[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 246 (Thursday, December 21, 2000)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 80721-80722]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-32741]



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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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  Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 246 / Thursday, December 21, 2000 / 
Presidential Documents  

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 Title 3--
 The President

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                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.

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                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.

                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. 00-32741
Filed 12-20-00; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3195-01-P