let us pray for their well-being, and let us offer them our wholehearted cooperation and support. To heighten public awareness of the risks and the responsibilities that law enforcement officers face each day, the Congress, by Senate Joint Resolution 107, has designated October 15, 1991, as “National Law Enforcement Memorial Dedication Day” and has authorized and requested the President to issue a proclamation in observance of this day.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE BUSH, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim October 15, 1991, as National Law Enforcement Memorial Dedication 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 fifteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety-one, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and sixteenth.
GEORGE BUSH 6358 October 15, 1991 Country Music Month, 1991 Digitization Vendor By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation