[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 119, 109th Congress, 1st Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
PROCLAMATION 7883--APR. 5, 2005
Proclamation 7883 of April 5, 2005
National D.A.R.E. Day, 2005
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
Across America, law enforcement officers, volunteers, parents, and
teachers are helping to send the right message to our Nation's youth
about illegal drugs and violence through the Drug Abuse Resistance
Education (D.A.R.E.) Program. On National D.A.R.E. Day, we express our
gratitude for the important work of these individuals and reaffirm our
commitment to ensuring that every child has an opportunity for a bright
and hopeful future.
For over two decades, D.A.R.E. programs have taught our Nation's young
people about the dangers of drug use and encouraged them to lead
productive, drug-free, and violence-free lives. Police officers and all
those involved in D.A.R.E. help save lives by opening the lines of
communication between law enforcement and our young people to better
enable them to make the right choices. In a culture in which bad
influences and temptations are all too present, these soldiers in the
armies of compassion are fostering a culture of responsibility among
young people.
My Administration will continue to stand with families and communities
to combat the dangers of drugs and violence. In my State of the Union
Address, I announced a new initiative called Helping America's Youth to
help ensure a successful future for young Americans. Led by First Lady
Laura Bush, this initiative is educating parents and communities on the
importance of positive youth development and is supporting
organizations, including faith-based and community groups, who are
helping young people to overcome the risks they face. We also support
random student drug testing as a prevention tool, and we are helping
educate young people about the dangers of illicit drug use through the
National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign and Drug-Free Communities
Program.

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The decisions our children make today will affect their health and
character for the rest of their lives. By giving them the tools they
need to make the right choices, D.A.R.E. programs help prepare our
Nation's young people for the promising future our Nation holds for each
of them.
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 April 14, 2005, as
National D.A.R.E. Day. I call upon Americans, particularly our youth, to
help fight drug use in our communities, and I urge our citizens to show
their appreciation for the law enforcement officials, volunteers,
teachers, health care professionals, and all those who dedicate
themselves to helping our children avoid drugs and violence.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fifth day of April,
in the year of our Lord two thousand five, and of the Independence of
the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-ninth.
GEORGE W. BUSH