[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 42 (Thursday, March 3, 2016)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 11097-11098]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-04875]


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  Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 42 / Thursday, March 3, 2016 / 
Presidential Documents  

[[Page 11097]]


                Proclamation 9402 of February 29, 2016

                
Women's History Month, 2016

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                Throughout history, women have driven humanity forward 
                on the path to a more equal and just society, 
                contributing in innumerable ways to our character and 
                progress as a people. In the face of discrimination and 
                undue hardship, they have never given up on the promise 
                of America: that with hard work and determination, 
                nothing is out of reach. During Women's History Month, 
                we remember the trailblazers of the past, including the 
                women who are not recorded in our history books, and we 
                honor their legacies by carrying forward the valuable 
                lessons learned from the powerful examples they set.

                For too long, women were formally excluded from full 
                participation in our society and our democracy. Because 
                of the courage of so many bold women who dared to 
                transcend preconceived expectations and prove they were 
                capable of doing all that a man could do and more, 
                advances were made, discoveries were revealed, barriers 
                were broken, and progress triumphed. Whether serving in 
                elected positions across America, leading 
                groundbreaking civil rights movements, venturing into 
                unknown frontiers, or programming revolutionary 
                technologies, generations of women that knew their 
                gender was no obstacle to what they could accomplish 
                have long stirred new ideas and opened new doors, 
                having a profound and positive impact on our Nation. 
                Through hardship and strife and in every realm of life, 
                women have spurred change in communities around the 
                world, steadfastly joining together to overcome 
                adversity and lead the charge for a fairer, more 
                inclusive, and more progressive society.

                During Women's History Month, we honor the countless 
                women who sacrificed and strived to ensure all people 
                have an equal shot at pursuing the American dream. As 
                President, the first bill I signed into law was the 
                Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, making it easier for 
                working American women to effectively challenge 
                illegal, unequal pay disparities. Additionally, my 
                Administration proposed collecting pay data from 
                businesses to shine a light on pay discrimination, and 
                I signed an Executive Order to ensure the Federal 
                Government only works with and awards contracts to 
                businesses that follow laws that uphold fair and equal 
                labor practices. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, 
                insurance companies can no longer charge women more for 
                health insurance simply because of their gender. And 
                last year, we officially opened for women the last jobs 
                left unavailable to them in our military, because one 
                of the best ways to ensure our Armed Forces remains the 
                strongest in the world is to draw on the talents and 
                skills of all Americans.

                Though we have made great progress toward achieving 
                gender equality, work remains to be done. Women still 
                earn, on average, less for every dollar made by men, 
                which is why I continue to call on the Congress to pass 
                the Paycheck Fairness Act--a sensible step to provide 
                women with basic tools to fight pay discrimination. 
                Meanwhile, my Administration has taken steps to support 
                working families by fighting for paid leave for all 
                Americans, providing women with more small business 
                loans and opportunities, and addressing the challenges 
                still faced by women and girls of color,

[[Page 11098]]

                who consistently face wider opportunity gaps and 
                structural barriers--including greater discrepancies in 
                pay. And although the majority of our Nation's college 
                and graduate students are women, they are still 
                underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, 
                and mathematics, which is why we are encouraging more 
                women and girls to pursue careers in these fields.

                This May, the White House will host a summit on ``The 
                United State of Women,'' to highlight the advances we 
                have made in the United States and across the globe and 
                to expand our efforts on helping women confront the 
                challenges they face and reach for their highest 
                aspirations. We must strive to build the future we want 
                our children to inherit--one in which their dreams are 
                not deferred or denied, but where they are uplifted and 
                praised. We have come far, but there is still far to go 
                in shattering the glass ceiling that holds women back. 
                This month, as we reflect on the marks made by women 
                throughout history, let us uphold the responsibility 
                that falls on all of us--regardless of gender--and 
                fight for equal opportunity for our daughters as well 
                as our sons.

                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 March 2016 as Women's 
                History Month. I call upon all Americans to observe 
                this month and to celebrate International Women's Day 
                on March 8, 2016, with appropriate programs, 
                ceremonies, and activities. I also invite all Americans 
                to visit www.WomensHistoryMonth.gov to learn more about 
                the generations of women who have left enduring 
                imprints on our history.

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

[FR Doc. 2016-04875
Filed 3-2-16; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3295-F6-P