Special Observances:
Federal Register: September 22, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 183)
Presidential Documents
Page 57835-57838
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
DOCID:fr22se10-129
Page 57835
Part II
The President
Proclamation 8562--Constitution Day and Citizenship Day, Constitution
Week, 2010
Proclamation 8563--National POW/MIA Recognition Day, 2010
Presidential Documents
Title 3--
The President
Page 57837
Proclamation 8562 of September 16, 2010
Constitution Day and Citizenship Day,
Constitution Week, 2010
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
The summer of 1787 was a watershed moment in our
Nation's history. In the span of four short months, delegates to the Constitutional Convention in
Philadelphia established a Constitution for the United
States of America, signing the finished charter on
September 17, 1787. With their signatures, and subsequent ratification of the Constitution by the
States, the Framers advanced our national journey.
On Constitution Day and Citizenship Day, and during
Constitution Week, we commemorate the legacy passed down to us from our Nation's Founders. Our
Constitution, with the Bill of Rights and amendments, has stood the test of time, steering our country through times of prosperity and peace, and guiding us through the depths of internal conflict and war.
Because of the wisdom of those who have shaped our
Nation's founding documents, and the sacrifices of those who have defended America for over two centuries, we enjoy unprecedented freedoms and opportunities. As beneficiaries, we have a solemn duty to participate in our vibrant democracy so that it remains strong and responsive to the needs of our people.
Each year, thousands of candidates for citizenship commemorate Constitution Day and Citizenship Day by becoming new American citizens. These individuals breathe life into our Constitution by learning about its significance and the rights it enshrines, and then by taking a solemn oath to ``support and defend the
Constitution and laws of the United States of
America.'' In so doing, they voluntarily accept that citizenship is not merely a collection of rights, but also a set of responsibilities. Just as our Founders sought to secure the ``Blessings of Liberty'' for themselves and their posterity, these new Americans have come to our shores to embrace and impart the fundamental beliefs that define us as a Nation.
In the United States, our Constitution is not simply words written on aging parchment, but a foundation of government, a protector of liberties, and a guarantee that we are all free to shape our own destiny. As we celebrate this document's profound impact on our everyday lives, may all Americans strive to uphold its vision of freedom and justice for all.
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, 2010, as Constitution Day and Citizenship Day, and
September 17 through September 23, 2010, as
Constitution Week. I encourage Federal, State, and local officials, as well
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as leaders of civic, social, and educational organizations, to conduct ceremonies and programs that recognize our Constitution and reaffirm our rights and obligations as citizens of 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 ten, and of the Independence of the United
States of America the two hundred and thirty-fifth.
(Presidential Sig.)
FR Doc. 2010-23898
Filed 9-21-10; 11:15 am
Billing code 3195-W0-P
