[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 133, 116th Congress, 1st Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
Proclamation 9895 of May 20, 2019

National Maritime Day, 2019

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

On National Maritime Day, we honor the men and women who, throughout our
history, have served with professionalism, dedication, and patriotism in
the United States Merchant Marine. We recognize these seafaring merchant
mariners for helping to fuel our economy, maintain our sea power, and
support our national security.
Merchant mariners extend goodwill into all parts of the world, serving
as a peaceful United States presence on international waterways. Today,
American mariners facilitate the import and export of billions of
dollars of goods, including fuel, agricultural products, and raw
materials through the Marine Transportation System. They are also among
the first to respond to help their fellow citizens in the wake of
national disasters.
During times of war, merchant mariners courageously sail into combat
zones to provide sealift for the Department of Defense, carrying weap

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ons and supplies to America's fighting forces. In every conflict, United
States citizen mariners have answered the call to duty and risked their
lives. Some have sadly made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.
Because the United States Merchant Marine plays a central role in
bringing American goods to market and in bolstering our military
readiness abroad, we must encourage more people to pursue career
opportunities on America's waterways and the oceans of the world. For
this reason, I recently signed an Executive Order to help veterans of
the Armed Forces transition seamlessly into civilian careers in the
United States Merchant Marine by allowing them to apply relevant
military training and experience toward becoming credentialed merchant
mariners. This will help support a robust, well-equipped, and safe
merchant fleet crewed by well-trained mariners.
The Congress, by a joint resolution approved May 20, 1933, has
designated May 22 of each year as ``National Maritime Day'' to
commemorate the first transoceanic voyage by a steamship in 1819 by the
S.S. Savannah. By this resolution, the Congress has authorized and
requested the President to issue annually a proclamation calling for its
appropriate observance.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of
America, do hereby proclaim May 22, 2019, as National Maritime Day. I
call upon the people of the United States to mark this observance and to
display the flag of the United States at their homes and in their
communities. I also request that all ships sailing under the American
flag dress ship on that day.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twentieth day of
May, in the year of our Lord two thousand nineteen, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-
third.
DONALD J. TRUMP