Constitution Day and Citizenship Day, Constitution Week, 2016

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 184 (Thursday, September 22, 2016)]

[Presidential Documents]

[Pages 65169-65170]

From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

[FR Doc No: 2016-22951]

Presidential Documents

Federal Register / Vol. 81 , No. 184 / Thursday, September 22, 2016 /

Presidential Documents

___________________________________________________________________

Title 3--

The President

[[Page 65169]]

Proclamation 9497 of September 16, 2016

Constitution Day and Citizenship Day,

Constitution Week, 2016

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Tasked with the awesome responsibility of building a

Government to endure for generations to come, a band of

dedicated patriots gathered in Philadelphia in 1787,

seeking to build a more stable and permanent framework

for a nascent democracy. Passionate debates and intense

negotiation gave way to lasting compromise, and a

document emerged that became the bedrock of America.

Signed on September 17, the Constitution of the United

States has steered our country through ever-changing

times. It guides us as leaders on the world stage and

safeguards the fundamental rights of our citizens. And

it guarantees that the greatness of our Nation never

depends on any one person--it requires the full and

active participation of an engaged and vibrant

citizenry.

ntry through ever-changing

times. It guides us as leaders on the world stage and

safeguards the fundamental rights of our citizens. And

it guarantees that the greatness of our Nation never

depends on any one person--it requires the full and

active participation of an engaged and vibrant

citizenry.

The vision of self-government laid out in our

Constitution is dependent on Americans doing the hard

and sometimes frustrating--yet always essential--work

of citizenship. Being a citizen is a responsibility

that challenges each of us to stay informed, to speak

out when something is not right or not just, and to

come together to shape the course our country will

take. Citizenship is a commitment, calling on us to

stand up for what we believe in and to exercise our

rights to protect the rights of others. The Bill of

Rights and other amendments added in the decades that

followed have paved the way for progress, and they

embody a truth held since our founding: the simple but

powerful idea that people who love their country can

change it for the better.

America is more than a piece of land--it is an idea, a

place where we can contribute our talents, fulfill our

ambitions, and be part of something bigger than

ourselves. Each year on Citizenship Day, we celebrate

our newest citizens who raise their hands and swear a

sacred oath to join our American family. The journey

they have taken reminds us that immigration is our

origin story

our talents, fulfill our

ambitions, and be part of something bigger than

ourselves. Each year on Citizenship Day, we celebrate

our newest citizens who raise their hands and swear a

sacred oath to join our American family. The journey

they have taken reminds us that immigration is our

origin story. For centuries, immigrants have brought

diverse beliefs, cultures, languages, and traditions to

our country, and they have pledged to uphold the ideals

expressed in our founding documents. They come from all

around the world, mustering faith that in America, they

can build a better life and give their children

something more. That is why I was proud to create the

White House Task Force on New Americans, which is

helping to build welcoming communities around our

country and enhance civic, economic, and linguistic

integration for immigrants and refugees. Through the

Task Force, Federal agencies and local communities are

working together to raise awareness about the rights,

responsibilities, and opportunities of citizenship--and

to give immigrants and refugees the tools they need to

succeed.

As a Nation of immigrants, our legacy is rooted in

their success. Their contributions help us live up to

our founding principles. With pride in our diverse

heritage and in our common creed, we affirm our

dedication to the values enshrined in our Constitution.

We, the people, must forever breathe life into the

words of this precious document, and together ensure

that its principles endure for generations to come.

[[Page 65170]]

g principles. With pride in our diverse

heritage and in our common creed, we affirm our

dedication to the values enshrined in our Constitution.

We, the people, must forever breathe life into the

words of this precious document, and together ensure

that its principles endure for generations to come.

[[Page 65170]]

In remembrance of the signing of the Constitution and

in recognition of the Americans who strive to uphold

the duties and responsibilities of citizenship, the

Congress, by joint resolution of February 29, 1952 (36

U.S.C. 106), designated September 17 as ``Constitution

Day and Citizenship Day,'' and by joint resolution of

August 2, 1956 (36 U.S.C. 108), requested that the

President proclaim the week beginning September 17 and

ending September 23 of each year as ``Constitution

Week.''

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the

United States of America, do hereby proclaim September

17, 2016, as Constitution Day and Citizenship Day, and

September 17 through September 23, 2016, as

Constitution Week. I encourage Federal, State, and

local officials, as well as leaders of civic, social,

and educational organizations, to conduct ceremonies

and programs that bring together community members to

reflect on the importance of active citizenship,

recognize the enduring strength of our Constitution,

and reaffirm our commitment to the rights and

obligations of citizenship in this great Nation.

and educational organizations, to conduct ceremonies

and programs that bring together community members to

reflect on the importance of active citizenship,

recognize the enduring strength of our Constitution,

and reaffirm our commitment to the rights and

obligations of citizenship in this great Nation.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this

sixteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord two

thousand sixteen, and of the Independence of the United

States of America the two hundred and forty-first.

(Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. 2016-22951

Filed 9-21-16; 8:45 am]

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