[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1995, Book I)]
[June 16, 1995]
[Pages 899-900]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Memorandum on Supporting the Role of Fathers in Families
June 16, 1995

Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies

Subject: Supporting the Role of Fathers in Families

    I am firm in my belief that the future of our Republic depends on 
strong families and that committed fathers are essential to those 
families. I am also aware that strengthening fathers' involvement with 
their children cannot be accomplished by the Federal Government alone; 
the solutions lie in the hearts and consciences of individual fathers 
and the support of the families and communities in which they live. 
However, there are ways for a flexible, responsive Government to help 
support men in their roles as fathers.
    Therefore, today I am asking the Federal agencies to assist me in 
this effort. I direct all executive departments and agencies to review 
every program, policy, and initiative (hereinafter referred to 
collectively as ``programs'') that pertains to families to:
    ensure, where appropriate, and consistent with program 
            objectives, that they seek to engage and meaningfully 
            include fathers;
    proactively modify those programs that were designed to 
            serve primarily mothers and children, where appropriate and 
            consistent with program objectives, to explicitly

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            include fathers and strengthen their involvement with their 
            children;
    include evidence of father involvement and participation, 
            where appropriate, in measuring the success of the programs; 
            and
    incorporate fathers, where appropriate, in government-
            initiated research regarding children and their families.
    I ask the departments and agencies to provide an initial report on 
the results of the review to the Vice President through the National 
Performance Review within 90 days of the date of this memorandum.
    The information gained from this review will be combined with 
information gathered through the Vice President's ``Father to Father'' 
initiative and other father involvement programs to determine the 
direction of those programs for the future. The National Performance 
Review, together with the Domestic Policy Council, will recommend 
further action based on the results of this review.

                                                      William J. Clinton