[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 36, Number 41 (Monday, October 16, 2000)]
[Pages 2373-2374]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

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Proclamation 7356--National Children's Day, 2000

October 6, 2000

By the President of the United States

of America

A Proclamation

    Children hold a special place in our lives, and raising healthy, 
happy children is the greatest success any parent can hope to achieve; 
it should also be an important goal of every member of society, because 
children are profoundly influenced by the people and environment around 
them. The strongest influence, of course, is often child's family; but 
good schools and nurturing communities also play a vital role in helping 
children reach their full potential.

[[Page 2374]]

    Over the past 7-1/2 years, my Administration has worked with 
families and communities across the country to meet the needs of 
America's children, and we can be proud of what we have accomplished 
together. We have made education one of our highest priorities, to 
ensure that every child is empowered with the knowledge and skills 
necessary to achieve personal fulfillment and success. By expanding Head 
Start and Early Head Start for preschoolers; promoting high academic 
standards, smaller class sizes, teacher quality, and charter schools for 
primary and secondary school students; and providing loans, 
scholarships, and tax credits so that millions of young Americans can 
attend college, we are building a world-class education system that will 
serve our children well.
    We have achieved other important legislative victories for children 
and families, including a $500 child tax credit, a $1 per hour increase 
in the minimum wage, expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit, passing the 
Family and Medical Leave Act, enacting the largest expansion of health 
insurance for children ever, and creating incentives to move more 
children from foster care to safe, loving, and permanent homes. As a 
result of these victories, the child poverty rate in our country has 
dropped by 22 percent since 1993; millions of working parents have taken 
time off to care for a new child or sick relative; child immunization 
rates are at an all-time high, with 90 percent of toddlers receiving 
crucial vaccinations; and adoptions increased nearly 65 percent between 
1996 and 1999.
    We have shown our commitment to ensuring that every child grows up 
in a safe and nurturing environment through additional measures such as 
teen pregnancy prevention efforts, welfare reform that moves families 
from economic dependency to self-sufficiency, expanded access to 
affordable housing and homeownership, and responsible fatherhood 
initiatives to ensure that fathers provide both the financial and 
emotional support their children need. And, to help working families 
provide for their children, we are continuing our efforts to improve 
access to high-quality, safe, and affordable child care. We know that 
from infancy through adolescence, in child-care settings and after-
school programs, children can learn and thrive with the right care, 
attention, and education. We owe them no less.
    As we observe National Children's Day this year, let us recommit 
ourselves to using every resource in this time of unprecedented 
prosperity to build a bright future for all our children. Let us show 
our love for them not only through our words, but also by making the 
tough decisions and important investments necessary to give them the 
opportunity to achieve their dreams.
    Now, Therefore, I, William J. Clinton, President of the United 
States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the 
Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim October 
8, 2000, as National Children's Day. I urge all Americans to express 
their love and appreciation for children on this day and every day 
throughout the year, and to work within their communities to nurture, 
love, and teach all our children. I invite Federal officials, State and 
local governments, and particularly all American families to join 
together in observing this day with appropriate programs, ceremonies, 
and activities to honor our Nation's children.
    In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this sixth day of 
October, in the year of our Lord two thousand, and of the Independence 
of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-fifth.
                                            William J. Clinton

[Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 8:45 a.m., October 11, 
2000]

Note: This proclamation was released by the Office of the Press 
Secretary on October 7, and it was published in the Federal Register on 
October 12.