For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
October 4, 2004
Child Health Day, 2004
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
Parents play a vital role in keeping their children healthy, and
when it comes to helping children make right choices, there is work for
all Americans to do. Parents, teachers, faith-based and community
groups, and government leaders are working together to counter the
negative influences in today's culture, highlight the benefits of
healthy lifestyles, and educate children about the consequences of
their actions.
By promoting good nutrition and regular physical activity, parents
help their children perform better in the classroom and live healthy
lives. To encourage healthy families, my Administration is helping
young people learn the simple steps to live better through the
HealthierUS Initiative and the President's Challenge awards program.
These programs encourage young people to eat a nutritious diet rich in
fruits and vegetables and to set aside time every day for physical
activity, such as playing sports, biking, or even helping with yard
work at home. Encouraging healthy habits early in life helps give
children a head start and gives them the best chance of reaching their
potential.
Our youth are challenged with tough choices. We must continue to
promote responsibility among our Nation's young people by providing
them with the knowledge they need to make the right decisions
concerning drug and alcohol use. My Administration supports education
programs that address these issues. Through the National Youth
Anti-Drug Media Campaign and Drug-Free Communities Program, we are
working to ensure that young people understand the serious risks and
consequences of substance abuse. And in order to help kids who need
help, my Administration supports random drug testing as a prevention
tool. We have also increased support for abstinence-only education
programs, including grants for community and faith-based organizations,
because abstinence is the only sure way to prevent teenage pregnancy
and sexually transmitted diseases.
We all have an important role in giving America's children a
healthy start in life by teaching them that the decisions they make
today will affect them for the rest of their lives. By helping them
make the right choices, we better prepare them for a hopeful future.
The Congress, by a joint resolution approved May 18, 1928, as
amended (36 U.S.C. 105), has called for the designation of the first
Monday in October as "Child Health Day" and has requested the President
to issue a proclamation in observance of this day.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States
of America, do hereby proclaim Monday, October 4, 2004, as Child Health
Day. I call upon families, schools, child health professionals,
faith-based and community organizations, and governments to help all
our children discover the rewards of good health and wellness.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fourth day of
October, in the year of our Lord two thousand four, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and
twenty-ninth.
GEORGE W. BUSH
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