Proclamation 7353.
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114 STAT. 3395 Proclamation 7353 of October 6, 2000 Afterschool Week, 2000 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Each weekday afternoon in America, the ringing of school bells signals not just the end of the school day, but also the beginning of a period when 8 to 15 million of our children are home alone. These so-called “latchkey” children can be found in every American community. whether urban, suburban, or rural; they are the children of working parents who, for a variety of reasons, are unable to arrange or afford a better alternative.
Not surprisingly, most juvenile crimes are committed and most children are likely to become victims of crime during the 5 or 6 hours immediately after the school day ends. Providing appropriate supervision for children after school is one of the more difficult challenges that working parents face. Recognizing this, my Administration has worked hard to provide parents with alternative afternoon activities for their children. Through our 21st Century Community Learning Centers program, under the leadership of Education Secretary Richard Riley, we are providing schools and community organizations with funding to create and expand learning opportunities for children in a drug-free, supervised environment.
This program enables schools to stay open longer so that students have places to do their homework, receive counseling about the dangers of substance abuse, and participate with mentors in a wide array of academic and recreational activities that challenge their imagination and broaden their horizons. In the 4 years since we created the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program, hundreds of thousands of children across our country have enrolled in safe and smart afterschool programs.
My proposed budget for fiscal 2001 will more than double the Federal commitment to this program, enabling us to reach as many as 2.5 million students next year. These community learning centers provide America's parents with the comforting assurance that, while they are out earning a living, their children are participating in engaging and constructive afterschool activities. To highlight the growing need for afterschool programs, the Afterschool Alliance—a partnership of public, private, and nonprofit organizations dedicated to raising awareness and expanding resources for afterschool programs—has announced a nationwide project called “Lights On Afterschool!” On October 12 of this year, schools, community centers, museums, libraries, and parks across the country will host activities to inform families about the places currently open to children after school and the need to provide additional centers where children can participate in engaging, stimulating activities until their parents return from work.
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 the week of October 8 to October 14, 2000, as Afterschool Week. I encourage parents, students, educators, community and business leaders, and concerned citizens to participate in “Lights On Afterschool!” activities on 114 STAT. 3396Thursday, October 12. I also urge all Americans to recognize the importance of providing afterschool programs in their communities to promote the safety and well-being of our Nation’s children.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this sixth day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-fifth. WILLIAM J. CLINTON 7354 October 6, 2000 Fire Prevention Week, 2000 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Proclamation 7354 of October 6, 2000 Fire Prevention Week, 2000 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Each year, fire takes a heavy toll on the lives and property of thousands of Americans.
Approximately 100 firefighters and 4,000 civilians die in fires annually; some 25,000 civilians sustain injuries and an average of $8 billion in property is destroyed. Last year alone, America’s fire departments responded to almost 2 million fires. Most of these fires occurred in homes, as did 80 percent of last year's fire fatalities. It is clear from these tragic statistics that if we can better educate Americans about fire safety and prevention, we can save thousands of lives every year.
The most important lesson we can teach about fire is how rapidly it can spread. From the time a smoke alarm sounds in a typical home, a family may have as little as 2 minutes to escape safely. Knowing how to use those minutes wisely is the key to survival. I urge every American to develop and practice regularly a home fire escape plan that identifies two ways out of each room and establishes a meeting place where household members can reunite outside the home. In addition, it is crucial that smoke alarms be installed and properly maintained on every level of the home.
To raise public awareness of the importance of home fire escape plans, the National Fire Protection Association, in partnership with the Federal Emergency Management Agency through its United States Fire Administration and America’s fire departments, launched a 3-year program in 1998 called “Fire Drills: The Great Escape!” To date, this program is credited with saving at least 58 lives. In support of this program, on Wednesday, October 11, at 7:00 p.m. local time, fire departments in communities across America will sound the alarm signaling the start of “The Great Escape” fire drill to test the effectiveness of families’ fire escape plans.
