[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 130, 114th Congress, 2nd Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
Proclamation 9400 of February 29, 2016

Irish-American Heritage Month, 2016

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Hailing from the Emerald Isle, generations of Irishmen and women have
helped shape the idea of America, overcoming hardship and strife through
strength and sacrifice, faith and family. With an undying belief that
tomorrow always yields a brighter day, Irish Americans symbolize the
perpetual optimism that defines our country, and they have long embodied
the truth at the heart of our promise--that no matter who you are or
where you come from, in America, you can make it if you try.
As we celebrate Irish-American Heritage Month, we recognize the Irish
people's contributions to our country's dynamism, and we reaffirm the
friendship and family ties between our two nations. For centuries, sons
and daughters of Erin have come to America's shores, adding to our rich
vibrancy and putting their full hearts into everything they do. From
building our country's cities as preeminent architects and earnest
laborers to building our national character as people of great joy and
cherished culture, Irish Americans have endured intolerance and
discrimination to find a place for themselves and their children here in
the United States. While remembering the great Irish Americans of the
past, we celebrate what forms the foundation of the lasting Irish-
American story--a shared embrace of hard work and humility, fairness and
dignity, and a mutual quest to secure a freer and more peaceful future.
Today, the United States and Ireland enjoy a thriving and cooperative
bond buoyed by a strong legacy of exchanges between our peoples. During
Irish-American Heritage Month, let us pay tribute to the extraordinary
mark Irish Americans have made on our Nation, and let us look forward to
continued collaboration, friendship, and partnership between our
countries.
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 March 2016 as Irish-
American Heritage Month. I call upon all Americans to observe this month
with appropriate ceremonies, activities, and programs.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-ninth day of
February, in the year of our Lord two thousand sixteen, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and
fortieth.
BARACK OBAMA