123STA T . 3 67 3 PROCL A M AT I O N8 3 9 7 —JU L Y 23 , 2 0 09 TheCongr e s s ,byJ o i n tR eso lu tion, ap pro v e d July 17 ,1 95 9 ( 7 3S tat .2 12 ) , has authori z ed and re q uested the P resident to issue a pro c la m a - tion designating the third w ee k o f July of each year as ‘ ‘Captive N a- tions W eek. ’ ’ N O W,T HE RE F ORE, I , BA RAC K OBA M A, President of the U nited States of America, do hereby proclaim July 19 through July 25, 2 0 09, as Captive Nations Week. I call upon the people of the United States to reaffirm our commitment to all those seeking dignity, freedom, and j ustice. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this seventeenth day of July, in the year of our L ord two thousand nine, and of the Inde- pendence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty- fourth. BARACK OBAMA Proclam a ti o n8397 o fJu l y2 3 , 2 0 09 35thAn n iversa r yof the L e g a lS ervi c es C or p oration ,20 0 9BythePr e sid e n t of the U nited S t a tes of Am eri c a A Proc l amation Every day the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) breathes life into the timeless ideal, ‘‘equal justice under law.’’ It reaches those who cannot afford the assistance they need and those who would otherwise go without vital representation. Today we recognize the 35 years during which the LSC has moved our Nation and our legal system towards greater equality. The LSC brings legal counsel to every corner of the Nation. As the larg- est provider of civil legal aid to the poor, it supports programs that touch families in every State. Persons of all ethnic and racial back- grounds know its great work, and women, who represent 75 percent of LSC-supported clients, especially benefit from its e x pertise. The Legal Services Corporation’s work helps improve lives. It allows more people to access the public benefits they deserve, more domestic violence victims to secure the protections they desperately need, and more workers to receive the compensation they have been promised and earned. D uring an economic crisis, the work of the LSC is especially important. When families face foreclosure, eviction, or bankruptcy, or when com- munities are targeted by predatory lenders, they need the help of legal professionals. These scenarios are far too common today. Fortunately, the LSC stands ready to meet these demands. Because economically vulnerable communities continue to face an unmet need for legal services, my Administration has supported in- creased funding for the LSC. I have also recommended lifting several unnecessary restrictions on funding so that more people can receive as- sistance. These changes are critical to the organization’s mission and work.
