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

 
Proclamation 9506 of September 29, 2016

Child Health Day, 2016

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Today's youth will shape our Nation's narrative and drive our progress,
and it is our duty to ensure our young people are given every
opportunity to live full, healthy lives. Securing a bright future for
America's daughters and sons requires us to continue expanding access to
quality health care and working to foster cleaner, safer, and more
supportive environments. On Child Health Day, we renew our strong
commitment to protecting and empowering our children by giving them the
tools, resources, and knowledge they need to grow into healthy and
productive adults.

My Administration has made children's health a top priority throughout
the past 8 years. Through First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move!
initiative, we have worked to bring parents, schools, and communities
together to reduce childhood obesity by increasing access to affordable
and nutritious food, and by encouraging physical activity early on in
life. Parents and guardians serve as role models when it comes to
forming healthy habits, and they can help their children learn to make
smart choices that will shape their lifestyles for years to come.
Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, no child can be denied coverage
because of a pre-existing condition, and millions of young people are
able to remain on a parent's insurance plan until age 26. Cancer touches
the lives of millions of Americans, and pediatric cancer remains the
leading cause of death by disease among children. Earlier this year, I
called on Vice President Joe Biden to lead the White House Cancer
Moonshot Task Force--a collaborative effort that is striving to make a
decade's worth of progress in preventing, diagnosing, and treating
cancer in just 5 years and is dedicated to ending cancer as we know it.
Supporting our children's emotional and mental health is just as
critical as protecting their physical health. Bullying touches the lives
of young people across our country and can affect their mental health,
and we are committed to providing parents and schools with the support
they need to address harassment--because no child should be hurt, and no
child should feel ashamed because of who they are.
As we face growing environmental threats, it is our responsibility to
combat climate change and protect our planet for future generations.
That is why we have taken concrete steps to address carbon pollution and
advocate for cleaner energy options. Through the Paris Climate
Agreement, we are joining with nearly 200 countries to adopt ambitious
measures that will reduce carbon pollution across the globe. By taking
unprecedented action to protect the air we breathe and the water we
drink, we are striving to reduce the harmful effects that climate change
can have on our children, including the potential for higher incidence
of asthma attacks, and other health problems exacerbated by dirty air.
This Child Health Day, we are reminded that the well-being of America's
children is in our hands and that it is our responsibility to keep
building a society that will allow them to thrive. Let us reaffirm our

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belief in the notion that all children should be able to live a healthy
and happy life--no matter where they come from or what they look like--
and let us continue reaching for a future where all our children are
limited by nothing but the size of their dreams.
The Congress, by a joint resolution approved May 18, 1928, as amended
(36 U.S.C. 105), has called for the designation of the first Monday in
October as Child Health Day and has requested that the President issue a
proclamation in observance of this day.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of
America, do hereby proclaim Monday, October 3, 2016, as Child Health
Day. I call upon families, educators, health professionals, faith-based
and community organizations, and all levels of government to help ensure
America's children are healthy.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-ninth day of
September, in the year of our Lord two thousand sixteen, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-
first.
BARACK OBAMA