Proclamation 6989 of April 15, 1997 National Crime Victims' Rights Week, 1997 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation During National Crime Victims' Rights Week, Americans in communities across the country join together to honor victims and survivors, to remember their pain, and to recognize their many contributions to improving our criminal justice system and helping others affected by crime. It is also an occasion for us to acknowledge our significant progress in securing crucial rights and services for crime victims. As we reflect on the events of this past year, we think of all our fellow citizens who became victims of crime on our streets, at home, in our neighborhoods, in our schools, in our workplaces, and even in our sacred places of worship. We remember the images of dozens of mostly African American churches being consumed in flames, and we recall church leaders and their congregations, representing all denominations and races, reaching out to invite healing and rebuilding-not in isolation, but in an extraordinary spirit of community and unity. We also remember the many contributions of crime victims in pioneering crime prevention programs in our schools and working to strengthen our laws and to enlighten all of us about the needs of all crime victims. Through the dedicated efforts of crime victims and their advocates, criminal justice workers, and responsive legislators, we have made important strides in the struggle against violence. The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 allocated an increase in resources for criminal justice programs, deploying thousands of new police officers on our streets. The Brady Bill has prevented over 225,000 felons, fugitives, and stalkers from buying handguns since it was enacted. And the Community Notification Act, known as "Megan's Law," is helping us protect our most vulnerable citizens by informing communities of the presence of convicted pedophiles. With community notification, we are working to prevent cases like that of the Act's namesake, Megan Kanka, a 7 year-old who died at the hands of a repeat sex offender released into an unsuspecting community. With these and other preventive measures, we've managed to reduce the rate of violent crime for 5 straight years and to restore hope of reaching our goal of a peaceful America. We can also take heart in our efforts to assist victims in need of justice and healing in the aftermath of violent crimes. The Violence Against Women Act, a historic and comprehensive plan targeted at ending crimes against women, has provided much-needed services to countless domestic violence victims and their children. Likewise, the National Domestic Violence Hotline, established last year, has responded to more than 73,000 calls for assistance from around the country. As a result of over $500 million in deposits to the Federal Crime Victims Fund in fiscal 1996, the States will receive more than three times as much in Federal funds as they have received in any previous year to support local victim assistance programs. And the Antiterrorism Act has guaranteed restitution to victims of Federal crimes and mass violence; it has already provided substantial assistance to victims of the Oklahoma City bombing. This year, we can take one more historic step to ensure that victims throughout our country are guaranteed the fundamental rights to be present at proceedings, to be informed of significant developments in their cases and of their rights, and to be heard at sentencing and other appropriate times throughout the criminal justice process. The Congress should pass a Victims' Rights Amendment to the United States Constitution that will, when ratified by the States, ensure that crime victims are at the center of the criminal justice process, not on the outside looking in. We must stand united in caring for and assisting crime victims throughout our country. 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 13 through April 19, 1997, as National Crime Victims' Rights Week. I urge all Americans to follow in the example of victim advocates and reaffirm our common purpose to protect and comfort one another in times of hardship—not only during this special week but also throughout the year. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fifteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety-seven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-first. WILLIAM J. CLINTON Proclamation 6990 of April 17, 1997 Education and Sharing Day, U.S.A., 1997 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation A commitment to learning has been at the heart of America's progress for more than 200 years. Now, as we stand on the threshold of the 21st century, our continued success as a Nation depends on the quality of education that we provide to all our citizens. American children must have all the tools they need to make the most of their God-given potential. We must help them harness the powerful forces of technology, so that every student, including those in the most isolated rural towns and those in the poorest inner-city schools, has access to the vast universe of knowledge available on the Internet. However, education involves more than books, facts, and homework assignments. Education also concerns the building of character. Character is an anchor of our society, and we should work hard to cultivate it among our young people. If our Nation is to continue to thrive and prosper, we must continue to live up to our ideals. Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, grasped these fundamental truths. Espousing the values of education, morality, and civic duty throughout his distinguished life, he understood that learning and the sharing of experiences are crucial to developing the skills that will mold the character of each new generation. By striving to provide the best education possible, we can better prepare our Nation for the challenges that confront us as we move forward into the next century. The Rebbe rightly saw education as a continuous process of effort and experience, in which each person is nurtured from the cradle throughout life, bringing out the best in all of us. I urge all Americans, on this day and throughout the year, to remember the teachings of the Rebbe, and to work in partnership with educators, administrators, community leaders, and parents to help our young people thrive and prosper. 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 18, 1997, as Education and Sharing Day, U.S.A. I call upon all Americans to observe this day with appropriate activities and programs. