[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 103 (Wednesday, May 31, 2017)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 24823-24824]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-11354]


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  Federal Register / Vol. 82 , No. 103 / Wednesday, May 31, 2017 / 
Presidential Documents  

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 Title 3--
 The President

[[Page 24823]]

                Proclamation 9617 of May 24, 2017

                
Prayer for Peace, Memorial Day, 2017

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                Memorial Day is our Nation's solemn reminder that 
                freedom is never free. It is a moment of collective 
                reflection on the noble sacrifices of those who gave 
                the last measure of devotion in service of our ideals 
                and in the defense of our Nation. On this ceremonious 
                day, we remember the fallen, we pray for a lasting 
                peace among nations, and we honor these guardians of 
                our inalienable rights.

                This year, we commemorate the centennial anniversary of 
                America's entry into World War I. More than 4.7 million 
                Americans served during The Great War, representing 
                more than 25 percent of the American male population 
                between the ages of 18 and 31 at the time. We remember 
                the more than 100,000 Americans who sacrificed their 
                lives during ``The War to End All Wars,'' and who left 
                behind countless family members and loved ones. We 
                pause again to pray for the souls of those heroes who, 
                one century ago, never returned home after helping to 
                restore peace in Europe.

                On Memorial Day we honor the final resting places of 
                the more than one million men and women who sacrificed 
                their lives for our Nation, by decorating their graves 
                with the stars and stripes, as generations have done 
                since 1868. We also proudly fly America's beautiful 
                flag at our homes, businesses, and in our community 
                parades to honor their memory. In doing so, we pledge 
                our Nation's allegiance to the great cause of freedom 
                for which they fought and ultimately died.

                In honor and recognition of all of our fallen service 
                members, the Congress, by a joint resolution approved 
                May 11, 1950, as amended (36 U.S.C. 116), has requested 
                the President issue a proclamation calling on the 
                people of the United States to observe each Memorial 
                Day as a day of prayer for permanent peace and 
                designating a period on that day when the people of the 
                United States might unite in prayer. The Congress, by 
                Public Law 106-579, has also designated 3:00 p.m. local 
                time on that day as a time for all Americans to 
                observe, in their own way, the National Moment of 
                Remembrance.

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the 
                United States of America, do hereby proclaim Memorial 
                Day, May 29, 2017, as a day of prayer for permanent 
                peace, and I designate the hour beginning in each 
                locality at 11:00 a.m. of that day as a time when 
                people might unite in prayer. I urge the press, radio, 
                television, and all other information media to 
                cooperate in this observance.

                I further ask all Americans to observe the National 
                Moment of Remembrance beginning at 3:00 p.m. local time 
                on Memorial Day.

                I also request the Governors of the United States and 
                its Territories, and the appropriate officials of all 
                units of government, to direct that the flag be flown 
                at half-staff until noon on this Memorial Day on all 
                buildings, grounds, and naval vessels throughout the 
                United States and in all areas under its jurisdiction 
                and control. I also request the people of the United 
                States to display the flag at half-staff from their 
                homes for the customary forenoon period.

[[Page 24824]]

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

[FR Doc. 2017-11354
Filed 5-30-17; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3295-F7-P