[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 166 (Thursday, August 27, 2015)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 52171-52172]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-21449]



[[Page 52169]]

Vol. 80

Thursday,

No. 166

August 27, 2015

Part III





The President





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Proclamation 9308--Women's Equality Day, 2015
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  Federal Register / Vol. 80 , No. 166 / Thursday, August 27, 2015 / 
Presidential Documents  

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 Title 3--
 The President

[[Page 52171]]

                Proclamation 9308 of August 24, 2015

                
Women's Equality Day, 2015

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                On August 26, 1920, after years of agitating to break 
                down the barriers that stood between them and the 
                ballot box, American women won the right to vote. On 
                the front lines of pickets and protests, champions from 
                every corner of our country banded together to expand 
                this fundamental freedom to women and forge a path 
                toward fairer representation and greater opportunity. 
                As we celebrate 95 years since the certification of the 
                19th Amendment, let us demonstrate our commitment to 
                the belief that we are all entitled to equal treatment 
                by supporting policies that help women succeed and 
                thrive.

                Since this historic achievement, our country has made 
                great progress in building a freer and fairer society, 
                and we continue striving to fully realize justice and 
                equality for all. There is still more to do to secure 
                the promise of our Nation for everyone, including 
                ensuring that women have equal opportunities to 
                participate in the classroom, the economy, the 
                workplace, and our democracy. From day one, my 
                Administration has carried forward the torch of gender 
                equality, working tirelessly to ensure that all of 
                America's daughters have the same rights as her sons.

                When women succeed, America succeeds. That is why I am 
                committed to fighting for equal pay for equal work, and 
                why the first bill I signed into law as President was 
                the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which extended the 
                time period for employees to file complaints of 
                compensation discrimination. I continue to support 
                passage of the Paycheck Fairness Act because there is 
                no reason why an earnings gap between men and women 
                should persist in the 21st century. Women account for 
                more than half of all workers who would benefit from an 
                increase in the minimum wage, and I have called on the 
                Congress to raise the minimum wage and signed an 
                executive order to raise it to $10.10 for individuals 
                working on new Federal service contracts. I have also 
                proposed expanding overtime protections for certain 
                groups of salaried employees--many of whom are women--
                and worked to ensure all Americans have access to 
                quality, affordable child care while they are on the 
                job or in school. And because no woman should have to 
                worry about being fired from her job for missing a day 
                of work when she is sick, caring for a sick family 
                member, or welcoming a new child into her family, we 
                have supported States, communities, and businesses in 
                expanding policies for paid family leave and paid sick 
                days. Additionally, we have called on the Congress to 
                pass the Healthy Families Act to allow employees to 
                earn sick leave.

                Women deserve to make their own health care choices 
                without interference from politicians or insurance 
                companies. The Affordable Care Act expands insurance 
                coverage for vital health services for women, including 
                contraceptive care, prenatal care, and maternal care, 
                and it protects women from being charged more than men 
                simply based on gender.

                Finally, every woman should have the chance to dream, 
                grow, and thrive free from intimidation or violence, 
                and my Administration has taken unprecedented steps to 
                end domestic and sexual violence. We convened a White 
                House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual 
                Assault, and launched

[[Page 52172]]

                It's On Us--a campaign aimed at raising awareness of 
                and preventing sexual assault on college campuses. 
                These are part of our broader effort to make sure that 
                all survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence 
                are supported and that our laws are fully enforced.

                Women's equality is a core civil and human rights 
                principle in the United States and around the world. 
                Across America, women are contributing to our economy 
                and our Nation in innovative and exciting ways. From 
                businesses to battlefields, women are vital to the 
                prosperity and security of our country. As we celebrate 
                the last 95 years of progress in advancing women's 
                rights, let us rededicate ourselves to the idea that 
                our Nation is not yet complete: there is still work to 
                do to secure the blessings of our country for every 
                American daughter.

                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 August 26, 2015, as 
                Women's Equality Day. I call upon the people of the 
                United States to celebrate the achievements of women 
                and promote gender equality in our country.

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                twenty-fourth day of August, in the year of our Lord 
                two thousand fifteen, and of the Independence of the 
                United States of America the two hundred and fortieth.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. 2015-21449
Filed 8-26-15; 11:15 am]
Billing code 3295-F5