Presidential Proclamations: May / June 2017

In this post, we will look at Presidential Proclamations issued in May and June of 2017.  Other than where noted and discussed, most of these proclamations are celebratory or memorial in nature and do not have any new initiatives or set policy.

Proclamation 9625: To Modify Duty-Free Treatment Under the Generalized System of Preferences and for Other Purposes.

This proclamation was issued on June 29, 2017.  It has 15  numbered paragraphs as a preamble and 8 numbered paragraphs of proclamation and then has an additional 5 annexes.  This proclamation modifies tariffs and duties imposed on goods imported from various countries.  Unfortunately, this is written in jargon and is difficult to explain in the issued form.  At some point, what it does is changes the rate of duty of widgets from China from 1% duty to 2% duty or something similar to that.  There is no easy way to figure it out by reading it and you have to know where to find what the HTS (Harmonized Tariff System) numbers refer to.  There's no doubt in my mind that the obfuscation in some cases was deliberate to ensure that the effects would be little understood until they hit (the effective date being July 1, 2017) as well as to blunt criticism of the administration.

Other May / June 2017 Proclamations:

• Proclamation 9624: Father's Day, 2017, issued June 16, 2017 as required by law.
• Proclamation 9623: Flag Day and National Flag Week, 2017, issued June 14, 2017 as required by law.
• Proclamation 9622: National Ocean Month, 2017, issued May 31, 2017.
• Proclamation 9621: National Homeownership Month, 2017, issued May 31, 2017.
• Proclamation 9620: National Caribbean-American Heritage Month, 2017, issued May 31, 2017.
• Proclamation 9619: Great Outdoors Month, 2017, issued on May 31, 2017.
• Proclamation 9618: African-American Music Appreciation Month, 2017, issued May 31, 2017.
• Proclamation 9617: Prayer for Peace, Memorial Day, 2017 issued May 24, 2017 as required by law.  This proclamation asks that a moment of silence be held and that flags be flown at half-staff.
• Proclamation 9616: National Maritime Day, 2017, issued May 19, 2017 as required by law.
• Proclamation 9615: Armed Forces Day, 2017, issued May 19, 2017 and notes that it supersedes Proclamation 9452.  There is no explanation evident why, for this particular day, the previous Proclamation has to be superseded each time.
• Proclamation 9614: World Trade Week, 2017, issued May 19, 2017.
• Proclamation 9613: National Safe Boating Week, 2017, issued May 19, 2017 as required by law.
• Proclamation 9612: Emergency Medical Services Week, 2017, issued May 19, 2017.
• Proclamation 9611: Peace Officers Memorial Day and Police Week, 2017, issued May 15, 2017 as required by laws.
• Proclamation 9610: National Defense Transportation Day and National Transportation Week, 2017, issued May 12, 2017 as required by laws.
• Proclamation 9609: Mother's Day, 2017, issued May 12, 2017 as required by law.
• Proclamation 9608: Military Spouse Day, 2017, issued May 12, 2017.
• Proclamation 9607: Public Service Recognition Week, 2017, issued May 5, 2017.
• Proclamation 9606: National Hurricane Preparedness Week, 2017, issued May 5, 2017.
• Proclamation 9605: National Day of Prayer, 2017, issued May 4, 2017 as required by law.
• Proclamation 9604: Law Day, USA, 2017, issued May 1, 2017 as required by law.
• Proclamation 9603: National Mental Health Awareness Month, 2017, issued May 1, 2017