pd09ap01 Statement on Senate Action on Federal Budget Legislation...

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convened the Congress of Panama in 1826 with the intention of creating 
an association of states in the hemisphere. In 1890, a Pan American 
conference established the International Union of American Republics. 
The Union eventually became the Organization of American States (OAS), 
which continues to faithfully serve its member states. The OAS charter, 
in affirming the shared commitment, states that ``the true significance 
of American solidarity and good neighborliness can only mean the 
consolidation . . . of a system of individual liberty and social justice 
based on respect for the essential rights of man.''
    Today, we remain united through mutual interests and the hope for a 
better future for our people. This month I will join the democratically 
elected leaders of the hemisphere in Quebec City for the third Summit of 
the Americas. At this conference, we will build on efforts at previous 
Summits to promote our shared objectives of representative democracy, 
free trade, and using the power of free markets to better the lives of 
the poor. We will also build on our mutual interest in encouraging 
respect for human rights and improving relations among all the countries 
of the hemisphere.
    Even with our significant progress, however, challenges remain. Cuba 
is the only country in the hemisphere that will be missing from the 
Quebec Summit. It is my sincere hope that our neighbor will soon rejoin 
the fraternity of democracies and that the Cuban people will again know 
freedom.
    During Pan American Week and the Summit of the Americas, we reflect 
on and renew our common dedication to ensuring that the benefits of 
development are broadly shared. We also look forward to building even 
closer relationships among our countries for the sake of future 
generations. We have a responsibility to leave our children a hemisphere 
that honors the commitment of our predecessors, strengthening bonds that 
connect us as nations and as people. We want to make this the Century of 
the Americas.
    Now, Therefore, I, George W. Bush, President of the United States of 
America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and 
laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim April 14, 2001, as Pan 
American Day and April 8 through April 14, 2001, as Pan American Week. I 
call upon all the people of the United States to observe this day and 
week with appropriate ceremonies and activities.
    In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this second day of 
April, in the year of our Lord two thousand one, and of the Independence 
of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-fifth.
                                                George W. Bush

 [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 8:45 a.m., April 4, 
2001]

Note: This proclamation was published in the Federal Register on April 
5.

[[Page 568]]


<DOC>
[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents]
 [frwais.access.gpo.gov]
                         

[Page 568]
 
Monday, April 9, 2001
 
Volume 37--Number 14
Pages 559-588
 
Week Ending Friday, April 6, 2001
 
Proclamation 7421--National Former Prisoner of War Recognition Day, 2001

 April 2, 2001

 By the President of the United States

 of America

 A Proclamation

    From our earliest beginnings as a Nation, America has been blessed 
with citizens who have been willing to fight and die to preserve our 
shared ideals. We owe our freedom to men and women who have responded 
heroically to the call of patriotic duty. In times of peace and war, in 
times of great conflict, and even in peacetime, they stood tall. Facing 
the horrors of combat, young Americans placed themselves squarely in 
harm's way.
    Among all these ranks of brave Americans, our living former 
prisoners of war form a living testament to the courage Americans have 
shown in defending liberty. During World War II and the conflicts in 
Korea and Vietnam, prisoners endured, in addition to separation from 
their loved ones, isolation, disease, and torture. More recently, 
American troops in the Persian Gulf stood bravely in the face of enemy 
capture and returned home with honor.
    The men and women who suffered through the atrocious conditions of 
internment deserve our utmost gratitude and respect. Their fortitude 
serves as an example of placing the ideals of freedom and self-
government above one's own interests. We also owe a debt of gratitude to 
their families for weathering agonizing uncertainty while demonstrating 
support for their loved ones' service to country.
    In World War II, patriotic Americans stepped forward without 
hesitation to carry America's honor into unknown battlefields. Many 
thousands gave their lives as the ultimate sacrifice, both on the 
battlefield and in the deadly prison camps of the Pacific and Europe.
    We are particularly mindful this month of anniversaries reminding us 
of the contributions former prisoners of war have made to our freedom. 
April marks the anniversary of the first return of American POWs from 
North Korea during Operation Little Switch. These prisoners endured 
bitter cold and inadequate food, clothing, and medical care in their 
brave effort to stop the spread of communism.
    This April is also the 28th anniversary of the end of Operation 
Homecoming, in which our Vietnam-era POWs returned to freedom. Americans 
held prisoner during that war, some for as long as 9 years, were subject 
to torture and the horrors of isolation. They survived only through 
their faith, character, and patriotism.
    On this date, we remember the sacrifices of those imprisoned while 
serving America. We remain committed to ensuring that future generations 
know of their heroism in order to fully appreciate their courage and 
resolve. Although they returned home safely, their physical and 
emotional scars remain as a reminder of the high price of liberty.
    Now, Therefore, I, George W. Bush, President of the United States of 
America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and 
laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim April 9, 2001, as National 
Former Prisoner of War Recognition Day. I call upon all the people of 
the United States to join me in remembering former American prisoners of 
war who suffered the hardships of enemy captivity. I also call upon 
Federal, State, and local government officials and private organizations 
to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies and activities.
    In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this second day of 
April, in the year of our Lord two thousand one, and of the Independence 
of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-fifth.
                                                George W. Bush

