Proclamation 5401.
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/statutes-at-large/vol-99/proclamation-5401·A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
99 STAT. 2111 Proclamation 5401 of October 28, 1985 National Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Awareness Month, 1985 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), the sudden and unexpected death of apparently healthy babies, is the major cause of death of infants between the ages of one month and one year. Between 5,000 and 6.000 babies die of SIDS annually in the United States. Most die unobserved in their sleep. Despite two decades of aggressive biomedical and behavioral research, supported in large part by the Federal government, the exact cause of SIDS remains elusive.
From what we have learned through research, choking, neglect, infection, and heredity have been ruled out as probable causes, and today the syndrome is attributed to a combination of subtle physiological deficiencies in the infant. The parents and families of SIDS victims frequently experience intense and traumatic grief, often accompanied by unwarranted feelings of guilt that can result in psychosocial and even physical problems. It is extremely important that the facts about SIDS be widely disseminated and understood in order to banish myths and misconceptions.
By working together, parents, schools, private and voluntary organizations, and government at all levels can bring about a greater public understanding of this tragic syndrome. The Congress, by House Joint Resolution 322, has designated the month of*Ante*, p. 561. October 1985, as “National Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Awareness Month” and authorized and requested the President to issue a proclamation in observance of this event. NOW. THEREFORE, I. RONALD REAGAN. President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim the month of October 1985, as National Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Awareness Month.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-eighth day of October, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty-five, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and tenth. RONALD REAGAN 5402 October 30, 1985 National Foster Grandparent Month, 1985 Digitization Vendor By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Proclamation 5402 of October 30, 1985 National Foster Grandparent Month, 1985 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation This year, we celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the Foster Grandparent Program.
In its first year of operation. 782 foster grandparents carried out 33 projects in 27 States. Today, some 19,000 foster grandparents are serving some 65.000 children through 245 projects in all 50 States, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia. The program, which has achieved both great success and great acceptance, is administered by ACTION, a Federal agency that promotes voluntarism. 99 STAT. 2112 Most of us have been fortunate enough to have enjoyed a very special relationship with our grandparents.
They were the living bridge to the past. They handed down to us the hard-won lessons they had learned from life and the wisdom they had received from their own grandparents. They provided us with the patient, unquestioning love and understanding that gave us the strength to face the future with confidence and hope. Today, the elderly and retired participants in the Foster Grandparent Program provide unique, personal guidance and care to tens of thousands of physically, emotionally, and mentally handicapped children as well as those who have been abused, neglected, or who are in the juvenile justice system, or in need of other special help.
Love is the only thing we have more of the more we give it away. And these volunteers who give of themselves, of their wisdom, and of their time, reap rich benefits. They rejoice in a newfound independence. Their loneliness and fear of isolation disappear. In many cases, their health improves. Their sense of self-worth is enhanced as they find themselves deeply involved with others who depend on them. They experience a new fulfillment in performing a much-needed community service which taps all their reserves of understanding, creativity, and warmth.
The children in the program blossom under the golden glow of counsel and caring that foster grandparents bring into their lives. This program has truly worked wonders for hearts young and old. I urge all Americans to join me in applauding the activities of these foster grandparent volunteers. Their service encourages positive attitudes about the abilities of the elderly. It demonstrates how greatly society benefits when it calls on the experience and seasoned judgment of older persons. *Ante*, p. 553.The Congress, by Senate Joint Resolution 92, has designated the month of October 1985 as “National Foster Grandparent Month” and authorized and requested the President to issue a proclamation in observance of this event.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, RONALD REAGAN, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim the month of October 1985 as National Foster Grandparent Month. I invite all citizens and appropriate agencies and organizations to unite during October with appropriate observances and activities to honor these volunteers and the children they serve. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirtieth day of October, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty-five, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and tenth.
RONALD REAGAN 5403 October 30, 1985 American Education Week, 1985 Digitization Vendor By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Proclamation 5403 of October 30, 1985 American Education Week, 1985 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation From their very beginnings, the colonies that later were to form the United States of America set great store by the education of the young, and with the birth of the New Nation this commitment to education deepened.
