THE WHITE HOUSE

                        Office of the Press Secretary
  For Immediate Release                                  October 15, 1998



                         WHITE CANE SAFETY DAY, 1998

                                - - - - - - -

              BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

                               A PROCLAMATION


     The white cane is both a simple tool and a powerful symbol.  For
  people who are blind or visually impaired, it can be the key to greater
  mobility, giving them information about their surroundings and allowing
  them to travel safely whether crossing the street or crossing the
  country.  For those who are sighted, the white cane shows that blind or
  visually impaired people have the ability, the desire, and the right to
  participate in every aspect of our national life.  It is also a reminder
  that, whether as pedestrians or drivers, we should respond with care and
  courtesy to people using a white cane.  And for all of us, the white cane
  symbolizes the independence every citizen needs and deserves if he or she
  is to contribute fully to society.

     Our annual observance of White Cane Safety Day gives us the
  opportunity not only to celebrate the accomplishments of those who use
  the white cane, but also to renew our commitment to removing those
  barriers, both physical and attitudinal, that prevent people with
  disabilities from reaching their full potential.  Since passage of the
  Rehabilitation Act, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the
  Fair Housing Amendments Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA),
  and the Telecommunications Act, we have made great progress in our
  efforts to ensure that all people with disabilities enjoy equal access to
  employment opportunities, education, public accommodations, housing,
  transportation, telecommunications, emerging technologies, and other
  aspects of our society.

     We still have a long way to go, however, before we achieve the full
  inclusion, empowerment, and independence of all Americans with
  disabilities.  The public and private sectors must work in partnership to
  raise awareness of the rights protected by the ADA and other laws, as
  well as the responsibilities and obligations these laws mandate.  It is
  crucial that we pursue a comprehensive strategy to enable people with all
  types of disabilities to obtain and sustain competitive employment in our
  Nation's thriving economy.  Men and women with disabilities have much to
  offer, and their energy, creativity, and hard work can greatly strengthen
  our Nation and our economy.  As we observe White Cane Safety Day and
  acknowledge the importance of the white cane as an instrument of personal
  freedom, let us reaffirm our determination to ensure equal opportunity
  for every American, including people who are blind or visually impaired.

     To honor the many achievements of blind and visually impaired citizens
  and to recognize the white cane's significance in advancing independence,
  the Congress, by joint resolution approved October 6, 1964, has
  designated October 15 of each year as "White Cane Safety Day."

     NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, President of the United States
  of America, do hereby proclaim October 15, 1998, as White Cane Safety
  Day.  I call upon the people of the United States, government officials,
  educators, and business leaders to observe this day with appropriate
  programs, ceremonies, and activities.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fifteenth day of
  October, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety-eight, and
  of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and
  twenty-third.



                                   WILLIAM J. CLINTON




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