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 Proclamations Proc. 7306 Each year we set aside this special day to acknowledge all that our moth- ers--whether biological or foster, adoptive or stepmothers--have given us. It is a time to reflect on all we have gained from their unwavering care, guidance, and sacrifice, and a time to express openly our deep gratitude and abiding love. The Congress, by a joint resolution approved May 8, 1914 (38 Star. 770), has designated the second Sunday in May of each year as "Mother's Day" and requested the President to call for its appropriate ob- servance. NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim May 14, 2000, as Mother's Day. Whether we are able to share this special day with our mothers in person or are blessed only with our memories of their love, in our hearts they re- main with us always. I urge all Americans to express their love and respect for their mothers on this day, to speak the words of appreciation we too often neglect to say, and to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies, activities, and programs. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this tenth day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-fourth. WILLIAM J. CLINTON Proclamation 7306 of May 11, 2000 National Equal Pay Day, 2000 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Long before President Kennedy signed into law the Equal Pay Act of 1963, women had proved their ability to contribute to America's labor market. During World War II, when labor shortages offered women an unprece- dented opportunity to work outside the home, women excelled at jobs tra- ditionally reserved for men. Yet, despite their enormous contribution to maintaining American production lines, women in the workforce were paid less than their male counterparts. For most of our Nation's history, in fact, women have served within a sharply segregated workforce, enjoying fewer educational and training op- portunities than men and struggling all too often to disprove confining stereotypes about their roles and capabilities. But throughout the decades, women of courage, energy, and determination have continued to enter the workforce and open doors of opportunity for succeeding generations. Today, more women are in the labor force than ever before; the female un- employment rate is at its lowest in more than 40 years; the poverty rate for households headed by women is the lowest ever recorded; and the pay gap has narrowed substantially since 1963. Despite these gains, the battle for equal pay for women is far from over. Although 37 years have passed since the passage of the Equal Pay Act, the average woman today must still work an additional 17 weeks a year to earn what the average man earns. That pay gap grows wider as women grow 77

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