Proclamations Proc. 7345 "Gold Star Mother's Day" and has authorized and requested the President to issue a proclamation in observance of this day. NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM }. CLINTON, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim Sunday, September 24, 2000, as Gold Star Mother's Day. I call upon all government officials to display the United States flag over government buildings on this solemn day. I also en- courage the American people to display the flag and to hold appropriate meetings in their homes, places of worship, or other suitable places as a public expression of the sympathy and respect that our Nation holds for our Gold Star Mothers. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-second day of September, in the year of our Lord two thousand, and of the Inde- pendence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty- fifth. WILLIAM J. CLINTON Proclamation 7345 of September 22, 2000 National Older Workers Employment Week, 2000 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation As a Nation, we are growing older, and so is our workforce. Today, there are 49 million workers in America aged 45 years or older--approximately 35 percent of America's labor force--and by 2008, that number will grow to 62 million, or about 40 percent of the workforce. One in four Americans between the ages of 65 and 69 has at least a part-time job, and 80 percent of the "baby boom" generation intends to keep working past the age of 65. Increasingly, older Americans want to work, and for most, the opportunity to work adds not only to the length but also to the quality of their lives. The abilities, experience, and strong work ethic of these older Americans are a precious resource for our Nation in today's strong economy. With the unemployment rate at its lowest level in more than a generation, businesses urgently need to hire more workers if they are to keep pace with the de- mand for their products and services. Too often overlooked or underuti- lized, older workers offer employers a broad and diverse pool of talent. Recognizing the importance of older workers to our Nation and our econ- omy, the Congress unanimously passed, and I was proud to sign into law, the Senior Citizens' Freedom to Work Act of 2000. This legislation elimi- nates the Social Security retirement earnings test, a provision that withheld benefits from Americans working beyond the age of 65. It allows older Americans to enjoy the extra income and personal fulfillment that work of- fers without being penalized, and it ensures that companies facing labor shortages will have a greater supply of experienced workers. The Act will also help our economy grow without inflation and encourage Americans to work longer, thus contributing more to the tax base and to the Social Secu- rity trust fund at precisely the time when the percentage of younger work- ers paying into the system will be decreasing. 145
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