105 STAT. 2732 PROCLAMATION 6361—OCT. 21, 1991 has the basic tools needed to exercise his or her rights as a consumer. Those rights include: the right to be free of unfair monopolies, which limit selection of products and services; the right to healthful and safe products; and the right to be heard when products do not meet acceptable standards. These rights are based on fundamental principles of freedom and fairness, and their preservation goes hand in hand with the success of our free enterprise system. NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE BUSH, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim the week beginning October 20, 1991, as National Consumers Week. I urge business owners, educators, public officials, consumer leaders, and members of the media to observe this week with appropriate activities that emphasize the important role consumers play in keeping our markets open, competitive, and fair. I also urge them to highlight the importance of education in helping citizens to become responsible consumers. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this eighteenth 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 Proclamation 6361 of October 21, 1991 National Down Syndrome Awareness Month, 1991 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Down Syndrome is one of the most common congenital causes of mental retardation. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, it affects approximately 4,000 babies in the United States each year. At one time in our history, people with Down Syndrome were stigmatized or, all too frequently, committed to institutions. Now they are benefitting from important advances in research, education, and health care. Today we know that many individuals with Down Syndrome are both determined and able to lead active, productive lives. Thanks to early intervention and mainsfreaming, as well as improved treatment of physical health problems related to Down Syndrome, thousands are doing just that. In recent years, more and more parents have been able to obtain the information and support that they need to cope with the unique challenges of rearing a child with Down Syndrome. Through special classes and mainstream programs in schools, more and more young people with this developmental disability are joining in the exciting process of learning and discovery. Many are also working to achieve their fullest potential through vocational training and independent living programs. Their achievements, underscored by recent television appearances of actors with Down Syndrome, are helping to dispel old myths and misconceptions about the disorder.
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