[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 41 (Thursday, March 4, 2021)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 12527-12528]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-04647]




                        Presidential Documents 



Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 41 / Thursday, March 4, 2021 / 
Presidential Documents

[[Page 12527]]


                Proclamation 10155 of March 1, 2021

                
Read Across America Day, 2021

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                I have always believed that America's children are the 
                kite strings that keep our national ambitions aloft--
                the more we do today to spark their curiosity, their 
                confidence, and their imaginations, the stronger our 
                country will be tomorrow. The key to developing young 
                learners into engaged, active, and innovative thinkers 
                is instilling in them a love of reading at an early 
                age. Reading is the gateway to countless skills and 
                possibilities--it sets children on the path to a 
                lifetime of discovery. On this Read Across America Day, 
                we celebrate the parents, educators, librarians, and 
                other champions of reading who help launch our Nation's 
                children on that critical path.

                Once a passion for reading takes hold in a young 
                person, the benefits extend far beyond the classroom. 
                Reading broadens our perspective, introduces us to new 
                worlds, cultures, and languages, and cultivates our 
                sense of empathy and understanding of other people's 
                experiences and views. Reading informs us, empowers us, 
                and teaches us the lessons of history. It helps us make 
                sense of the world as it is--and inspires us to dream 
                of what it could be. Studies also show that reading 
                improves our memory, helps us become better problem 
                solvers, and even reduces the chance of developing 
                cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer's down the road. 
                And with the right book in hand, reading can nourish 
                not only our minds, but our souls.

                The First Lady often observes that ``any nation that 
                out-educates us will out-compete us.'' She is 
                absolutely correct. Literacy is essential to finding a 
                good-paying job, advancing in your career, and carving 
                out your place in the middle class. Reading proficiency 
                is what makes us a Nation of innovators and 
                entrepreneurs--a Nation capable of building and growing 
                a dynamic 21st century economy. Reading comprehension 
                is also what allows us to discern fact from fiction--a 
                critical skill at all times, and especially so in the 
                midst of a global pandemic, when the health and safety 
                of our loved ones could very well depend on determining 
                the veracity of what we read.

                According to Department of Education estimates, more 
                than half of United States adults (54 percent) between 
                16- and 74-years of age lack proficiency in literacy, 
                reading below the equivalent of a sixth-grade level. 
                Illiteracy incurs a massive economic toll on our 
                economy, and keeps not just individuals, but our entire 
                Nation, from reaching our full potential. By every 
                calculation, reading matters to our shared quality of 
                life.

                For countless Americans, the path to literacy begins 
                with story time in their school classroom. That is one 
                of many reasons why my Administration is providing 
                support to States and communities to help them create 
                the conditions for students to return to safe, in-
                person learning as quickly as possible. We must ensure 
                that all of our children receive the high-quality 
                instruction and essential classroom time they need to 
                learn and grow. It is a national imperative that we 
                minimize the learning loss caused by the pandemic--and 
                address the disproportionate impact that lost time 
                imposes on our most vulnerable students and families.

[[Page 12528]]

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of 
                the United States of America, by virtue of the 
                authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws 
                of the United States, do hereby proclaim March 2, 2021, 
                as Read Across America Day. I call upon children, 
                families, educators, librarians, public officials, and 
                all the people of the United States to observe this day 
                with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities.

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                first day of March, in the year of our Lord two 
                thousand twenty-one, and of the Independence of the 
                United States of America the two hundred and forty-
                fifth.
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                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. 2021-04647
Filed 3-3-21; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3295-F1-P