Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 112 Part 5.djvu/990

 112 STAT. 3748 PROCLAMATION 7090—MAY 1, 1998 Public Law 102-450, has designated the month of May as "Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month." NOW, THEREFORE. I, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim May 1998 as Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month. I call upon the people of the United States to observe this month with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirtieth day of April, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety- eight, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-second. WILLIAM J. CLINTON Proclamation 7090 of May 1, 1998 Law Day, U.S.A., 1998 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation In 1787, when the fomiders of this great Nation set forth the guiding principles of our new democracy in the Preamble to the Constitution, among their primary goals was to "establish Justice." These visionary American leaders revered the law, understanding that its proper practice would simultaneously free us and protect us, enabling us to steer a steady covu"se between the opposing dangers of tyranny and anarchy. Today, our country, built upon the foundation of equal justice for all, is renowned throughout the world for legally enshrining fundamental human rights. Recognizing the importance of law to the life of our Nation, we set aside one day each year to reflect on our judicial system and to celebrate both the security and the freedom it guarantees. Our laws ensure that the rights set forth in the Constitution and its Amendments are protected in our everyday lives: our right to worship as we choose, to speak freely, to vote in free elections, to be safe from arbitrary arrest. Justice for all is central to our democracy, and we must strive to ensure that all Americans have equal access to the judicial system. Unfortunately, each year many of our most vulnerable citizens are denied the legal assistance they need because they cannot afford it. I am proud that our Federal Government is making an investment to address this problem through the work of the Legal Services Corporation (LSC). For almost 25 years, the LSC has funded local offices that give our citizens access to the legal help they need to secure child support, escape domestic violence, or fight unscrupulous lenders. Last year alone, 4 million poor Americans, the majority of whom were women and children, were helped by LSC offices. Without laws, our democracy would wither; without access to our legal system, there can be no true justice. We must affirm and strengthen our national legal services system to ensure that all Americans have an equal opportunity to enjoy the rights and liberties guaranteed in our

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