WEEKLY COMPILATION OF

PRESIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS

Published every Monday by the Office of the Federal Register,
National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, DC
20408, the Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents con-
tains statements, messages, and other Presidential materials re-
leased by the White House during the preceding week.

The Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents is pub-
lished pursuant to the authority contained in the Federal Register
Act (49 Stat. 500, as amended, 44 U.S.C. Ch. 15), under regula-

tions prescribed by the Administrative Committee of the Federal
Register, approved by the President (37 FR 23607, 1 CFR Part

10).

Distribution is made only by the Superintendent of Docu-

ments, Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402. The

Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents will be furnished
by mail to domestic subscribers for $64.00 per year ($105.00 for
mailing first class) and to foreign subscribers for $80.00 per year,
payable to the Superintendent of Documents, Government Print-
ing Office, Washington, DC 20402. The charge for a single copy is
$1.75 ($2.20 for foreign mailing).

There are no restrictions on the republication of material ap-
pearing in the Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents.

Remarks at the Annual Meeting of the American Association of University Women

June 26, 1989

Sarah, thank you very much for that introduction-and all of you for that warm welcome-and congratulations to you as you complete your distinguished term as president of AAUW. And welcome to Sharon Schuster, the new president. And may she run the meetings with the same iron hand-[laughter]-and put-down of dilatory proceedings, such as free debate[laughter]-that Sharon did. I say all that because she told me coming in here that there was a harmonious meeting, and one that plenty of substance was discussed, that went very, very well indeed. So, congratulations.

There's another AAUW president, a past president, that I'd like to say hello to, from Des Moines, Iowa, and now the head of your Educational Foundation: Mary Grefe. Is it really Grefe? I didn't want to say grief. [Laughter] I pronounced it my way. [Laughter]

In America today, there is no greater imperative, moral or practical, than providing equal opportunity to every man, woman, and child. And this means equal opportunity in housing and jobs, and flexibility and parental choice in child care and education. And it means equal protection from hostile elements, whether criminal or environmental, and equal opportunity in service and community action, whether through public, private, or nonprofit organizations.

And today I'd like to talk about two issues in particular: education and public safety. Both are important to this association and to any thinking person who cares about the quality of life and opportunity in America. And both are the subject of major administration proposals now pending before the United States Congress.

And there's a third issue that I know you're familiar with-community action

what I have called a thousand points of light. And last week I traveled up and down the eastern seaboard, issuing a call to action for community service. And we carried the message from Main street to Wall Street, enlisting young and old, black and white and brown-America's diversity—to join a movement predicated on one simple idea: From now on, any definition of a successful life must include services to others. For over a hundred years, your predecessors, and now you in this room, have built successful lives through community action. You were ahead of the curve, way out ahead of the power curve, by about a century. And often your service has addressed the very issues we're thinking about today: education and public safety.

The AAUW foundation that Mary Grefe— [laughter]-now directs-what is it about me and Iowa, where I'm always having trouble-[laughter]-began handing out educational fellowships in 1888. And it's a great tradition, at once combining America's values of service and education. And the scholarships you provide are more than just money in the hands of deserving students. They are money in the bank for the future of America. And your association represents 140,000 reasons why America will succeed.

Your contributions are important, and equally important is the recent and renewed commitment to an old-fashioned American idea: partnership between the Government and the community in seeking educational excellence. Government, and especially Federal Government, cannot provide all the answers, but it has an obligation to lead.

And earlier this year, I sent to Congress the Educational Excellence Act of 1989. And it proposes solutions based on some sound and time-tested ideas-rewarding excellence, helping those in need, accountability-and one that's close to the traditions of this organization-parental choice and flexibility. To achieve these goals, my