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

 
PROCLAMATION 7932--SEPT. 16, 2005
Proclamation 7932 of September 16, 2005
Constitution Day and Citizenship Day, Constitution Week, 2005
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
More than two centuries after our Founding Fathers gathered in 1787 in
Philadelphia, our Nation continues to be guided by the Constitution they
drafted.
The Constitution of the United States reflects our ideals and
establishes a practical system of government. It provides for three
separate branches--the legislative, the executive, and the judicial--
with defined responsibilities and with checks and balances among the
branches. Under our Constitution, both the Federal Government and the
State governments advance the will of the people through the people's
representatives. To protect the rights of our citizens and maintain the
rule of law, Article III of the Constitution provides for a judiciary of
independent judges who have life tenure.
These fundamental principles--separation of powers, federalism, and an
independent judiciary--have endured, and they have been essential to our
Nation's progress toward equal justice and liberty for all. On
Constitution Day and Citizenship Day and during Constitution Week, we
celebrate the genius of our Constitution and reaffirm our commitment to
its stated purposes: ``to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice,
insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the
general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and
our Posterity.'';

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119 STAT. 3805

In remembrance of the signing of the Constitution and in recognition of
the Americans who strive to uphold the duties and responsibilities of
citizenship, the Congress, by joint resolution of February 29, 1952 (36
U.S.C. 106, as amended), designated September 17 as ``Constitution Day
and Citizenship Day,''; and by joint resolution of August 2, 1956 (36
U.S.C. 108, as amended), requested that the President proclaim the week
beginning September 17 and ending September 23 of each year as
``Constitution Week.'';
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of
America, do hereby proclaim September 17, 2005, as Constitution Day and
Citizenship Day, and September 17 through September 23, 2005, as
Constitution Week. I encourage Federal, State, and local officials, as
well as leaders of civic, social, and educational organizations, to
conduct ceremonies and programs that celebrate our Constitution and
reaffirm our rights and obligations as citizens of our great Nation.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this sixteenth day of
September, in the year of our Lord two thousand five, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and
thirtieth.
GEORGE W. BUSH