Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 105 Part 3.djvu/885

 PROCLAMATION 6392—DEC. 13, 1991 105 STAT. 2769 More than a tribute to their mechanical acumen and collective genius, the Wright brothers' triumph at Kitty Hawk stands as a shining example of the power of intellect and determination over seemingly insurmountable odds. It is an example we do well to remember. Today many frontiers still stand before us. Every problem and question we face, both as individuals and as a Nation, represents new challenges and opportunities. Like Orville and Wilbur Wright and like all those Americans who have used their freedom, resources, and skill to reach high goals, we, too, can rise on the wings of industry and learning. The Congress, by a joint resolution approved December 17, 1963 \J7 Stat. 402; 36 U.S.C. 169), has designated the 17th day of December of each year as "Wright Brothers Day" and requested the President to issue annually a proclamation commemorating this day. NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE BUSH, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim December 17, 1991, as Wright Brothers Day. I invite all Americans to observe that day with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twelfth day of December, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety-one, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and sixteenth. GEORGE BUSH Proclamation 6392 of December 13, 1991 Bicentennial of the District of Columbia Month, 1991 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Although it encompasses just 10 square miles, the District of Columbia contains a vast wealth of history and culture—a legacy that befits our Nation's Capital. This year, we celebrate the 200th armiversary of our remarkable Federal city. Conceived by the Framers of our Constitution, who provided for the establishment of a special district to serve "as the Seat of the Government of the United States," our Nation's Capital began to take shape in 1791. In January of that year, a site was selected for the city under the direction of President George Washington. The following month Andrew Ellicot and Benjamin Banneker, a successful black farmer who was self-taught in engineering, mathematics, and other fields, began to survey the terrain. Plans for the actual layout of the city reflected the exuberance, pride, and optimism of our young Republic. When he submitted his design to the Congress in December 1791, Major Pierre L'Enfant included numerous provisions for parks, fountains, and wide, sweeping avenues—all reflecting a vision as grand and as ambitious as the American experiment itself. Over the years, a number of our Nation's leaders took great personal interest in the development of the Federal city. Thomas Jefferson of-

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