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

    Proclamation 7639 of January 14, 2003

    National Sanctity of Human Life Day, 2003

    By the President of the United States of America
    A Proclamation

    Our Nation was built on a promise of life and liberty for all citizens.
    Guided by a deep respect for human dignity, our Founding Fathers worked
    to secure these rights for future generations, and today we continue to
    seek to fulfill their promise in our laws and our society. On National
    Sanctity of Human Life Day, we reaffirm the value of human life and
    renew our dedication to ensuring that every American has access to life,
    liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
    As we seek to improve quality of life, overcome illness, and promote
    vital medical research, my Administration will continue to honor our
    country's founding ideals of equal dignity and equal rights for every

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    American. Every child is a priority and a blessing, and I believe that
    all should be welcomed in life and protected by law. My Administration
    has championed compassionate alternatives to abortion, such as helping
    women in crisis through maternity group homes, encouraging adoption,
    promoting abstinence education, and passing laws requiring parental
    notification and waiting periods for minors.
    The Born-Alive Infants Protection Act, which I signed into law in August
    2002, is an important contribution to our efforts to care for human
    life. This important legislation helps protect the most vulnerable
    members of our society by ensuring that every infant born alive,
    including one who survives abortion, is considered a person and receives
    protection under Federal law. It helps achieve the promises of the
    Declaration of Independence for all, including those without the voice
    and power to defend their own rights.
    Through ethical policies and the compassion of Americans, we will
    continue to build a culture that respects life. Faith- based and
    community organizations and individual citizens play a critical role in
    strengthening our neighborhoods and bringing care and comfort to those
    in need. By helping fellow citizens, these groups recognize the dignity
    of every human being and the possibilities of every life; and their
    important efforts are helping to build a more just and generous Nation.
    By working together to protect the weak, the imperfect, and the
    unwanted, we affirm a culture of hope and help ensure a brighter future
    for all.
    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 Sunday, January 19, 2003,
    as National Sanctity of Human Life Day. As we reflect upon the sanctity
    of human life, I call upon all Americans to recognize this day with
    appropriate ceremonies in our homes and places of worship, to rededicate
    ourselves to compassionate service, and to reaffirm our commitment to
    respecting the life and dignity of every human being.
    IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fourteenth day of
    January, 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