Presidential Document2023-24246
National First Responders Day, 2023
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
November 1, 2023
Signed
October 27, 2023
Issuing agencies
Executive Office of the President
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 210 (Wednesday, November 1, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 210 (Wednesday, November 1, 2023)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 74877-74878]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-24246]
Presidential Documents
Federal Register / Vol. 88 , No. 210 / Wednesday, November 1, 2023 /
Presidential Documents
___________________________________________________________________
Title 3--
The President
[[Page 74877]]
Proclamation 10659 of October 27, 2023
National First Responders Day, 2023
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
Every day, Americans across the country witness the
absolute courage and selfless sacrifice of our first
responders. Whether they are police officers and
sheriff's deputies protecting our communities;
firefighters running into burning buildings; or
emergency medical technicians, paramedics, 911
dispatchers, 988 crisis responders, and other public
health workers providing emergency care, these heroes
are always there for us when we need them. On National
First Responders Day, we honor and celebrate these
extraordinarily brave women and men who put themselves
in harm's way to keep our Nation safe.
Today we ask more of our first responders than ever
before. Law enforcement officers who serve and defend
communities across America are constantly confronted
with dangerous threats. Firefighters face growing
challenges as climate change makes deadly fires more
frequent and ferocious. Relief workers are responding
to public emergencies that have no precedent. Emergency
medical service providers are working longer hours
since the pandemic while taking on new roles and risks.
Yet every day, our first responders answer the call
while seldom seeking recognition in return,
irrespective of the personal toll.
My Administration is committed to supporting and
protecting our Nation's first responders. That is why I
signed the American Rescue Plan, which provides States,
cities, and Tribes with billions of dollars to retain
and hire more law enforcement officers, firefighters,
and emergency health providers; pay overtime and
bonuses; and keep communities safe. Last year I was
proud to sign into law the most sweeping gun safety
bill in nearly 30 years to ensure our officers are not
out-gunned on the streets. We are also strengthening
background checks for gun purchasers, cracking down on
illegal gun sales, and reining in ghost guns that are
frequently used in violent crimes. In 2021, I signed
into law the Protecting America's First Responders Act,
expanding death, disability, and education benefits for
first responders killed or permanently disabled in the
line of duty as well as their families.
In addition, I secured $600 million in my Bipartisan
Infrastructure Law package to boost Federal firefighter
pay and increased the minimum wage to $15 an hour--a
critical first step in giving these heroes the pay,
respect, and dignity they deserve. Meanwhile, we are
supporting crisis response efforts through my Investing
in America agenda, which includes funding to improve
community resilience to natural disasters. My
Administration also launched the National Firefighter
Registry for Cancer, the largest effort ever undertaken
to understand and reduce the risk of cancer among
firefighters. I was proud to sign the Federal
Firefighters Fairness Act of 2022 to provide access to
job-related disability benefits to firefighters
diagnosed with certain kinds of cancer or lung disease
as well as legislation funding research on mitigating
the risks firefighters face from toxic PFAS--so-called
``forever chemicals''--while ensuring the Department of
Defense will no longer purchase gear that contains PFAS
as soon as an alternative is available.
[[Page 74878]]
Today and every day, we thank our first responders for
their immeasurable service and recommit to giving them
the tools they need to succeed. We remember the
patriots who lost their lives running toward danger to
protect others. We honor the families of the first
responders who continue to sacrifice so their loved
ones can serve the rest of us and keep our communities
safe. These heroes possess a rare commitment to their
fellow Americans. They represent the best of who we
are, and they are a big reason why I have never been
more optimistic about our country's future.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., 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 October 28,
2023, as National First Responders Day. I call upon all
the people of the United States to observe this day
with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities
to honor our brave first responders and to pay tribute
to those who have lost their lives in the line of duty.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
twenty-seventh day of October, in the year of our Lord
two thousand twenty-three, and of the Independence of
the United States of America the two hundred and forty-
eighth.
<GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT>
(Presidential Sig.)
[FR Doc. 2023-24246
Filed 10-31-23; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3395-F4-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on November 1, 2023.
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