[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 3, Volume 1]
[Revised as of January 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 3CFR7630]

Proc. 7630

Proclamation 7630 of November 22, 2002

National Family Week, 2002

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

          Families provide a loving environment where children can 
          flourish; and they help ensure that cultural traditions and 
          timeless values are passed on to future generations. During 
          National Family Week, we reaffirm the importance of families 
          as a vital source of strength, confidence, and compassion for 
          all of our citizens.
          Strong families play a critical role in developing the 
          character of our Nation. They teach children important 
          standards of conduct such as accepting responsibility, 
          respecting others, and distinguishing the difference between 
          right and wrong. By helping America's youth to grow into 
          mature, thoughtful, and caring citizens, families help make 
          our communities and our Nation safer and more civilized.
          Raising a child requires sacrifice, commitment, and time; and 
          we must expand our efforts to strengthen and empower families 
          so that they can prepare children more effectively for the 
          challenges of adulthood. We know that by helping couples to 
          build and sustain strong, two-parent families, we will 
          contribute to the well-being of our children and the strength 
          of our society. Many single parents, grandparents, and others 
          also raise their children in difficult circumstances, and 
          these dedicated individuals deserve our respect and support.
          My Administration is firmly committed to helping our Nation's 
          youth reach their full potential; and one of the most 
          important ways to do this is by strengthening America's 
          families. Earlier this year, I signed bipartisan legislation 
          to expand the Promoting Safe and Stable Families Program, 
          which provides States with vital resources to help families 
          stay together and to promote adoption. The Program seeks to 
          prevent child abuse and neglect, avoid removing children from 
          their homes, support family reunification services, and help 
          those children who are unable to return home by pro

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          viding crucial adoption and post-adoptive services. These 
          important resources benefit families across our Nation and 
          hold the promise of a bright future for countless young 
          people.
          My welfare reform agenda also will strengthen families. We 
          plan on continuing to provide historically high levels of 
          support for childcare and child support enforcement. And we 
          will continue to encourage strong marriages and two-parent 
          married families as a worthy policy goal.
          No marriage or family is perfect. But through education and 
          counseling programs that our faith-based, charitable, and 
          government communities can provide, we will support couples as 
          they work to build and sustain healthy marriages and strive to 
          provide a better quality of life for their children. By 
          promoting responsible child-rearing and strong families, my 
          Administration will work towards the goal that every child has 
          the opportunity to grow up in a safe and loving home.
          As families come together to celebrate this Thanksgiving, I 
          encourage every member of a family in America to recognize the 
          important role every other family member plays in making their 
          lives whole and more complete. And as we give thanks for the 
          love, commitment, and encouragement our families provide, we 
          must recommit ourselves to strengthen our Nation by 
          strengthening our families in ways that government never can.
          NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United 
          States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by 
          the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby 
          proclaim November 24 through November 30, 2002, as National 
          Family Week. I invite the States, communities, and people of 
          the United States to join together in observing this day with 
          appropriate ceremonies and activities to honor our Nation's 
          families.
          IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-
          second day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand 
          two, and of the Independence of the United States of America 
          the two hundred and twenty-seventh.

GEORGE W. BUSH