 [Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 8:45 a.m., April 4, 
2001]

Note: This proclamation was published in the Federal Register on April 
5.


<DOC>
[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents]
 [frwais.access.gpo.gov]
                         

[Page 568-571]
 
Monday, April 9, 2001
 
Volume 37--Number 14
Pages 559-588
 
Week Ending Friday, April 6, 2001
 
Remarks at a Leadership Forum in Wilmington, Delaware

April 3, 2001

    The President. Thank you, Mr. Jones. I'm honored to be here. Thank 
you all.

[[Page 569]]

    Claven Jones. Before we all get started here, can I ask you a 
question?
    The President. You can do anything you--it's your building, you can 
do anything you want. [Laughter]
    Mr. Jones. What did you think about those Power Hour kids upstairs? 
Weren't they great?
    The President. I loved seeing the Power Hour kids. I know societies 
can change one person at a time. And while those of us in Government are 
trying to do the best we can with budgets and taxes, what we can't do is 
make people love one another. But what we can do is encourage loving 
people to help. And so I saw the Power Hour as an opportunity for 
children to improve themselves, but I also saw it as an opportunity for 
people to give something back in our society.
    And so I want to thank you for giving me the chance to come. I want 
to say a couple of things. First, I'm honored to be traveling with the 
Delaware delegation, the two United States Senators: Senator Biden and 
Senator Carper. These are smart, capable people. I just hope they do it 
the way I think they ought to be doing it. [Laughter]
    We will find--I will assure you this--we'll find areas where you can 
agree. I noticed Senator Carper dropped a strong charter school bill--
and I was at Maurice's school earlier in the year. And Tom and I come 
from the Governors ranks; we worked a lot together; there's a lot of 
areas where we know we can work together to improve public education. 
And there's going to be some times we don't agree, but my pledge to the 
American people and the people of Delaware is, when we disagree, it will 
be done in a way that's respectful, where we can treat each other with 
respect, where we don't have to have this needless name-calling and 
finger-pointing to get ahead.
    And I respect these two Senators. I may not like every vote. Of 
course, they may not like every proposal. But I can assure you that 
we're working hard to change the attitude of Washington, DC, so there is 
a more respectful attitude and so there can be a more civil debate about 
where this country ought to go.
    And then, of course, I was pleased to see that I got 100 percent 
support on one of my proposals from the Delaware delegate, and that is 
Mike Castle. And one thing I love about Mike is that he is a very 
thoughtful Member who stays focused. And his focus is education, amongst 
a lot of other things, but his main drive right now is to make sure we 
get the education bill right.
    And the education bill that we're trying to get out of the House, 
and eventually the Senate, mirrors much of what you've done here in 
Delaware under the leadership of then-Governor Carper. And I see members 
of the legislature here as well. It really says, every child can learn; 
it's important to trust local people to run the schools; and we must 
have accountability to determine whether or not every child is learning. 
And if children are learning, we'll praise the teachers and principals 
and superintendents. But if not, instead of just moving children through 
the system as if they don't matter, we address the problems early, 
before it's too late. Strong accountability systems lead to reforms.
    Senator Carper, then-Governor Carper, recognized that. I think I got 
some credit for recognizing that in the State of Texas. And the whole 
cornerstone of the reform movement that we're trying to get out of the 
Senate and the House says that if you receive Federal aid, you, the 
State, must devise an accountability system to let the folks know 
whether or not children are learning.
    And oh, by the way, let's also have a reading--national reading 
program that starts teaching children to read early. Let's have after-
school programs called 21st Century Programs that not only are run by 
public school institutions, if that's what the local community wants, 
but also says, programs--community programs or faith-based programs are 
just as capable about running programs as anybody else is. And so all 
the Federal money, as far as I'm concerned, for after-school programs 
ought to be opened up to every program in the State of Delaware.
    And so I'm here to say thanks for what you do. It's good to see--I 
was going to say old friends, Maurice--friends I've known for a while--
not all that old. Maurice runs a great charter school here, as you all 
know, and he's done a fantastic job.

