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

 
Proclamation 9545 of November 18, 2016

National Child's Day, 2016

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

No matter what zip code they are born into, every young child in America
deserves the opportunity to learn, grow, and realize their dreams in a
safe and healthy environment. From ensuring they are cared for and
nourished to helping them become educated participants in our democracy,
we must all do our part to support the next generation of leaders.
Today, let us lift up every child in need and strive to leave behind a
world that we are proud of for children across our country.
My Administration has worked to put children in every community on a
path to a healthier future. Through First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's
Move! initiative, we have fostered environments that support healthy
choices, promote physical activity, and reduce childhood obesity. We

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have also fought to improve Head Start and expand quality, affordable
child care, which promotes healthy development and school readiness in
young children and helps families be more financially secure at home.
Because of the broader coverage expansions made possible by the
Affordable Care Act (ACA), and improvements made to the Children's
Health Insurance Plan through legislation I signed during my first month
in office, more than 3 million children have gotten health insurance and
the uninsured rate among children has fallen by almost half since 2008.
And because of the ACA, children can no longer be denied coverage
because of a pre-existing condition. They can also remain on a parent's
health insurance plan until age 26, and all plans on the Health
Insurance Marketplace are now required to cover basic pediatric
services. Anyone who is in need of health insurance can visit
www.HealthCare.gov to find coverage for themselves and their children.
You can also visit www.Medicaid.gov to find out if you qualify for
coverage through Medicaid.
It is one of our greatest obligations to create cleaner and safer
environments for our children to live in. Not only must we protect our
planet against climate change and secure it for future generations, but
we must continue taking concrete action to reduce the effects that dirty
air and water can impose on our children--such as the potential for
higher incidence of asthma attacks. We must also work to keep our
children safe from violence and abuse, prevent youth substance use and
its consequences, and modernize our juvenile justice system to hold
youth accountable for their actions without consigning them to a never-
ending cycle of incarceration.
We know that when we invest in young children, the outcomes are
significant--and by investing in early education and preschool for all,
we can set children up for success later in life. Education has the
potential to unlock ladders of opportunity and empower children to
pursue their passions, and we must continue working to strengthen our
Nation's education system for children at every grade level. That is why
my Administration has pursued efforts to bring higher education within
reach for more students and make college more affordable.
Our journey is not complete until all our children are cared for,
cherished, and safe from harm. On National Child's Day, let us forge a
future of greater opportunity and prosperity for every young person, and
let us seek to reach our greatest potential as a Nation by ensuring our
daughters and sons can live up to theirs.
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 November 20, 2016, as
National Child's Day. I call upon all citizens to observe this day with
appropriate activities, programs, and ceremonies, and to rededicate
ourselves to creating the bright future we want for our Nation's
children.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this eighteenth day of
November, 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