Presidential Documents

19191 

Federal Register 

Vol. 80, No. 68 

Thursday, April 9, 2015 

Title 3— 

The President 

Proclamation 9251 of April 6, 2015 

National Public Health Week, 2015 

By the President of the United States of America 

A Proclamation 

Last year, as Ebola spread in West Africa—overwhelming public health 

systems and threatening to cross more borders—American women and men 

responded with extraordinary courage and dedication, traveling to the front 

lines of the outbreak and leading preparedness efforts here at home. Driven 

by their sense of duty and a commitment to serving a cause greater than 

themselves, public health professionals rose to the challenge at home and 

abroad and turned the tide of an epidemic. They demonstrated what is 

possible when America leads and when we make policy based on sound 

science and good judgment. Their efforts represent what is best about our 

national character and embody the most basic human instinct: to leave 

our children a safer, healthier, more prosperous world. 

As a Nation, we must continue to support public health with the same 

sense of purpose and fierce determination. This week, we join together 

to declare our intent to rise to the challenges of a changing world and 

meet our moral obligations to protect the health of our country and the 

well-being of the next generation. 

America’s public health is deeply tied to the health of our environment. 

As our planet becomes more interconnected and our climate continues to 

warm, we face new threats to our safety and well-being. In the past three 

decades, the percentage of Americans with asthma has more than doubled, 

and climate change is putting these individuals and many other vulnerable 

populations at greater risk of landing in the hospital. Rising temperatures 

can lead to more smog, longer allergy seasons, and an increased incidence 

of extreme-weather-related injuries and illnesses. 

My Administration is dedicated to combating the health impacts of climate 

change. As part of my Climate Action Plan, we have proposed the firstever carbon pollution limits for existing power plants—standards that would 

help Americans live longer, healthier lives. And as we continue to ensure 

the resilience of our health care system, we are working to prepare our 

health care facilities to handle the effects of a changing planet. Climate 

change is no longer a distant threat. Its effects are felt today, and its costs 

can be measured in human lives. Every person, every community, and 

every nation has a duty to protect the health of all our children and grandchildren, and my Administration is committed to leading this effort. 

The United States has faced challenges before, and each time we have 

boldly taken responsibility for our destiny and reached for the future we 

knew was possible. Today, vaccines prevent diseases that once devastated 

nations—and we should do more to spread the facts about their benefits. 

After 5 years of the Affordable Care Act, more than 16 million uninsured 

Americans have gained health insurance coverage, and this achievement 

has cut the ranks of the uninsured by nearly one-third. 

We are shifting the focus of our country’s health care system from sickness 

and disease to wellness and prevention. First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s 

Move! initiative is working to make it easier for parents and children to 

make healthy choices about the food they eat and the exercise they get 

every day. With partners around the world, the United States launched 


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19192 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 68 / Thursday, April 9, 2015 / Presidential Documents 

the Global Health Security Agenda to help prevent, detect, and respond 

to outbreaks before they become epidemics. And my Administration is taking 

aggressive, coordinated actions to slow the emergence and prevent the spread 

of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. 

Public health is the foundation for a brighter tomorrow. When we invest 

in the safety and well-being of all Americans, we enrich our communities, 

bolster our economy, and strengthen our Nation. During National Public 

Health Week, we recognize public health professionals and all who care 

for the welfare of others, and we recommit to doing everything within 

our power to build a world where every child can enjoy the limitless 

possibilities of a healthy life. 

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, 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 April 6 through 

April 12, 2015, as National Public Health Week. I call on all citizens, 

government agencies, private businesses, non-profit organizations, and other 

groups to join in activities and take action to improve the health of our 

Nation. 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this sixth day of 

April, in the year of our Lord two thousand fifteen, and of the Independence 

of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-ninth. 

[FR Doc. 2015–08357 

Filed 4–8–15; 11:15 am] 

Billing code 3295–F5 


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