National Family Week, 2017

Vol. 82

Wednesday,

No. 224

November 22, 2017

Part II

The President

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Proclamation 9677--National Family Week, 2017

Proclamation 9678--Thanksgiving Day, 2017

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Title 3--
The President

Proclamation 9677 of November 17, 2017

National Family Week, 2017

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

During National Family Week, we emphasize the
importance of preserving and promoting strong families,
the cornerstone of our society. Families are as diverse
as our Nation. They often extend beyond moms, dads, and
their children, and include adoptive and foster
parents, grandparents, and extended relatives. But no
matter their makeup, families share a unique quality--
they naturally form the fundamental unit of our
society. They hold more influence over our communities
and our Nation than any other structure, so it is
incumbent upon us, as a Nation, to strengthen and
support them.

We cannot take strong families for granted. Each member
of each family must work every day to nurture the bonds
of love and loyalty that form the latticework of strong
families. We can show support to our family members by
loving selflessly, forgiving quickly, and spending
quality time together.

In addition, Federal policy should be directed to
facilitating the success of our families. Tax policy is
a prime example. My Administration believes that
Americans should be able to dedicate more of their
resources and earnings to the task and duty of
providing for their families. More of each paycheck
should go toward supporting families and less should be
directed to an all-too-often inefficient Federal
Government. Our policies must also support working
mothers, and enable them to reach their full potential.
That is why I am committed to cutting taxes for middle-
income families--including by expanding the child tax
credit--and fundamentally reforming our Nation's
outdated tax code. Our work will enable families to
spend more of their hard-earned dollars on the success
of their children.

Federal policy must also guard against threats to the
family. In 2016, we lost at least 64,000 lives to
opioid and other drug overdoses, devastating American
families and communities. To combat this growing
crisis, my Administration has already dedicated more
than $1 billion in funding to address the drug
addiction and opioid crisis since taking office. Last
month, my Administration declared the opioid epidemic
to be a nationwide public health emergency in order to
focus needed Federal resources and attention on this
critical matter. We will not abandon our families as
they fight the scourge of opioids.

Throughout our Nation's history, in times of both
turmoil and triumph, the strength and hope of the
American family has sustained our citizens. The family
is our foundation, a pillar of our past, and a key to
our future prosperity. Strong families teach integrity
and patriotism, encourage and foster teamwork, and
demonstrate unconditional love and acceptance. When
these foundational principles overflow from our homes
into neighborhoods and communities, they strengthen and
fortify the Nation.

During National Family Week, we support and encourage
American families to create healthy, nurturing
environments for their children and future generations.
I hope all Americans will join me in gratitude to our
Creator for the many ways families bless and enrich our
lives and our Nation.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority
vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the
United States, do hereby proclaim November 19 through
November 25, 2017, as National Family Week. I invite
communities, churches, and individuals to observe this
week with appropriate ceremonies and activities to
honor our Nation's families.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
seventeenth day of November, in the year of our Lord
two thousand seventeen, and of the Independence of the
United States of America the two hundred and forty-
second.