[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 35, Number 24 (Monday, June 21, 1999)]
[Pages 1136-1137]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Proclamation 7205--Father's Day, 1999

June 18, 1999

By the President of the United States

of America

A Proclamation

    Each year on Father's Day, Americans take special joy in remembering 
the many cherished moments they have shared with their fathers through 
the years. Reading stories before bedtime, playing catch after dinner, 
camping out in the backyard, sharing driving lessons--at these moments 
and countless others throughout a lifetime, devoted fathers are there to 
guide their sons and daughters, to instill confidence in them, and to 
provide for them and protect them in times of need.
    The impact of these moments on children's development and future is 
immeasurable. Although children may not understand it until they become 
parents themselves, these are the times when fathers impart to their 
sons and daughters strong values and teach them important lessons about 
love, responsibility, faith, hard work, and determination. In these 
moments, fathers imbue in their children the strength and self-esteem 
they need to achieve their full potential.
    As children grow and mature--from toddlers carried on their fathers' 
shoulders to teenagers who need help navigating the challenges of 
adolescence to young men and women who need guidance on life, love, 
family, and career--their relationships with their fathers change as 
well. Yet, the need for a father's friendship and wisdom continues to 
grow; and throughout all the seasons of life, fathers remain role 
models, teachers, heroes, and friends.
    Vice President Gore and I have challenged fathers to be actively 
involved in their children's lives and to provide both emotional and 
financial support. Last June, the Vice President released a report 
showing that children who grow up without fathers are more likely to do 
poorly in school, to get into trouble with the law, and to have 
difficulty in getting and keeping a job. But our fathers cannot always 
meet their responsibilities to their children without help. That is why 
it is crucial that we lift up our fathers through efforts like the 
reauthorization of the Welfare-to-Work program so that more low income 
fathers can work, pay child support, and become more involved with their 
children.
    We can never truly repay our fathers--whether biological, adoptive, 
foster, or stepfather--for their many precious gifts to us, for their 
steadfast faith in our potential and abilities, for their unwavering 
devotion and unconditional love. We can, however, express our deep 
appreciation for all they have done and thank them for the many 
sacrifices they have made to create a better life for us. There is no 
more fitting national tribute to fathers than reserving a day in their 
honor, and there is no more appropriate celebration of their profound 
impact on the lives of their children and the strength of our Nation.
    Now, Therefore, I, William J. Clinton, President of the United 
States of America, in accordance with a joint resolution of the Congress 
approved April 24, 1972 (36 U.S.C. 142a), do hereby proclaim Sunday, 
June 20, 1999, as Father's Day. I invite the States, communities across 
the country, and all the citizens of the United States to observe this

[[Page 1137]]

day with appropriate ceremonies and activities to express our deep 
appreciation and abiding love for our fathers.
    In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this eighteenth day 
of June, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety-nine, and 
of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and 
twenty-third.
                                            William J. Clinton

[Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 8:45 a.m., June 22, 
1999]

Note: This proclamation will be published in the Federal Register on 
June 23.