[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 165 (Friday, August 23, 1996)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Page 43645]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-21811]



[[Page 43643]]


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Part V





The President





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Proclamation 6912--Women's Equality Day, 1996
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  Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 165 / Friday, August 23, 1996 / 
Presidential Documents  

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 Title 3--
 The President

[[Page 43645]]

                Proclamation 6912 of August 21, 1996

                
Women's Equality Day, 1996

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                Since America's earliest days, our citizens have 
                engaged in a passionate struggle to create a Nation 
                where all can enjoy the benefits of democracy in equal 
                measure. In 1920, we took a great step toward that 
                noble goal by declaring that the right to vote could 
                not be denied on the basis of gender. This 76th 
                anniversary of the adoption of the 19th Amendment to 
                the Constitution gives us an opportunity to celebrate 
                the advances made in empowering women to fully 
                participate in the political, cultural, social, and 
                economic life of our country.

                At long last we are seeing the fruits of our efforts to 
                establish a society made strong by its vast diversity--
                a place where women not only make gains in 
                traditionally male fields, but also use their talents 
                and perspectives to enlarge the scope of public life. 
                The extraordinary success of our female athletes at the 
                Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta is one stirring 
                example of this progress. Historically excluded from so 
                many arenas, today's women are carrying a shining torch 
                of hope for younger generations to follow.

                Now the challenge is to keep the doors of opportunity 
                open and to build on the changes begun by the 
                ratification of the 19th Amendment. We must continue to 
                encourage women to pursue elected office and to 
                contribute to the civil discourse. Every American 
                stands to gain when women and men of all backgrounds 
                participate in the political process and exercise their 
                right to vote. This is a right that we must never take 
                for granted-- and a responsibility we must never 
                shirk--because it gives each of us a voice in our 
                national debate and calls every citizen to join in the 
                pursuit of our Nation's fundamental ideals.

                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, do hereby proclaim August 26, 1996, as Women's 
                Equality Day. I call upon all Americans to reflect on 
                both the struggles and accomplishments of all women and 
                to promote the observance of this day with appropriate 
                programs and activities.

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                twenty-first day of August, 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 twenty-first.

                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. 96-21811
Filed 8-22-96; 11:49 am]
Billing code 3195-01-P