[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 32, Number 45 (Monday, November 11, 1996)]
[Pages 2266-2267]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Proclamation 6950--Veterans Day, 1996

October 31, 1996

By the President of the United States

of America

A Proclamation

    This Veterans Day, Americans enjoy the fruits of peace, freedom, and 
prosperity in a world where too many must still struggle to live their 
lives free from conflict, violence, and repression.
    As leaders in the fight for liberty, we have sought to advance the 
cause of freedom and democracy to people all over the world. The credit 
for our own freedom, as well as our continued security, belongs 
overwhelmingly to the men and women who have served in our Nation's 
Armed Forces--our veterans. Had they not been there yesterday, were they 
not with us today, our world would be far different.
    Today we salute their service, honor their sacrifice, thank them for 
supporting this Nation in every hour of need. And we acknowledge that 
freedom's cost continues long after the guns fall silent. Many of our 
veterans bear the disabilities and scars of military service. The 
families of others--who never returned from their service--live always 
with a profound sense of loss. It is our duty to remember what our 
veterans have done and to uphold our commitments to them and their 
families.
    As we mark the past achievements of our veterans, let us remember 
that they are a vital part of our present and future. Of the 40 million 
who have served in America's military since the Revolutionary War, 26.5 
million are with us today--not distant historical footnotes, but as 
close as a father or mother, brother or sister, grandfather or 
grandmother, friend or neighbor.
    Their tradition of service extends beyond the battlefield and the 
barracks. Most veterans in civilian life continue devoting their 
energies to the service of their country and communities. They are 
civic-minded role models who challenge and inspire our young people. 
They are volunteers who work for neighbors in need. They represent what 
is best in the American spirit.
    That is why we must help them make the transition from military to 
civilian careers and empower them with the opportunities to use their 
training, discipline, and motivation in good and rewarding jobs. We owe 
them as well a guarantee that we will continue to defend the American 
ideals for which they have served and sacrificed. As the strongest force 
for peace and freedom in the world, we recognize our responsibility to 
maintain a military capability second to none.
    In respect and recognition of the contributions our service men and 
women have made in defense of America and to advance the cause of peace, 
the Congress has provided (5 U.S.C. 6103(a)) that November 11 of each 
year shall be set aside as a legal public holiday to recognize America's 
veterans.
    Now, Therefore, I, William J. Clinton, President of the United 
States of America, do hereby proclaim Monday, November 11, 1996, as 
Veterans Day. I urge all Americans to recognize the valor and sacrifice 
of our veterans through appropriate public ceremonies and private 
prayers. I call upon Federal, State, and local officials to display the 
flag of the United States and to encourage and participate in patriotic 
activities in their communities.
    In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this thirty-first 
day of October, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety-six, 
and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred 
and twenty-first.
                                            William J. Clinton

[Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 11:04 a.m., November 1, 
1996]

Note: This proclamation was released by the Office of the Press 
Secretary on November 1, and it was published in the Federal Register on 
November 4. This item was not received in time for publication in the 
appropriate issue.

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