Wright Brothers Day, 2000

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Part VIII

The President

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Proclamation 7387--Wright Brothers Day, 2000

Proclamation 7388--To Modify Duty-Free Treatment Under the Generalized
System of Preferences for Sub-Saharan African Countries and for Other
Purposes

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Title 3--
The President

Proclamation 7387 of December 14, 2000

Wright Brothers Day, 2000

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

In 1903, Orville and Wilbur Wright were poised on the
brink of one of history's most remarkable advances. For
years, the two brothers had been mesmerized by the
principle of flight and had studied birds to understand
how these fascinating creatures rose, fell, and darted
through the air. The Wright Brothers' studies affirmed
what they had long believed: that powered, controlled
human flight was possible. After much research and
experimentation and many trials and failures, the
brothers tested their prototype biplane on the windy
dunes of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. On December 17,
their efforts were rewarded and their dream realized
when the Wright Flyer rose through the air, soaring for
12 seconds and traveling 120 feet.

While it took humanity thousands of years to reach that
pivotal moment, we have achieved stunning advances in
aviation in the past century alone. Less than 25 years
after the Wright Brothers' inaugural flight, Charles
Lindbergh conquered the Atlantic Ocean flying nonstop
aboard The Spirit of St. Louis; in less than 50 years,
Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier; and in less than
70 years, the United States reached the heavens and
landed two men on the Moon. Today, we continue to
explore the frontiers of space as the International
Space Station orbits the Earth.

The creative vision, ingenuity, and indomitable spirit
that sparked the Wright Brothers' achievement still
power our Nation's aviation accomplishments today. Air
travel is a vital part of life in America, and people
across the country depend on our air transportation
system to link them with one another and to sustain our
growing economy. Last year alone, U.S. airlines safely
transported almost 700 million passengers on 13 million
flights.

The gift of flight has immeasurably strengthened our
Nation and enriched the lives of people around the
world. It is only fitting that we should remember on
December 17 the two visionary Americans whose
scientific curiosity, independent thinking, and
technical genius began a new era that has taken us to
the threshold of space and beyond.

The Congress, by a joint resolution approved December
17, 1963 (77 Stat. 402; 36 U.S.C. 143), has designated
December 17 of each year as ``Wright Brothers Day'' and
has authorized and requested the President to issue
annually a proclamation inviting the people of the
United States to observe that day with appropriate
ceremonies and activities.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, President of the
United States of America, do hereby proclaim December
17, 2000, as Wright Brothers Day.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
fourteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord two
thousand, and of the Independence of the United States
of America the two hundred and twenty-fifth.