Proclamation 7296.
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114 STAT. 3292 Proclamation 7296 of April 21, 2000 Bicentennial of the Library of Congress By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation The Library of Congress is truly America’s library. Established on April 24, 1800, as the Congress prepared to transfer the Federal Government from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C., it is our country’s oldest Federal cultural institution. With Thomas Jefferson’s private library—acquired in 1815—as its core, the Library of Congress has reflected from its earliest days the breadth and variety of Jefferson’s interests and his love of democracy, expanding the store of human knowledge, and helping ensure the free flow of ideas.
Two centuries later, the Library’s collections remain diverse and expansive, containing materials on virtually every subject, in virtually every medium. The Library houses approximately 120 million items, including more than 18 million books and some of the world’s largest collections of maps, manuscripts, photographs, prints, newspapers, sound recordings, motion pictures, and other research materials. The Library also offers wide-ranging services to the Government and the public, serving simultaneously as a legislative library and the major research arm of the United States Congress; the copyright agency of the United States; the world’s largest law library; and a major center for preserving research materials and for digitizing documents, manuscripts, maps, motion pictures, and other specialized materials for use on the Internet.
Today, America’s library is also the world’s library. An international resource of unparalleled reach, the Library of Congress provides services through its 21 reading rooms in 3 buildings on Capitol Hill as well as electronically through its web site, which registers more than 4 million transactions each workday from people around the globe. With its remarkable collections and resources, the Library has truly fulfilled its stated mission to make “available and useful . . . and to sustain and preserve a universal collection of knowledge and creativity for future generations.
” Libraries have always enabled people, in the words of James Madison, to “arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives.” These words, inscribed at the entrance of the James Madison Memorial Building of the Library of Congress, are a tribute to the Library’s past and a sustaining goal as it embarks on its third century. NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, 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 April 24, 2000, as a time to commemorate the Bicentennial of the Library of Congress.
I call upon the people of the United States to observe this occasion with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities that celebrate the many contributions the Library of Congress has made to strengthening our democracy and our national culture. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-first day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand, and of the Independence 114 STAT. 3293of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-fourth. WILLIAM J.
CLINTON 7297 April 28, 2000 National Charter Schools Week, 2000 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Proclamation 7297 of April 28, 2000 National Charter Schools Week, 2000 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Providing our children the high-quality education they need to succeed is one of the greatest challenges we face as a Nation, and helping communities establish public charter schools is one of the best ways we can meet that challenge.
Charter schools—public schools that are started by parents, educators, and communities working in partnership—are open to students of every background and ability. They also afford greater autonomy and flexibility in staffing decisions, curriculum design, and other areas than traditional public schools do. In return for this flexibility, charter schools must set and meet the highest standards, and they can remain open only as long as they do so. These schools are helping us to meet many of our Nation’s most important education goals.
They are driving change in public schools across America by showing the benefits of greater parent participation, longer school years, higher academic standards, and character education. Charter schools offer reform, innovation, and increased choice in public education, and, by doing so, they spur improvement throughout our public school system. I am proud that my Administration has taken a leadership role in promoting and funding public charter schools. When I took office almost 8 years ago, there was only one charter school in our Nation.
By September of last year, that number had grown to more than 1,600 in 30 States and the District of Columbia, with more than 250,000 students enrolled and many more on waiting lists. Since 1994, the Federal Government has invested almost $400 million in public charter schools. Last August, I announced the release of almost $100 million in Department of Education grants to develop, open, or expand charter schools across the country. And my proposed budget for fiscal year 2001 includes $175 million for the Department of Education’s Public Charter Schools Program.
These grants and funds will help cover the costs of opening new schools and help existing charter schools hire more well-trained teachers, buy more books, computers, and educational software, and ensure that classrooms are safe and accessible for all students. Finally, these funds will aid charter schools as they develop accountability systems to measure whether they are meeting or exceeding State standards. During National Charter Schools Week, I commend the many dedicated parents, educators, students, and other concerned citizens who. working together, have started charter schools in their communities to meet the growing demand for excellence, creativity, and choice in education.
