[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 94 (Tuesday, May 15, 2018)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 22347-22348]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-10453]


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  Federal Register / Vol. 83 , No. 94 / Tuesday, May 15, 2018 / 
Presidential Documents  

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 Title 3--
 The President

[[Page 22347]]

                Proclamation 9746 of May 10, 2018

                
Military Spouse Day, 2018

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                Since the founding of our Republic, military spouses 
                have served alongside their loved ones and played vital 
                roles in the defense of our country. Their selfless 
                support, volunteer spirit, and significant 
                contributions have left indelible marks on our military 
                and communities. On Military Spouse Day, we pay tribute 
                to these remarkable patriots, past and present, 
                including the incredible women and men who currently 
                serve, in steadfast support of America's Armed Forces, 
                as our Nation's military spouses.

                Military Spouse Day is an opportunity to thank the 
                inspirational men and women who are the foundation of 
                our Nation's military families. Their countless 
                sacrifices and tireless devotion to this country, and 
                to those who defend her, are invaluable and 
                irreplaceable. Military spouses shoulder the burdens of 
                a challenging and demanding lifestyle with pride, 
                strength, and determination. They demonstrate uncommon 
                grace and grit, and although most military spouses do 
                not wear a uniform, they honorably serve our Nation--
                often times without their loved one standing beside 
                them.

                We ask so much of our military spouses: frequent moves; 
                heartbreaking separations; parenting alone; incomplete 
                celebrations; and weeks, months, and sometimes years of 
                waiting for a loved one's safe return from harm's way. 
                Time and time again, however, military spouses respond 
                with resilience that defies explanation. Our service 
                members are often praised as national heroes, but their 
                spouses are equally worthy of that distinction.

                My Administration is committed to taking care of our 
                Armed Forces and ensuring that our military is equipped 
                to defend our country and protect our way of life. This 
                mission also includes caring for the unique needs of 
                military spouses, whose service to our Nation cannot be 
                overstated.

                Too often, military life can interfere with the 
                aspirations and dreams of our military spouses. For 
                example, frequent and often unexpected moves can impair 
                career and academic goals. Even as our economy 
                prospers, military spouses continue to face an 
                unemployment rate far higher than the national average, 
                up to 16 percent in 2017. Further, data from the 2016 
                American Community Survey indicates that military 
                spouses suffer from underemployment at a greater rate 
                than Americans more broadly, at an estimated 31.4 
                percent compared to 19.6 percent overall. All of these 
                are added and unnecessary burdens on military families.

                We can and will do better, which is why my 
                Administration will continue to focus on enhancing 
                employment opportunities for military spouses. On May 
                9, I signed an Executive Order to enhance opportunities 
                for military spouses looking for employment in the 
                Federal Government. This action promotes the use of an 
                existing hiring authority for military spouses and 
                seeks to provide significantly greater opportunity for 
                military spouses to be considered for Federal 
                Government positions.

                Beyond the Federal Government, I encourage every 
                American business, large and small, to find ways to 
                employ military spouses, and keep them employed as they 
                relocate--sometimes every 2 or 3 years--to new duty 
                stations. More than 360 employers with regional and 
                national footprints have made this

[[Page 22348]]

                commitment through the Department of Defense's Military 
                Spouse Employment Partnership. In less than 7 years, 
                these patriotic partners have hired more than 112,000 
                military spouses. We are grateful for these employment 
                opportunities and hope to see many more businesses 
                participate in this important initiative.

                In addition, many military spouses encounter 
                unnecessary delays remaining in the workforce following 
                a change in duty station. These spouses are more likely 
                than other workers to face barriers to employment due 
                to the impact of occupational licensing laws, since 
                they frequently move across State lines and are 
                disproportionately employed in occupations that require 
                a license. Existing State laws regarding license 
                portability are insufficient. States and occupational 
                licensing boards can and must do more to improve the 
                license portability to facilitate career continuity and 
                ease financial burdens on our military families.

                As we observe Military Spouse Day, we salute 
                generations of military spouses for their leadership, 
                courage, love, patriotism, and unwavering support for 
                the courageous men and women of our Armed Forces. On 
                this day, Melania and I offer our deepest respect and 
                gratitude to every person who has embraced this noble 
                calling in proud service to our Nation as a military 
                spouse.

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, 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 May 11, 2018, as 
                Military Spouse Day. I call upon the people of the 
                United States to honor military spouses with 
                appropriate ceremonies and activities.

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

[FR Doc. 2018-10453
Filed 5-14-18; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3295-F8-P