    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2002, Book II)]
    [July 3, 2002]
    [Pages 1172-1173]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks Celebrating the Bicentennial of Lewis and Clark's Voyage of
    Discovery
    July 3, 2002

        Welcome. Please be seated. You read it just
    like I wrote it. [Laughter]
        Thank you all for coming. It's great to see so many of my fellow
    Americans here on the eve of Independence Day, the day we celebrate the
    fantastic freedoms we love in America. And I hope every American goes
    out tomorrow and gives thanks for the many blessings of our Nation.
        I want to thank members of my Cabinet who are here. Thank you all
    for coming, Gale and Ann.
        I want to thank Members of the Congress--Senator and Congressman
    from the great Commonwealth of Virginia are here. I want to thank many
    members of the administration who are here. I see Fran, who is head of the National Parks. I want to thank
    the tribal leaders who have come. I want to thank my fellow Americans.
    Welcome to the people's house, and it's a beautiful house, as you can
    see.
        I want to thank Laura for serving as the host
    while I was doing some work. I particularly want to thank the Missouri
    Historical Society for lending this splendid portrait of the man Stephen
    Ambrose called the greatest of all
    American explorers, Captain Meriwether Lewis.
        You know, it's amazing--it's fitting and amazing, when you think
    about it, that we're holding this event here in the East Room, because
    this is where Lewis lived when he was Jefferson's private secretary. Not
    a bad room. [Laughter] They tell me, though, that back then the room was
    damp and depressing. The second First Lady who lived here, Abigail
    Adams, actually used to hang the washing here. [Laughter] And I want to
    thank Laura for getting my underwear out before
    the event started. [Laughter]
        Nearly 200 years ago, President Jefferson sent an expedition to
    explore what was then

    [[Page 1173]]

    the uncharted West. Jefferson was a curious man, as we've learned, and I
    bet you he wanted to lead the expedition himself. But he was occupied,
    and so he chose a trusted aide and friend, Meriwether Lewis, to lead
    what was called the Voyage of Discovery.
        The Lewis and Clark expedition lasted just a couple of years, but it
    changed the face of our country forever. It opened up the American West
    for future development. It increased our knowledge of our natural
    resources. It helped us gain a better understanding of America's native
    cultures. Most importantly, the Lewis and Clark Expedition will stand
    forever as a monument to the American spirit, a spirit of optimism and
    courage and persistence in the face of adversity.
        Earlier this week, I signed a proclamation designating 2003 through
    2006 as the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Commemoration. I urge all
    Americans to learn more about Lewis and Clark and how the expedition
    changed our Nation and, at the same time, to learn more about our native
    culture, to learn more about courage and the values that continue to
    shape our Nation today.
        American history is filled with remarkable examples of heroism and
    adventure, and the voyage of Lewis and Clark is one of the most
    remarkable of them all. And that's why we're here in the White House
    today. Their expedition became an epic of endurance and discovery, and
    that epic became an American legend which all Americans should know
    about, and they should teach their children about it as well.
        The achievement would not have been possible without the tremendous
    contribution of a remarkable Shoshone Indian woman, Sacagawea, who
    helped the explorers on their long and perilous journey. And I say
    remarkable because she had a 2-month-old baby when the trip began. And
    she was just as committed to discovery and success as Lewis and Clark
    and the other young members of the Corps of Discovery.
        Her courage and her strength reminds us that American Indians have
    played a central role in our history, and their unique culture must
    never be lost. Tribal colleges and universities help preserve
    irreplaceable languages and cultural traditions. At the same time, of
    course, they offer a high-quality college education to thousands of
    students and provide much-needed job training and other means of
    economic development in Indian country.
        I bring that up today because I had the honor of signing an
    Executive order affirming the Federal Government's commitment to these
    unique institutions. Many of the board members that I named are here
    today, and they were in the Oval Office earlier, and I want to thank
    them for coming. All Americans--all Americans--deserve an excellent
    education, including those who attend tribal colleges and universities.
        I want to thank you all for coming today. I want to thank you for
    being here to honor the courage of great explorers. I want to thank you
    for being here to honor the richness of native cultures. And I want to
    thank you for being here to honor the grand history of the American
    West.
        May God bless you and your families, and may God continue to bless
    America. Thank you.

    Note: The President spoke at 2:50 p.m. in the East Room at the White
    House. In his remarks, he referred to historian Stephen E. Ambrose. The
    proclamation of June 28 on the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial and the
    Executive order of July 3 on tribal colleges and universities are listed
    in Appendix D at the end of this volume.