in effect
This is a presidential proclamation — a formal symbolic declaration — issued by President Trump on July 20, 2026, designating July 19–25, 2026, as “Captive Nations Week.” It fulfills a standing congressional directive (a 1959 joint resolution, 73 Stat. 212) requiring the President to make this designation annually for the third week of July each year.
The proclamation officially names July 19–25, 2026, as Captive Nations Week, which is a ceremonial designation with no binding legal or regulatory effect on any law, budget, or government program. It calls on Americans to observe the week “with appropriate ceremonies and activities,” but does not mandate any specific actions or spending. The proclamation references two existing administration bodies — the Religious Liberty Commission and the White House Faith Office — as examples of current policy priorities, but creates no new agencies, rules, or obligations. No deadlines, funding levels, or enforceable mechanisms are established or altered by this document.
The proclamation directly affects no specific individuals, organizations, or government agencies in a legal or regulatory sense, as it carries no binding authority beyond the designation itself. Americans who wish to observe the week — through public events, ceremonies, or civic activities — are invited to do so by the proclamation’s closing call to action. The document is broadly directed at the general public as a statement of national values rather than a directive to any particular group.