Our Founding Fathers shared the insight of an ancient sage that “only the educated are free,” and they took to heart the inspired maxim that it is the99 STAT. 2113 truth which sets us free. To them it was clear that since here the people would rule, the people must have the means to understand the issues and to make wise decisions. As James Madison put it: “On the diffusion of education among the people rest the preservation and perpetuation of our free institutions.” American Education Week offers all Americans an invitation to reflect on the importance of education to our Nation, not only to its prosperity but to the proper functioning of our whole system of government.
It invites each of us to play a part in the national commitment to sound education and to the constant striving to improve the institutions that provide education at every level, from pre-school through graduate school. American Education Week is a time for all Americans to seek to do something to further the cause of education—whether by involvement in parent-teacher groups, contributions to private educational institutions, serving on local school boards, participation in adult education programs, furthering the utilization of libraries and museums, or any similar activity.
For educators it is a time to rededicate themselves to what is surely one of the noblest of callings; and to students it is a challenge to make the best use of the manifold educational opportunities this country offers. NOW. THEREFORE. I. RONALD REAGAN. President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim the week beginning November 17, 1985, and the first full week preceding the fourth Thursday of November of each succeeding year, as American Education Week, and to observe this time with appropriate ceremonies and activities.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF. I have hereunto set my hand this thirtieth day of October, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty-five, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and tenth. RONALD REAGAN 5404 October 9, 1985 National Drug Abuse Education Week, 1985 Digitization Vendor By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Proclamation 5404 of October 9, 1985 National Drug Abuse Education Week, 1985 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Only a decade ago. many people believed that drug abuse was an insurmountable problem.
Throughout America, parents, educators, law enforcement officials, and other community leaders are proving that the fight against drugs can be won. Law enforcement and international cooperation are reducing the availability and supply of illegal drugs. Research and experience have given us new insight into the causes and treatment of drug and alcohol abuse. Most important, Americans have changed their attitudes toward both drugs and drug users. Negative attitudes have been replaced with understanding, and drug abuse is seen for what it really is: destructive of life’s potential and a tragic waste of health and opportunity.
We have developed a sense of responsibility, collectively and individually. Today, we hold the key to creating a drug-free society: prevention of drug abuse through awareness and education. Many people have contributed to this improved situation. During the past four years, all segments of American society have worked together to stop99 STAT. 2114drug abuse among our young and have brought about new laws and public policies. Young people everywhere are moving away from drug-taking behavior and embracing positive goals such as excellence in education, physical fitness, and personal integrity.
Parents have banded together, and young people are receiving strong support for behavior that is anti-drug, pro-achievement, and that recognizes individual responsibility. These efforts are creating an environment that nurtures our Nation’s greatest asset—our children. But while much has been done, we cannot let up on our efforts against illicit drugs and those who would profit from the havoc they wreak. We must continue to work together to address drug and alcohol problems in our homes and families.
We must carry these concerns into our schools, churches, workplaces, and community life. By heightening awareness, we can gather the moral strength to do what is right and channel it into effective measures against this menace. To encourage widespread participation in efforts directed at preventing*Ante*, p. 581. drug abuse, the Congress, by House Joint Resolution 126, has designated the week of November 3 through November 9, 1985, as “National Drug Abuse Education Week” and authorized and requested the President to issue a proclamation in observance of this occasion.
NOW, THEREFORE. I, RONALD REAGAN, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim the week of November 3 through November 9, 1985. as National Drug Abuse Education Week. I call upon all Americans to join me in observing this week with personal dedication and a public commitment to protect the future of our Nation by eliminating drug abuse. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fifth day of November, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty-five, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and tenth.
