Proclamation 6170.
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/statutes-at-large/vol-104/proclamation-6170·A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
104 STAT. 5342 Proclamation 6170 of August 14, 1990 Women’s Equality Day, 1990 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation On August 26, 1990, we will commemorate the 70th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment to our Constitution. This Amendment guaranteed for women the right to vote and, in so doing, opened the door to their full participation in our representative system of government. The adoption of the 19th Amendment nearly three-quarters of a century ago was a great victory not only for women, but for all Americans.
By recognizing previously disenfranchised members of our society and guaranteeing them an equal voice in the electoral process, the 19th Amendment affirmed the principles upon which the United States is founded. It underscored our Nation’s commitment to the belief “that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights. Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. . . .
” Years before the ratification of the 19th Amendment, the woman’s suffrage movement took shape. Its members and supporters realized that, as long as women lacked a voice in the democratic process, the promise of liberty and self-government so eloquently expressed in our Nation’s founding documents would remain unfulfilled. One of the movement’s most prominent leaders, Susan B. Anthony, articulated the concerns of many when she asked: “How can the consent of the governed be given, if the right to vote be denied?” After years of hard work by members of the woman’s suffrage movement, the 19th Amendment was passed by the Congress in June of 1919.
It was finally ratified by the Tennessee legislature on August 18, 1920, and proclaimed as part of our Constitution on August 26. The ratification of the 19th Amendment marked an important legal milestone in our Nation’s efforts to ensure liberty, justice, and equality of opportunity for all. Like the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments that preceded it and other great landmarks that have followed—landmarks such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965—the 19th Amendment offers a poignant reminder that every individual is an heir to the civil and political rights enshrined in our Declaration of Independence and Constitution.
As we commemorate the 70th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment, we also recognize the many and varied accomplishments of women—accomplishments made possible by progress in eliminating discrimination. During the past 7 decades, millions of women have earned positions of leadership and responsibility in business, government, science, education, and the arts. On this occasion, as we celebrate the continued social and economic advancement of women—and their unique role in keeping our families, communities, and Nation strong—let us also reflect upon the impor-104 STAT. 5343tance of having and using the right to vote.
As Americans, we are both heirs to and guardians of the blessings of liberty and self-government. Exercising our right to vote is one of the most important ways we can help to advance the ideals expressed in our Nation’s founding documents and ensure justice and equal opportunity for all Americans. NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE BUSH, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim August 26, 1990, as Women’s Equality Day, a day to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment.
I call upon all Americans to observe this day with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fourteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and fifteenth. GEORGE BUSH 6171 August 20, 1990 National Drive for Life Weekend, 1990 Digitization Vendor By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Proclamation 6171 of August 20, 1990 National Drive for Life Weekend, 1990 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation The Labor Day weekend is an ideal time to remind ourselves of the grave threat posed to each of us by alcohol-impaired driving—a tragic and senseless occurrence that remains our Nation’s number one highway safety problem.
During this weekend, we should be especially mindful that irresponsible drinking can quickly destroy a festive holiday by causing injury and death. Last year more than 23,000 people were killed in the United States as a result of alcohol-related highway crashes—an average of 65 individuals each day. Although the proportion of traffic deaths related to alcohol has declined during the last few years, approximately one-half of all fatal motor vehicle crashes continue to be alcohol-related.
The Drive for Life campaign is designed to reduce the high number of alcohol-related traffic accidents in the United States by promoting a month-long public awareness program aimed at educating all Americans on the dangers of drunk driving. By focusing on the Labor Day weekend, when the number of alcohol-related highway crashes traditionally exceeds the average by about 10 percent, the Drive for Life campaign will help to concentrate the Nation’s attention on the serious dangers of drunk driving.
During the Labor Day weekend and, indeed, throughout the year, we should also be mindful of the dangers posed by drivers who are impaired by drugs other than alcohol. Certain drugs—legal as well as illegal, and either alone or in combination with alcohol—are major contributors to highway crashes. All of us should be aware of the risks of driving after taking prescribed medications or over-the-counter drugs, especially those that have labels warning against operating a motor ve-104 STAT. 5344hicle.
We should also be aware that combining drugs and alcohol with driving increases these risks. Three years ago, a coalition led by Mothers Against Drunk Driving sponsored the first National Drive for Life Day and urged all Americans to pledge not to drink and drive on that day. The success of this effort prompted calls for an expanded campaign, to which the Congress responded in 1988 and 1989 by designating Labor Day weekend as National Drive for Life Weekend. By House Joint Resolution 627, the Congress has again called for a national campaign by designating the Labor Day weekend beginning September 1, 1990, as “National Drive for Life Weekend” and has authorized and requested the President to issue a proclamation in observance of this weekend.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE BUSH, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim the Labor Day weekend, September 1 through 3, 1990, as National Drive for Life Weekend. I ask all Americans to cooperate in this lifesaving campaign by refusing to drink and drive, by using safety restraints when on the road, and by insisting upon effective action against drug- or alcohol-impaired drivers. I also call upon the people of the United States, their elected representatives, and other public officials to observe this weekend with appropriate ceremonies and activities.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twentieth day of August, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and fifteenth. GEORGE BUSH 6172 August 22, 1990 International Visitors’ Month, 1990 Digitization Vendor By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Proclamation 6172 of August 22, 1990 International Visitors’ Month, 1990 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation For 50 years, Americans throughout the United States have welcomed participants in the International Visitors Program to their communities, offices, and homes.
