PROCLAMATION 736e—OCT. 14, 2000 114 STAT. 3409 My Administration has strived to assist parents, caregivers, teachers, and religious and community leaders in this vital effort. We have worked with the entertainment industry to increase educational programming on television and to create a voluntary ratings system to help parents reinforce the values they want to impart to their children. And 4 years ago, I was proud to sign legislation that requires new televisions sold in our country to include ti^e V-chip, a device that allows parents to control the programs that their children watch on television. Recognizing the significant amount of time our children spend in school, we have also created partnerships with States under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to assist school districts in developing curriculum materials, providing teacher training, and integrating character education into the curriculum. We have funded innovative after-school programs to offer yoimg people mentors and role models to inspire them and to engage them in productive activities at the end of the school day. We have also promoted citizen service—one of the greatest characterbuilding tools available to our society. Through initiatives such as America Reads, the Corporation for National and Community Service, the National Senior Service Corps, the Peace Corps, and AmeriCorps, Americans of every age, backgroimd, gender, and race are experiencing the rewards of helping others, and in the process becoming more responsible citizens. We can also teach yoimg Americans a vital lesson about character by exercising our right to vote and participating in the democratic process—a process that Americans of notable character established more than two centuries ago. 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 15 through October 21, 2000, as National Character Counts Week. I call upon the people of the United States, govenunent officials, educators, religious, community, and business leaders to commemorate this week with appropriate ceremonies, activities, and programs. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereimto set my hand this fourteenth 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 Proclamation 7366 of October 14, 2000 National Forest Products Week, 2000 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation In the early years of the 20th century, President Theodore Roosevelt challenged his fellow citizens to begin the vital task of conserving the precious natural resources with which America has been so abundantly blessed. As part of his notable conservation achievements, he consolidated 65 million acres of Federal forest reserves into the National For- 79-194O-00 -12:QL3Part6
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