[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 195 (Wednesday, October 8, 1997)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 52473-52474]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-26823-2]


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  Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 195 / Wednesday, October 8, 1997 / 
Presidential Documents  

[[Page 52473]]


                Proclamation 7033 of October 6, 1997

                
Child Health Day, 1997

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                For children, childhood seems to last forever; but for 
                adults--particularly for those of us who are parents--
                it passes in the blink of an eye. The little girl 
                smiling at us from her tricycle and the little boy 
                running to catch the school bus will soon be driving 
                away to their first jobs. One of the greatest gifts we 
                can offer our children while they are still in our care 
                is a healthy start in life.

                We are making tremendous progress as a nation in 
                helping more children get that healthy start. This year 
                I signed into law historic legislation to extend health 
                care coverage to millions of uninsured children. This 
                $24 billion initiative over 5 years is the largest 
                investment in children's health since the creation of 
                Medicaid in 1965. On October 1, the Federal Government 
                and the States began a partnership to help provide 
                meaningful health insurance to children whose families 
                earn too much for Medicaid but too little to afford 
                private coverage.

                This new initiative will take an enormous step toward 
                improving the health of our Nation's children. In 1995, 
                approximately 10 million of them were not covered by 
                health insurance, and they were either ineligible for 
                or not enrolled in publicly financed medical assistance 
                programs. Last year, another 800,000 uninsured children 
                joined their ranks. These children are less likely to 
                receive the primary care services they need to maintain 
                good health, and they are at risk of receiving lower 
                quality care. Too often they become trapped in a tragic 
                downward spiral--poor health keeps them out of school, 
                keeps them from pursuing their studies with energy and 
                enthusiasm, and often keeps them from acquiring the 
                knowledge and self-esteem they need to reach their full 
                potential. With this new children's health initiative, 
                we can provide millions of children the coverage they 
                need to grow up healthy and strong.

                We are making progress in other areas, as well. Thanks 
                to advances in medical research and our increasing 
                knowledge about prevention and the importance of good 
                nutrition, many childhood diseases and illnesses can 
                now be averted. Funding for childhood immunization has 
                doubled since 1993, and immunization rates are at an 
                all-time high. In addition, we recently announced an 
                important Food and Drug Administration regulation 
                requiring manufacturers to do studies on pediatric 
                populations for new prescription drugs--and those 
                currently on the market--to ensure that our 
                prescription drugs have been adequately tested for the 
                unique needs of children. We have dramatically 
                increased participation in the Women, Infants and 
                Children Supplemental Nutrition Program, providing 
                nutrition packages and information and health referrals 
                to more than 7 million infants, children, and pregnant 
                women. With the enactment of the Kassebaum-Kennedy bill 
                last year, we have helped millions of children keep 
                their healthcare coverage when their parents change or 
                lose jobs.

                We are also taking strong actions to prevent our 
                children from smoking. Each day 3,000 children become 
                regular smokers and 1,000 of them will die from a 
                tobacco-related illness. Last year, my Administration 
                issued guide-

[[Page 52474]]

                 lines to eliminate easy access to tobacco products and 
                to prohibit companies from directing advertising 
                towards children.

                To acknowledge our profound responsibility to nurture 
                the health and development of America's children, the 
                Congress, by joint resolution approved May 18, 1928, as 
                amended (36 U.S.C. 143), has called for the designation 
                of the first Monday in October as ``Child Health Day'' 
                and has requested the President to issue a proclamation 
                in observance of this day.

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, President of the 
                United States of America, do hereby proclaim Monday, 
                October 6, 1997, as Child Health Day. I call upon my 
                fellow Americans to join me on that day, and every day 
                throughout the year, in strengthening our national 
                commitment to the well-being of our children.

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                sixth day of October, in the year of our Lord nineteen 
                hundred and ninety-seven, and of the Independence of 
                the United States of America the two hundred and 
                twenty-second.

                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. 97-26823
Filed 10-7-97; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3195-01-P