National Park Week, 2004

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Part VII

The President

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Proclamation 7772--National Park Week, 2004

Proclamation 7773--National Volunteer Week, 2004

Proclamation 7774--National Crime Victims' Rights Week, 2004

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Title 3--
The President

Proclamation 7772 of April 16, 2004

National Park Week, 2004

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Our system of national parks is entrusted to each
generation of Americans. By practicing good management
and being faithful stewards of the land, our generation
can show that we are worthy of that trust. During
National Park Week, we renew our commitment to caring
for these treasured natural resources.

God designed our lands to be beautiful, but we must
ensure God's beauty is maintained and conserved. Our
citizens depend on our dedicated National Park Service
employees and their volunteer partners to fulfill this
important mission. In 2001 and 2002, volunteers
contributed millions of hours of service to our parks
by clearing trails, repairing facilities, leading
education programs, and assisting visitors. This year's
National Park Week theme, ``Partners in Stewardship,''
encourages all Americans to join these volunteer
partners in helping to look after our nearly 400
national park areas.

The Federal Government is investing more in its
national parks now than at any time in its history. To
help restore our national parks, my Administration
proposed $4.9 billion in funding over 5 years on needed
maintenance and repairs. We have undertaken hundreds of
vital park maintenance projects and are planning and
executing hundreds more. We are also using a new system
of inventory and assessment to identify facilities
needing improvements and to measure those improvements
as they are implemented.

Our citizens own America's parks, historic sites,
battlefields, recreation areas, monuments, and shores,
and we want these lands to be accessible and enjoyable
for them to visit. We must respect our natural,
cultural, and recreational heritage and conserve our
parks for future generations. Park maintenance is
critical to achieving each of these goals. By
modernizing trail systems, we make it possible for
people to fully appreciate these remarkable places. By
maintaining buildings, roads, and campsites, we ensure
our parks remain sources of pride for our citizens, our
communities, and our Nation.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, 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 April 18 through April 25,
2004, as National Park Week. I call upon the people of
the United States to join me in recognizing the
importance of our national parks and to learn more
about these areas of beauty, their cultural and
historical significance, and the many ways citizens can
volunteer to conserve these precious resources.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
sixteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord two
thousand four, and of the Independence of the United
States of America the two hundred and twenty-eighth.

(Presidential Sig.)B