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

 
Proclamation 9413 of March 31, 2016

National Financial Capability Month, 2016

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

When every American has the tools they need to get ahead and contribute
to our country's success, we are all better off. Since the recession, we
have built our economy to be better and stronger than before, but we
still have work to do to make hardworking families' paychecks go
further. Ensuring people have the resources to make informed decisions
about their finances is critical in this effort, and during National
Financial Capability Month, we recommit to equipping individuals with
the knowledge and protections necessary to secure a stable financial
future for themselves and their families.
At some of life's most important junctures--including buying a home,
pursuing an education, or saving for retirement--having access to reli

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able information about our country's financial system can help people
avoid being ripped off or sucked into cycles of debt they cannot get out
of. That is why my Administration is promoting tools to protect and
empower individuals, working to increase borrowers' understanding of
what they are getting into before they take out a loan, and educating
more people on how to think about their money. I encourage all Americans
to call 1-800-FED-INFO or visit www.MyMoney.gov and
www.ConsumerFinance.gov for access to free and reliable financial
information.
No young person should be saddled with excessive debt. In addition to
striving to inform young people of the dangers of taking out too much
consumer debt, my Administration launched the ``Know Before You Owe''
campaign, which is helping America's college students know their full
range of options for financing a higher education. I also created the
President's Advisory Council on Financial Capability for Young Americans
to help educate our rising generation on important money management
skills so they can live with security and make positive contributions to
our economy. So more of our people can retire with dignity and
stability, we established a new type of savings bond, myRA, to help more
Americans easily save for retirement. And I signed the Dodd-Frank Wall
Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, which, among other consumer
protections, established the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the
first agency solely dedicated to protecting consumers from unfair
practices and predatory products in financial services.
As our economy continues to grow, we must preserve the basic notion in
our country that hard work will be rewarded and that no matter who you
are or where you come from, you can make it if you try. This month, let
us encourage informed financial decisions and promote resources that
help the American people make them, and let us reaffirm our belief in
the idea that opportunity should be within reach for all who are willing
to work for it.
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 2016 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 thirty-first day of
March, 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