Through this program, which is sponsored by the United States Information Agency, current and future foreign leaders have been able to enjoy a professional and cultural orientation to our country. The extraordinary generosity of the American people—their willingness to share not only their knowledge and skills but also the fabric of their daily lives—has ensured the remarkable success of the International Visitors Program. More than 800,000 Americans, in communities in every state, volunteer their time to ensure that program participants receive a warm welcome to the United States, These volunteers help to answer our guests’ questions and, in turn, give our guests the opportunity to share with us important insights about their native lands.
Through the International Visitors Program, our children have been able to learn more about other peoples and their cultures; American 104 STAT. 5345educators and business people have been able to establish valuable contacts with their foreign counterparts. Clearly, our national interest has been well served by the American tradition of hospitality and openness on which the program is based. Since its inception in 1940, the International Visitors Program has given participants from oppressed nations a chance to learn about freedom and self-government.
In so doing, it has not only strengthened their sense of hope, but also helped them to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote the development of democracy in their own countries. In fact, a striking number of those individuals who have helped to bring about constructive change in Eastern Europe are former International Visitors. During their visits here, they saw how democracy works, and they learned that political and economic freedom is the key to real and lasting peace and prosperity.
The International Visitors Program, made possible with the generous voluntary assistance of citizens across the country, has helped to promote greater understanding and cooperation between the United States and other nations. This foundation of mutual respect and goodwill will enable leaders in both the public and private sectors to continue building meaningful relationships with their counterparts around the world. The Congress, by Senate Joint Resolution 248, has designated September 1990 as “International Visitors’ Month“ and has authorized and requested the President to issue a proclamation in observance of this month.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE BUSH, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim September 1990 as International Visitors’ Month. I invite the people of the United States to observe this month with appropriate ceremonies and activities designed to recognize the International Visitors Program as a valuable means of promoting the people-to-people contacts that can lead to greater understanding and cooperation among nations. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-second day of August, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and fifteenth.
GEORGE BUSH 6173 August 28, 1990 Citizenship Day and Constitution Week, 1990 Digitization Vendor By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Proclamation 6173 of August 28, 1990 Citizenship Day and Constitution Week, 1990 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Well over a century ago, while reflecting upon the course of our national journey, Daniel Webster observed: “We may be tossed upon an ocean where we can see no land—nor, perhaps, the sun or stars.
But there is a chart and a compass for us to study, to consult and to obey. That chart is the Constitution.” If we are to remain a free, strong, and prosperous nation as we navigate ever new and uncharted territory in 104 STAT. 5346domestic and foreign affairs, every American must have a thorough understanding of our Constitution, its history, and the timeless principles it enshrines. During the long, hot summer of 1787, the 55 delegates to the Federal Convention engaged in fervent study, debate, compromise, and prayer as they shaped a system of government for our fledgling Nation.
Recognizing the God-given rights and dignity of the individual and determined to secure the freedom He has envisioned for each of us, they carefully crafted our Constitution, dedicating this Nation to the ideals of liberty, justice, and equality and providing for the separation of powers that has served us so well. Today, more than 200 years after it was written, our Constitution—and the Bill of Rights later added to it—is not only a shining testament to the wisdom and foresight of its Framers but also a light of hope and inspiration to the world.
In this 4th year of the Constitution’s bicentennial, we commemorate the establishment of the Nation’s judicial system. Article III of the Constitution defines the powers of the judiciary; however, it was the First Congress under the Constitution that gave it form and substance. The Judiciary Act of 1789 provided for a Supreme Court and created the office of the Attorney General. It also established a Federal judicial structure of 13 district courts and three circuit courts and defined their jurisdiction.
When the Supreme Court met for the first time in February 1790, the dual judicial system of State and Federal courts was firmly established. Then, as now, State courts conducted most of the Nation’s judicial business. The Federal courts have the authority to decide only those cases that involve the violation of Federal law or as otherwise specified by the Constitution. This Nation’s independent judiciary, dedicated to upholding the rule of law and the rights of individuals, has reaffirmed time and again the inestimable value of our Constitution.
Asserting that no person shall be “deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law” and guaranteeing every American “equal protection of the laws,” the Constitution has remained a powerful governing tool and an effective instrument of justice to this day. The great American jurist, John Marshall Harlan, underscored the significance of its guarantees of equal justice under the law when he wrote: “Our Constitution is colorblind, and neither knows nor tolerates classes among citizens.
