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

 
PROCLAMATION 9062--NOV. 26, 2013

Proclamation 9062 of November 26, 2013

Minority Enterprise Development Week, 2013
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
This August, as we marked the 50th anniversary of the March on
Washington, we were reminded that the measure of America's progress is
not whether the doors of opportunity are cracked a little wider for a
few, but whether our economic system provides a fair shot for the many.
Minority-owned businesses play a crucial part in driving this progress--
not only when their founders pursue their fullest measure of success,
but also when they offer employees of all backgrounds a chance to enter
the ranks of the American middle class. During Minority Enterprise
Development Week, we recognize the strength of our diverse workforce and
the many ways minority entrepreneurs contribute to our economy, our
society, and our Nation's fundamental promise.
America's minority enterprises include everything from Main Street
cornerstones that sustain communities to global firms that drive
innovation in the industries of tomorrow. Together, these businesses
employ almost 6 million Americans and contribute 1 trillion dollars to
our economy every year. Minority entrepreneurs bring unique perspectives
to every corner of our country, and their understanding of diverse
cultures often gives them an advantage in the international marketplace.
As our economy continues to recover, our investments in minority owned
and operated firms will help create jobs, strengthen families, and build
ladders of opportunity in underserved communities. Over the past 5
years, my Administration has worked to empower minority entrepreneurs by
connecting them with billions of dollars in contracts and access to
capital. And to better serve America's business community, we launched
www.Business.USA.gov, where any firm can seek out financing
opportunities, navigate Federal bureaucracy, and cut through red tape.
This week, we celebrate America's minority enterprises, renew our
commitment to helping them grow, and look with pride toward the promise
of the future.
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 December 1 through
December 7, 2013, as Minority Enterprise Development Week. I call upon
all Americans to celebrate this week with appropriate programs,
ceremonies, and activities to recognize the many contributions of our
Nation's minority enterprises.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-sixth day of
November, in the year of our Lord two thousand thirteen, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-
eighth.
BARACK OBAMA