Proclamation 6217 of October 25, 1990 Ending Hunger Month, 1990 By the President of the United States of America The United States has long been a leader in efforts to end world hunger. Through a number of public and private programs, the American people have given generously of this Nation's abundant agricultural goods. We have also provided economic and technical assistance to foreign countries to help them increase their food production and promote needed economic development. Despite these and other efforts, however, hunger and malnutrition remain chronic problems in many countries. While famines arouse deep and widespread concern, the problem of chronic hunger often receives far less attention, even though it affects more people. It is estimated that some 700 million people in developing countries-up to 60 percent of the population in the world's poorest countries-are affected by chronic hunger. The problem of chronic hunger is as large and complex as it is compelling. Its causes vary. Some countries lack sufficient food supplies because of inadequate agricultural production—a problem readily attributed to adverse weather patterns, but one that is, in fact, often caused by centralized government planning, which eliminates farmers' incentives to produce bountiful crops. In countries where adequate food supplies may be available, political strife and civil war often disrupt or prevent their distribution. Moreover, in a number of developing countries, the natural resource base on which sustainable agriculture depends is being degraded. Forests are being destroyed, and soils are being depleted through erosion. Such losses pose a major long-term risk to the ability of those countries to feed their citizens. While the causes of chronic hunger vary, its effects are always the same: hunger and malnutrition contribute to a vicious cycle of poverty and limited human development. Without adequate nutrition, good health is impossible. Without good health, man cannot maintain high levels of learning and productivity. Alleviating hunger is thus vital to the well-being of both individuals and nations. The United States is working to help developing countries increase their food production through market-oriented, sustainable agricultural and rural development activities. We continue to share our agricultural surpluses with hungry people overseas through our Food for Peace and other assistance programs, such as the World Food Program. America is the largest donor of food aid, contributing annually more than 8 million tons of food worth more than $1.7 billion to hungry people overseas. Because any effective answer to chronic hunger must include measures to promote broad-based, sustainable economic growth, we are also encouraging the development of market-oriented policies that harness the creative power of individual initiative and free enterprise. In addition to efforts abroad, the United States is also engaged in hunger relief activities at home. Government officials, health care professionals, educators, and religious congregations, as well as members of community groups and other private voluntary organizations, have been working to promote public awareness of the extent of chronic hunger, its causes, and its consequences. This year the U.S. Government is providing nearly $25 billion worth of food assistance to needy Americans-many of whom are children. Individual volunteers and private donors are generously supporting canned food drives, food banks, and soup kitchens for the homeless. For example, this fall the Boy Scouts of America-recently recognized with a Presidential End Hunger Award-will be conducting a canned food drive that is expected to yield nearly 100 million items of food for people in need. As an expression of our collective commitment to the fight against hunger, the United States joined 150 other countries in observing World Food Day on October 16, 1990. Related educational activities have been, and will continue to be, conducted throughout the month. The Congress, by Senate Joint Resolution 342, has designated October 1990 as "Ending Hunger Month" and has authorized and requested the President to issue a proclamation in observance of this month. NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE BUSH, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim October 1990 as Ending Hunger Month. I call upon the people of the United States to observe this month with appropriate ceremonies and activities. