[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 84 (Monday, May 2, 2016)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 26091-26092]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-10302]


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  Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 84 / Monday, May 2, 2016 / 
Presidential Documents  

[[Page 26091]]


                Proclamation 9428 of April 27, 2016

                
Law Day, U.S.A., 2016

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                Underpinning American democracy and upholding the 
                founding principles of our Nation, the law enshrines 
                our bedrock belief in equality and justice for all. 
                Central to securing these ideals is ensuring that every 
                American's fundamental, constitutionally-guaranteed 
                individual rights are protected, and by respecting 
                these rights, our Nation demonstrates its unwavering 
                dedication to the law. Our fidelity to the rule of law 
                has guided our country in times of trial and triumph, 
                and it helps us keep faith with our Founders and with 
                generations to come.

                On this year's Law Day, we celebrate 50 years since the 
                Supreme Court's ruling in Miranda v. Arizona. This 
                landmark decision made clear that the Fifth Amendment 
                ``. . . serves to protect persons in all settings in 
                which their freedom of action is curtailed in any 
                significant way from being compelled to incriminate 
                themselves.'' Miranda v. Arizona institutionalized the 
                important practice of explaining constitutional rights 
                prior to interrogation. And it established the 
                important general rule that individuals interrogated in 
                police custody cannot have their answers admitted into 
                evidence against them unless they had first been 
                informed of their rights--including the right to remain 
                silent and the right to have an attorney present.

                The Court's decision in Miranda v. Arizona affirmed 
                that ``Equal Justice Under Law'' is more than just 
                words, but a cornerstone of our Nation's legal system--
                the idea that no matter who you are or where you come 
                from, you will be treated equally and afforded due 
                process. Today, our society faces new challenges to 
                this age-old tenet. Our criminal justice system is in 
                serious need of reform; disparities in stops, arrests, 
                and sentencing persist; and in too many places distrust 
                exists between community members and law enforcement 
                officers. I am committed to ensuring our Nation's 
                criminal justice system is fair, smart, and effective. 
                By engaging people across America, my Task Force on 
                21st Century Policing has provided a roadmap for 
                strengthening relationships between local police and 
                the communities they serve, helping to uphold the 
                integrity of our criminal justice system. My 
                Administration has also taken action to address unfair 
                sentencing disparities that undermine the equitable 
                application of the law, and we will continue working to 
                bring greater fairness to our criminal justice system 
                and to ensure that the rule of law remains the 
                foundation of our country.

                Miranda v. Arizona imparts an important lesson: 
                Knowledge of our constitutional rights is an essential 
                component to fully exercising those rights. 
                Safeguarding the promise of equal justice requires the 
                participation of all our citizens, and across America, 
                community and court programs that offer civic education 
                and prepare members of the public to fulfill their 
                civic responsibilities are vital to this task.

                Chief Justice Earl Warren, the author of the Supreme 
                Court's decision in Miranda v. Arizona, once observed 
                that, ``In civilized life, law floats in a sea of 
                ethics.'' The law informs right from wrong--it affects 
                the daily reality of our lives and safeguards the 
                birthrights of all Americans. On Law Day, let us 
                recommit to building a future rooted in the rule of 
                law,

[[Page 26092]]

                in which our laws apply equally to everyone and all our 
                children know a fair and just world.

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the 
                United States of America, in accordance with Public Law 
                87-20, as amended, do hereby proclaim May 1, 2016, as 
                Law Day, U.S.A. I call upon all Americans to 
                acknowledge the importance of our Nation's legal and 
                judicial systems with appropriate ceremonies and 
                activities, and to display the flag of the United 
                States in support of this national observance.

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                twenty-seventh day of April, 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. 2016-10302
Filed 4-29-16; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3295-F6-P