[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 168 (Tuesday, August 29, 2000)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 52287-52288]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-22227]


 
 
                         Presidential Documents 
 
 

  Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 168 / Tuesday, August 29, 2000 / 
Presidential Documents  

 ___________________________________________________________________

 Title 3--
 The President

[[Page 52287]]

                Proclamation 7333 of August 24, 2000

                
Minority Enterprise Development Week, 2000

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                Today, America is enjoying the longest economic 
                expansion in our history, with 22 million new jobs 
                created since my Administration took office in 1993 and 
                the lowest unemployment and inflation rates in more 
                than 30 years. The American people are looking to the 
                future with renewed hope and optimism, eager to embrace 
                the exciting opportunities and meet the new challenges 
                of a dynamic and evolving global marketplace.

                If we are to extend this remarkable period of growth 
                and sustain our leadership of the world economy, we 
                must use this time of extraordinary prosperity to 
                ensure that every citizen of our Nation plays a role in 
                our economic growth and benefits from its rewards. One 
                of the surest means of achieving that goal is to 
                promote the full inclusion of minority enterprises in 
                the mainstream of our economy.

                My Administration has encouraged the growth and success 
                of minority businesses by ensuring their participation 
                in Government procurement; introducing the New Markets 
                Initiative to bring jobs and capital to America's 
                underserved communities; and strengthening the 
                Community Reinvestment Act. Over the last 8 years, the 
                Small Business Administration has guaranteed $18 
                billion in loans to more than 80,000 minority-owned 
                firms. And the Department of Commerce's Minority 
                Business Development Agency (MBDA) has assisted more 
                than 430,000 minority-owned businesses with start-up 
                and expansion financing. At Minority Business 
                Development Centers across the country, the MBDA also 
                assists minority clients by providing a variety of 
                business services, including the preparation of 
                business plans, market research and development, 
                financial counseling, and bid preparation.

                All Americans stand to benefit from the success of our 
                minority entrepreneurs. With energy and determination, 
                these hardworking men and women create jobs, attract 
                investment, bolster pride, and generate revenue in 
                communities across our Nation. People of different 
                races, people of diverse ethnic backgrounds, people 
                with disabilities--all have skills, new ideas, and 
                fresh perspectives to bring to the marketplace. 
                Minority entrepreneurs have unique contributions to 
                make to our economy and the talent and imagination to 
                produce goods and services that meet the needs of their 
                fellow Americans and of consumers around the world.

                The unprecedented strength of America's free enterprise 
                system demonstrates that when people have access to the 
                tools and opportunities they need, there is no limit to 
                what they can achieve. During Minority Enterprise 
                Development Week, let us reaffirm our national 
                commitment to equality in the economic as well as the 
                civic life of our Nation by providing minority 
                entrepreneurs around the country with an equal 
                opportunity to use their abilities, creativity, and 
                motivation to move our Nation forward. By doing so, we 
                will help preserve America's leadership in the global 
                economy.

                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 September 24 through 
                September 30, 2000, as Minority Enterprise Development 
                Week. I call on

[[Page 52288]]

                all Americans to join together with minority 
                entrepreneurs across the country in appropriate 
                observances.

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

                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. 00-22227
Filed 8-28-00; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3195-01-P