National Children's Day, 2000

Proclamation 7356 of October 6, 2000

National Children's Day, 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.

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.