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

 
Proclamation 9464 of June 17, 2016

Father's Day, 2016

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Blessed with the extraordinary privilege and remarkable responsibility
of fatherhood, dads play vital roles in our lives--inspiring us to reach
for our highest potential, lifting us up when we need it most, and
helping us become the people we were meant to be. Doing right by our
families is the most important job any of us will ever have. On Father's
Day, we thank the wonderful fathers--and stepfathers, grandfathers,
uncles, brothers, and mentors--in our lives, and we recognize the
sacrifices they make to be there for us, through good times and bad.
Fathers provide the discipline, guidance, and love it takes to flourish.
With persistence and patience, generosity and integrity, they build our
cores and help us understand right from wrong. They are some of our
earliest and strongest sources of support and encouragement, and they
serve as role models and sounding boards in our youth and as we grow.
From single fathers who struggle to make ends meet to surrogates who
step up to be there for America's daughters and sons, these men help
shoulder the greatest obligation that exists--raising the next
generation. Regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or
marital status; whether biological, foster, or adoptive; fathers teach
their children the values that matter most and steer their moral
compasses.
My Administration is dedicated to enacting policies that make it easier
for working fathers to support their families, including paid family
leave. We must promote responsible fatherhood by lifting up the fathers
who do their part to be the parents and providers their children need
and by rejecting any excuse for failing to meet this obligation. Too
many Americans grow up without a father figure in their lives, and it is
imperative that America's responsible men step up to be mentors for our
young people in need of guidance. To learn more, visit
www.Fatherhood.gov or www.Mentor.gov.
Being a father is about more than just having children--it is about
summoning the courage to love and support them over anything else. We
must always strive to be the best parents and role models we can be and
commit to being present in the lives of our kids. Nothing is more
precious than the moments we get to spend with our families--in
conversations at the dinner table, coaching tips shouted from the
sidelines, or profound experiences of learning and growing and teaching.
Today, let us express our gratitude for the men who have enriched our
lives and shaped our characters, and let us never stop working to show
them how much they are valued and loved.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of
America, in accordance with a joint resolution of the Congress approved
April 24, 1972, as amended (36 U.S.C. 109), do hereby pro

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claim June 19, 2016, as Father's Day. I direct the appropriate officials
of the Government to display the flag of the United States on all
Government buildings on this day, and I call upon all citizens to
observe this day with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this seventeenth day of
June, 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