Proclamation 6321

by George Herbert Walker Bush

By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation

Many a poet and philosopher has reverently described it as "the autumn of life," or the rich twilight that eventually follows the glorious day of youth. Today, however, millions of American seniors are changing the way we view old age. Far from fading into the sunset, these men and women are serving as brilliant points of light in their communities. They are serving others through a host of volunteer programs and personal acts of kindness; they are sharing their ample knowledge and experience in the workplace; and they are quietly enriching their families with a wealth of love and wisdom. Across the United States, older Americans are proving that the senior years—like any other season in life—hold great opportunities and rewards of their own.

Today an estimated 42 million Americans are aged 60 and older, and their numbers are growing steadily. The United States Department of Health and Human Services reports that America now has the second largest population of older people in the world. On this occasion, as we gratefully salute our Nation's senior citizens—the majority of whom are healthy and active—we also recognize those older Americans who need special assistance.

Through the United States Administration on Aging, and through the vast network of State and regional agencies on aging, our Nation is working to provide senior citizens with the opportunities and services that they need and deserve. Many of our efforts are designed to assist elderly Americans who do not have a family member to help care for them. We are also working to provide support to older Americans who serve as primary caregivers for an ill or disabled spouse, parent, or other elderly relative. These efforts underscore our respect for older Americans and our determination to ensure that they are able to live with dignity, comfort, and security.

In honor of those who have given so much to succeeding generations, the Congress, by House Joint Resolution 181, has designated August 18, 1991, as "National Senior Citizens Day" and has authorized and requested the President to issue a proclamation in observance of this day.

Now, Therefore, I, George Bush, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim August 18, 1991, as National Senior Citizens Day. I call on all Americans to observe this day with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities in honor of our Nation's senior citizens.

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this twelfth day of August, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety-one, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and sixteenth.

George Bush

[Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 4:06 p.m., August 13, 1991]