Proclamations Proc. 7290 justice for women who live in daily fear for their safety and often for their lives. By providing support services for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault and empowering prosecutors with new tools to target offend- ers, we have sent a clear message that our society will not tolerate violence against women. Thanks to the concerted efforts of crime victims' advocates, many of whom are survivors themselves, government at all levels is focused on en- suring victims' rights. Today, all States have enacted laws safeguarding crime victims' rights in the criminal justice process, and 32 States have amended their constitutions accordingly. Despite this progress, millions of Americans still fall prey to criminals each year. In the past year alone, gun violence alone has taken an enor- mous toll across our Nation. To address this, my Administration has pro- posed the 21st Century Policing Initiative to provide 50,000 more police of- ricers for our streets, requested more funding for our Safe Schools/Healthy Students Initiative to reduce school and youth violence, and put forth the largest national gun enforcement initiative in our Nation's history. I con- tinue to call on the Congress to strengthen our Nation's hate crime laws and to pass commonsense gun legislation to keep guns out of the wrong hands; and we should pass the Victims' Rights Amendment to the Constitu- tion. Criminal victimization is at its lowest level in 25 years, but we can do more. As we observe National Crime Victims' Rights Week, as we near the fifth anniversary of the tragic bombing in Oklahoma City and the first anni- versary of the shooting at Columbine High School, let us vow to continue working together to prevent crime and violence. Let us also pledge to honor the needs and rights of victims whose lives have been forever altered by crime. And let us recognize the courage and determination of the thou- sands of men and women across our country who dedicate themselves daily to the protection of victims' rights. NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM ]. CLINTON, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitu- tion and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim April 9 to April 15, 2000, as National Crime Victims' Rights Week. I urge all Americans to re- member crime victims and their families by working to reduce violence, to assist those harmed by crime, and to make our communities and homes safer places in which to live and raise our families. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this tenth day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-fourth. WILLIAM J. CLINTON 55
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