Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 118.djvu/4129

 118 STAT. 4099 PROCLAMATION 7753—JAN. 16, 2004 Proclamation 7752 of January 15, 2004 National Sanctity of Human Life Day, 2004 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation As Americans, we are led by the power of our conscience and the his- tory of our country to defend and promote the dignity and rights of all people. Each person, however frail or defenseless, has a place and a purpose in this world. On National Sanctity of Human Life Day, we celebrate the gift of life and our commitment to building a society of compassion and humanity. Today, the principles of human dignity enshrined in the Declaration of Independence—that all persons are created equal and possess the unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness—con- tinue to guide us. In November, I signed into law the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003, reaffirming our commitment to protecting innocent life and to a basic standard of humanity—the duty of the strong to defend the weak. My Administration encourages adoption and supports abstinence education, crisis pregnancy programs, parental notification laws, and other measures to help us continue to build a culture of life. By working together, we will provide hope to the weak- est among us and achieve a more compassionate and merciful world. NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Con- stitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim Sunday, January 18, 2004, as National Sanctity of Human Life Day. I call upon all Americans to recognize this day with appropriate ceremonies in our homes and places of worship and to reaffirm our commitment to re- specting the life and dignity of every human being. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fifteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord two thousand four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-eighth. GEORGE W. BUSH Proclamation 7753 of January 16, 2004 Religious Freedom Day, 2004 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation America is a land of many faiths, and the right to religious freedom is a foundation of our Nation. On Religious Freedom Day, Americans acknowledge the centrality of their faith and reaffirm that the great strength of our country is the heart and soul of our citizens. Religious Freedom Day celebrates the passage of the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom on January 16, 1786. Thomas Jefferson, drafter of the legislation, considered it one of his three greatest accomplish- ments, along with writing the Declaration of Independence and found- VerDate 11-MAY-2000 15:04 Nov 10, 2005 Jkt 029194 PO 00000 Frm 00065 Fmt 8087 Sfmt 8087 C:\STATUTES\2004\29194PT4.004 APPS10 PsN: 29194PT4

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