RONALD REAGAN 5405 November 8, 1985 National Alzheimer’s Disease Month, 1985 Digitization Vendor By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Proclamation 5405 of November 8, 1985 National Alzheimer’s Disease Month, 1985 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation For more than two million Americans with Alzheimer’s disease, each day is fraught with fear and frustration. Fear of getting lost in one’s own neighborhood; of not recognizing members of one’s immediate family; of not being able to perform simple, familiar chores.
For the victims of this disease, tying shoes or setting a table can be overwhelming tasks. As our elderly population grows, more and more people will be affected by this malady. Alzheimer’s disease is the major cause of the confusion, erratic behavior, and forgetfulness once believed to be a “normal” part of old age. This “senility” is actually the result of the destruction of certain brain cells. As the afflicted person loses the ability to function intellectually, the family faces growing emotional, physical, and financial burdens.
Eventually, many victims require specialized professional care. Fifty percent of all nursing home residents in America suffer from Alzheimer’s disease or other serious, irreversible forms of dementia. 99 STAT. 2115 The medical research community is focusing special attention on Alzheimer’s disease in an effort to discover its causes and develop effective treatments. Recently, a Department of Health and Human Services task force defined the current state of medical knowledge of Alzheimer’s disease and recommended future research directions.
Organizations leading this research include the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke; the National Institute on Aging; the National Institute of Mental Health; and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. For Alzheimer’s patients and their families, this intensive research is the greatest source of hope. But until a way to prevent Alzheimer’s disease is found, these families need our support and understanding. I commend the superb services provided by voluntary health organizations, notably the Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Association.
To enhance public awareness of Alzheimer’s disease, the Congress, by Senate Joint Resolution 65, has designated the month of November 1985 as*Ante*, p. 69. “National Alzheimer’s Disease Month” and authorized and requested the President to issue a proclamation in observance of this month. NOW, THEREFORE, I, RONALD REAGAN. President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim the month of November 1985 as National Alzheimer’s Disease Month, and I call upon the people of the United States to observe that month with appropriate observances and activities.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 8th day of Nov, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty-five, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and tenth. RONALD REAGAN 5406 November 11, 1985 National Reye’s Syndrome Week, 1985 Digitization Vendor By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Proclamation 5406 of November 11, 1985 National Reye’s Syndrome Week, 1985 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation There is a potentially deadly disorder that affects our children called Reye’s Syndrome.
It is one of the top ten killers among all diseases affecting young people aged one to ten. Each year in the United States, a number of healthy children under age nineteen are afflicted with Reye’s Syndrome, and many victims die or become crippled within several days. We did not recognize Reye’s Syndrome as a specific illness until 1963, and we still do not know what causes it or how to prevent it. Diligent research has identified its symptoms: severe vomiting, delirium, lethargy, unusual drowsiness, and belligerence.
During last winter’s flu season, only 171 cases of Reye’s Syndrome were reported in the United States, down from the 422 cases reported as recently as 1980. A variety of factors have contributed to this sharp decline, which is an encouraging chapter in the annals of American medicine. Experience has taught us that quick medical intervention usually can avert death or disability. But much remains to be learned. Federal scientists, supported by the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke and other units of the National Institutes of Health such as the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, and the National Institute of Arthritis, Di-99 STAT. 2116abetes, and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, are untiring in their efforts to understand this lethal disorder.
They are assisted in this endeavor by their Federal colleagues at the Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control, who monitor the occurrence of Reye’s Syndrome throughout the country. In recent years, the medical community and groups of concerned citizens have brought Reye’s Syndrome into the public eye. Volunteer organizations such as the American Reye’s Syndrome Association and the National Reye’s Syndrome Foundation have launched effective public education campaigns.
We must build upon these efforts to acquaint all parents and medical professionals with the dangers of this illness. We must stimulate further scientific investigation of the origin of this enigmatic killer in the biomedical research arena, where our greatest hope of conquering this disease lies. To focus public and professional attention on the seriousness of Reye’s*Ante*, p. 784. Syndrome, the Congress, by Senate Joint Resolution 29, has designated the week of November 11 through November 17, 1985, as “National Reye’s Syndrome Week” and authorized and requested the President to issue a proclamation in observance of that week.
