[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 207 (Wednesday, October 25, 2000)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 63763-63764]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-27597]
Presidential Documents
Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 207 / Wednesday, October 25, 2000 /
Presidential Documents
___________________________________________________________________
Title 3--
The President
[[Page 63763]]
Proclamation 7368 of October 20, 2000
National Day of Concern About Young People and
Gun Violence, 2000
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
Every day in America, approximately 10 children are
shot and killed. Children 15 years old and younger are
murdered with firearms at a higher rate in this country
than in 25 other industrialized countries combined.
These tragedies are an urgent reminder that we must not
waver in our national commitment to reduce gun violence
and to make our society safer for our children.
We are beginning to see some progress in our efforts.
Since 1992, the national violent crime rate has dropped
by more than 20 percent; violent crimes committed with
firearms have dropped by 35 percent; and the firearms
homicide rate has fallen over 40 percent. We have
achieved much of this progress by embracing a
collaborative, community-based approach to gun crime
prevention and reduction.
Gun violence issues differ in each community, and no
single program or approach works everywhere. In
response to a directive I issued last year to help
reduce gun violence and save lives, United States
Attorneys and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and
Firearms Field Division Directors for each of our
Nation's 94 Federal judicial districts have developed
locally coordinated gun violence reduction strategies.
Working closely with local law enforcement, elected
officials, and other community leaders, they are
tailoring plans to local needs and developing
strategies to prevent gun crimes from occurring and
crack down on gun criminals.
A major goal of our strategy to reduce gun violence
and ensure the safety of our children is to keep guns
out of the wrong hands. We passed the Brady Act to help
accomplish this goal by requiring that every person who
purchases a firearm from a federally licensed dealer
submit to a background check. To date, Brady background
checks have prevented more than 536,000 felons and
other prohibited individuals from acquiring firearms.
We also succeeded in banning assault weapons, making
``zero tolerance'' for guns in schools the law of the
land, and passing legislation that prohibits juveniles
from possessing handguns. However, our determination to
reduce gun violence must not stop there. I have called
on the Congress to build on these measures by passing
legislation that closes the gun show loophole, mandates
child safety locks with every handgun sold, and bans
large-capacity ammunition clips.
We have also provided funding for more than 100,000
community police officers; for the Safe Schools/Healthy
Students initiative to reduce youth violence through
collaborative, community-based efforts; and for the
21st Century Community Learning Centers--safe places
where students can go after school to participate in
constructive activities and avoid the dangers of guns,
gangs, and drugs.
But none of these efforts can succeed without the
commitment of America's youth. It takes courage to
resist negative peer pressure; it takes character to
settle disputes without resorting to violence; and it
takes a sense of personal responsibility to tell an
adult when others fail to live up to these
[[Page 63764]]
standards. On this National Day of Concern, I ask every
young American to sign a Student Pledge Against Gun
Violence, which contains a solemn oath never to bring a
gun to school, never to use a gun to settle a dispute,
and to use their influence to keep others from using
guns. By doing so, they will take an important, life-
affirming step toward a brighter and safer future.
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 October 21, 2000, as a
National Day of Concern About Young People and Gun
Violence. On this day, I call upon young people in
classrooms and communities across the United States to
voluntarily sign the Student Pledge Against Gun
Violence. I also call upon all Americans to commit
themselves anew to helping our Nation's young people
reject violence and to make our schools and
neighborhoods safe places for learning and recreation.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
twentieth day of October, 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. 00-27597
Filed 10-24-00; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3195-01-P