From the moment a child is conceived, they are a gift from God, created in His image and likeness, bringing hope, love, and a future filled with promise to our Nation and the world.  This Down Syndrome Awareness Month, I join millions of Americans in celebrating the lives, accomplishments, and contributions of people with Down syndrome and honor the families and communities who stand beside them each and every day.

Americans with Down syndrome enrich every life they touch, meeting the world with a sincerity and joy that make our classrooms brighter and our communities stronger.  Their condition arises from a single extra chromosome, a small difference that can slow a child’s development and bring challenges to families who love and care for them.  In recent decades, our Nation’s doctors and researchers have answered these challenges with remarkable scientific discoveries, and in so doing have greatly enhanced the quality of life for children and adults living with Down syndrome. 

As President, I have taken action to protect every innocent life and empower young Americans, including those living with Down syndrome, to lead long, productive, and fulfilling lives.  My Administration is leading the charge, advancing the research that delivers new treatments and opening every door for these individuals to pursue their dreams and thrive in their communities.  The families, friends, and caregivers who pour their hearts into looking after children with developmental disabilities are some of the most extraordinary, caring, and generous Americans—ensuring the more than 5,000 babies born with Down syndrome every year can live their American Dream just like every other citizen.

My Administration will never waver in our devotion to the men, women, and children living with Down syndrome, and I will always fight to ensure that they, like every other American, can be proud to live in a country with a government and a society that upholds the dignity of every precious life and recognizes the beauty and humanity of every person.  This month, and every month, we celebrate, love, and cherish the incredible Americans living with Down syndrome.