NOW, THEREFORE. I. RONALD REAGAN. President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim the week of November 11 through 17, 1985, as National Reye’s Syndrome Week. I call upon all government agencies, health organizations, communications media, and people of the United States to observe that week with appropriate ceremonies and activities. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 11th day of November, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty-five, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and tenth.
RONALD REAGAN 5407 November 12, 1985 High Blood Pressure Awareness Week, 1985 Digitization Vendor By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Proclamation 5407 of November 12, 1985 High Blood Pressure Awareness Week, 1985 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation High blood pressure is a disease that affects as many as 60 million Americans and is a major contributing factor in 1.25 million heart attacks and half a million strokes that take place every year in the United States.
More than half a million of those who have a heart attack will die this year, and the economic cost to the Nation in direct medical costs, lost work days, and lost production is estimated to be in excess of ten billion dollars annually. There are many encouraging signs that we are making progress in bringing this disease under control. The death rates from heart attacks and stroke have been declining dramatically over the past decade and more. From 1972 to 1984, for example, the death rate for heart attack dropped by 33 percent, and for stroke by 48 percent.
At least one of the factors responsible for this decline is an enhanced awareness among the medical profession and the public of the dangers of high blood pressure and the steps that must be taken to control it. This growing awareness has been brought about with the assistance of the Na-99 STAT. 2117tional High Blood Pressure Education Program, a coordinated effort involving the Federal government; community volunteer organizations; medical associations; industry and labor; State and local public health agencies, and many other groups.
Since the program began in 1972, public understanding of high blood pressure, the number of people being treated, and the number of those effectively controlling their high blood pressure has increased considerably. Often called the “silent killer” because it usually has no easily detectable symptoms, high blood pressure is an insidious condition that may lead to heart attack, stroke, or kidney damage. It is one of three major risk factors, along with cigarette smoking and elevated blood cholesterol, for cardiovascular diseases.
All of these factors can be controlled or eliminated. High blood pressure can be detected using the familiar inflatable arm cuff and stethoscope. The test takes only a few moments and is painless. Once detected, high blood pressure can be very effectively controlled. Sometimes this can be accomplished by such measures as weight loss, salt restriction, and exercise. When these do not work, the physician can select an appropriate treatment program from a wide range of drug therapies.
I urge all Americans to take advantage of the high blood pressure screening activities in their communities, their work places, and their public health facilities. They should ask their physicians how often they should have a blood pressure check. All Americans should be aware of the dangers of this very widespread condition and they should also know that these dangers can be eliminated by proven methods. To stimulate awareness among Americans of the importance of having their blood pressure measured, the Congress, by Senate Joint Resolution 130, has*Ante*, p. 786. designated the week beginning November 10, 1985, as “High Blood Pressure Awareness Week” and authorized and requested the President to issue a proclamation in observance of this week.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, RONALD REAGAN. President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim the week beginning November 10, 1985, as High Blood Pressure Awareness Week. I invite the American people to join with me in reaffirming our commitment to the resolution of the problem of high blood pressure. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 12th day of November, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty-five, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and tenth.
RONALD REAGAN 5408 November 13, 1985 National Diabetes Month, 1985 Digitization Vendor By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Proclamation 5408 of November 13, 1985 National Diabetes Month, 1985 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Each year, an estimated 500,000 more Americans are told by their physicians that they have diabetes. This chronic disease interferes with the body’s ability to derive energy from glucose, a type of sugar and an impor-99 STAT. 2118tant product of digested food.
When diabetes strikes children, it is in a form that can soon be fatal without daily injections of the life-saving hormone insulin. Most people with diabetes have another form of the disease that begins in adulthood and that, over the years, can insidiously and progressively damage the heart, eyes, kidneys, and nervous system. The acute illness and long-term complications of diabetes cost the country an estimated S14 billion each year in medical outlays, disability payments, and loss of income.
