Wright Brothers Day, 2019

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Title 3--
The President

Proclamation 9973 of December 16, 2019

Wright Brothers Day, 2019

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

On December 17, 1903, two visionaries, brothers from
Dayton, Ohio, ushered in the dawn of the age of
aviation on a wind-swept beach in Kitty Hawk, North
Carolina. Wilbur and Orville Wright changed the course
of history with the successful maiden flight of a
manned, engine-powered aircraft. On Wright Brothers
Day, we honor this remarkable achievement, commend the
brothers' ingenuity, innovation, passion, and
determination, and celebrate the incalculable
contributions of aviation to our Nation and the world.

When the Wright Flyer safely landed near Kill Devil
Hills, it marked the first step of an aviation journey
of countless American pioneers to conquer the skies. In
the 116 years since this groundbreaking flight, we have
made revolutionary strides in aviation, such as Amelia
Earhart crossing the Atlantic and Wiley Post circling
the globe. This same fearless American spirit
eventually propelled us beyond Earth's atmosphere into
space and even placed humans onto the surface of the
Moon in an ongoing pursuit of discovery and
exploration. Earlier this year, our Nation commemorated
the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission and
remembered the triumphant courage and patriotism
displayed by those intrepid astronauts. On that
remarkable voyage, Commander Neil Armstrong carried a
small patch of fabric from the wing of the Wright
Brothers' 1903 ``Flyer.''

The progress and success of aviation are among our
country's greatest achievements. Aviation connects
people, commerce, and industry, not merely across the
country but across oceans and continents. The economic,
strategic, and social benefits of aviation are critical
to our national security and prosperity. That is why my
Administration is committed to ensuring that the United
States remains the world leader in aviation and
aerospace innovation. We are improving the design of
supersonic jets, for example, and preparing for their
reintroduction to civilian flight while also embracing
the growth and potential of unmanned aircraft. By
working with leaders in the industry, we are advancing
the exploratory and commercial capabilities of space
technology and cultivating ideas that could
revolutionize the future of transportation, enhance
national security and defense, and increase efficiency
in commerce and emergency management.

Throughout our history, our Republic has been
characterized by great men and women, like Wilbur and
Orville, who dared to push boundaries, challenge
traditional thinking, explore unchartered paths, and
embrace the power of possibility. The Wright Brothers'
airborne adventure into the North Carolina sky is one
of our Nation's seminal milestones and a shining
example of the power of the indomitable American
spirit, which continues to fuel the next chapter of our
history at sea, on land, and in the skies and beyond.

The Congress, by a joint resolution approved December
17, 1963, as amended (77 Stat. 402; 36 U.S.C. 143), has
designated December 17 of each year as ``Wright
Brothers Day'' and has authorized and requested the
President to issue annually a proclamation inviting the
people of the United States to observe that day with
appropriate ceremonies and activities.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the
United States of America, do hereby proclaim December
17, 2019, as Wright Brothers Day.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
sixteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord two
thousand nineteen, and of the Independence of the
United States of America the two hundred and forty-
fourth.