98-45 C
CRS Report for Congress
Received through the CRS Web
Commemorative Observances 1997 and 1998:
A Chronological List
August 13, 1998
Glenda Richardson
Information Research Specialist
Congressional Reference Division
Congressional Research Service ˜ The Library of Congress

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ABSTRACT
It has become standard practice for commemorative observances to be designated by a
proclamation issued by the President. This report, which will be updated periodically
through the year, is a chronological list of these proclamations for 1997 and 1998.

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Commemorative Observances 1997 and 1998:
A Chronological List
Summary
Historically, national commemorative observances were recommended by
Congress through the legislative process. This practice was discontinued by the
House of Representatives in January 1995, although the Senate continues to issue
sense of the Senate resolutions recommending the establishment of commemoratives.
It has now become standard practice for special observances to be designated by a
proclamation issued by the President. This report is a chronological list of these
proclamations for 1997 and 1998, indicating the proclamation number and its
Federal Register citation.

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Contents
1997 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
January . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
February . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
March . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
April . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
May . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
June . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
July . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
August . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
September . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
October . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
November . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
December . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
1998 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
January . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
February . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
March . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
April . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
May . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
June . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
July . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
August . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
September . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
October . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
November . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
December . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

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Commemorative Observances 1997 and 1998:
A Chronological List
Historically, national commemorative observances were recommended by
Congress through the legislative process. This practice was discontinued by the
House of Representatives in January 1995, although the Senate continues to issue
sense of the Senate resolutions recommending the establishment of commemoratives.
The President has always had the authority to declare by proclamation any
commemorative event or national observance. It has now become standard practice
for special observances to be designated by a proclamation issued by the President.
Generally these observances are limited to a one-time celebration only, on a
particular day, week, or month of a particular year. The following is a chronological
list of these proclamations for 1997 and 1998, indicating the proclamation number
and its Federal Register (FR) citation.
Except for the perpetual commemoratives indicated in italics below, with their
citations to the U.S. Code (USC), these proclamations (Proc.) must be reissued each
year. Most are issued shortly before the observance of the event. For this reason we
are unable to provide a complete advance calendar indicating these days. We are
providing the 1997 list as an indication of those observances that might be designated
in 1998.
1997
January
16—Religious Freedom Day
Proc. 6966, 62 FR 3191
20—National Day of Hope and Renewal
Proc. 6968, 62 FR 3443
February
African American History Month
Proc. 6970, 62 FR 5287
American Heart Month—February each year
36 USC 169b; Proc. 6971, 62 FR 5291
9-15—National Child Passenger Safety Week
Proc. 6972, 62 FR 6443
March
American Red Cross Month
Proc. 6973, 62 FR 9065
Irish-American Heritage Month
Proc. 6974, 62 FR 9677
Women’s History Month
Proc. 6975, 62 FR 9905

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CRS-2
2-8—Save Your Vision Week—First week of March each year
36 USC 169a; Proc. 6976, 62 FR 9907
7—National Older Workers Employment Week
Proc. 6978, 62 FR 11069
16-22—National Poison Prevention Week—Third week of March each year
36 USC 165; Proc. 6977, 62 FR 11067
25—Greek Independence Day
Proc. 6979, FR 14771
April
Cancer Control Month—April each year 36 USC 150; Proc. 6980, 62 FR 16033
National Child Abuse Prevention Month
Proc. 6981, 62 FR 16035
9—National Former Prisoner of
War Recognition Day
Proc. 6983, 62 FR 17861
10—National D.A.R.E.
(Drug Abuse Resistance Education) Day
Proc. 6984, 62 FR 18015
11—National Pay Inequity Awareness Day
Proc. 6985, 62 FR 18497
13-19—National Crime Victims Week
Proc. 6989, 62 FR 19021
13-19—National Service and Volunteer Week
Proc. 6986, 62 FR 18501
13-19—Pan American Week
Proc. 6987, 62 FR 18503
14—Pan-American Day
Proc. 6987, 62 FR 18503
18—Education and Sharing Day
Proc. 6990, 62 FR 19471
20-26—National Organ and Tissue
Donor Awareness Week
Proc. 6992, 62 FR 19891
20-26—National Wildlife Week
Proc. 6993, 62 FR 19893
21-27—National Park Week
Proc. 6994, 62 FR 19895
May
Asian/Pacific-American Heritage Month—May each year
36 USC 169k; Proc. 6998, 62 FR 25105
Older Americans Month
Proc. 6996, 62 FR 24555
1—Law Day—May 1 each year
36 USC 164; Proc. 6995, 62 FR 19897
1—Loyalty Day—May 1 each year
36 USC 152; Proc. 6997, 62 FR 24557
1—National Day of Prayer—First Thursday of May each year
36 USC 169h; Proc. 6991, 62 FR 19663