Individuals and families suffer an inestimable drain on their emotional and economic resources in coping with this disease. Hope for the future lies in research. In recent years, scientists have laid the groundwork for an eventual cure for diabetes. Basic research has provided the tools with which scientists are describing the genetic, immunologic and biochemical mechanisms that underlie diabetes. Through research, we now know that diabetes has multiple causes, and scientists are developing the means to understand and correct these defects in ways specific to each cause.
Research is also clarifying how best to treat diabetes. This research, along with efforts to transmit the most up-to-the-minute knowledge to health practitioners and to individuals who might be affected by diabetes, is helping to preserve the health of its potential victims. Only through the continued commitment and cooperation of the Federal government, the scientific community, and the private agencies and citizens dedicated to the fight against diabetes can progress continue.
To increase public awareness of diabetes and to emphasize the need for continued research and educational efforts aimed at controlling and one*Ante*, p. 580. day curing this disease, the Congress, by Senate Joint Resolution 145, has designated the month of November 1985 as “National Diabetes Month” and authorized and requested the President to issue a proclamation in observance of this month. NOW, THEREFORE, I, RONALD REAGAN, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim the month of November 1985 as National Diabetes Month.
I call upon all government agencies and the people of the United States to observe this month with appropriate programs and activities. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty-five, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and tenth. RONALD REAGAN 5409 November 13, 1985 National Women Veterans Recognition Week, 1985 Digitization Vendor By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Proclamation 5409 of November 13, 1985 National Women Veterans Recognition Week, 1985 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation We Americans are justly indebted to all who have served in uniform in the cause of our national defense.
It is an honor for me to invite special attention to the unique contributions made to that cause by women veterans. Throughout our Nation’s history, American women have answered duty’s call, even when that call exacted a great price. Many women have become99 STAT. 2119 casualties in their country’s service, and countless more have suffered family disruptions and dislocations caused by commitments to the armed services. The nearly 1.2 million women veterans living in the United States today have contributed immeasurably to restoring and maintaining the peace.
Their performance in a wide range of demanding specialties in all branches of service has been in the proudest traditions of our Armed Forces, and it is altogether fitting that we as a Nation pause to express our appreciation. The Congress, by Senate Joint Resolution 47, has designated the week beginning*Ante*, p. 810. November 10, 1985, as “National Women Veterans Recognition Week” and authorized and requested the President to issue a proclamation in observance of that week.
NOW. THEREFORE. 1, RONALD REAGAN. President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim the week beginning November 10, 1985, as National Women Veterans Recognition Week. I call upon the American people, the Federal government, and State and local governments to celebrate this week with appropriate observances. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty-five, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and tenth.
RONALD REAGAN 5410 November 15, 1985 Eugene Ormandy Appreciation Day, 1985 Digitization Vendor By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Proclamation 5410 of November 15, 1985 Eugene Ormandy Appreciation Day, 1985 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Eugene Ormandy was a consummate musician and a masterly conductor, as well as a father figure and an inspiration to generations of gifted American musicians. As music director of the Philadelphia Orchestra for 44 years, he brought that ensemble to a point of such polish and perfection that many esteemed it the very greatest in the world.
No one could mistake the “Philadelphia Sound,” a perfectly pitched and artfully blended miracle of sonorities that was at once lush and supple. Virgil Thomson, the noted critic, has described Ormandy’s goal as “beauty of sound and virtuosity of execution . . . at the service of the music in complete humility.” Maestro Ormandy achieved that goal by dint of patience, persuasion, and example. He persuaded his musicians to do it his way without taunts or tantrums. They knew how much he loved the music, how much he loved the audiences, and how much he loved them.
They could not fail him—they did not. And he never stinted in giving his musicians the credit. “They play,” he said once “as one great Stradivarius, not as individual musicians.” It was an accurate description and a supreme tribute from a child prodigy whose musicial genius first found expression on the violin—at the age of three! Born in Budapest on November 18, 1899, Eugene Ormandy came to the United States in 1921. His first job was as a violinist with the orchestra of the Capitol motion picture theater in New York City.