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this seventeenth day of April, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety-seven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-first. WILLIAM J. CLINTON Proclamation 6991 of April 18, 1997 National Day of Prayer, 1997 By the President of the United States of America America was born out of intense conflict as our forefathers fought the forces of oppression and tyranny. From our earliest history, Americans have always looked to God for strength and encouragement in those moments when darkness seemed to encroach from every side. Our people have always believed in the power of prayer and have called upon the name of the Lord through times of peace and war, hope and despair, prosperity and decline. In his first inaugural address, during the rush of optimism that followed the Colonies' uplifting victory in the American Revolution, George Washington observed that "it would be peculiarly improper to omit, in this first official act my fervent supplications to that Almighty Being who rules over the universe." Amid the bleak turmoil of the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln conveyed similar sentiments by calling Americans to "a firm reliance on Him who has never yet forsaken this favored land." Almost a century later, Harry Truman emphasized the need for God's help in making decisions: “when we are striving to strengthen the foundation of peace and security we stand in special need of divine support.' Indeed, the familiar phrase "In God we trust," which has been our national motto for more than 40 years and which first appeared on our coinage during the Civil War, is a fitting testimony to the prayers offered up by American women and men through the centuries. Today within our Nation's Capitol Building, a stained glass window depicts General Washington humbly kneeling and repeating the words of the 16th Psalm, "Preserve me, O God, for in Thee do I put my trust." As we face the last years of the 20th century, let us uphold the tradition of observing a day in which every American, in his or her own way, may come before God seeking increased peace, guidance, and wisdom for the challenges ahead. Even as we continue to work toward hopeful solutions, may our national resolve be matched by a firm reliance on the Author of our lives—for truly it is in God that we trust. The Congress, by Public Law 100-307, has called our citizens to reaffirm annually our dependence on Almighty God by recognizing a "National Day of Prayer." NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim May 1, 1997, as a National Day of Prayer. As in previous years, let us once again celebrate this day in the tradition of our Founders by humbly asking for divine help in maintaining the courage, determination, faith, and vigilance so necessary to our continued advancement as a people. On this National Day of Prayer, may all Americans come together to reaffirm our reliance upon our Creator, and, in the words of Franklin Roosevelt, to "pray to Him now for the vision to see our way clearly." IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this eighteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety-seven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-first. WILLIAM J. CLINTON Proclamation 6992 of April 19, 1997 National Organ and Tissue Donor Awareness Week, 1997 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Giving life to another through an organ or tissue transplant is one of the most selfless human acts. The person choosing to become a donor usually receives no tangible thanks and gains no fame or glory from the gesture. And yet the decision to sign a donor card does give the donor a quiet, inner fulfillment in the knowledge that he or she may one day help save a life, bringing new joy to another person and their family. Often, for many Americans, this sense of fulfillment is sufficient thanks. Today, more than 50,000 Americans are on the national transplant waiting list and about 2,000 more people need transplants every month. Unfortunately, even though this country has an adequate supply of individuals who qualify as organ donors, many people have still not chosen to become one. Patients in truly desperate circumstances are depending on their fellow Americans to choose to become organ and tissue donors. Stunning advances in transplant research and technology have made miracles possible, but we must do our part to make the dreams of people awaiting transplants become reality. Many Americans are unaware of the national shortage of organ donors, and all of us must work together to spread the word. Let us take advantage of our enormous power to save a life or to enrich the quality of life for those who otherwise face endless pain, torment, or death. I urge every American to respond to the urgent call for organ and tissue donors by signing a donor card immediately. Let us also reach out to educate our fellow Americans about the importance of organ and tissue donations. We must work with our religious communities and community organizations to spread this important message. The Federal Government has already established partnerships with the Union of Hebrew Congregations and the Congress of National Black Churches in an effort to educate congregations and clergy across our Nation through sermons, Sunday school programs, and community events. We should do more. We should recognize that our greatest ambassadors for organ and tissue donation are donors, donor families and recipients. Their personal stories have motivated and inspired others, and we should take better advantage of these great resources. Taken together, these and other efforts will save the lives of countless loved ones. And we should take the opportunity to recognize and celebrate Americans who donate these gifts of life. 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 20 through April 26, 1997, as National Organ and Tissue Donor Awareness Week. I call upon health care professionals, educators, the media, public and private organizations concerned with organ donation and transplantation, and all the people of the United States to observe this week with appropriate activities and programs that promote organ donation and invite new donors to become involved. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this nineteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety-seven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-first. WILLIAM J. CLINTON Proclamation 6993 of April 19, 1997 National Wildlife Week, 1997 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Our Nation is blessed with a wealth of wildlife, wild places, and natural resources that enrich the lives of all Americans. Conserving our wildlifewhether antelope or grizzly bear, salmon or serpent, or plumed bird-is of urgent importance. Our vast system of wildlife refuges has played a vital role in this endeavor. Helping to ensure greater harmony between people and nature, more than 92 million acres of land and waters are dedicated to wildlife conservation, encompassing 500 refuges, with at least one in |