National Family Week, 2018

Vol. 83

Friday,

No. 226

November 23, 2018

Part IV

The President

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Proclamation 9826--National Family Week, 2018

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Title 3--
The President

Proclamation 9826 of November 16, 2018

National Family Week, 2018

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

During National Family Week, we celebrate the
immeasurable contributions, influence, and virtues of
one of the greatest institutions--the family. Whether
related by biology, marriage, or adoption, the family
is a primary source of unconditional love and steadfast
support. Strong families multiply joy, share
challenges, and provide firm foundations for each
member's growth and success in life. Families are
central to learning values, and they enrich our
neighborhoods, communities, and Nation.

My Administration is focused on creating an environment
in which families can thrive. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act
has produced larger paychecks for workers, who are now
keeping more of their hard-earned income. Due to this
historic legislation and the elimination of unnecessary
and burdensome regulations, the unemployment rate
dropped to its lowest point in nearly 50 years last
month, and more Americans are working today than ever
before in our history. We have fought for and
implemented more family-friendly policies like doubling
the child tax credit and making it available to low-
income working families; creating the dependent tax
credit for taxpayers with children over the age of 16
and non-child dependents; and establishing an employer
tax credit for paid family and medical leave. I also
created, by Executive Order, the first ever National
Council for the American Worker, to enhance Americans'
access to the skills and support necessary to secure
and retain a good paying job. In both of my budgets, I
have also requested congressional funding for a
national paid family leave program. All of these
reforms are giving much-needed financial relief to
hardworking parents. When Americans have greater
opportunities to work and provide for their families,
our Nation is stronger and more prosperous.

Every family, regardless of its social status or
background, faces its own challenges. Tragically, many
American family members are in the midst of a heart-
wrenching and difficult battle against drug addiction.
For this reason, I have tasked my Administration with
strengthening our public health and safety response to
the arising crisis of opioid and other drug addiction.
In February, I secured $6 billion in new funding for
combating the opioid epidemic. In March, I released my
Administration's plan to address the epidemic by
reducing drug demand, cutting off the flow of illicit
drugs, expanding access to overdose prevention and
evidence-based treatment for opioid use disorder, and
conducting research to improve prevention and
treatment. And, last month, I signed the historic
SUPPORT Act, which will reduce the length of time
children spend in foster care due to a parent who is
struggling with a substance use disorder. We will
continue to remain firm in our commitment to provide
help to families devastated by opioid addiction.

This week, we recognize in a special way that American
families are integral to building and sustaining our
great Nation, and we thank God for this precious gift.
We must encourage and support the success of our
families so that they can create loving and nurturing
homes for all our children.

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 18 through November 24, 2018, 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
sixteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord two
thousand eighteen, and of the Independence of the
United States of America the two hundred and forty-
third.