Soon he became its conductor. Then, after a brief stint with the Minneapolis Symphony, Or-99 STAT. 2120mandy succeeded the legendary Leopold Stokowski as director of the Philadelphia Orchestra. It would be his true home for the rest of his life. Under the magic of his baton, conductor and orchestra entered the musical pantheon of the United States and of the world. Eugene Ormandy brought widespread acclaim to his adopted nation, which he loved with the passion of a patriot. He served as an ambassador of goodwill through the Philadelphia Orchestra’s tours of China, the Soviet Union.
South America, Europe, and Japan. To commemorate these magnificent and enduring contributions of Eugene Ormandy to the rich cultural traditions of the United States, the Congress,*Ante*, p. 938. by Senate Joint Resolution 174, has authorized and requested the President to declare the anniversary of the birth of Eugene Ormandy as “Eugene Ormandy Appreciation Day” and called upon the American people to observe the day with appropriate ceremonies. NOW, THEREFORE, I, RONALD REAGAN, President of the United States of America, do hereby declare November 18, 1985, Eugene Ormandy Appreciation Day.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fifteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty-five, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and tenth. RONALD REAGAN 5411 November 15, 1985 National Adoption Week, 1985 Digitization Vendor By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Proclamation 5411 of November 15, 1985 National Adoption Week, 1985 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation The basic unit of our society is the family.
Families transmit the values and traditions of the past. They are the primary civilizing agent, preparing the young for good citizenship. It is, therefore, fitting that we give special recognition to those generous families that encourage and take part in adoption. Children who live in a permanent home with caring adoptive parents are far less likely to develop emotional and psychological problems. We must encourage the effort to promote the adoption of all children without families—with particular emphasis on those who are older, handicapped, or members of minority groups.
Whenever possible, the adoption process should work to keep siblings together as they are placed in new families. Through promotional efforts in the workplace and through inclusion of adoption benefits in employee benefit plans, the American corporate sector has been supporting the adoption of children with special needs. Furthermore, through the Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act, many children with special needs have been adopted who otherwise might not have been. National Adoption Week should remind us that no woman need fear that the child she carries is unwanted.
It is a sad paradox that while thousands of American couples desperately desire to adopt a baby, many women who undergo abortions every year in the United States are unaware of all the couples eager to share their home with a newborn and to give that child all99 STAT. 2121 the love and care they would give if they had been its natural parents. Adoption is an alternative that provides family life for children who cannot live with their biological parents, and it is especially fitting that at Thanksgiving time we emphasize the importance of family life through the observance of National Adoption Week.
This week provides an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to give every child waiting to be adopted the chance to become part of a family. During this holiday season, let us work to encourage community acceptance and support for adoption, and take time to recognize the efforts of adoptive parent groups, companies, organizations, and agencies that assure adoptive placements for waiting children. We also pay tribute to those magnanimous people who have opened their homes and hearts to children, forming the bonds of love that we call the family.
The Congress, by Senate Joint Resolution 51, has designated the week of*Ante*, p. 812. November 24 through November 30, 1985, as “National Adoption Week” and authorized and requested the President to issue a proclamation in observance of this week. NOW, THEREFORE, I, RONALD REAGAN, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim the week of November 24 through November 30. 1985, as National Adoption Week, and I call on all Americans and governmental and private agencies to observe the week with appropriate activities.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF. I have hereunto set my hand this fifteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty-five, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and tenth. RONALD REAGAN 5412 November 15, 1985 Thanksgiving Day, 1985 Digitization Vendor By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Proclamation 5412 of November 15, 1985 Thanksgiving Day, 1985 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Although the time and date of the first American thanksgiving observance may be uncertain, there is no question but that this treasured custom derives from our Judeo-Christian heritage.
