Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 112 Part 5.djvu/992

 112 STAT. 3750 PROCLAMATION 7092—MAY 4, 1998 The Congress, by Public Law 85-529, has designated May 1 of each year as "Loyalty Day" to remind us of the many blessings we enjoy as citizens of this great land. NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim May 1, 1998, as Loyalty Day. I urge all Americans to recognize the heritage of American freedom, to honor the memory of those who have served and sacrificed in defense of that freedom, and to express our loyalty to our Nation through appropriate patriotic programs, ceremonies, and activities. I also call upon Government officials to display the flag of the United States in support of this national observance. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of May, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety-eight, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-second, WILLIAM J. CLINTON Proclamation 7092 of May 4, 1998 Older Americans Month, 1998 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation In just over a decade from now, the first of America's 77 million baby boomers will celebrate their 65th birthdays. Fortunately, visionary programs like Social Security, Medicare, and the Older Americans Act will help to make life easier for them as they reach this milestone. For more than 60 years, Social Security has provided our older citizens with a measure of economic seciuity. For more than 30 years. Medicare has given them access to quality health care and the latest in medical advances. And older Americans in need of greater assistance have been able to look to programs under the Older Americans Act for the critical home and community-based care services that have enabled millions of elderly men and women to live independently. Together, these farsighted measures have played a major role in dramatically reducing the poverty rate and extending the longevity of older Americans, allowing our citizens to grow old with dignity and peace of mind. This year's Older Americans Month celebration centers around the theme "Living Longer; Growing Stronger in America." As we enter a new century and address the challenges of an aging America, we must commit ourselves to the health and welfare of our older Americans and to protecting and strengthening Medicare and Social Security. One of the most important achievements of the Balanced Budget Act that I signed last summer was its unprecedented reform of the Medicare program. This bipartisan effort extends the life of the Medicare Trust Fund for a decade, includes new health plan choices, and adds coverage of preventive benefits. The legislation also established the National Bipartisan Commission on the Futiu-e of Medicare to, among other things, review and analyze the financial condition of Medicare so that it remains as strong for our children as it has been for om* parents.

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