Because of their vision and leadership, charter schools across our Nation 114 STAT. 3294are helping to raise standards, expectations, and accountability in all of America’s public schools. By investing in charter schools, we are investing in our Nation’s future. NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, 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 May 1 through May 5, 2000, as National Charter Schools Week.
I encourage the American people to mark this observance with appropriate programs and activities that raise awareness of the many contributions that public charter schools make to the education of our children and the success of our Nation. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-eighth day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-fourth. WILLIAM J. CLINTON 7298 April 28, 2000 Law Day, U.S.A., 2000 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Proclamation 7298 of April 28, 2000 Law Day, U.S.A., 2000 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation The freedom of America’s citizens is sustained by American law.
In crafting the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, our Nation’s founders wisely understood that liberty and law are equally important to ensuring human rights and preserving human dignity. Law without freedom becomes tyranny; freedom without law becomes chaos. The theme of this year’s Law Day observance, “Speak up for Democracy and Diversity,” reminds us of the vital role that the law and America’s legal community have played in protecting our freedoms and extending them to an ever-widening circle of Americans.
Many signal victories for civil rights have been won in the courts by men and women of conscience whose commitment to the Constitution and the rule of law compelled them to speak out against bigotry and discrimination. Many Americans have found champions among the legal profession to defend their rights and to uphold our Nation’s promise of equality and justice for all. From the War for Independence to the War Between the States, from emancipation in the 19th century to women’s suffrage and the civil rights movement in the 20th century, courageous Americans have risen to the challenge of improving upon our laws and extending their protections to all of our citizens.
Today, thanks in large measure to the efforts of our Nation’s legal community, people of all backgrounds, races, and religions are working, living, and learning side by side. The doors of opportunity are open wider than ever. But despite the advances we have made, we still see in our society stubborn obstacles to true freedom and justice-obstacles such as poverty, unemployment, and lingering discrimination. That is why I have called America’s legal community to action once again to lead the fight for equal justice under law.
Whether promoting racial diversity in our judicial system and the legal profession, using their 114 STAT. 3295knowledge of the law to help underserved communities increase home-ownership and entrepreneurship, or providing skilled representation to low-income Americans to ensure the protection of their rights, our Nation’s lawyers can make important and lasting differences in preserving justice and promoting freedom and equality. I encourage all Americans to observe Law Day by reflecting on the impact that our Nation’s laws have had upon the quality of our lives and the strength of our democracy.
From the promise of a more perfect union prescribed in the Preamble to the Constitution to the daily rulings of our modern-day justice system, our Nation’s system of laws has made real our founders’ vision and sustained their fundamental values. As we continue to work for a more just society for all, let us celebrate our legal heritage and reaffirm our reverence for the rule of law, which has safeguarded our liberty and preserved our democracy for more than 200 years. NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM J.
CLINTON, President of the United States of America, in accordance with Public Law 87–20 of April 7, 1961, do hereby proclaim May 1, 2000, as Law Day, U.S.A. I urge the people of the United States to consider anew how our laws protect our freedoms and contribute to our national well-being. I call upon members of the legal profession, civic associations, educators, librarians, public officials, and the media to promote the observance of this day with appropriate programs and activities.
I also call upon public officials to display the flag of the United States on all government buildings throughout the day. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-eighth day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-fourth. WILLIAM J. CLINTON 7299 April 29, 2000 Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month, 2000 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Proclamation 7299 of April 29, 2000 Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month, 2000 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Over the last two centuries, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have contributed immeasurably to the richness of our dynamic, multicultural society.
Whether recent immigrants or descendants of families who have been here for generations, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders embody many of our Nation’s core values, including devotion to family, commitment to hard work, and pride in their heritage. The people of this diverse and rapidly growing community have contributed to every aspect of our national life—from engineering and computer science to government, the arts, and sports. For example, Vinod Dahm helped to revolutionize computer technology through the invention of the pentium chip.