“Unto Thee, O God, do we give thanks,” the Psalmist sang, praising God not only for the “wondrous works” of His creation, but for loving guidance and deliverance from dangers. A band of settlers arriving in Maine in 1607 held a service of thanks for their safe journey, and twelve years later settlers in Virginia set aside a day of thanksgiving for their survival. In 1621 Governor William Bradford created the most famous of all such observances at Plymouth Colony when a bounteous harvest prompted him to proclaim a special day “to render thanksgiving to the Almighty God for all His blessings.
” The Spaniards in California and the Dutch in New Amsterdam also held services to give public thanks to God. In 1777, during our War of Independence, the Continental Congress set aside a day for thanksgiving and praise for our victory at the battle of Saratoga. It was the first time all the colonies took part in such an event on the same day. The following year, upon news that France was coming to our99 STAT. 2122 aid, George Washington at Valley Forge prescribed a special day of thanksgiving.
Later, as our first President, he responded to a Congressional petition by declaring Thursday, November 26, 1789, the first Thanksgiving Day of the United States of America. Although there were many state and national thanksgiving days proclaimed in the ensuing years, it was the tireless crusade of one woman, Sarah Josephs Hale, that finally led to the establishment of this beautiful feast as an annual nationwide observance. Her editorials so touched the heart of Abraham Lincoln that in 1863—even in the midst of the Civil War—he enjoined his countrymen to be mindful of their many blessings, cautioning them not to forget “the source from which they come,” that they are “the gracious gifts of the Most High God. . .
” Who ought to be thanked “with one heart and one voice by the whole American People.” It is in that spirit that I now invite all Americans to take part again in this beautiful tradition with its roots deep in our history and deeper still in our hearts. We manifest our gratitude to God for the many blessings he has showered upon our land and upon its people. In this season of Thanksgiving we are grateful for our abundant harvests and the productivity of our industries; for the discoveries of our laboratories; for the researches of our scientists and scholars; for the achievements of our artists, musicians, writers, clergy, teachers, physicians, businessmen, engineers, public servants, farmers, mechanics, artisans, and workers of every sort whose honest toil of mind and body in a free land rewards them and their families and enriches our entire Nation.
Let us thank God for our families, friends, and neighbors, and for the joy of this very festival we celebrate in His name. Let every house of worship in the land and every home and every heart be filled with the spirit of gratitude and praise and love on this Thanksgiving Day. NOW. THEREFORE. I, RONALD REAGAN. President of the United States of America, in the spirit and tradition of the Pilgrims, the Continental Congress, and past Presidents, do hereby proclaim Thursday, November 28, 1985, as a day of national Thanksgiving.
I call upon every citizen of this great Nation to gather together in homes and places of worship and offer prayers of praise and gratitude for the many blessings Almighty God has bestowed upon our beloved country. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fifteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty-five, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and tenth. RONALD REAGAN 5413 November 23, 1985 National Day of Fasting To Raise Funds To Combat Hunger, 1985 Digitization Vendor By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Proclamation 5413 of November 23, 1985 National Day of Fasting To Raise Funds To Combat Hunger, 1985 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation At this time of national Thanksgiving, when we thank God for our many blessings, we are especially mindful of those in distress.
And we thank God for inviting us to respond with open hearts to the cry of the afflicted and99 STAT. 2123 the needy. For in being generous to others we become more like Him Who has been so generous to us. Most recently, we heard the cry for help that came from the rubble of Mexico City and from the people of Colombia whose villages were engulfed by mud slides. We heard and we responded. Similarly, we hear and we continue to respond to the cry that comes to our ears from the famine-stricken regions of Africa.
That famine has already caused the death of hundreds of thousands of people and endangers the lives of millions. The solution to such famine involves not only rushing emergency food and medical supplies to the areas stricken, but also improving agricultural policies and enlisting greater cooperation by certain governments with international relief agencies. Americans from all walks of life and every part of our country have responded quickly and generously to every famine that has occurred since World War II.
