[Title 3 CFR 7090]
[Code of Federal Regulations (annual edition) - January 1, 1999 Edition]
[Title 3 - Presidential Documents]
[Proclamation 7090 - Proclamation 7090 of May 1, 1998]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]
3Presidential Documents11999-01-011999-01-01falseProclamation 7090 of May 1, 19987090Proclamation 7090Presidential Documents
Proclamation 7090 of May 1, 1998
Law Day, U.S.A., 1998
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
In 1787, when the founders of this great Nation set forth the guiding
principles of our new democracy in the Preamble to the Constitution,
among their primary goals was to ``establish Justice.'' These visionary
American leaders revered the law, understanding that its proper practice
would simultaneously free us and protect us, enabling us to steer a
steady course between the opposing dangers of tyranny and anarchy.
Today, our country, built upon the foundation of equal justice for all,
is renowned throughout the world for legally enshrining fundamental
human rights. Recognizing the importance of law to the life of our
Nation, we set aside one day each year to reflect on our judicial system
and to celebrate both the security and the freedom it guarantees.
Our laws ensure that the rights set forth in the Constitution and its
Amendments are protected in our everyday lives: our right to worship as
we choose, to speak freely, to vote in free elections, to be safe from
arbitrary arrest. Justice for all is central to our democracy, and we
must strive to en
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sure that all Americans have equal access to the judicial system.
Unfortunately, each year many of our most vulnerable citizens are denied
the legal assistance they need because they cannot afford it.
I am proud that our Federal Government is making an investment to
address this problem through the work of the Legal Services Corporation
(LSC). For almost 25 years, the LSC has funded local offices that give
our citizens access to the legal help they need to secure child support,
escape domestic violence, or fight unscrupulous lenders. Last year
alone, 4 million poor Americans, the majority of whom were women and
children, were helped by LSC offices.
Without laws, our democracy would wither; without access to our legal
system, there can be no true justice. We must affirm and strengthen our
national legal services system to ensure that all Americans have an
equal opportunity to enjoy the rights and liberties guaranteed in our
Constitution. As we observe Law Day, let us reaffirm our faith in the
rule of law and strive to secure justice for all our people.
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, 1998, 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 first day of May,
in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety-eight, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-
second.
WILLIAM J. CLINTON