    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1996, Book II)]
    [July 29, 1996]
    [Pages 1220-1221]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Statement on Signing the Mollie Beattie Wilderness Area Act
    July 29, 1996

        I have today signed into law S. 1899, the ``Mollie Beattie
    Wilderness Area Act''. While not everyone had the pleasure of knowing
    and working with Mollie Beattie, her lifelong dedication to conservation
    has enriched every American. This legislation names one of Alaska's most
    imposing wilderness areas in her honor. It ensures that future
    generations will recall the lasting contributions Mollie made to
    conserving our Nation's priceless natural heritage.
        Mollie stands out in my memory as the person releasing a bald eagle
    named Hope back into the wild to celebrate the improving condition of
    our national symbol. I also remember her as one of the people carrying
    the gray wolf back into the Yellowstone ecosystem in a vital effort to
    help restore nature's balance. Yet these two events, unforgettable as
    they are, represent only symbols of Mollie's many achievements as the
    first female Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
        Although her tenure as director was tragically cut short, Mollie
    left an enduring legacy to the American people. She was determined to
    conserve the world's wild creatures and their habitat, and to do so
    effectively. As a direct result of her efforts to make the Endangered
    Species Act work better, Americans everywhere have voluntarily joined in
    conserving and restoring the landscapes and open spaces that surround
    them.
        Mollie strove throughout her life to help people understand the
    connections that linked the quality of their daily lives to the health
    and well-being of America's wildlife. Anyone who ever worked with Mollie
    recognized that her caring, compassion, and wisdom extended to all
    living creatures. She truly understood the need to actively engage
    people in wildlife conservation efforts.

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        Under this legislation, Mollie Beattie's name will be forever
    associated with one of the most wild and beautiful places on this
    planet, the Brooks Range of Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. It
    is entirely appropriate that we honor Mollie in this way. She was a
    passionate defender of our 508 National Wildlife Refuges, the largest
    system of lands in the world dedicated to wildlife conservation. She saw
    them as places that must be appreciated and honored, as places where we
    could begin to fulfill our sacred trust as stewards of God's creation.
    Mollie worked tirelessly, even as her health was failing, to keep these
    places wild for the benefit of Americans today and for those who will
    follow us.
        I am deeply grateful to the Alaska delegation for their leadership
    in introducing this legislation. I appreciate their willingness to
    commemorate this wild and beautiful place forever to the memory of
    Mollie Beattie.

                                                          William J. Clinton

    The White House,

    July 29, 1996.

    Note: S. 1899, approved July 29, was assigned Public Law No. 104-167.