[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 121, 110th Congress, 1st Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
PROCLAMATION 8199--OCT. 31, 2007

Proclamation 8199 of October 31, 2007
Veterans Day, 2007
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
Throughout our history, America has been protected by patriots who
cherished liberty and made great sacrifices to advance the cause of
freedom. The brave members of the United States Armed Forces have
answered the call to serve our Nation, ready to give all for their
country. On Veterans Day, we honor these extraordinary Americans for
their service and sacrifice, and we pay tribute to the legacy of freedom
and peace that they have given our great Nation.
In times of war and of peace, our men and women in uniform stepped
forward to defend their fellow citizens and the country they love. They
shouldered great responsibility and lived up to the highest standards of
duty and honor. Our veterans held fast against determined and ruthless
enemies and helped save the world from tyranny and terror. They ensured
that America remained what our founders meant her to be: a light to the
nations, spreading the good news of human freedom to the darkest corners
of the earth.

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121 STAT. 2808

Like the heroes before them, today a new generation of men and women are
fighting for freedom around the globe. Their determination, courage, and
sacrifice are laying the foundation for a more secure and peaceful
world.
Veterans Day is dedicated to the extraordinary Americans who protected
our freedom in years past, and to those who protect it today. They
represent the very best of our Nation. Every Soldier, Sailor, Airman,
Marine, and Coast Guardsman has earned the lasting gratitude of the
American people, and their service and sacrifice will be remembered
forever. In the words of Abraham Lincoln: `` . . . let us strive on to
finish the work we are in, to bind up the Nation's wounds, to care for
him who shall have borne the battle . . . .''; On this Veterans Day, I
ask all Americans to express their appreciation to our Nation's
veterans.
With respect for and in recognition of the contributions our service men
and women have made to the cause of peace and freedom around the world,
the Congress has provided (5 U.S.C. 6103(a)) that November 11 of each
year shall be set aside as a legal public holiday to honor our Nation's
veterans.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of
America, do hereby proclaim November 11, 2007, as Veterans Day and urge
all Americans to observe November 11 through November 17, 2007, as
National Veterans Awareness Week. I encourage all Americans to recognize
the valor and sacrifice of our veterans through ceremonies and prayers.
I call upon Federal, State, and local officials to display the flag of
the United States and to support and participate in patriotic activities
in their communities. I invite civic and fraternal organizations, places
of worship, schools, businesses, unions, and the media to support this
national observance with commemorative expressions and programs.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirty-first day of
October, in the year of our Lord two thousand seven, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-
second.
GEORGE W. BUSH