Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999 / Dec. 31 7

I think we would all agree that we are most opening the storehouse of human knowledge fortunate to be alive at this moment in his- for people across the globe and offering the tory. We end this century and the millen- promise of alleviating the poverty that still nium with soaring optimism. Never before haunts so many millions of our children. We has our Nation enjoyed, at once, so much see scientists rapidly approaching the day prosperity, social progress, and national self- when newborns can expect to live well past confidence, with so little internal crisis or ex- 100 years, and children will know cancer only ternal threat. Never before have we had such as a constellation of stars. But by far, my most a blessed opportunity and, therefore, such a solemn prayer for this new millennium is that profound responsibility to build the more we will find, somehow, the strength and wis- perfect Union of our Founders’ dreams. dom in our hearts to keep growing together, When our children’s children look back on first, as one America and then as one people this century, they will see that this hopeful on this ever smaller planet we all call home. and promising time was earned by the brav- If you look at the glowing diversity of race ery and hard work of men and women who, and background that illuminates America’s in the words of our great poet laureate, house on this evening, a vivid illustration, we Robert Pinsky, did not merely celebrate our see that human capacity is distributed equally oldest ideals like trophies under glass but across the human landscape, I cannot help kept them bright with use. They will see this but think how different America is, how dif- moment was earned through the hard-won ferent history is, and how much better, be- fight for freedom, from the beachheads of cause those of you in this room and those Normandy to the buses of Montgomery to you represent were able to imagine, to in- the villages of Kosovo. At home and abroad, vent, to inspire. And by the same token, I it has been our great privilege to advance cannot help but dream of how much dif- the light of human liberty. ferent and how much better our future can They will see this moment was earned be if we can give every child the same chance through the drive for discovery. At the outset to live up to his or her God-given potential of the century, not even the most farsighted and to live together as brothers and sisters, of our forebears could have predicted all the celebrating our common humanity and our miracles of science that have emerged from shared destiny. our labs: antibiotics and vaccines, silicon This is the future I hope every American chips and the Internet, microscopes that en- will take a moment to imagine on this millen- vision the infinitesimal, and telescopes that nial evening. This is the future I pray we can elucidate the infinite, soon-to-be complete all join together to build. So I ask you to blueprint for human life itself. join me in a toast—to yourselves, to the First And they will see that this moment was Lady, and to our shared future. earned through a passion for creativity. Na- Thank you very much. tional power may spring from economic and military might, but the greatness of a nation NOTE: The President spoke at 8:02 p.m. on the emanates from the life of the mind and the State Floor at the White House. This item was not received in time for publication in the appro- stirrings of the soul. So many of you have priate issue. contributed to that greatness, and we are all grateful. In this century, American artists of the Remarks at the ‘‘America’s page and the canvas, the stage and screen, Millennium’’ Celebration have drawn from our diverse palate of cul- December 31, 1999 tural traditions and given the world a great gift of uniquely American creations with uni- Ladies and gentlemen, tonight we cele- versal and timeless appeal. brate. The change of centuries, the dawning The new century and the new millennium of a new millennium are now just minutes will bring a cascade of new triumphs. We away. We celebrate the past. We have hon- see new hope for peace in lands bedeviled ored America’s remarkable achievements, by ancient hatreds, new technologies both struggles, and triumphs in the 20th century. 8 Dec. 31 / Administration of William J. Clinton, 1999

