PROCLAMATION 7241—OCT. 15, 1999
113 STAT. 2165
We can be heartened today that many barriesrs to full inclusion for
blind Americans have been dismantled. But the greatest barrier still remains: the attitude of too many sighted people that those who are
blind or visually impaired are incapable of holding their own in the
working world. On White Cane Safety Day, let us reaffirm our national
commitment to providing equal opportunity for all Americans, regardless of disability.
To honor the many achievements of blind and visually impaired citizens and to recognize the white cane's significance in advancing independence, the Congress, by joint resolution approved October 6, 1964,
has designated October 15 of each year as "White Cane Safety Day."
NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, President of the United
States of America, do hereby proclaim October 15, 1999, as White Cane
Safety Day. I call upon the people of the United States, government of-
ficials, educators, and business leaders to observe this day with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fifteenth
day of October, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety-
nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two
hundred and twenty-fourth.
WILLIAM J. CLINTON
Proclamation 7241 of October 15, 1999
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National Forest Products Week, 1999
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
From our earliest days as a Nation, America's forests have played a
vital role in fostering our country's economic; strength and enhancing
the quality of our lives. American hidians and European settlers alike
foiuid in our forests the fuel and material for shelter to sustain their
families and communities. From those same forests came timber for
our fleets of sailing ships and the ties for our railroads that span the
continent. Whether working in Imnber mills or paper mills, for furniture manufacturers or the building industry, generations of Americans have earned their livelihood from the boimty of our forests.
Forests bring more, however, to our lives tiian economic prosperity.
They provide invaluable habitat for a variety of pleints and animals,
help to keep our air and water clean, and promote soil stability. They
also renew our spirits by offering us a place to experience the beauty,
peace, and diversity of the natm-al world.
As our Nation has grown and developed, so too have our demeinds on
our forests. We can be grateful that, despite decades of exploitation,
forests still comprise as much as one-third of our country's land area
today. Thanks to innovative management techniques, individual and
corporate commitment to recycling, and close cooperation between
Federal, State, and private land owners, we are succeeding in sustaining the health and productivity of these precious natural resources.
Through continued wise stewardship, we caji ensure that future gen-
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