Governors Benjamin Cayetano of Hawaii and Gary Locke of Washington have devoted their lives to public service. The talents of novelist Amy Tan have delighted readers across our Nation, while architect and sculptor Maya Lin’s stirring memorials 114 STAT. 3296to the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights Movement have uplifted and inspired all who have experienced them. And diver Greg Louganis and football star Junior Seau have thrilled sports fans everywhere with their skill and athleticism.
While many Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders today are thriving, others are still struggling to overcome obstacles. Because of oppression in their countries of origin, some new immigrants have arrived without having completed their education; once here, some have encountered language and cultural barriers and discrimination. Pacific Islanders, too, must overcome barriers to opportunity caused by their geographic isolation and the consequences of Western influences on their unique culture.
For these and other reasons, too many Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders face low-paying jobs, inadequate health care, and lack of educational opportunity. To assist this community in meeting these challenges, last June I signed an Executive order establishing the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. The Initiative’s goal is to improve the quality of life for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders by increasing their participation in Federal programs—including health, human services, education, housing, labor, transportation, economic, and community development programs—which may not have served them in the past.
My Administration remains dedicated to building an America that celebrates and draws strength from its diversity. Let us use this month to reflect on the many gifts Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have brought to our nation and embrace the contributions that Americans of all backgrounds make to our increasingly multicultural society. To honor the accomplishments of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and to recognize their many contributions to our Nation, the Congress, by Public Law 102–450, has designated the month of May as “Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month.
” NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim May 2000 as Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month. I call upon the people of the United States to observe this occasion with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-ninth day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-fourth.
WILLIAM J. CLINTON 7300 April 29, 2000 Loyalty Day, 2000 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Proclamation 7300 of April 29, 2000 Loyalty Day, 2000 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation In the Declaration of Independence and in the Constitution, our Nation’s founders first articulated the enduring ideals that have sustained 114 STAT. 3297our democracy—freedom, self-determination, justice, and equality. Each year we set aside this special day to reaffirm our allegiance to those ideals and to our beloved country.
The power and promise of our country’s principles moved men and women throughout the American colonies to declare their allegiance to a new country and a new form of government that respected the rights of the individual. Throughout the decades, millions of immigrants drawn to America’s freedom proved their loyalty to their adopted Nation in the words of the oath of citizenship and in their daily lives—working hard, striving to build a better future for their families and communities, serving in our Armed Forces, upholding our laws, and participating in our democracy.
Other Americans have showed their loyalty by courageously challenging our Nation to live up to its ideals. We owe a profound debt to the heroes and visionaries who opposed slavery, reformed labor practices, won the right to vote for women, marched for civil rights, and spoke out with conscience and conviction whenever we have failed to uphold the highest standards of freedom and justice. We find perhaps the strongest and most moving evidence of loyalty to America in the service and sacrifice of our men and women in uniform.
From the War of Independence to today’s peacekeeping missions around the world, generations of Americans have shown their allegiance by defending our Nation against tyrants and terrorists, protecting our national interests wherever they are threatened, and promoting our values across the globe. On this first Loyalty Day of the 21st century, all Americans should give thanks that we live in a Nation that inspires such fidelity. And we should remember with pride the loyal patriots who have gone before us, whose character and efforts built America, preserved it in times of peril, and gave life to our founders’ dreams.
Recognizing the importance of loyalty to the continued strength of our country and success of our democracy, the Congress, by Public Law 85–529, has designated May 1 of each year as “Loyalty Day.” NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim May 1, 2000, as Loyalty Day, I urge all Americans to recall the valor and selflessness of all those who made this Nation worthy of our love and loyalty and to express our own loyalty through appropriate patriotic programs, ceremonies, and activities.
I also call upon Government officials to display the flag of the United States in support of this national observance. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-ninth day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-fourth. WILLIAM J. CLINTON 7301 May 2, 2000 Older Americans Month, 2000 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation
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- Pub. L. 87-20
- Pub. L. 102-450
- Pub. L. 85-529
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Proclamation 7296
Pub. L.Pub. L. 87-20
Pub. L.Pub. L. 102-450
Pub. L.Pub. L. 85-529
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