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CRS-3
11—Mother’s Day—Second Sunday in May each year
36 USC 142; Proc. 6999, 62 FR 25421
11-18—Jewish Heritage Week
Proc. 7001, 62 FR 26203
11-17—National Transportation Week—Week in which National Defense
Transportation Day falls each year
36 USC 166; Proc. 7002, 62 FR 26379
11-17—Police Week—Week in which Peace Officer Memorial Day falls each year
36 USC 167; Proc. 7000, 62 FR 26201
15—Peace Officer Memorial Day—May 15 each year
36 USC 167; Proc. 7000, 62 FR 26201
16—National Defense Transportation Day—Third Friday in May each year
36 USC 160; Proc. 7002, 62 FR 26379
17-23—National Safe Boating Week—Seven-day period prior to the Memorial Day
weekend each year
36 USC 161; Proc. 7003, 62 FR 27167
18-24—World Trade Week
Proc. 7004, 62 FR 27927
22—National Maritime Day—May 22 each year
36 USC 145; Proc. 7005, 62 FR 28605
26—Prayer for Peace Memorial Day— Memorial Day each year
36 USC 169g; Proc. 7006, 62 FR 28793
June
1-7—Small Business Week
Proc. 7008, 62 FR 30427
15—Father’s Day—Second Sunday in June each year
36 USC 142a
8-15—National Flag Week—Week in which June 14 occurs each year
36 USC 157a; Proc. 7009, 62 FR 31699
14—Flag Day—June 14 each year
36 USC 157; Proc. 7009, 62 FR 31699
July
20-26—Captive Nations Week—Third week in July each year
Proc. 7012
27—National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day—July 27 each year until the
year 2003
36 USC 169m; Proc. 7014, 62 FR 40723
27—Parents’ Day—Fourth Sunday of July each year
36 USC 142c; Proc. 7015, 62 FR 40725

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CRS-4
August
26—Women’s Equality Day
Proc. 7017, 62 FR 44529
September
National Hispanic Heritage Month—September 15 through October 15 each year
36 USC 159f; Proc. 7020, 62 FR 48931
14-20—50th Anniversary of the
National Security Act of 1957
Proc. 7021, 62 FR 48933
14-20—National Week of Food Recovery
Proc. 7019, 62 FR 48929
17—Citizenship Day—September 17 each year
36 USC 153; Proc. 7022, 62 FR 49121
17-23—Constitution Week—Week beginning September 17 and ending September
23 each year
36 USC 159; Proc. 7022, 62 FR 69121
19—National POW/MIA Recognition Day
Proc. 7023, 62 FR 49123
21-27—Minority Enterprise Development Week
Proc. 7024, 62 FR 50469
21-27—National Farm Safety Week
and Health Week
Proc. 7026, 62 FR 50473
21-27—National Historically Black Colleges
and Universities Week
Proc. 7025, 62 FR 50471
26—Austrian American Day
Proc. 7027, 62 FR 51363
28—Gold Star Mother’s Day—Last Sunday in September each year
36 USC 148; Proc. 7028, 62 FR 51365
October
National Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Proc. 7029, 62 FR 52005
National Disability Employment Awareness Month—October each year
36 USC 155; Proc. 7031, 62 FR 52223
National Domestic Violence Awareness Month
Proc. 7030, 62 FR 52007
5-11—Fire Prevention Week
Proc. 7032, 62 FR 52471
6—Child Health Day—First Monday in October each year
36 USC 143; Proc. 7033, 62 FR 52473
6—German-American Day
Proc. 7034, 62 FR 52645

