Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 110 Part 6.djvu/719

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PROCLAMATION 6904-JUNE 13, 1996 110 STAT. 4541 proclamation calling for its observance and for the display of the Flag of the United States on all Federal Government buildings. The Congress also requested the President, by joint resolution approved June 9, 1966 (80 Stat. 194), to issue annually a proclamation designating the week in which June 14 falls as "National Flag Week" and calling upon all citizens of the United States to display the flag during that week. NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim June 14, 1996, as Flag Day and the week beginning June 9, 1996, as National Flag Week. I direct the appropriate officials to display the flag on all Federal Government buildings during that week, and I urge all Americans to observe Flag Day and National Flag Week by flying the Stars and Stripes from their homes and other suitable places. „ I also call upon the people of the United States to observe with pride and all due ceremony those days from Flag Day through Independence Day, also set aside by Congress (89 Stat. 211), as a time to honor our Nation, to celebrate our heritage in public gatherings and activities, and to publicly recite the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this seventh day of June, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety-six, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twentieth. WILLIAM J. CLINTON Proclamation 6904 of June 13, 1996 Father's Day, 1996 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation America owes a debt of gratitude to the fathers that help our Nation's children grow up safe and happy. Providing a wellspring of love for their families to draw upon, these men strengthen our communities and enable their daughters and sons to master life's lessons with confidence. They share with us their experiences and energies, creating the strong foundation on which our children build their lives. A father's arm is there to protect and steer—whether cradling a newborn baby, steadying the rider of a first two-wheeler, or walking his child down the aisle. Fatherhood provides one of life's most profound joys and one of its most solemn responsibilities. Everyone who has been blessed by a father's love knows the abiding respect it inspires and the self-esteem that can grow from a dad's affectionate guidance. We must do all we can to encourage fathers as they strive to provide the fundamental emotional and economic support that helps ensure their families' wellbeing. Programs like the Fatherhood Initiative, the Responsible Fatherhood Project, and Parent's Fair Share work to support American fathers, emphasize their role as mentors and providers, and advocate their involvement in their children's health and education.