    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1996, Book I)]
    [February 8, 1996]
    [Page 272]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 272]]

    Message on the Observance of the Vietnamese Lunar New Year
    February 8, 1996

        Warm greetings to everyone observing the Vietnamese Lunar New Year
    as you welcome the Year of the Rat.
        This ancient annual festival unites people of Vietnamese heritage
    across America and around the globe in an exuberant celebration of hope
    and new beginnings. Family and friends gather to renew the bonds of love
    and to rejoice in the rich cultural traditions of Vietnam. The joys of
    the coming year are anticipated with a flurry of fireworks, flowers,
    decorations, and feasting.
        Tet is a fitting occasion for us to reflect on the many gifts that
    Vietnamese Americans have brought to our national life--among them a
    reverence for family, an unquenchable optimism, and an unwavering
    determination to make tomorrow better than today. Let us rejoice
    together in this season of renewal and resolve to work for a future of
    harmony and prosperity for us all.
        Best wishes for a new year of happiness, health, freedom, and peace.

                                                                Bill Clinton

    Note: This message was released by the Office of the Press Secretary on
    February 16.