National Financial Literacy Month, 2011

Proclamation 8646 of March 31, 2011

National Financial Literacy Month, 2011

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Americans' ability to build a secure future for
themselves and their families requires the navigation
of an increasingly complex financial system. As we
recover from the worst economic crisis in generations,
it is more important than ever to be knowledgeable
about the consequences of our financial decisions.
During National Financial Literacy Month, we recommit
to improving financial literacy and ensuring all
Americans have access to trustworthy financial services
and products.

The financial crisis was fueled by a lack of
responsibility from Wall Street to Washington. It
devastated ordinary Americans, many of whom were caught
by hidden fees and penalties or saddled with loans they
could not afford. Preventing a recurrence will require
both better behavior and oversight on Wall Street and
more informed decisionmaking on Main Street and in
homes across our country. To lay the foundation for
continued prosperity, we must expand the availability
of financial products and services that are fair,
affordable, understandable, and reliable. We must also
strive to ensure all Americans have the skills to
manage their fiscal resources effectively and avoid
deceptive or predatory practices.

Building on the important protections in the Credit
Card Accountability, Responsibility, and Disclosure
Act, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer
Protection Act, which I signed into law last year, will
help restore financial stability by enforcing the
strongest consumer financial protections in history.
This Act created the Consumer Financial Protection
Bureau, an agency with one job--to look out for the
interests of Americans as they interact with the
financial system. My Administration also established
the President's Advisory Council on Financial
Capability to assist the American people in
understanding and addressing financial matters and to
identify effective approaches to increase financial
capability through education and access. Additionally,
the National Strategy for Financial Literacy provides a
new framework for strategic coordination and an
overarching financial literacy strategy.

While our Government is taking decisive action to
promote financial stability, our Nation's prosperity
will ultimately depend on our willingness as
individuals to empower ourselves and our families with
financial knowledge. For more information on improving
financial literacy, concerned individuals may visit
www.MyMoney.gov or www.ConsumerFinance.gov, or call
toll-free 1-888-MyMoney for guidance and resources.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, 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 April 2011 as
National Financial Literacy Month. I call upon all
Americans to observe this month with programs and
activities to improve their understanding of financial
principles and practices.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
thirty-first day of March, in the year of our Lord two
thousand eleven, and of the Independence of the United
States of America the two hundred and thirty-fifth.