Proclamations Proc. 7864 birth abortion, and I signed the t]orn-Alive Infants Protection Act. Working with the Congress, my Administration has halted spending of taxpayers' money on international programs that promote abortions overseas. We con- tinue to promote abstinence education, adoption programs, crisis preg- nancy programs, and other efforts to help protect life. My Administration remains committed to the steadfast belief in the dignity of every human being and the promise of every life. Across our country, we must continue to encourage our citizens to make ours a more iust and welcoming society in which every child is born into a loving family and protected by law. We will work with decency and respect to change hearts and minds, one person at a time. In doing so, we will build a lasting cul- ture of life and a more compassionate society. NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, 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 Sunday, }anuary 16, 2005, as National Sanctity of Human Life Day. I call upon all Americans to recog- nize this day with appropriate ceremonies in our homes and places of wor- ship and to reaffirm our commitment to respecting the life and dignity of every human being. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fourteenth day of }anuary, in the year of our Lord two thousand five, and of the Independ- ence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-ninth. GEORGE W. BUSH Proclamation 7864 of January 14, 2005 Religious Freedom Day, 2005 By the President of the United States of Arnerica A Proclamation George Washington wrote, "The liberty enjoyed by the people of these States, of worshipping Almighty God agreeably to their consciences, is not only among the choicest of their blessings, but also of their rights." On Re- ligious Freedom Day, Americans commemorate the passage of the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom in 1786, which helped set the course for free- dom of religion to be included in the First Amendment to our Constitution. Our Founding Fathers knew the importance of freedom of religion to a sta- ble and lasting Union. Our Constitution protects individuals' rights to wor- ship as they choose. Today, we continue to welcome the important con- tributions of people of faith in our society. We reject religious bigotry in every form, striving for a society that honors the life and faith of every per- son. As we maintain the vitality of a pluralistic society, we work to ensure equal treatment of faith-based organizations and people of faith. As the United States advances the cause of liberty, we remember that free- dom is not America's gift to the world, but God's gift to each man and woman in this world. This truth drives our efforts to help people every- where achieve freedom of religion and establish a better, brighter, and more peaceful future for all. 5
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