And we have already raised more than $120 million for emergency relief for victims of the current famine in Africa. The generosity and compassion of our people deserve to be recognized and commended. It has been estimated that In Africa 24 people die of starvation each minute; clearly much more must be done. Various private organizations are organizing a day of fasting as a means by which Americans can show their concern, express solidarity with the plight of fellow human beings suffering from hunger, and draw attention to efforts to raise funds to help the victims of famine.
The Congress, by House Joint Resolution 386, has designated November 24,*Ante*, p. 558. 1985, as “National Day of Fasting to Raise Funds to Combat Hunger” and authorized and requested the President to issue a proclamation in observance of this event. NOW, THEREFORE, I, RONALD REAGAN, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim November 24, 1985, as National Day of Fasting to Raise Funds to Combat Hunger. I call upon the people of the United States to observe such day with appropriate ceremonies and other activities and to consider donating to relief organizations fighting hunger.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-third day of November, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty-five, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and tenth. RONALD REAGAN 5414 November 26, 1985 National Mark Twain Day, 1985 Digitization Vendor By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Proclamation 5414 of November 26, 1985 National Mark Twain Day, 1985 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Like the comet that startled the night sky at his birth and returned as a bright chariot to “carry him home” 75 years later, the literary achievements of Mark Twain can truly be called an “astronomical” phenomenon.
Born Samuel Langhorne Clemens, November 30, 1835, in Florida, Missouri, he enjoyed an idyllic boyhood in Hannibal. Missouri. There by the banks of the mighty Mississippi, he came to know and love the common people of99 STAT. 2124 America. Their crotchets and kindnesses; their exasperating foibles; their endearing loyalties; their dreams and hopes were printed indelibly in his memory. Annealed through time and art, those recollections would be transformed by his genius into immortal characters in masterworks that not only won great popularity in his day but have also stood the test of time.
Today, as we commemorate the 150th anniversary of Mark Twain’s birth— and as Halley’s Comet again brightens the skies of our planet—the wit, the wisdom, and the inimitable style of Mark Twain continue to delight and instruct young and old—in more than 50 languages. It is a measure of the richness of Twain’s genius and the complexity of his character that debates still go on as to whether he was primarily a humorist, a novelist, a charming spinner of provincial yams, a cynic, or a sentimentalist.
The truth is he was all of these—and more. He was American to the core and he was also a sophisticated world traveller. He evoked the concrete details of his own time and place as no one else could, and he was also deeply versed in history. He relished the innocent joys of childhood and the storybook adventures of his young manhood. He knew the fulfillment of a happy marriage and the heady wine of wealth and adulation. The dons of Yale and Oxford honored him with exalted degrees, and when he died the common people wept.
Twain also knew the shattering humiliation of betrayal and bankruptcy. He endured the soul-searing desolation of bereavement, and in the depths of his grief he could sometimes rail like the proverbial village atheist. But he could also write of the saintly Joan of Arc with the awe and ardor of a hagiographer. In many ways Twain remains a riddle. He still awaits a definitive biography. He would probably have been amused at all the fuss that has been made over him and chuckle at some of the theories the critics have spun about him and his works.
Self-deprecation was the hallmark of his humor: he loved to puncture pomposity—even his own. New York, Connecticut, California, and Hawaii are only some of the States that can claim to have shaped his life, but Hannibal, Missouri, where he grew up, will always have a prior claim. And so it is especially fitting that while all Americans celebrate this anniversary, Hannibal—which maintains his boyhood home as a museum—has been the scene of special events starting in May and culminating on November 30, the 150th anniversary of his birth. *Ante*, p. 939.The Congress, by House Joint Resolution 259, has designated November 30, 1985, as “National Mark Twain Day” and authorized and requested the President to issue a proclamation in observance of this event.
NOW. THEREFORE, I, RONALD REAGAN. President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim November 30, 1985, as National Mark Twain Day. I call upon the people of the United States to observe such day with appropriate ceremonies and activities. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-sixth day of November, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty-five, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and tenth. RONALD REAGAN 5415 December 3, 1985 National Home Care Week, 1985 Digitization Vendor By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation