[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1997, Book II)]
[October 9, 1997]
[Pages 1333-1334]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Statement on Signing the Oklahoma City National Memorial Act of 1997
October 9, 1997

    I am pleased to sign today S. 871, the ``Oklahoma City National 
Memorial Act of 1997.'' This Act establishes the Oklahoma City National 
Memorial as a unit of the National Park System to recognize the profound 
changes brought to so many lives on the tragic morning of April 19, 
1995.
    The significance of the tragedy of the bombing of the Alfred P. 
Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, and the meaning and 
implications of this event for our Nation, compel the establishment of 
this memorial as a visible and prominent national shrine. After the 
bombing, I proclaimed a National Day of Mourning for those lost in the 
tragedy. The people of the United States prayed for them and their 
community as we gathered in our places of worship around the country. 
When I traveled to Oklahoma City to participate in a memorial service 
for the bombing victims, I pledged to do all I could to help heal the 
injured, to rebuild the city, and to stand by the people of Oklahoma 
City.
    The Oklahoma City Memorial Foundation has done a tremendous job of 
involving the public, defining its mission and goals, and holding a 
design competition for the memorial. Building upon these local efforts, 
this Act establishes the Oklahoma City Memorial Trust to manage the 
memorial. This Trust, a Federal Government corporation, will operate 
within the Department of the Interior in cooperation with the National 
Park Service to ensure the fulfillment of the obligations and 
requirements of the laws and policies that govern units of the National 
Park Systems (NPS).
    Through the partnership, the National Park Service will provide 
technical assistance to the

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Trust for 2 years, after which time the Trust will reimburse the Park 
Service for any further services. As part of this partnership, it is my 
expectation that the National Park Service will establish a position of 
superintendent or site manager to work closely with the Trust in 
managing this NPS unit.
    Section 5(v)(1) of S. 871 vests the powers and management of the 
Trust in a Board of Directors consisting of the Secretary of the 
Interior and eight other members appointed by the President. These 
Presidential appointments would be made from names submitted by the 
Governor of Oklahoma, the Mayor of Oklahoma City, and the Oklahoma 
congressional delegation. Because the Constitution does not permit 
limiting the executive branch's appointment power by requiring 
nominations from lists of recommendations, I will regard any lists 
submitted pursuant to that section as advisory.
    I commend all those who worked so hard to memorialize the lives of 
the innocent victims of the Oklahoma City bombing.

                                                      William J. Clinton

The White House,

October 9, 1997.

Note: S. 871, approved October 9, was assigned Public Law No. 105-58.