[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 93 (Tuesday, May 14, 2013)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 28463-28464]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-11629]



[[Page 28461]]

Vol. 78

Tuesday,

No. 93

May 14, 2013

Part V





The President





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Proclamation 8976--Military Spouse Appreciation Day, 2013
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  Federal Register / Vol. 78 , No. 93 / Tuesday, May 14, 2013 / 
Presidential Documents  

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 Title 3--
 The President

[[Page 28463]]

                Proclamation 8976 of May 9, 2013

                
Military Spouse Appreciation Day, 2013

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                As long as there have been courageous men and women 
                willing to protect our Union and our ideals, there have 
                been extraordinary spouses at their side--patriots in 
                their own right who serve and sacrifice in ways many 
                cannot fathom. They are moms and dads who take up the 
                work of two during deployments, shuffling their careers 
                and packing up their lives whenever our Nation calls. 
                They are dedicated employees at our businesses, 
                committed volunteers in our communities, and essential 
                caretakers for our wounded warriors. America's military 
                spouses are at the core of our Armed Forces, and on 
                Military Spouse Appreciation Day, we celebrate their 
                contributions to keeping our country safe.

                Just as we are bound by a sacred obligation to care for 
                our men and women in uniform, we are equally 
                responsible for making sure their loved ones get the 
                support they deserve. My Administration has taken steps 
                to uphold that special trust, from investing in 
                childcare and education for military families to 
                providing mortgage assistance for military homeowners. 
                Through First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden's 
                Joining Forces initiative, we have partnered with the 
                private sector to expand hiring for military spouses 
                and veterans.

                We have also called on States to streamline 
                credentialing and licensing procedures that hinder too 
                many military spouses when they move from duty station 
                to duty station. Military spouses with professional 
                experience should not have to wait for work, and our 
                businesses should not have to go without their skills. 
                By simplifying the certification process, we can help 
                ensure the financial stability of our military 
                families, strengthen our Armed Forces, and spur growth 
                throughout our economy. To learn more and get involved, 
                visit www.JoiningForces.gov.

                In the past few years, we have seen every part of our 
                society come together and make a real commitment to 
                supporting our military families--not just with words, 
                but with deeds. Yet, we must do more to honor the 
                profound debt of gratitude we owe our military spouses. 
                Their strength and resolve reflects the best of the 
                American spirit, and on this occasion, let us pledge 
                once more to serve them as well as they serve us.

                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 May 10, 2013, as 
                Military Spouse Appreciation Day. I call upon the 
                people of the United States to honor military spouses 
                with appropriate ceremonies and activities.

[[Page 28464]]

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                ninth day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand 
                thirteen, and of the Independence of the United States 
                of America the two hundred and thirty-seventh.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. 2013-11629
Filed 5-13-13; 11:15 am]
Billing code 3295-F3