Presidential Documents

Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 145 / Tuesday, July 29, 1997 / Presidential Documents 40725

Proclamation 7015 of July 25, 1997

Parents’ Day, 1997

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

There are few experiences in life more challenging or more rewarding than

being a parent. Holding their child for the first time, parents suddenly

realize that they are totally responsible for this small person entrusted to

their care. On Parents’ Day, we pay tribute to these quiet heroes among

us—the mothers and fathers who make a lifetime commitment to their

children.

Parents work hard to meet their children’s need for food, shelter, clothing,

and protection; but more important, they give their daughters and sons

the deep and abiding love, guidance, attention, and encouragement that

empowers them with the values and self-esteem to succeed in life. Parents

love their children as they are, yet still help them to dream big dreams

about who they can become.

The more we learn about our children, the more we realize the importance

of good parenting. As we learned at the recent White House Conference

on Early Childhood Development and Learning, the first few years of life

are crucial to a child’s emotional, social, and intellectual development.

As their children’s first and most influential teachers, parents play an immeasurably important role in helping their sons and daughters grow into

happy and healthy adulthood.

The responsibilities of parenthood have become even more challenging in

today’s complex world. In many American families, both parents must work,

struggling to balance the demands of job, home, and family. This balancing

act is even harder for single parents, who must face the challenge of raising

their children alone. In our mobile society, parents are often less able to

rely on an extended family to help them provide the care and attention

their children need. And today’s mothers and fathers must protect their

children from the ever-present threats of drugs, gangs, guns, violence, and

unhealthy influences in the media and on the Internet.

Recognizing that good parents are the foundation of our society, my Administration has strived for the past 4 years to give parents the help they need

to meet their responsibilities. I signed into law the Family and Medical

Leave Act of 1993, and we are now proposing an expansion of that legislation

to allow workers up to 24 hours of unpaid leave each year to meet family

obligations. We are fighting to make our neighborhoods safer and drugfree and to reduce juvenile crime. We have expanded and improved Head

Start to help parents prepare their young children to enter school ready

to learn, and we have created an Early Head Start Program for children

age 3 and under. We succeeded in requiring the installation of the Vchip and in helping to develop a voluntary ratings system on television

so that parents can better protect their children from inappropriate material.

And we are working with the computer industry to provide family-friendly

controls that will give parents similar tools to use on the Internet.

As we observe Parents’ Day this year, I urge all Americans to join me

in paying tribute to the millions of mothers and fathers—biological and

adoptive, foster parents and stepparents—whose boundless love and selfless

efforts are building a better life for their children and for our nation. Let
40726 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 145 / Tuesday, July 29, 1997 / Presidential Documents

us repay that love and effort by striving, in our neighborhoods, schools,

businesses, community and church organizations, and in government at

every level, to help parents fulfill their awesome responsibilities and create

a brighter future for America.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, President of the United States

of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution

and laws of the United States and consistent with Public Law 103–362,

do hereby proclaim Sunday, July 27, 1997, as Parents’ Day. I invite the

States, communities, and the people of the United States to join together

in observing this day with appropriate ceremonies and activities to honor

our Nation’s parents.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-fifth

day of July, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety-seven,

and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred

[FR Doc. 97–20151

Filed 7–28–97; 11:30 am]

Billing code 3195–01–P

and twenty-second.

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