[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 120 (Thursday, June 23, 1994)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Page 62643]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-15499]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: June 23, 1994]


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Part VI





The President





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Proclamation 6703--
50th Anniversary of the GI Bill of Rights

Executive Order 12922--Blocking Property of Certain Haitian Nationals


                        Presidential Documents 


Federal Register
Vol. 59, No. 120
Thursday, June 23, 1994

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Title 3--
The President
                Proclamation 6703 of June 21, 1994

 
50th Anniversary of the GI Bill of Rights

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                Fifty years ago, on June 22, 1944, President Franklin 
                D. Roosevelt signed into law The Servicemen's 
                Readjustment Act of 1944--``The GI Bill of Rights''--
                described by many historians as America's greatest 
                single piece of social legislation from that time 
                period. President Roosevelt said that the passage of 
                the GI Bill gave ``emphatic notice to the men and women 
                of our Armed Forces that the American people do not 
                intend to let them down.''

                That promise to meet the needs of a highly trained and 
                motivated military was well kept by the original GI 
                Bill and has been renewed and revised with each 
                succeeding generation of veterans. Today, those 
                guarantees of assistance--from education to home 
                purchase, from job training to medical treatment--are 
                part of every veteran's expectations. They extend 
                beyond active duty service personnel, to include 
                reservists and surviving spouses, as well.

                The GI Bill has made life better for all Americans. As 
                it eased the transition of millions of World War II 
                veterans into civilian life, it paved the way for an 
                unparalleled period of U.S. economic growth and 
                development, while reaffirming the vital importance of 
                our Nation's Armed Forces.

                GI Bill home loan provisions underwrote the largest 
                housing boom in our country's history. Now, most 
                Americans may reasonably look forward to owning their 
                own homes at some time during their lives.

                GI Bill educational benefits spurred nearly 8 million 
                World War II veterans on to higher education. It 
                transformed the Nation's education infrastructure and 
                made college education and technical training realistic 
                options after high school for those who may otherwise 
                not have been able to afford these advantages.

                This half-century investment of more than $65 billion 
                has been repaid to the American taxpayer time and time 
                again. The Nation has been enhanced by the increased 
                earning power and expanded economic activity directly 
                attributable to the GI Bill. It is gratifying to note 
                that our veterans have utilized these benefits to the 
                fullest extent. Their energy, initiative, and ability 
                have allowed them to make the most of this enduring 
                promise. As they gave their best to the Nation while 
                they were in uniform, they also gave us their best as 
                civilians with the help of the GI Bill.

                It is to them and to the pioneers who created and 
                crafted the original GI Bill legislation during the 
                dark days of World War II, that we as a Nation owe our 
                heartfelt gratitude this day. This measure opened the 
                door to the American dream of opportunity for 
                advancement to an entire generation of young Americans.

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, 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 June 22, 1994, as ``GI Bill 
                of Rights Day'' celebrating the 50th anniversary of 
                enactment of the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944 
                and the subsequent legislation that has extended its 
                promise. I encourage all Americans, as well as civic, 
                veterans, educational, business, and news media 
                organizations, to join me in honoring this true 
                American success story and those veterans and 
                visionaries who made it possible.

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                twenty-first day of June, in the year of our Lord 
                nineteen hundred and ninety-four, and of the 
                Independence of the United States of America the two 
                hundred and eighteenth.

                    (Presidential Sig.)>

[FR Doc. 94-15499
Filed 6-22-94; 11:32 am]
Billing code 3195-01-P