[[Page 570]]

    Mr. Jones--I told him earlier that I wrote a bestseller--actually, I 
didn't write it; they say--they claimed I wrote it--called ``A Charge To 
Keep,'' and it's actually about me. So if you're having trouble sleeping 
at night, you may want to pick it up. [Laughter] At any rate--but all 
the proceeds are going to the Big Brothers and Big Sisters programs and 
Boys and Girls Clubs of America, because I believe so profoundly--I 
believe so strongly in mentoring, and I believe so strongly in helping 
children understand somebody loves them. And Government can't do that, 
but what Government can do is facilitate programs and allow faith-based 
programs to access Federal monies so that they can help change hearts.
    I don't believe we ought to fund religion, but I do think we ought 
to fund a person, and that person should be able to choose whether or 
not to find help at a faith-based program or a secular program.
    I view the Boys and Girls Clubs as faith-based programs, by the way, 
programs based upon the universal concept of loving a neighbor just like 
you'd like to be loved yourself. And for that, I'm grateful. I want to 
congratulate the board of directors of the Boys and Girls Clubs of 
Delaware for having such a profound impact. One in seven children in 
this State are members of the Boys and Girls Clubs, for which I know you 
all are most proud.
    Rather than falling into the legislative tradition of filibustering, 
I will now end my remarks by thanking you all for your hospitality, and 
I look forward to hearing from you.

[The forum began.]

    The President. How old is your charter school?
    John Taylor. Our charter school is in its first year.
    The President. Great. How's it going?
    Mr. Taylor. It is going well. It is going very well.
    The President. Did you have many applicants for your charter school?
    Mr. Taylor. Yes, we did have quite a few applicants.
    The President. And what grades?
    Mr. Taylor. We are currently servicing children between kindergarten 
and fifth grade.
    The President. Oh, great. Big jump. Thanks for teaching.

[The forum continued.]

    The President. Thank you for encouraging mentoring. You know, the 
great strength of the country takes place when somebody walks across the 
street or raises their hand and says, ``What can I do to help? What can 
I do to help somebody in need?'' And it's the cumulative kindness of 
America that really makes our country so different from everyplace else. 
And it's really important for all of us to understand the power of 
mentoring and what it means, because really what it means is recognizing 
that America will be changed one soul at a time.
    And I want to thank you for encouraging the Kiwanis to become 
mentors. And pass the word that the President and the Senators and the 
Congressmen really do recognize the limitation of Government and 
recognize the power of love and faith and hope.

[The forum continued.]

    The President. One of the things we've all got to do in our society 
is to encourage and herald the education entrepreneurs all across the 
country. And the idea of change and recognizing each student--an 
accountability system recognizing the talents and needs of each student 
is an incredible part of reform. And that's what the legislation we're 
working on in the Senate and the House is going to foster.
    And what triggered my thinking is, there's a lot of times where 
public schools don't change; their systems are inert; they just won't 
move. And yet, we've got three schools that are new--four--four new 
ideas, which shows that the State of Delaware has got a system that 
encourages change when change is needed. And that's the message we're 
trying to get to Members of the Senate and Congress who don't want 
change.
    One thing--we're going to spend more money, and that's important, 
but as well, there needs to be a systemic change to not only encourage 
parental involvement but to recognize that the systems have got to be

[[Page 571]]

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