We celebrate the future, imagining an even share with our fellow Americans and, increas- more remarkable 21st century. ingly, with our fellow citizens of the world, As we marvel at the changes of the last the economic benefits of globalization, the hundred years, we dream of what changes political benefits of democracy and human the next hundred and the next thousand will rights, the educational and health benefits of bring. And as powerful as our memories are, all things modern, from the Internet to the our dreams must be even stronger. For when genetic encyclopedia to the mysteries beyond our memories outweigh our dreams, we be- our solar system. come old, and it is the eternal destiny of Now, we may not be able to eliminate all America to remain forever young, always hateful intolerance, but we can develop a reaching beyond, always becoming, as our healthy intolerance of bigotry, oppression, Founders pledged, ‘‘a more perfect Union.’’ and abject poverty. We may not be able to So we Americans must not fear change. In- eliminate all the harsh consequences of stead, let us welcome it, embrace it, and cre- globalization, but we can communicate more ate it. and travel more and trade more, in a way The great story of the 20th century is the triumph of freedom and free people, a story that lifts the lives of ordinary working families told in the drama of new immigrants, the everywhere, and the quality of our global en- struggles for equal rights, the victories over vironment. totalitarianism, the stunning advances in eco- We may not be able to eliminate all the nomic well-being, in culture, in health, in failures of government and international in- space and telecommunications, and in build- stitutions, but we can certainly strengthen ing a world in which more than half the peo- democracy so all children are prepared for ple live under governments of their own the 21st century world and protected from choosing for the first time in all history. We its harshest side effects. And we can do so must never forget the meaning of the 20th much more to work together, to cooperate century or the gifts of those who worked and among ourselves, to seize the problems and marched, who fought and died for the tri- the opportunities of this ever small planet umph of freedom. we all call home. In short, if we want the So as we ring in this new year, in a new story of the 21st century to be the triumph century, in a new millennium, we must, now of peace and harmony, we must embrace our and always, echo Dr. King in the words of common humanity and our shared destiny. the old American hymn, ‘‘Let freedom ring.’’ Now, we’re just moments from that new If the story of the 20th century is the tri- millennium. Two centuries ago, as the fram- umph of freedom, what will the story of the ers where crafting our Constitution, 21st century be? Let it be the triumph of Benjamin Franklin was often seen in Inde- freedom wisely used, to bring peace to a pendence Hall looking at a painting of the world in which we honor our differences, and Sun low on the horizon. When, at long last, even more, our common humanity. Such a the Constitution finally was signed, Mr. triumph will require great efforts from us all. Franklin, said, ‘‘I have often wondered It will require us to stand against the forces whether that Sun was rising or setting. Today of hatred and bigotry, terror and destruction. It will require us to continue to prosper, to I have the happiness to know it is a rising alleviate poverty, to better balance the de- Sun.’’ Well, two centuries later, we know the mands of work and family, and to serve each Sun will always rise on America, as long as of us in our communities. It will require us each new generation lights the fire of free- to take better care of our environment. It dom. Our children are ready. So, again, the will require us to make further break- torch is passed to a new century of young throughs in science and technology, to cure Americans. dread diseases, heal broken bodies, lengthen life, and unlock secrets from global warming NOTE: The President spoke at 11:53 p.m. at the to the black holes in the universe. And per- Lincoln Memorial. This item was not received in haps most important, it will require us to time for publication in the appropriate issue. Administration of William J. Clinton, 2000 / Jan. 1 9

The President’s Radio Address than just a mark of how far we’ve come. It’s January 1, 2000 the key to understanding where we’re going and what we must do in the new millennium. The President. Good morning, and It’s clear that our fate in America increas- Happy New Year—or, we should say, happy ingly will be tied to the fate of other nations new millennium. Last night Hillary and I and other people around the world. We must joined thousands of Americans on the Na- have prosperous partners to trade with, se- tional Mall to bid farewell to the remarkable cure democracies to share the burdens of century just past and to welcome the new peacekeeping, and mutual effort to combat millennium. The feelings of good will and challenges that know no borders, from ter- hope that overcame us all will be among our rorism to environmental destruction. To ad- most treasured moments, and we’re deeply vance our interests and protect our values grateful that the celebrations were both jubi- in this new, interconnected world, America lant and peaceful here, and all around the clearly must remain engaged. We must help world. to shape events and not be shaped by them. The First Lady. But our celebration The First Lady. Yet, it is not just by our didn’t just begin at the stroke of midnight, exertions abroad but by the example we set nor will it end today. Two years ago the Presi- here at home that we can influence the world dent and I launched the White House Mil- for the better. For in the new millennium, lennium Project to inspire all Americans to the world will be looking to America for lead- reflect on where we have been as a nation, ership in meeting our great common chal- who we are, and what we want to be, a lenges. project ‘‘to honor the past and imagine the If we in America can extend prosperity to future.’’ people and places in this country that have I’ve traveled all across our country, en- not yet felt it, then perhaps the global econ- couraging citizens and communities to think omy can bring a better life to the 1.4 billion of the gifts that America can give to the fu- people who live on less than one dollar a day. ture, whether it’s saving our historic treasures If we in America can provide all of our chil- such as the Declaration of Independence or dren with a world-class education, then per- Thomas Edison’s invention factory or the haps it will be possible, in the not-too-distant pueblos of the American Southwest, opening future, for every child in the world to have trails and planting millions of trees for future a good education. And if we can build one generations to enjoy, or teaching our school- America and make our diversity our greatest children to value their own families’ and strength, then perhaps other nations will see America’s immigrant past. The President and the advantage of working to overcome their I invite you to join these and so many other own ethnic and religious tensions. efforts to extend our celebration far into the The President. We begin the 21st century new year and the new century. well poised to be that guiding light. Seldom The President. What is perhaps most re- in our history and never in my lifetime has markable about last night’s celebration is the our Nation enjoyed such a combination of way it was shared all around the world. Mil- widespread economic success, social soli- lions of Americans, and billions of others darity, and national self-confidence, without across the globe, watched on television as an internal crisis or an overarching external midnight broke first in Asia, then in Europe, threat. Never has the openness and dyna- then Africa, South America, finally, here in mism of our society been more emulated by North America. other countries. Never have our values of That people all over the planet could expe- freedom, democracy, and opportunity been rience the same events at the same time more ascendant in the world. would have been impossible for anyone to Nearly 55 years ago, President Franklin imagine a thousand years ago, even a hun- Roosevelt said that ‘‘we cannot live alone at dred. Yet, the growing interconnectedness of peace . . . our own well-being is dependent the world today—thanks to a global economy on the well-being of other nations far away,’’ and technologies like the Internet—is more and, therefore, that we must be ‘‘citizens of