Proclamation 6535 of March 17, 1993 American Red Cross Month, 1993 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation In time of need, millions of Americans, and others around the world, trust in the compassionate and swift assistance of the American Red Cross. Since 1881, the American Red Cross has served this Nation with tireless dedication and consummate skill in the face of natural disasters, war, and other emergencies. Nineteen ninety-two was an extraordinary year for America and the American Red Cross. In the hurricane-ravaged neighborhoods of south Florida and the desolate villages of Somalia, in the flooded bayou country of Louisiana and alongside the raging wildfires in California, caring Red Cross workers served meals, provided shelter, furnished financial help, and offered emotional support to victims. Hurricane Andrew, the most costly disaster in our history, cut an almost unimaginable swath of destruction through south Florida. More than 12,000 Red Cross volunteers and staff overcame enormous challenges to provide food and shelter for 170,000 people. Just four days after those relief efforts began, Typhoon Omar battered Guam with 150-mile-an-hour winds. Two weeks later, Hurricane Iniki roared across Hawaii, the worst hurricane to hit the islands in a century. The American Red Cross, stretched to new limits, coordinated disaster relief operations that spanned half the globe. In all, 16,000 trained Red Cross disaster workers brought knowledgeable, humanitarian assistance to the victims of Andrew, Omar, and Iniki. While the Nation focused on the aftermath of this singular wave of destruction, the American Red Cross continued its mission of helping people prevent, prepare for, and cope with emergencies. Every day, Red Cross workers in 2,600 volunteer-based chapters help the victims of single family fires, floods, tornadoes, and industrial accidents, an average of 150 incidents daily. More than 7.5 million people take Red Cross classes in water safety, first aid, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) each year. Millions also depend on Red Cross classes and educational materials for information on HIV/AIDS. The Red Cross helps to save and sustain countless lives by collecting, processing, and distributing more than half the Nation's donated blood, the safest supply in the world. Red Cross workers serve alongside our Armed Forces wherever they are on duty, providing support and a touch of home to members and veterans of the forces and their families. Internationally, Red Cross workers risk their lives daily to bring emergency relief to Somalia and to provide food, shelter, and medical care in the midst of brutal combat in the former Yugoslavia. The same international humanitarian spirit enables the American Red Cross to help family members send messages to prisoners of war and search for relatives separated by war or refugee movements. Since its founding 112 years ago by Clara Barton, the American Red Cross has embodied much of what is best about Americans: their willingness to help their neighbors, to take responsibility for their communities, and to respond to the call to service. For this, the American Red Cross and its 1.4 million volunteers have earned the respect of a thankful Nation. NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, President of the United States of America and Honorary Chairman of the American Red Cross, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim the month of March 1993 as American Red Cross Month. I urge all Americans to continue their generous support of the Red Cross and its chapters nationwide. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this seventeenth day of March, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety-three, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and seventeenth. WILLIAM J. CLINTON Proclamation 6536 of March 17, 1993 National Poison Prevention Week, 1993 By the President of the United States of America Since its inception more than three decades ago, the annual observance of National Poison Prevention Week has saved lives. Along with year-round educational programs in the public and private sectors, this annual campaign for awareness has helped to reduce dramatically the number of fatal accidental poisonings among children. In the effort to protect every child from poisoning, which is nearly always preventable, we renew our commitment to informing parents, grandparents, and other adults about the importance of protecting children in their homes. The urgency of our efforts is underscored by the fact that, according to the American Association of Poison Control Centers, nearly 1,000,000 children each year are exposed to potentially harmful medicines and household chemicals. During National Poison Prevention Week, activities are coordinated by the Poison Prevention Week Council, a coalition of 37 national organizations whose members are determined to stop accidental poisonings. The Council distributes valuable information that is used by the staffs of poison control centers, pharmacists, public health officials, and others as they conduct poison prevention programs in their communities. The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission provides a Commission member to serve as Secretary of the Poison Prevention Week Council each year. Since 1972, the Commission has required child-resistant packaging for certain medicines and household chemicals, preventing countless tragedies. Every American can help to protect children with simple safety measures, such as using child-resistant packaging and securing potentially dangerous substances out of the reach of children. This week I encourage all Americans to become more aware of potential hazards in their homes and to eliminate them. The Congress, by a joint resolution approved September 26, 1961 (75 Stat. 681), has authorized and requested the President to issue a proclamation designating the third week of March of each year as National Poison Prevention Week. NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim the week beginning March 21, 1993, as National Poison Prevention Week. I urge all Americans to observe this week by participating in appropriate programs and activities and by learning how to prevent accidental poisonings among children. