[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 72 (Thursday, April 13, 2000)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 19823-19824]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-9332]


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  Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 72 / Thursday, April 13, 2000 / 
Presidential Documents  

[[Page 19823]]


                Proclamation 7290 of April 10, 2000

                
National Crime Victims' Rights Week, 2000

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                    This week marks the 20th anniversary of National 
                Crime Victims' Rights Week. Over the past two decades, 
                we have made enormous progress in our efforts to build 
                safer communities and to reshape our criminal justice 
                system so that it better protects victims' rights and 
                responds more compassionately to their needs.
                    In the 7 years since I first proclaimed National 
                Crime Victims' Rights Week, my Administration has 
                worked hard to achieve some of the most progressive 
                criminal justice reforms in our Nation's history. 
                Recognizing the urgent plea from millions of Americans 
                to restore safety and security to their neighborhoods, 
                in 1994 I signed into law the Violent Crime Control and 
                Law Enforcement Act, which funds 100,000 additional 
                police officers to fight crime and protect our 
                citizens. In Federal court cases, this law also gives 
                victims of violent crime and sexual abuse the right to 
                speak out in court before sentencing, providing them 
                the opportunity to describe the impact such 
                victimization has had on their lives. To help protect 
                our communities from gun violence, we enacted the Brady 
                Handgun Violence Prevention Act, requiring background 
                checks for potential handgun purchasers. Since its 
                passage, more than 500,000 attempted gun purchases by 
                felons, fugitives, and other prohibited persons have 
                been prevented, saving an untold number of lives. And 
                we worked to pass the assault weapons ban to keep these 
                deadly firearms off our streets.
                    We also fought to pass the Violence Against Women 
                Act, which addresses the complex dynamics of gender-
                motivated violence and seeks to ensure justice for 
                women who live in daily fear for their safety and often 
                for their lives. By providing support services for 
                victims of domestic violence and sexual assault and 
                empowering prosecutors with new tools to target 
                offenders, we have sent a clear message that our 
                society will not tolerate violence against women.
                    Thanks to the concerted efforts of crime victims' 
                advocates, many of whom are survivors themselves, 
                government at all levels is focused on ensuring 
                victims' rights. Today, all States have enacted laws 
                safeguarding crime victims' rights in the criminal 
                justice process, and 32 States have amended their 
                constitutions accordingly.
                    Despite this progress, millions of Americans still 
                fall prey to criminals each year. In the past year 
                alone, gun violence alone has taken an enormous toll 
                across our Nation. To address this, my Administration 
                has proposed the 21st Century Policing Initiative to 
                provide 50,000 more police officers for our streets, 
                requested more funding for our Safe Schools/Healthy 
                Students Initiative to reduce school and youth 
                violence, and put forth the largest national gun 
                enforcement initiative in our Nation's history. I 
                continue to call on the Congress to strengthen our 
                Nation's hate crime laws and to pass commonsense gun 
                legislation to keep guns out of the wrong hands; and we 
                should pass the Victims' Rights Amendment to the 
                Constitution.

[[Page 19824]]

                    Criminal victimization is at its lowest level in 25 
                years, but we can do more. As we observe National Crime 
                Victims' Rights Week, as we near the fifth anniversary 
                of the tragic bombing in Oklahoma City and the first 
                anniversary of the shooting at Columbine High School, 
                let us vow to continue working together to prevent 
                crime and violence. Let us also pledge to honor the 
                needs and rights of victims whose lives have been 
                forever altered by crime. And let us recognize the 
                courage and determination of the thousands of men and 
                women across our country who dedicate themselves daily 
                to the protection of victims' rights.
                    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 April 9 to April 
                15, 2000, as National Crime Victims' Rights Week. I 
                urge all Americans to remember crime victims and their 
                families by working to reduce violence, to assist those 
                harmed by crime, and to make our communities and homes 
                safer places in which to live and raise our families.
                    IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand 
                this tenth day of April, in the year of our Lord two 
                thousand, and of the Independence of the United States 
                of America the two hundred and twenty-fourth.

                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. 00-9332
Filed 4-12-00; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3195-01-P