[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 38, Number 47 (Monday, November 25, 2002)]
[Pages 2077-2078]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Proclamation 7630--National Family Week, 2002

 November 22, 2002

 By the President of the United States

 of America

 A Proclamation

    Families provide a loving environment where children can flourish; 
and they help ensure that cultural traditions and timeless values are 
passed on to future generations. During National Family Week, we 
reaffirm the importance of families as a vital source of strength, 
confidence, and compassion for all of our citizens.
    Strong families play a critical role in developing the character of 
our Nation. They teach children important standards of conduct such as 
accepting responsibility, respecting others, and distinguishing the 
difference between right and wrong. By helping America's youth to grow 
into mature, thoughtful, and caring citizens, families help make our 
communities and our Nation safer and more civilized.
    Raising a child requires sacrifice, commitment, and time; and we 
must expand our efforts to strengthen and empower families so that they 
can prepare children more effectively for the challenges of adulthood. 
We know that by helping couples to build and sustain strong, two-parent 
families, we will contribute to the well-being of our children and the 
strength of our society. Many single parents, grandparents, and others 
also raise their children in difficult circumstances, and these 
dedicated individuals deserve our respect and support.
    My Administration is firmly committed to helping our Nation's youth 
reach their full potential; and one of the most important ways to do 
this is by strengthening America's families. Earlier this year, I signed 
bipartisan legislation to expand the Promoting Safe and Stable Families 
Program, which provides States with vital resources to help families 
stay together and to promote adoption. The Program seeks to prevent 
child abuse and neglect, avoid removing children from their homes, 
support family reunification services, and help those children who are 
unable to return home by providing crucial adoption and post-adoptive 
services. These important resources benefit families across our Nation 
and hold the promise of a bright future for countless young people.
    My welfare reform agenda also will strengthen families. We plan on 
continuing to provide historically high levels of support for childcare 
and child support enforcement. And we will continue to encourage strong 
marriages and two-parent married families as a worthy policy goal.
    No marriage or family is perfect. But through education and 
counseling programs that our faith-based, charitable, and government 
communities can provide, we will support couples as they work to build 
and sustain healthy marriages and strive to provide a better quality of 
life for their children. By promoting responsible child-rearing and 
strong families, my Administration will work towards the goal that every 
child has the opportunity to grow up in a safe and loving home.
    As families come together to celebrate this Thanksgiving, I 
encourage every member of a family in America to recognize the important 
role every other family member plays in making their lives whole and 
more complete. And as we give thanks for the love, commitment, and 
encouragement our families provide, we must recommit ourselves to 
strengthen our Nation by strengthening our families in ways that 
government never can.
     Now, Therefore, I, George W. Bush, President of the United States 
of America,

[[Page 2078]]

by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of 
the United States, do hereby proclaim November 24 through November 30, 
2002, as National Family Week. I invite the States, communities, and 
people of the United States to join together in observing this day with 
appropriate ceremonies and activities to honor our Nation's families.
     In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-second 
day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand two, and of the 
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-
seventh.
                                                George W. Bush

 [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 8:50 a.m., November 26, 
2002]

Note: This proclamation will be published in the Federal Register on 
November 27.