[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 229 (Wednesday, November 27, 2002)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 71067-71068]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-30376]



[[Page 71065]]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Part VI





The President





-----------------------------------------------------------------------



Proclamation 7630--National Family Week, 2002
 
 
                         Presidential Documents 
 
 

  Federal Register / Vol. 67, No. 229 / Wednesday, November 27, 2002 / 
Presidential Documents  

 ___________________________________________________________________

 Title 3--
 The President

[[Page 71067]]

                Proclamation 7360 of November 22, 2002

                
National Family Week, 2002

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                Families provide a loving environment where children 
                can flourish; and they help ensure that cultural 
                traditions and timeless values are passed on to future 
                generations. During National Family Week, we reaffirm 
                the importance of families as a vital source of 
                strength, confidence, and compassion for all of our 
                citizens.

                Strong families play a critical role in developing the 
                character of our Nation. They teach children important 
                standards of conduct such as accepting responsibility, 
                respecting others, and distinguishing the difference 
                between right and wrong. By helping America's youth to 
                grow into mature, thoughtful, and caring citizens, 
                families help make our communities and our Nation safer 
                and more civilized.

                Raising a child requires sacrifice, commitment, and 
                time; and we must expand our efforts to strengthen and 
                empower families so that they can prepare children more 
                effectively for the challenges of adulthood. We know 
                that by helping couples to build and sustain strong, 
                two-parent families, we will contribute to the well-
                being of our children and the strength of our society. 
                Many single parents, grandparents, and others also 
                raise their children in difficult circumstances, and 
                these dedicated individuals deserve our respect and 
                support.

                My Administration is firmly committed to helping our 
                Nation's youth reach their full potential; and one of 
                the most important ways to do this is by strengthening 
                America's families. Earlier this year, I signed 
                bipartisan legislation to expand the Promoting Safe and 
                Stable Families Program, which provides States with 
                vital resources to help families stay together and to 
                promote adoption. The Program seeks to prevent child 
                abuse and neglect, avoid removing children from their 
                homes, support family reunification services, and help 
                those children who are unable to return home by 
                providing crucial adoption and post-adoptive services. 
                These important resources benefit families across our 
                Nation and hold the promise of a bright future for 
                countless young people.

                My welfare reform agenda also will strengthen families. 
                We plan on continuing to provide historically high 
                levels of support for childcare and child support 
                enforcement. And we will continue to encourage strong 
                marriages and two-parent married families as a worthy 
                policy goal.

                No marriage or family is perfect. But through education 
                and counseling programs that our faith-based, 
                charitable, and government communities can provide, we 
                will support couples as they work to build and sustain 
                healthy marriages and strive to provide a better 
                quality of life for their children. By promoting 
                responsible child-rearing and strong families, my 
                Administration will work towards the goal that every 
                child has the opportunity to grow up in a safe and 
                loving home.

                As families come together to celebrate this 
                Thanksgiving, I encourage every member of a family in 
                America to recognize the important role every other 
                family member plays in making their lives whole and 
                more complete. And as we give thanks for the love, 
                commitment, and encouragement our families

[[Page 71068]]

                provide, we must recommit ourselves to strengthen our 
                Nation by strengthening our families in ways that 
                government never can.

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, 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 November 24 through November 
                30, 2002, as National Family Week. I invite the States, 
                communities, and people of the United States to join 
                together in observing this day with appropriate 
                ceremonies and activities to honor our Nation's 
                families.

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                twenty-second day of November, in the year of our Lord 
                two thousand two, and of the Independence of the United 
                States of America the two hundred and twenty-seventh.

                    (Presidential Sig.)B

[FR Doc. 02-30376
Filed 11-26-02; 8:50am]
Billing code 3195-01-P