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-fifth day of October, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and fifteenth. GEORGE BUSH Proclamation 6218 of October 26, 1990 Italian-American Heritage and Culture Month, 1990 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation An estimated 12 million Americans proudly claim Italy as their ancestral homeland. Tracing their roots to the country that was once the center of the Roman Empire and, later, the birthplace of the Renaissance, these Americans have shared with their fellow citizens a rich and diverse heritage. During Italian-American Heritage and Culture Month we not only recognize the many contributions Italian-Americans have made to our country but also celebrate the enduring ties between the peoples of the United States and Italy. Italian-Americans are heirs to a rich cultural and historic legacy, one marked by extraordinary achievements in virtually every field of endeavor. It is the acquired wisdom and unique experience of a country that has produced the literary brilliance of Dante, the inventive genius of Leonardo Da Vinci, the peerless compositions of Verdi, and the sublime artwork of Raphael and Michelangelo. The Italian peninsula-the birthplace of these great men and many other gifted artists, poets, and philosophers-also hosts the Holy See in Rome, the spiritual home of millions of people throughout the Nation and the world. When the first Italians journeyed to this hemisphere nearly half a millennium ago, they not only brought with them a wealth of knowledge and experience but also helped to begin a long and fruitful series of exchanges between the Old World and the New. Indeed, all Americans owe a lasting debt of gratitude to the daring Italian navigators Amerigo Vespucci, Giovanni da Verrazano, and, of course, Christopher Columbus, the brave son of Genoa who landed on these shores in 1492. Throughout our Nation's history, Italian immigrants and their descendants have been firmly devoted to the values and ideals on which the United States is founded. Since the days of the Revolutionary War, when they joined in the struggle for liberty and self-government, Americans of Italian descent have demonstrated a profound sense of patriotism and an unfailing love of freedom. They have also inspired their fellow Americans through their great faith in God, their devotion to family life, and their appreciation for the rewards of education and hard work. Just as a mutual commitment to democratic ideals unites Italian-Americans with their fellow citizens, shared values and aspirations continue to form a strong link between the United States and Italy. For example, the United States and Italy are committed to maintaining a strong NATO, and we welcome the ongoing elimination of artificial barriers in Europe. This month, as we celebrate the deep cultural and familial ties between our two countries, we also reaffirm the importance of our partnership as members of the Atlantic Alliance. The Congress, by Senate Joint Resolution 349, has designated the month of October 1990 as "Italian-American Heritage and Culture Month" and has authorized and requested the President to issue a proclamation in observance of this month. NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE BUSH, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim the month of October 1990 as ItalianAmerican Heritage and Culture Month. I invite all Americans to observe this month with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twentysixth day of October, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and fifteenth. GEORGE BUSH .311 2287 Housing assistance. 4297 Discrimination, employee group health amendments...... 3380, 3516, 3611, 3663, 3702, Older Workers Benefit Protection Act.......... 1990....... Coordination Act....... AIDS: .3622 Departments of Labor, Health and Human .2018 Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency Act of 1990............576 NOTE: Part 1 contains pages 3-1016; Part 2 contains pages 1017-1388-630; Part 3 contains pages 1389-2352; Part 4 contains pages Indexes. 1990............ 1982, amendments...164, 1388-354-1388-356, Airport and Airway Safety and Capacity Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988, amendments...... 1468, 1633, 4205, 4822, 4828, Expansion Act of 1987, amendments.....1388- Antigua, Foreign Relations Authorization 370 Airport Noise and Capacity Act of 1990..... 1388- Antiterrorism Act of 1990.......... Airports. See Transportation. 378 Antitrust Amendments Act of 1990. ..27 .2250 .2879 .985 Robert S. Vance Federal Building and Appropriation Acts: [NOTE: For amendments to previously enacted appropriations acts, see Selma to Montgomery National Trail Study specific titles.] .293 Commerce Department, 1991...........................2101 Alaska: Admiralty Island National Monument Land Commerce, Justice, and State Departments, the Judiciary, and related agencies, Continuing, 1991......... 867, 894, 1030, 1075, 1086 Trans-Alaska Pipeline System Reform Act Energy and water development, 1991 ........... 2074 Foreign operations, export financing and Refuge, boundary modification........ .3347 Health and Human Services Department, Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, amendments.........469, 470, 572 Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, Labor, Health and Human Services, and Aliens. See Immigration. Education Departments, and related Alternative Agricultural Research and Commercialization Act of 1990...............3756 Alzheimer's Disease. See Diseases. American Aid to Poland Act of 1988, Rural development, agriculture, and related American Conservation and Youth Service Corps Act of 1990....... Transportation and related agencies, 1991...... 2155 general Government, 1991.......................1389 1389 |