[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 200 (Wednesday, October 18, 2023)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 71725-71726]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-23097]


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  Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 200 / Wednesday, October 18, 2023 / 
Presidential Documents  

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 Title 3--
 The President

[[Page 71725]]

                Proclamation 10653 of October 13, 2023

                
National Character Counts Week, 2023

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                Whenever the First Lady and I travel across America, we 
                witness both the incredible diversity of our country 
                and the essential qualities that hold us all together. 
                Americans possess an optimism that is tested yet 
                resolute; a courage that digs deep when we need it the 
                most; and an unshakable faith in one another, our 
                Nation, and the future we can build together. During 
                National Character Counts Week, we recognize the 
                extraordinary character that resides in the soul of 
                every American and the collective power we wield when 
                we embrace one of our country's most fundamental 
                principles: E pluribus unum--Out of many, one.

                Every day, Americans prove that we are a good Nation 
                because we are good people. I have seen firsthand the 
                incredible character of firefighters, police officers, 
                service members, and their families, each of whom 
                sacrifice every day to protect the rest of us. I have 
                seen that very character in nurses and doctors, who are 
                a source of light and hope for so many enduring hard 
                times. I have seen it in artists, scholars, and 
                journalists, who dare to tell the truth of our Nation. 
                I have seen it in the union workers, who fight to make 
                sure all of us get the dignity and respect we deserve. 
                I have seen it in mothers, fathers, and caregivers, who 
                work hard to build a future worthy of their children's 
                greatest dreams. I have seen it in all the teachers who 
                go above and beyond to help students believe in 
                themselves. I have seen it in our country's young 
                people--the most talented, tolerant, and educated 
                generation in history.

                Americans with exemplary character abound in our 
                Nation. That is why I have never doubted that America 
                can do great things when we work together. In my first 
                State of the Union Address, I proposed a Unity Agenda 
                that outlined four problems we can solve together as a 
                Nation: beating the opioid epidemic, tackling the 
                mental health crisis, supporting our veterans and their 
                families, and ending cancer as we know it. We have made 
                real progress. Together, we passed a law making it 
                easier for doctors to prescribe effective treatments 
                for opioid use disorder. We passed the Bipartisan Safer 
                Communities Act, making historic changes to gun safety 
                laws and key investments in mental health services. We 
                launched Advanced Research Project Agencies for Health 
                (ARPA-H) to drive breakthroughs in the fight against 
                cancer, Alzheimer's, diabetes, and so much more. We 
                passed the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring 
                our PACT Act to ensure that veterans exposed to toxic 
                substances during their military service get the 
                benefits and care they deserve and never have to fight 
                alone.

                While we have made strides to unite the Nation around 
                common causes, we have also made it a priority to fight 
                back against forces that divide us and to remove 
                obstacles that limit Americans' ability to realize 
                their full potential. We hosted the ``United We Stand'' 
                Summit at the White House, where we reaffirmed our 
                commitment to fighting hate and racism and announced 
                new measures to make sure hate has no safe harbor in 
                America. We released a national strategy to end hunger 
                and reduce diet-related disease by 2030, a moral duty 
                we all share. No matter what we are working toward--
                whether it is addressing the climate crisis, reducing

[[Page 71726]]

                the cost of health care, or rebuilding our economy--
                respecting the character and dignity of the American 
                people is at the heart of everything we do.

                I have often said that America is the only Nation in 
                the world founded on an idea: that we are all created 
                equal and deserve to be treated equally throughout our 
                lives. Though we have never fully lived up to this 
                promise, our national character has ensured we have 
                never fully walked away from it either. Today of all 
                days, let us remember that character is destiny--in our 
                lives and in the life of the Nation--and that the soul 
                of America depends on the souls of all Americans. As we 
                reflect on the very best of our Nation's character, may 
                we recommit to lifting each other up and working 
                together to form a more perfect Union.

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., 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 October 15 
                through October 21, 2023, as National Character Counts 
                Week. Now and throughout the year, I encourage all 
                Americans to engage in efforts that honor and express 
                the best attributes of our character, extend the hand 
                of fellowship to their neighbors, and unite in service 
                to their communities.

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

[FR Doc. 2023-23097
Filed 10-17-23; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3395-F4-P