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October 31, 2007
Throughout our
history, America has been
protected by patriots who
cherished liberty and made great
sacrifices to advance the cause
of freedom. The brave members of
the United States Armed Forces
have answered the call to serve
our Nation, ready to give all
for their country. On Veterans
Day, we honor these
extraordinary Americans for
their service and sacrifice, and
we pay tribute to the legacy of
freedom and peace that they have
given our great Nation.
In times of war and of peace,
our men and women in uniform
stepped forward to defend their
fellow citizens and the country
they love. They shouldered great
responsibility and lived up to
the highest standards of duty
and honor. Our veterans held
fast against determined and
ruthless enemies and helped save
the world from tyranny and
terror. They ensured that
America remained what our
founders meant her to be: a
light to the nations, spreading
the good news of human freedom
to the darkest corners of the
earth.
Like the heroes before them,
today a new generation of men
and women are fighting for
freedom around the globe. Their
determination, courage, and
sacrifice are laying the
foundation for a more secure and
peaceful world. |
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Veterans Day is
dedicated to the extraordinary
Americans who protected our
freedom in years past, and to
those who protect it today. They
represent the very best of our
Nation. Every Soldier, Sailor,
Airman, Marine, and Coast
Guardsman has earned the lasting
gratitude of the American
people, and their service and
sacrifice will be remembered
forever. In the words of Abraham
Lincoln: " . . . let us strive
on to finish the work we are in,
to bind up the Nation's wounds,
to care for him who shall have
borne the battle . . . ." On
this Veterans Day, I ask all
Americans to express their
appreciation to our Nation's
veterans.
With respect for and in
recognition of the contributions
our service men and women have
made to the cause of peace and
freedom around the world, the
Congress has provided (5 U.S.C.
6103(a)) that November 11 of
each year shall be set aside as
a legal public holiday to honor
our Nation's veterans.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W.
BUSH, President of the United
States of America, do hereby
proclaim November 11, 2007, as
Veterans Day and urge all
Americans to observe November 11
through November 17, 2007, as
National Veterans Awareness
Week. I encourage all Americans
to recognize the valor and
sacrifice of our veterans
through ceremonies and prayers.
I call upon Federal, State, and
local officials to display the
flag of the United States and to
support and participate in
patriotic activities in their
communities. I invite civic and
fraternal organizations, places
of worship, schools, businesses,
unions, and the media to support
this national observance with
commemorative expressions and
programs.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have
hereunto set my hand this
thirty-first day of October, in
the year of our Lord two
thousand seven, and of the
Independence of the United
States of America the two
hundred and thirty-second.
GEORGE W. BUSH |