In respect of civil rights, all citizens are equal before the law. The humblest is the peer of the most powerful.” This week, we celebrate our Constitution and its promise of liberty, equality, and justice for all. In times of doubt and decision, generations of American leaders have looked to this great document for guidance; generations of patriots have labored and sacrificed to defend the principles it sets forth. If we are to keep faith with them, if we are to continue to enjoy the blessings of freedom and self-government, each of us must understand our rights and responsibilities as citizens.
Each of us has not only the right but also the obligation to become educated and informed; to vote; and to participate at all levels of government. However, as President Theodore Roosevelt well knew, there is more to responsible citizenship. “The good citizen,” he once observed, “is the man who, whatever his wealth or poverty, strives manfully to do his duty to himself, to his family, to his neighbor, [and] to the State; 104 STAT. 5347who is incapable of the baseness which manifests itself either in arrogance or in envy, but who while demanding justice for himself is no less scrupulous to do justice to others.
” Responsible citizenship begins with being a loving and responsible parent, an eager and attentive student, and a just and caring neighbor. As citizens of the United States, we are not just the beneficiaries of our Founding Fathers’ great experiment in self-government—we are also its custodians. Thus, as we observe Citizenship Day and Constitution Week, we do well to reflect upon our Constitution and its history, as well as our role in upholding the vision of freedom and justice it enshrines.
The Congress, by joint resolution of February 29, 1952 (36 U.S.C. 153), designated September 17 as “Citizenship Day” in commemoration of the signing of the Constitution and in recognition of all who, by birth or by naturalization, have attained the status of citizenship, and authorized the President to issue annually a proclamation calling upon officials of the government to display the flag on all government buildings on that day. Also, by joint resolution of August 2, 1956 (36 U.S.C. 159), the Congress designated the week beginning September 17 and ending September 23 of each year as “Constitution Week” in recognition of the historic importance of the Constitution and the significant role it plays in our lives today.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE BUSH, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim September 17, 1990, as Citizenship Day, and call upon appropriate government officials to display the flag of the United States on all government buildings. I urge Federal, State, and local officials, as well as leaders of civic, social, and educational organizations, to conduct ceremonies and programs to commemorate the occasion. Furthermore, I proclaim the week beginning September 17 and ending September 23, 1990, as Constitution Week, and I urge all Americans to observe that week with appropriate ceremonies and activities.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-eighth day of August, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and fifteenth. GEORGE BUSH 6174 September 4, 1990 National D.A.R.E. Day, 1990 Digitization Vendor By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Proclamation 6174 of September 4, 1990 National D.A.R.E. Day, 1990 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Prevention remains one of our most important weapons in the Nation’s war on illicit drugs, and all of us must continue working together to teach young Americans about the dangers of experimenting with drugs and alcohol.
One collaborative program that has proved to be particularly effective is Project D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education). 104 STAT. 5348 Developed in 1983 by the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles Unified School District, the D.A.R.E. program has brought together students, parents, educators, and law enforcement officers in a concerted effort to help young Americans say “N” to illicit drugs and “Yes” to life. Many of our Nation’s law enforcement professionals have seen first-hand the violence, death, and despair caused by drug and alcohol abuse.
Most tragic and most frustrating is the devastation unleashed upon children, whose great potential and bright hopes for the future are too often laid to waste as a result of drug use. Through Project D.A.R.E., specially trained, veteran law enforcement officers provide classroom instruction aimed at impressing upon children the dangers of using drugs and alcohol. The D.A.R.E. program not only alerts participants to the perils of drug use, but also helps them to develop skills to resist the subtle pressures that influence young people to try drugs and alcohol.
Project D.A.R.E. targets children in kindergarten through 12th grade—at ages when they are most vulnerable—and helps them to develop self-confidence, a sense of responsibility, and respect for our Nation’s laws. The law enforcement officers who lead the D.A.R.E. program also help to educate parents about the dangers and symptoms of drug and alcohol abuse, pointing out ways in which they can help their children to stay away from drugs. For example, through this innovative program, parents are reminded that it is important not only to talk to their children, but also to listen to them, learning about their troubles and fears and discerning their need for guidance and support.
Since its inception only 7 years ago, the D.A.R.E. program has been adopted by schools in 2,000 communities in 49 States and by the Department of Defense Overseas Dependent Schools worldwide. This week we applaud the success of Project D.A.R.E. and salute the dedicated law enforcement officers, parents, and educators who are making it work. We honor, too, in a special way, the enthusiastic young participants who—by word, deed, and example—are demonstrating to other young Americans the many great and lasting rewards of staying drug-free.
In recognition of the success of Project D.A.R.E., the Congress, by Senate Joint Resolution 281, has designated September 13, 1990, as “National D.A.R.E. Day“ and has authorized and requested the President to issue a proclamation in observance of this day. NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE BUSH, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim September 13, 1990, as National D.A.R.E. Day. I urge all Americans to observe this day with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fourth day of September, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and fifteenth. GEORGE BUSH **Editorial note**: For the President’s remarks at a White House briefing on the national drug control strategy, dated Sept. 5, 1990, see the *Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents* (vol. 26, p. 1324). 6175 September 6, 1990 Agreement on Trade Relations Between the United States of America and the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic Digitization Vendor By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation
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