Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 115 Part 3.djvu/552

 115 STAT. 2626 PROCLAMATION 7430—APR. 27, 2001 respect for their dedication. Ministers and other mentors also give of themselves by introducing children to the vast opportunities that our Nation holds. By spending time with a child, Americans invest in the future of our country. Loyalty Day recognizes the solemn bond between America and its citizens. It provides an opportunity to recognize those who demonstrate their loyalty every day and challenges all of us to find more ways to contribute to the greater good of our country. The Congress, by Public Law 85-529, has designated May 1 of each year, as "Loyalty Day," and I encourage all Americans to join me this day in reaffirming our allegiance to our blessed Nation. 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 of America, do hereby proclaim May 1, 2001, as Loyalty Day. I call upon all the people of the United States in support of this national observance. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-fifth day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand one, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-fifth. GEORGE W. BUSH Proclamation 7430 of April 27, 2001 National Day of Prayer, 2001 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Turning to prayer in times of joy and celebration, strife and tragedy is an integral part of our national heritage. When the first settlers landed on the rocky shores of the New World, they celebrated with prayer, and the practice has continued through our history. In 1775, the Continental Congress asked the citizens of the colonies to pray for wisdom in forming a Nation. General George Washington, encamped at Valley Forge, also sought God's guidance as Americans fought for their independence. The faith of our Founding Fathers established the precedent that prayers and national days of prayer are an honored part of our American way of life. Continuing in that tradition, many of the men and women who have served at the highest levels of our Nation also have turned to prayer seeking wisdom from the Almighty. President Lincoln, who proclaimed a day of "humiliation, fasting, and prayer" in 1863, once stated: "I have been driven many times to my loiees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. My own wisdom, and that of all about me, seemed insufficient for the day." Today, millions of Americans continue to hold dear that conviction President Lincoln so eloquently expressed. Gathering in churches, synagogues, mosques, temples, and homes, we ask for strength, direction, and compassion for our neighbors and ourselves.

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