Child Health Day, 2012

Proclamation 8880 of October 1, 2012

Child Health Day, 2012

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

As a Nation, we share an obligation to ensure the
health and well-being of our children. The youth of
today will shape America's tomorrow, and on Child
Health Day, we rededicate ourselves to providing our
next generation with access to the quality health care
and clean environment that will nurture their future
success.

My Administration has made the health of our Nation's
children a top priority. Because of the Affordable Care
Act, insurance companies can no longer deny coverage to
children with pre-existing conditions. The law also
allows young adults to stay on their parents' health
insurance plan until age 26, which has brought coverage
to more than 3 million Americans. My Administration has
also taken action to ensure all our children can attend
schools that are safe, where we address bullying and
end the myth that it is a simple rite of passage. And
through First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move!
initiative, we are joining with parents, schools, and
community leaders to address childhood obesity.

A safe environment in which our children can live and
grow is also essential to their well-being. Because
clean water is the foundation for healthy communities,
we are working to reduce contaminants in our drinking
water by updating standards and better protecting our
water sources from pollution. We are also building on
the successes of the Clean Air Act to improve our air
quality and help decrease harmful toxins that can lead
to acute bronchitis, asthma, cancer, and impaired
development.

On Child Health Day, we are reminded that by giving our
children a healthy start in life, we put them and our
Nation on the path to a successful future. As we mark
this important occasion, let us reaffirm our commitment
to meeting that most fundamental responsibility.

The Congress, by a joint resolution approved May 18,
1928, as amended (36 U.S.C. 105), has called for the
designation of the first Monday in October as Child
Health Day and has requested the President to issue a
proclamation in observance of this day.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the
United States of America, do hereby proclaim Monday,
October 1, 2012, as Child Health Day. I call upon
families, child health professionals, faith-based and
community organizations, and all levels of government
to help ensure America's children stay healthy.

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