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CRS-5
9—Leif Erikson Day—October 9 each year
36 USC 169c; Proc. 7035, 62 FR 53525
11—General Pulaski Memorial Day
Proc. 7036, 62 FR 53257
12—National Children’s Day
Proc. 7040, 62 FR 53701
12-18—National School Lunch Week—Week beginning on the second Sunday in
October each year
36 USC 168; Proc. 7038, 62 FR 53695
15—International Rural Women’s Day
Proc. 7041, 62 FR 54355
15—White Cane Safety Day—October 15 each year
36 USC 155; Proc. 7037, 62 FR 53259
19-25—National Character Counts Week
Proc. 7043, 62 FR 54755
19-25—National Forest Products Week—Week beginning on the third Sunday of
October each year
36 USC 163; Proc. 7042, 62 FR 54751
24—United Nations Day
Proc. 7044, 62 FR 55723
25-31—National Consumers Week
Proc. 7045, 62 FR 56047
November
National Adoption Month
Proc. 7048, 62 FR 60153
National American Indian Heritage Month
Proc. 7047, 62 FR 59773
2-8—National Employer Support of the Guard
and Reserve Week
Proc. 7046, 62 FR 59559
6—National Day of Concern About Young People
and Gun Violence
Proc. 7049, 62 FR 60637
20—National Great American Smokeout Day
Proc. 7051, 62 FR 62679
21-27— National Farm-City Week
Proc. 7053, 62 FR 62939
23-29—National Family Caregivers Week
Proc. 7055, 62 FR 62943
23-29—National Family Week
Proc. 7054, 62 FR 62941
December
National Drunk and Drugged Driving
Prevention Month
Proc. 7057, 62 FR 64131
1—World AIDS Day
Proc. 7056, 62 FR 64127
7—National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day—December 7 each year
36 USC 169l; Proc. 7058, 62 FR 65003

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CRS-6
10—Human Rights Day
Proc. 7059, 62 FR 65309
10-17—Human Rights Week
Proc. 7059, 62 FR 63509
15—Bill of Rights Day
Proc. 7059, 62 FR 53509
17—Wright Brothers Day—December 17 each year
36 USC 169; Proc. 7061, 62 FR 66251
1998
January
Year of the Ocean
Proc. 7065, 63 FR 4553
16—Religious Freedom Day
Proc. 7063, 63 FR 3243
February
African-American History Month
Proc. 7067, 63 FR 5719
American Heart Month—February each year
36 USC 169b; Proc. 7066, 63 FR 5717
March
American Red Cross Month
Proc. 7069, 63 FR 10487
Irish-American Heritage Month
Proc. 7070, 63 FR 10489
Women’s History Month
Proc. 7071, 63 FR 10741
1-7—Save Your Vision Week—First week of March each year
36 USC 169a: Proc. 7068, 63 FR 10289
8-14—National Older Workers
Employment Week
Proc. 7072, 63 FR 11983
15-21—National Poison Prevention Week—Third week of March each year
36 USC 165
April
Cancer Control Month—April each year
36 USC 150: Proc. 7075, 63 FR 16385
Child Abuse Prevention Month
Proc. 7076, 63 FR 16667
3— National Equal Pay Day
Proc. 7077, 63 FR 16875
7— Education and Sharing Day
Proc. 7078, 63 FR 17307
9—National D.A.R.E.
(Drug Abuse Resistance Education) Day
Proc. 7080, 63 FR 18115

