In the four decades since those landmark laws were enacted, we have seen great progress in conditions for working Americans. Federal agencies are helping reduce workplace injury rates and control exposure to deadly hazards by using research on injury and illness causation, implementing common sense standards, and promoting cooperative programs. The Department of Labor is continuing to enforce and improve our workplace safety regulations and is partnering with the Department of Justice to make sure the full force of the law is brought to bear in cases where workers are put in harm's way. Many of our Nation's employers have embraced exemplary worker injury and illness prevention programs—efforts that exceed Federal safety and health standards. Together, these improvements have fostered innovation, increased productivity, and bolstered competitiveness while saving countless lives in the process.
On Workers Memorial Day, we reflect on the vital achievements of the past and recommit to keeping all workers safe and healthy in the future. We owe nothing less to the countless working Americans who have built and shaped our Nation, and to those who have lost their lives or been injured on the job.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim April 28, 2011, as Workers Memorial Day. I call upon all Americans to participate in ceremonies and activities in memory of those killed or injured due to unsafe working conditions.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-seventh day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand eleven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fifth.
Proclamation 8659 of April 29, 2011
Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, 2011
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
This month, our Nation celebrates the contributions and accomplishments of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI). Our AAPI communities have roots that span the globe, but their stories of striving and success are uniquely American. As we celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we recognize the entrepreneurship and fortitude of individuals who have helped build our country and shape the American dream for centuries.
Generations of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have helped develop and defend the United States, often in the face of tremendous racial and cultural prejudice. Despite these difficulties, AAPI men and women struggled, sacrificed, and persevered to build a better life for their children and all Americans.
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