For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
August 28, 2003
Family Day, 2003
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
Children thrive in loving families where they are taught, nurtured,
and comforted. By spending time with our children and stressing the
importance of making the right choices, parents and other family
members help them develop into confident, successful individuals.
Families can help secure a healthy tomorrow for their children by
providing guidance, staying involved, and serving as role models. I am
committed to supporting strong families and strong marriages to help
ensure that every child grows up in a safe, loving family. Statistics
show that children from two-parent families are less likely to end up
in poverty, drop out of school, become addicted to drugs, have a child
out of wedlock, suffer abuse, or become a violent criminal. Because
stable families should be the central goal of American welfare policy,
I have proposed spending up to $300 million a year to find the most
effective programs to strengthen marriage.
Parents play a critical role in discouraging harmful behavior such
as experimenting with alcohol, drugs, and tobacco. Research shows that
teens often listen to their parents when it comes to decisions about
harmful substances and risky behaviors. Regular family activities
provide opportunities for parents to communicate important messages and
enhance their relationships with their children. Recent studies from
the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia
University found that teens from families who eat dinner together were
less likely to use illegal drugs, alcohol, and cigarettes, while
teenagers who rarely eat dinner with their parents were more likely to
engage in these unhealthy activities.
Families and all Americans can act together to educate our youth
about the dangers of drugs and alcohol and help them grow into healthy,
responsible, compassionate citizens. In order to ensure a brighter
future for our Nation, and safe, healthy, and happy lives for our
children, our children must learn that avoiding harmful substances is
an ongoing responsibility. As we work to educate our next generation
about making healthy choices, we renew our commitment to the American
family.
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, do hereby proclaim September 22, 2003,
as Family Day. I call upon the people of the United States to observe
this day by engaging in activities to strengthen the relationships
between parents and children and help fight against substance abuse and
risky behaviors.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-eighth
day of August, in the year of our Lord two thousand three, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and
twenty-eighth.
GEORGE W. BUSH
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