[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 188 (Wednesday, September 28, 2016)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 66789-66790]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-23634]


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  Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 188 / Wednesday, September 28, 2016 / 
Presidential Documents  

[[Page 66789]]


                Proclamation 9502 of September 23, 2016

                
Gold Star Mother's and Family's Day, 2016

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                Since our Nation's founding, in peace and in war, the 
                values that define our brave men and women in uniform 
                have remained constant: honor, courage, and 
                selflessness. From the deafening sounds of combat to 
                the silence of the sacred hills at Arlington, we 
                remember the countless sacrifices our service members 
                make to preserve the freedoms we too often take for 
                granted. No one understands the true price of these 
                freedoms like our Gold Star families, whose humility, 
                even in times of grief, represents the best of our 
                country. Today, we recognize their sacrifices by 
                listening to their stories, sharing in their pain and 
                pride, and pledging to do all we can to honor them and 
                the loved ones they hold close in their hearts.

                Through unspeakable sorrow, our Gold Star families 
                suffer from loss that can never be restored--pain that 
                can never truly be healed. It is because of their 
                selfless character and unfailing grace that Americans 
                can come home each day, gather with family and friends, 
                and live in peace and security. And though the debt our 
                fallen soldiers and their families pay is one we can 
                never fully pay back, we must continue to support our 
                veterans when they come home and stand by our military 
                families who endure unthinkable loss. We must maintain 
                the sacred covenant we share with our veterans by 
                ensuring they have the care and benefits they deserve, 
                and as citizens, we must all work to lift each other up 
                in a manner that is worthy of those who laid down their 
                lives to protect the land and freedoms we cherish.

                Less than one percent of our Nation wear the uniform, 
                but all of us have an obligation to acknowledge the 
                losses endured by Gold Star Mothers and Families and to 
                fill the painful absence of their loved ones with our 
                profound gratitude. We must strive to support these 
                families--not just with words, but with actions--by 
                being there every day for the parents, spouses, and 
                children who feel the weight of their loss. On this day 
                of remembrance, may we carry forward the work of those 
                who gave their last full measure of devotion and vow to 
                keep their memories burning bright in our hearts. And 
                may we lift up their families, who have steadfastly 
                supported their mission through immeasurable 
                heartbreak, by remaining a Nation worthy of their 
                sacrifice.

                The Congress, by Senate Joint Resolution 115 of June 
                23, 1936 (49 Stat. 1985 as amended), has designated the 
                last Sunday in September as ``Gold Star Mother's Day.''

                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 September 25, 2016, 
                as Gold Star Mother's and Family's Day. I call upon all 
                Government officials to display the flag of the United 
                States over Government buildings on this special day. I 
                also encourage the American people to display the flag 
                and hold appropriate ceremonies as a public expression 
                of our Nation's gratitude and respect for our Gold Star 
                Mothers and Families.

[[Page 66790]]

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

[FR Doc. 2016-23634
Filed 9-27-16; 11:15 am]
Billing code 3295-F6-P