I encourage all Americans to participate in this important and potentially lifesaving event. As we observe this week, let us also express our pride in and gratitude for the devoted service of our Nation's firefighters and emergency response personnel. They uphold our country's finest values—commitment and community, teamwork and trust, courage and sacrifice. Day in and day out, these extraordinary men and women put their lives on the line to protect our families and our property from the devastating effects of fire, and many of them pay the ultimate price for their devotion.
We will honor their memory on Sunday, October 8, 2000, at the 114 STAT. 3397National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service in Emmitsburg, Maryland. 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 October 8 through October 14, 2000, as Fire Prevention Week. I encourage the people of the United States to take an active role in fire prevention not only during this week, but also throughout the year.
I call upon every citizen to pay tribute to our firefighters and emergency response personnel who have lost their lives or been injured in the line of duty and to those brave men and women who carry on their noble tradition of service. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this sixth day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-fifth. WILLIAM J. CLINTON 7355 October 6, 2000 National School Lunch Week, 2000 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Proclamation 7355 of October 6, 2000 National School Lunch Week, 2000 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation One of the best ways we can move forward as a society is to meet our obligations to our children.
President Harry Truman recognized this profound responsibility when he signed the National School Lunch Act into law in 1946. The significance of this legislation went beyond the daily meal that children would receive; the National School Lunch Program firmly established the Federal Government's commitment to work in partnership with States, schools, and the agricultural community to administer a major program designed to improve children’s diets and, in turn, their overall health and well-being.
Today, more than 96,000 schools serve lunches to over 27 million children every day—more than half of them for free or at a reduced price, so that no schoolchild in America, regardless of family income, need go hungry at lunchtime. We have also built on the program’s success by establishing a number of child nutrition initiatives administered by the Department of Agriculture—from the School Breakfast Program, which helps ensure eligible children are ready to learn; to the Summer Food Service Program, which serves healthy meals and snacks to low-income children during long school vacations; to the Child and Adult Care Food Program, which provides nutritious meals and snacks to infants and young children in day care and to adults with physical or mental disabilities who are enrolled in adult day care.
Most recently, we authorized funding through the Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act of 1998 to make snacks available to children and teenagers enrolled in after-school programs. We can be proud that these school meal programs promote the wellbeing of some of our Nation’s most vulnerable children by providing them with the nourishment they need to develop healthy bodies and sound minds. Nutritious meals help students reach their full potential 114 STAT. 3398by keeping them alert and attentive in the classroom.
As both common sense and extensive scientific research confirm, a hungry child cannot focus on schoolwork as well as one who has been fed a nutritious meal. The National School Lunch Program also offers us a valuable tool for identifying children who are eligible for health insurance under Medicaid or the State Children’s Health Insurance Program. Since 60 percent of children who lack adequate health coverage participate in the school lunch program, sharing eligibility information can improve our outreach efforts and bring us closer to our goal of universal health care for all of America’s children.
My proposed budget for fiscal 2001 sets aside $345 million over 10 years to help schools share information with Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program so that we can enhance our efforts to reach eligible children and their families. In addition, this summer I announced an initiative to expand the school lunch program to the developing world. This initiative will make school lunches and breakfasts available in the poorest countries for the poorest children, helping students whose deficiencies in nutrition affect their cognitive development and attracting children who otherwise might never attend school.
As we observe National School Lunch Week this year, let us pay tribute to the thousands of State and local school food service professionals across America whose hard work and dedication make these programs a reality for our children; and let us acknowledge the important role school lunches play in the healthy development of so many students. In recognition of the contributions of the National School Lunch Program to the health, education, and well-being of our Nation’s children, the Congress, by joint resolution of October 9, 1962 (Public Law 87–780), has designated the week beginning the second Sunday in October of each year as "National School Lunch Week” and has requested the President to issue a proclamation in observance of this week.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim October 8 through October 14, 2000, as National School Lunch Week. I call upon all Americans to recognize those individuals whose efforts contribute so much to the success of our national child nutrition programs, whether at the Federal, State, or local level. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this sixth day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-fifth.
WILLIAM J. CLINTON 7356 October 6, 2000 National Children’s Day, 2000 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation
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- Pub. L. 87-780
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Proclamation 7353
Pub. L.Pub. L. 87-780
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