Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 93.djvu/1560

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PUBLIC LAW 96-000—MMMM. DD, 1979

93 STAT. 1528

PROCLAMATION 4674—AUG. 20, 1979

As we pay tribute to General Pulaski and his sacrifices for freedom, both here and in his native land, we also honor the contributions made by generations of Americans of Polish descent to the greatness of our Nation. NOW, THEREFORE, I, JIMMY CARTER, President of the United States of America, do hereby designate Thursday, October 11, 1979, as General Pulaski's Memorial Day, and I direct the appropriate government officials to display the flag of the United States on all government buildings on that day. I also invite the people of the United States to honor the memory of General Pulaski by holding appropriate exercises and ceremonies in suitable places throughout our land. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this sixteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred seventy-nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and fourth. JIMMY CARTER

Proclamation 4674 of August 20, 1979

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W o m e n ' s Equality D a y, 1979

By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation u s e prec. title 1.

On August 26, 1920, fifty-nine years ago, the 19th Amendment became a part of the United States Constitution, guaranteeing women the right to vote. As we celebrate the anniversary of that victory for all Americans, we applaud the courage of the women and men who struggled for generations to achieve it. But the 19th Amendment was only one step on the long journey toward full equality for women. Through persistent and dedicated effort, women have made great strides toward achieving that equality in recent years. But the need for the Equal Rights Amendment is still compelling. Today, I reiterate my continued commitment to make the ERA a part of our Constitution. The ERA does not legislate that men and women are the same. It simply says that the law cannot penalize women because they are female. Nor does the ERA impose new, unwanted roles on women. Rather, it safeguards their opportunity to develop their full potential in the directions they choose. As women are freed from arbitrary barriers and stereotypes, men are liberated as well. When passed, the ERA will provide a single, clear, comprehensive standard against which discrimination can be measured. Legal equality for women must be made a part of the Constitution. The ERA is not a recent idea. It was first introduced in Congress in 1923. After lengthy and careful debate, Congress submitted it to the States for ratification on March 22, 1972. Now all but three of the necessary thirtyeight states have ratified it. The deadline is June 30, 1982.