[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 128, 113th Congress, 2nd Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
PROCLAMATION 9116--APR. 30, 2014

Proclamation 9116 of April 30, 2014

Loyalty Day, 2014

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Over 150 years ago, as a civil war threatened to dissolve our Union,
President Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address. Defining the
American experiment as ``conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the
proposition that `all men are created equal,' '' he resolved that our
Nation ``shall not perish from the earth.'' He understood that what
makes America most worth preserving are our founding ideals. These
ideals compelled colonists to rise up against an empire, and they have
sustained generations of service members through the darkest days of
war.
In the United States of America, we do not define loyalty as adherence
to any single leader, party, or political platform. When we make big
decisions as a country, we necessarily stir up passions and controversy.
These debates are a hallmark of democracy; they allow us to trade ideas,
question antiquated notions, and ensure our Nation's course reflects the
will of the American people. Yet even as we disagree, we remain true to
our shared values and our common hopes for America's future.
On Loyalty Day, we renew our conviction to the principles of liberty,
equality, and justice under the law. We accept our responsibilities to
one another. And we remember that our differences pale in comparison to
the strength of the bonds that hold together the most diverse Nation on
earth.
In order to recognize the American spirit of loyalty and the sacrifices
that so many have made for our Nation, the Congress, by Public Law 85-
529 as amended, has designated May 1 of each year as ``Loyalty Day.'' On
this day, let us reaffirm our allegiance to the United States of America
and pay tribute to the heritage of American freedom.

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NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of
America, do hereby proclaim May 1, 2014, as Loyalty Day. This Loyalty
Day, I call upon all the people of the United States to join in support
of this national observance, whether by displaying the flag of the
United States or pledging allegiance to the Republic for which it
stands.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirtieth day of
April, in the year of our Lord two thousand fourteen, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-
eighth.
BARACK OBAMA