[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 127, 113th Congress, 1st Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
PROCLAMATION 8951--MAR. 29, 2013

Proclamation 8951 of March 29, 2013

National Financial Capability Month, 2013
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
All Americans deserve the chance to turn their hard work into a decent
living for their families and a bright future for their children.
Seizing that opportunity takes more than drive and initiative--it also
requires smart financial planning. During National Financial Capability
Month, we recommit to empowering individuals and families with the
knowledge and tools they need to get ahead in today's economy.
My Administration is dedicated to helping people make sound decisions in
the marketplace. Last year, we partnered with businesses and community
leaders to roll out new public and private commitments to



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increasing
financial literacy. We released a new financial capability toolkit to
help schools and employers as they launch their own initiatives. And
with our College Scorecard and Financial Aid Shopping Sheet, we are
working to give families clear, transparent information on college costs
so they can make good choices when they invest in higher education.
Together, we can prepare young people to tackle financial challenges--
from learning how to budget responsibly to saving for college, starting
a business, or opening a retirement account.
Financial capability also means helping people avoid scams and demand
fair treatment when they take out a mortgage, use a credit card, or
apply for a student loan. My Administration continues to encourage
responsibility at all levels of our financial system by cracking down on
deceptive practices and ensuring that consumers are informed of their
rights.
We also know that too many families are living paycheck-to-paycheck,
unable to take advantage of tools that would help them plan for a middle
class life. That is why we must build ladders of opportunity for
everyone willing to climb them--from a fair minimum wage that lifts
working Americans out of poverty to high-quality preschool and early
education that gets every child on the right track early. These reforms
would encourage the kind of broad-based economic growth that gives
everyone a better chance to secure their financial future.
Our history shows that there is no economic engine more powerful than a
thriving middle class. Reigniting that engine means giving ordinary
citizens the tools to find prosperity, including strong financial
capability. To learn more about managing money and navigating the 21st-
century marketplace, visit www.MyMoney.gov and www.ConsumerFinance.gov,
or call 1-888-MyMoney.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of
America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and
the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim April 2013 as National
Financial Capability Month. I call upon all Americans to observe this
month with programs and activities to improve their understanding of
financial principles and practices.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-ninth day of
March, in the year of our Lord two thousand thirteen, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-
seventh.
BARACK OBAMA