PROCLAMATION 7005—MAY 21, 1997 111 STAT. 2909 tial. Our nationwide network of U.S. Export Assistance Centers combines under one roof the services of the Department of Commerce, the Small Business Administration, the U.S. Export-Import Bank, and other agencies to improve business access to trade information and financing. Over the past 4 years, this network has more than doubled the amount of export sales it facilitates. Our finance agencies, the U.S. Export-Import Bank, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, and the rade and Development Agency, also help American businesses compete on a level playing field in this increasingly competitive world economy. We can be proud of this record of achievement, but we must build on it. Fair trade and open markets create stable economies in which democracy can take root and flourish. The United States alone has the legacy, the resources, and the responsibility to lead the world in this endeavor, and we must continue to do so. As we observe World Trade Week, 1997, I am confident that, working together, we can sustain America's leadership in the global economy, generate millions of new jobs, and improve the quality of life for all our people. NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, 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 May 18 through May 24, 1997, as World Trade Week. I invite the people of the United States to observe this week with ceremonies, activities, and programs that celebrate the potential of international trade. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this nineteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety- seven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-first. WILLIAM J. CLINTON Proclamation 7005 of May 21, 1997 National Maritime Day, 1997 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Throughout America's history—from the Revolutionary War to today's global challenges—our United States Merchant Marine has fulfilled its mission with patriotism and efficiency, transporting our Nation's cargoes in times of both peace and conflict. Our Merchant Marine has shown its mettle time and again during major United States military engagements, proving to be a crucial component in support of our Armed Forces' efforts to protect our national interests and defend our freedom. Today, we salute these skilled civilian seafarers, who continue to distinguish their profession and demonstrate their commitment to America's security through their unwavering support of our troops abroad in both peacekeeping and humanitarian operations. History has taught us how important a nation's flag presence is on the high seas. Heeding the lessons of the past, the Congress and I re-
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