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this seventeenth day of March, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety-three, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and seventeenth. WILLIAM J. CLINTON Proclamation 6537 of March 19, 1993 Women's History Month, 1993 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation As we celebrate Women's History Month, we reflect on the American women who throughout history have proudly served in shaping the spirit of our Nation. Women like Harriet Tubman, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and Sojourner Truth embraced the struggle for human freedom, dignity, and justice. They opposed slavery and inequality at critical moments in history. Their courageous leadership helped pave the way for future generations who would strive to secure equal rights for women. We are inspired by women like Jane Addams, the first female Nobel prize winner, who at the turn of the century founded Chicago's Hull House to help newly arrived immigrants adapt to a foreign culture. We admire women such as Belva Lockwood, who became the first woman admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court in 1879. And we cannot forget the long struggle of women like Frances Perkins, whose work to protect the health and safety of America's workers culminated in her service as Secretary of Labor, the Nation's first woman Cabinet officer. These courageous and pioneering women worked tirelessly to achieve new opportunities for all. Today, empowered by this great legacy, American women serve in every aspect of American life, from social services to space exploration. The opportunities for American women are growing, and their efforts as mothers and volunteers, corporate executives and senators, police officers and administrators, construction workers and cab drivers, and teachers and scientists enrich all of us and make our country great. Women continue to strengthen our Nation's social fabric as leaders in the home, the community, the workplace, and the government. The challenges facing women in the next century are many. Families are increasingly called upon to care for their grown children and elderly relatives. Many women are compelled to support families as single parents. The social stresses of our era demand the incredible resourcefulness, devotion, and energy of millions of women. Through their endeavors, women are producing a heightened national consciousness and more responsive public policies that meet the needs of our people. As we honor the courageous legacy of our Nation's women, we celebrate the diversity of their backgrounds, their talents, and their contributions, which breathe life into our democracy and sustain our prosperity. NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, President of the United States of America, by the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim March 1993 as Women's History Month. I invite all Americans to observe this month with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this nineteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety-three, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and seventeenth. WILLIAM J. CLINTON Proclamation 6538 of March 20, 1993 National Agriculture Day, 1993 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation On this first day of spring, it is appropriate that we reflect on America's agricultural heritage. Our history and our future are intertwined with the farmland and the farmers who help nourish and clothe us. Farming, an integral and pervasive aspect of our economy, is critically important in the daily lives of all Americans. In our markets, farmers offer us the world's safest and most diverse food supply. But agriculture also touches every other facet of our lives: from shirts to schoolbooks, from prescription drugs to the lumber in our homes. The quality of our lives is due in large measure to the efficient productivity of agricultural workers. Agriculture, America's number one industry, provides 21 million jobs and is the single largest contributor to our net trade balance. The average American farmer produces enough every year to feed and clothe 129 other people. As efficient and productive as they are in meeting our citizens' basic needs, our farmers have contributed just as much to our culture. They helped found and build our Nation, and our calendar and holidays still reflect the seasons around which they weave their lives. When American food alleviates the hunger of starving children at home or abroad, we are all enriched. Farmers and farmworkers have always exemplified the virtues of patient hard work, of respect for the land, with an understanding of our responsibility as stewards of the Earth, of careful management of limited resources, and of resiliency in the face of natural disasters. On this day, I ask all Americans to consider our reliance on agriculture— the farmers, scientists, processors, shippers, grocers, and others who spend their days providing us with the basics of a good life. The Congress, by Senate Joint Resolution 36, has designated March 20, 1993, as "National Agriculture Day" and has authorized and requested the President to issue a proclamation in observance of this day. NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim March 20, 1993, as National Agriculture Day. I urge the people of the United States to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies and activities. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twentieth day of March, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety-three, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and seventeenth. WILLIAM J. CLINTON Proclamation 6539 of March 25, 1993 Greek Independence Day: A National Day of Celebration of Greek and American Democracy, 1993 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation The people and Government of the United States join the people and Government of Greece in celebrating Greek Independence Day. The close and cordial ties between our nations are built upon the solid foundation of a common love of democratic values, strong cultural ties between our peoples, and a respect for human rights. Greek influence on American culture extends from the ideas of the great Hellenic thinkers to the many important contributions of Greek Americans today. These ties continue to strengthen the relationship between our nations and provide a solid and promising basis for the future. Two thousand and five hundred years ago, Cleisthenes succeeded in instituting a series of reforms in Athens and across the Peninsula of Attica that expanded the rule of government to a much broader group of citizens. The concept of democracy was thus created and embodied in a series of rights and laws. The personal freedom that resulted from these reforms sparked a period of cultural growth in philosophy and the arts to which Western culture is eternally indebted. The United States is proud to acknowledge the enormous debt it owes to the Greek philosophers and politicians. In creating a new Nation, the American Founding Fathers drew upon the Greek writings for inspiration as to the purpose of government and in order to define the common good of society. Hellenic ideals have also shaped our democracy through architecture. Across our Nation and especially in the Nation's Capital, the seats of representative government are housed in buildings inspired by the grand proportions and beautiful lines of Greek temples. In both nations, these |