pd18de00 Remarks at a Special Olympics Dinner...

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

[Page i-iii]
 
Monday, December 18, 2000
 
Volume 36--Number 50
Pages 3041-3100
 
 Contents

[[Page i]]

Weekly Compilation of

Presidential

Documents



[[Page ii]]

  

  


 Addresses and Remarks

    Chernobyl nuclear powerplant shutdown, videotape remarks--3096
    Childhood immunization initiative--3059
    ``Christmas in Washington''--3050
    Ireland
         Community in Dundalk--3068
         Reception hosted by Prime Minister Ahern in Dublin--3067
    National Christmas Tree lighting--3062
    Nebraska
         Arrival at Offutt Air Force Base in Bellevue--3041
         Nebraska 2000 victory reception in Omaha--3042
    Radio address--3044
    Special Olympics dinner--3095
    United Kingdom
         People of Northern Ireland in Belfast--3072
         Resolution of the 2000 Presidential election, remarks in North 
            Aylesbury--3077
         University of Warwick in Coventry--3078
    William J. Clinton Presidential Library, design unveiling--3045

 Bill Signings

    Water Resources Development Act of 2000, statement--3063

 Communications to Federal Agencies

    Emergency military assistance to the United Nations mission in 
        Sierra Leone, memorandum--3065
    Funding for emergency refugee and migration assistance, memorandum--
        3098
    Improving immunization rates for children at risk, memorandum--3061

Interviews With the News Media

     Exchanges with reporters
        Air Force One--3085
         Belfast, Northern Ireland--3071
         Dublin, Ireland--3065
         North Aylesbury, United Kingdom--3077
         Roosevelt Room--3048, 3059
     Interview with Forrest Sawyer for the Discovery Channel--3051

Meetings With Foreign Leaders

    Ireland, Prime Minister Ahern--3065, 3067, 3068
    United Kingdom
         Northern Ireland
             Deputy First Minister Mallon--3071, 3072
             First Minister Trimble--3071, 3072
         Prime Minister Blair--3071, 3072

Proclamations

    Human Rights Day, Bill of Rights Day, and Human Rights Week--3049
    Wright Brothers Day--3095
  
(Continued on the inside of the back cover.)

  Editor's Note: The Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents is 
also available on the Internet on the GPO Access service at http://
www.gpo.gov/nara/nara003.html.

              WEEKLY COMPILATION OF
          ------------------------------
              PRESIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS

Published every Monday by the Office of the Federal Register, National 
Archives and Records Administration, Washington, DC 20408, the Weekly 
Compilation of Presidential Documents contains statements, messages, and
other Presidential materials released by the White House during the 
preceding week.

The Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents is published pursuant to
the authority contained in the Federal Register Act (49 Stat. 500, as 
amended; 44 U.S.C. Ch. 15), under regulations prescribed by the 
Administrative Committee of the Federal Register, approved by the 
President (37 FR 23607; 1 CFR Part 10).

Distribution is made only by the Superintendent of Documents, Government
Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402. The Weekly Compilation of 
Presidential Documents will be furnished by mail to domestic subscribers 
for $80.00 per year ($137.00 for mailing first class) and to foreign
subscribers for $93.75 per year, payable to the Superintendent of 
Documents, Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402. The charge 
for a single copy is $3.00 ($3.75 for foreign mailing).

There are no restrictions on the republication of material appearing in 
the Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents.



[[Page iii]]

Contents--Continued

Statements by the President

    See also Bill Signings
    Death of Representative Julian C. Dixon--3044
    Edmond Pope
         Release--3094
         Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to pardon--3049
    Ethiopia-Eritrea final peace agreement, signing--3068
    Faith Leaders Initiative of the National Conference for Community 
        and Justice--3076
    International crime, action against--3097
    Irish deportation proceedings, termination--3063

Statements by the President--Continued

    Monitoring the Future Survey--3094
    Trade agreements, guidelines for environmental review--3077
    U.S. International Trade Commission action against gray market 
        cigarettes--3097

Supplementary Materials

     Acts approved by the President--3100
     Checklist of White House press releases--3099
     Digest of other White House announcements--3098
     Nominations submitted to the Senate--3099

[[Page 3041]]




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

[Page 3041-3042]
 
