Father's Day, 1999

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Part XI

The President

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Proclamation 7205--Father's Day, 1999

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Title 3--
The President

Proclamation 7205 of June 18, 1999

Father's Day, 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 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.