Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 123.djvu/3635

 123STA T . 3 6 1 5PROCL A M AT I O N8 3 49—FEB .2 7, 2 0 09 profes s i o nal.Byb ein g proa ct i v ean d see k ing o u t infor m ation ,A meri - cans can do t h eir part to prevent or reduce vision loss. T o remind Americans about the importance of safeguarding their eye- sight, the C ongress, by j oint resolution approved D ecember 30, 196 3, as amended (7 7 S tat. 6 2 9 36 U .S.C. 13 8) , has authori z ed and re q uested the P resident to proclaim the first w eek in M arch of each year as ‘ ‘Save Y our V ision W eek. ’ ’ NO W,T HER E F ORE, I , BARAC K OBAMA, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim March 1 through March 7, 2009, as Save Your Vision Week. During this time, I invite eye care profes- sionals, teachers, members of the media, and all organizations dedi- cated to preserving eyesight to join in activities that will raise aware- ness of vision diseases and disorders. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-sev- enth day of February, in the year of our L ord two thousand nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-third. BARACK OBAMA Proclam a ti o n8349 o fFeb r u ar y27, 2 0 09 ReadAcros sA m er i ca D a y,20 0 9BythePr e sid e n t of the U nited S t a tes of Am eri c a A Proc l amation Read Across America Day provides an opportunity to support efforts toe x cite children about reading and to educate families about the im- portance of literacy. I encourage families and all citizens to celebrate the joy and emphasize the importance of reading. Every American child deserves the opportunity to solve the puzzles of mystery novels, to discover the beauty of poetry, to imagine the fantas- tical worlds of science fiction, and to explore their own world through books about nature and foreign lands. Reading provides unending en- joyment and helps unlock a child’s creative potential. We must make literacy the birthright of every American. Every child also deserves the tools they will need for success. Students must read well to meet high standards in the classroom. Understanding science, mathematics, and the arts requires the ability to read pro- ficiently. Beyond the schoolyard, our youth must be prepared to meet the demands of the global economy. New technologies and steep com- petition abroad require our Nation to focus on children’s reading skills as a building block for future personal achievements. Families must play an active role in this effort. On Read Across Amer- ica Day, parents are encouraged to read to their children for at least 30 minutes. I also encourage parents to recognize the critical impor- tance of literacy for their children’s future and to develop habits at home that encourage reading, such as reading to their children every night or providing incentives for them to read on their own.