PROCLAMATION 6085—JAN. 3, 1990 104 STAT. 5201 By the end of this year, Americans will have used commercial aircraft more than 475 million times to travel around the country and around the world. Only 86 years after the Wright brothers took to the skies with their bold yet tentative flight, we are able to travel millions of miles with confidence and ease. On Wright Brothers Day, we salute all the courageous pioneers who, with vision and determination, have made these great advances possible. In so doing, they have not only helped make American aviation a model for the world but also led the way to the exploration of our universe. The Congress, by a joint resolution approved December 17, 1963 [77 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 inviting the people of the United States to observe that day with appropriate ceremonies and activities. NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE BUSH, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim December 17, 1989, as Wright Brothers Day. I call upon the people of the United States to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies and activities. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fourteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty- nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and fourteenth. GEORGE BUSH Proclamation 6085 of January 3, 1990 Earth Day, 1990 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation The world's natural resources sustain not only the economic and social development of nations, but the entire spectrum of life on Earth. In our natural surroundings, we find breathtaking beauty and order—reflections of the magnificent designs of our Creator. Environmental problems, on the other hand, reveal the tragic consequences of our failure to cherish and protect these wonderful gifts. Twenty years ago, on January 1, 1970, then-President Nixon signed the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 into law. This legislation signalled our Nation's growing concern about the state of the environment and set forth important Federal policy goals. Today, another decade is unfolding before us—the third since America's strengthened commitment to protecting our natural resources. As we enter the 1990s, it is fitting that we pause once again to assess the state of our environment. Tremendous progress has been made during the past 20 years in addressing environmental problems, yet great challenges remain. Many scientists are concerned that a buildup of certain gases in the atmosphere may cause significant climate changes with serious, widespread
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