    [United States Statutes at Large, Volume 117, 108th Congress, 1st Session]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    Proclamation 7685 of June 13, 2003

    National Homeownership Month, 2003

    By the President of the United States of America
    A Proclamation

    Homeownership is more than just a symbol of the American Dream; it is an
    important part of our way of life. Core American values of
    individuality, thrift, responsibility, and self-reliance are embodied in

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    homeownership. I am committed to helping more families know the security
    and sense of pride that comes with owning a home.
    The Department of Housing and Urban Development is leading an
    Administration-wide effort to bring new tools and resources to would-be
    homeowners. We are providing financial assistance to qualified families
    through the American Dream Downpayment Fund, funding educational
    programs that stress financial literacy, and offering a compassionate
    hand to those who dream of moving from subsidized housing into
    homeownership. And through the Self-Help Homeownership Opportunity
    Program, my Administration partners with nonprofit organizations that
    offer homeownership opportunities to families willing to contribute
    their skills and labor to help build a home of their own. We are also
    proposing ways to make it easier to shop for a mortgage and to make
    mortgages available to more families through the Federal Housing
    Administration.
    Today, the United States is fortunate in that our homeownership rate is
    at an all-time high, and low interest rates continue to encourage
    millions of Americans to become first-time homeowners. Although a record
    number of Americans own their own homes, we continue to see a gap
    between the homeownership rates of minorities and nonminorities. By a
    significant margin, minority families are less likely to own their own
    homes. Therefore, I have called upon the entire housing industry to join
    with my Administration to expand minority homeownership across the
    Nation. Our goal is to help at least 5.5 million minority families
    become homeowners by the end of this decade, and our Blueprint for the
    American Dream Partnership is taking bold steps to make this a reality.
    Across our Nation, every citizen, regardless of race, creed, color, or
    place of birth, should have the opportunity to become a homeowner.
    Homeownership represents a pathway to pride and prosperity for many
    families, encourages values of responsibility and sacrifice, creates
    stability for neighborhoods and communities, and generates economic
    growth that helps strengthen the entire Nation.
    NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of
    America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and
    laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim June 2003 as National
    Homeownership Month. I call upon the people of the United States to join
    me in recognizing the importance of offering every American the
    opportunity to realize their dream of homeownership and to help work
    towards making that dream a reality.
    IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirteenth day of
    June, in the year of our Lord two thousand three, and of the
    Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-
    seventh.
    GEORGE W. BUSH

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