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CRS-7
9—National Former Prisoner of
War Recognition Day
Proc. 7079, 63 FR 18111
12-18— Pan American Week
Proc. 7081, 63 FR 18811
14— Pan American Day
Proc. 7081, 63 FR 18811
16— National Recall Round-Up Day
Proc. 7082, 63 FR 19167
19-25— National Crime Victims Week
Proc. 7084, 63 FR 20051
19-25— National Organ and Tissue Donor
Awareness Week
Proc. 7083, 63 FR 19795
19-25— National Volunteer Week
Proc. 7085, 63 FR 20293
20-26— National Park Week
Proc. 7086, 63 FR 20511
26-May 3— Jewish Heritage Week
Proc. 7087, 63 FR 23369
May
Asian/Pacific-American Heritage Month—May each year
36 USC 169k; Proc. 7089, 63 FR 25145
Older Americans Month
Proc. 7092, 63 FR 25251
1—Law Day—May 1 each year
36 USC 164; Proc. 7090, 63 FR 25147
1—Loyalty Day—May 1 each year
36 USC 152; Proc. 7091, 63 FR 25149
7—National Day of Prayer—First Thursday of May each year
36 USC 169h; Proc. 7088, 63 FR 24383
10—Mother’s Day—Second Sunday in May each year
36 USC 142; Proc. 7093, 63 FR 25415
10-16—National Transportation Week—Week in which National Defense
Transportation Day falls each year
36 USC 166; Proc. 7094, 63 FR 26711
10-16—Police Week—Week in which Peace Officer Memorial Day falls each year
36 USC 167; Proc. 7095, 63 FR 27191
15—Peace Officer Memorial Day—May 15 each year
36 USC 167; Proc. 7095, 63 FR 27191
15—National Defense Transportation Day—Third Friday in May each year
36 USC 160; Proc. 7094, 63 FR 26711
16-22—National Safe Boating Week—Seven-day period prior to the Memorial Day
weekend each year
36 USC 161; Proc. 7096, 63 FR 27663
17-23— World Trade Week
Proc. 7097, 63 FR 27813
22—National Maritime Day—May 22 each year
36 USC 145; Proc. 7098, 63 FR 28887

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CRS-8
25—Prayer for Peace Memorial Day—Memorial Day each year
36 USC 169g; Proc. 7099, 63 FR 28889
31-June 6— National Alternative Fuels Week
Proc. 7101, 63 FR 30101
31-June 6— Small Business Week
Proc. 7102, 63 FR 30103
June
7-13— National Homeownership Week
Proc. 7104, 63 FR 31591
14—Flag Day—June 14 each year
36 USC 157; Proc. 7105, 63 FR 33229
14-20—National Flag Week—Week in which June 14 occurs each year
36 USC 157a; Proc. 7105, 63 FR 33229
21—Father’s Day—Third Sunday in June each year
36 USC 142a: Proc. 7106, 63 FR 33833
July
19-25—Captive Nations Week—Third Week in July each year
Proc. 7109, 63 FR 39475
26— 50 Anniversary of the Integration of the Armed Services
th

Proc. 7108, 63 FR 38073
26—Parents’ Day—Fourth Sunday of July each year
36 USC 142c; Proc. 7111, 63 FR 40355
27—National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day—July 27 each year until the
year 2003
36 USC 169m; Proc. 7110, 63 FR 40353
August
September
National Hispanic Heritage Month—September 15 through October 15 each year
36 USC 159f
17—Citizenship Day—September 17 each year
36 USC 153
17-23—Constitution Week—Week beginning September 17 and ending September
23 each year
36 USC 159
27—Gold Star Mother’s Day—Last Sunday in September each year 36 USC 148

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CRS-9
October
National Disability Employment Awareness Month—October each month
36 USC 155
5—Child Health Day—First Monday in October each year
36 USC 143
9—Leif Erikson Day—October 9 each year
36 USC169c
11-17—National School Lunch Week —Week beginning on the second Sunday in
October each year
36 USC 168
15—White Cane Safety Day—October 15 each year
36 USC 155
18-24—National Forest Products Week—Week beginning on the third Sunday in
October each year
36 USC 163
November
December
7— National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day—December 7 each year
36 USC 169l
17—Wright Brothers Day—December 17 each year
36 USC 169

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