Monday, December 18, 2000
 
Volume 36--Number 50
Pages 3041-3100
 
Week Ending Friday, December 15, 2000
 
Remarks on Arrival at Offutt Air Force Base in Bellevue, Nebraska


December 8, 2000

    Thank you very much. Thank you. One of my critics once said it would 
be a cold day when I came to Nebraska. [Laughter] But I think I got a 
pretty warm welcome here today, and I thank you very, very much.
    I want to thank all of those who welcomed me, but especially, thank 
you, Brigadier General Power; thank you, Admiral Mies. I thank the 
officers and enlisted personnel here.
    I want to thank Senator Bob Kerrey for being, first, my colleague. 
We were Governors together, and we have been friends for a long time, 
and he has superbly served the people of Nebraska and the United States 
in the Senate. I know you'll miss him, and I thank him.
    I also want to congratulate his successor, with whom I also served 
as Governor. Thank you very much for running and serving, Senator-elect 
Ben Nelson and Mrs. Nelson; thank you very much.
    I brought with me today former Nebraska Congressman Peter Hoagland, 
and I thank him; Secretary of State Moore; Mayor Daub; Acting Mayor 
Sorensen of Bellevue; and the other elected officials who are here.
    You know, earlier today I went to Kearney to speak at the University 
of Nebraska there to the young people about an American foreign policy 
for the 21st century. And I made a pretty simple argument: that the 
world is getting smaller and smaller; that people and goods and ideas 
and information are crossing national borders more freely and faster 
than ever before; and that, therefore, it was quite necessary, even here 
in the heartland of America, that every citizen of our country care 
about what goes on beyond our borders and support the next President and 
the next Congress across party lines in making the kinds of decisions 
that will make America safer and more prosperous and a better partner in 
an interdependent world.
    Now, one of the things that I wanted to do in coming here is to say 
that none of that would be possible if our foreign policy was not backed 
by the finest military in the entire world.
    I was told a couple of weeks ago, you know, since I'm a short-
termer, as you might say--[laughter]--all the statisticians are coming 
up to me and saying, ``Well, did you know this; did you know that; did 
you know the other thing?'' And I was told a couple of weeks ago by one 
of the people who is supposed to look at all the White House records 
that I have now visited more military units than any President in the 
history of the country.
    Having said that, I do not believe my service in that regard would 
have been complete if I hadn't come to Offutt Air Force Base to see the 
people of the Fighting 55th and the Strategic Command. Many of those 
serving in the 55th couldn't be with us today. You heard the General say 
the Sun never sets on the 55th. They are now serving on this day from 
Okinawa to Mildenhall to Saudi Arabia, keeping a watchful eye so the 
rest of us can be secure.
    For decades now--for a full decade in the Persian Gulf, the 55th has 
helped check the ambitions of Saddam Hussein and guard peace in the 
region. In Bosnia, in Kosovo, you risk your lives to help stop genocide. 
The days of winter may be short here, but it is really true that the Sun 
never sets on you and your work.
    I also want to honor the men and women of the Strategic Command. For 
every minute of every day during the past 50 years, you and your 
predecessors at the Strategic Air Command have never let down our guard. 
The cold war may be over, but we still need you. You are the cornerstone 
of our deterrence and our security.

[[Page 3042]]

    I also want to recognize the other units who serve here: the Defense 
Finance and Accounting Service, out of Omaha; the U.S. Air Force 
Heartland of America Band; the 311th Airlift Flight; the 343d Air Force 
Recruiting Squadron; and the U.S. Air Force Weather Agency. Would 
someone please ask them to turn up the heat a little bit? [Laughter]
    Let me just say one other thing. These last 8 years have been a 
great honor for me, and it has been a joy to serve. But the one thing 
that I will leave office feeling more strongly than I did even on the 
day I took the oath of office, almost 8 years ago, is that the true 
greatness of America resides not in its leaders but in its citizens. And 
yes, it's important who wins; and yes, it's important that we all 
believe that the system is truly democratic and fair. But our system is 
premised on the hard work, the innovation, the values, and the devotion 
to freedom of our citizens and especially, of course, those who serve us 
in uniform.
    America is a different and better place than it was 8 years ago. 
We've had all kinds of economic progress, but a lot of social progress, 
as well. And I would just like to say to you that as you look ahead in 
this new century, we will become more and more interdependent on each 
other and on people beyond our borders. It will become more and more 
important, therefore, that every person has a chance, that every person 
carries his or her own load, and that we always remember we do better 
when we work together.
    We have a great future out there, but we've got some challenges. If 
you look at where we are now compared to where we were 8 years ago, 
we're here because, as a people, we worked hard; we worked more closely 
together; we thought about the future; and we decided to pay the price 
for that future. That's why we're still around here after over 224 
years.
    So, you stay with it. Stay with it here at Offutt; stay with it here 
in Nebraska. Keep looking toward tomorrow. And remember that I may have 
been late, but I sure was glad when I got here.
    Thank you, and God bless you all.

Note: The President spoke at 2:10 p.m. on the tarmac. In his remarks, he 
referred to Brig. Gen. Gregory H. Power, USAF, Commander, 55th Wing, and 
Adm. Richard W. Mies, USN, Commander in Chief, United States Strategic 
Command, Offutt Air Force Base; Senator-Elect Ben Nelson of Nebraska and 
his wife, Diane; Secretary of State Scott Moore of Nebraska; Mayor Hal 
J. Daub of Omaha, NE; and Acting Mayor Bruce Sorenson of Bellevue. This 
item was not received in time for publication in the appropriate issue.


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

[Page 3042-3044]
 
Monday, December 18, 2000
 
Volume 36--Number 50
Pages 3041-3100
 
Week Ending Friday, December 15, 2000
 
Remarks at a Nebraska 2000 Victory Reception in Omaha, Nebraska

December 8, 2000

    Thank you very much. First, let me say to my great friend Vin, to 
Laurel, thank you for having me here. It took me a little while to get 
to Nebraska. [Laughter]
    I was at Offutt, and I told the crowd, I said, one of my, sort of, 

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