Law Day, U.S.A., 1999

Proclamation 7191 of April 30, 1999

Law Day, U.S.A., 1999

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

America's founders recognized that the rule of law is
the greatest guarantor of freedom and justice, the
crucial barricade protecting civilization from chaos,
democracy from tyranny. Among the chief grievances they
enumerated in the Declaration of Independence were that
``the present King of Great Britain . . . has refused
his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary
for the public Good. . . . He has made Judges dependent
on his Will alone, for the Tenure of their Offices, and
the Amount and Payment of their Salaries.''

The Constitution and Bill of Rights reflect our
founders' reverence for and faith in the rule of law,
and they stand as an enduring charter of freedom and
equality that continues to protect our fundamental
rights today. But only the passage of additional laws
over time has fulfilled the promise of justice
enshrined in that charter. Amendments abolishing
slavery and guaranteeing due process and equal
protection to everyone came only after the Civil War--
nearly 80 years after the ratification of the
Constitution. It took almost another century, and the
courageous and persistent efforts of lawyers such as
Thurgood Marshall, to establish that the equal
protection clause prohibits governments from enforcing
segregation in schools and other public arenas. Women
did not gain the right to vote until the ratification
of the 19th Amendment in 1920.

During the past 4 decades, our Nation has continued to
pursue the ideals of justice and equality. President
Kennedy and President Johnson fought to enact what
would become the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the
Voting Rights Act of 1965, laws that safeguard the
rights of citizens to vote, to work, to use public
accommodations, and to attend school free from illegal
discrimination. In 1967, President Johnson signed the
Age Discrimination in Employment Act to protect older
Americans against discriminatory treatment in their
jobs.

In 1990, President Bush signed into law the Americans
with Disabilities Act, landmark legislation that
recognizes the right of people with disabilities to
have equal opportunity for employment and equal access
to public services. Building on the Americans with
Disabilities Act, I announced a new initiative in
January of this year to remove significant barriers
that prevent people with disabilities from joining the
work force. We will invest more than two billion
dollars over the next 5 years to provide tax credits to
offset critical and expensive transportation costs,
increased funding for assistive technology research,
and greater access to health care for people with
disabilities.

In May of 1998, I was proud to sign Executive Order
13087, which amends Federal equal employment
opportunity policy to prohibit discrimination based on
sexual orientation in the Federal civilian work force.
My Administration is working with congressional leaders
to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA),
which would prohibit most private employers from firing
good workers solely because they are gay or lesbian.
And we must secure equal pay legislation to ensure that
women and minority employees receive fair compensation
for their work.

America's trust in the rule of law and our continuing
quest for equality under the law have defined our
history for more than 200 years. Now, as we look
forward to a new century, we must renew our commitment
to the spirit of our Constitution and the strong
foundation of civil rights laws that guarantee both our
freedom and our security. We must reaffirm our goal of
building an America where all people have an equal
opportunity to reach their full potential and where no
American is denied his or her rights because of race,
national origin, gender, sexual orientation, religious
beliefs, or disability. By doing so, we will fulfill
our founders' vision of a Nation where all citizens
share equally in the blessings and protections of the
law.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, President of the
United States of America, in accordance with Public Law
87-20 of April 7, 1961, do hereby proclaim May 1, 1999,
as Law Day. I urge the people of the United States to
consider anew how our laws protect our freedoms and
contribute to our national well-being. I call upon
members of the legal profession, civic associations,
educators, librarians, public officials, and the media
to promote the observance of this day with appropriate
programs and activities. I also call upon public
officials to display the flag of the United States on
all government buildings throughout the day.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
thirtieth day of April, 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-third.