Statement on Signing Legislation To Permanently Authorize the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

I am pleased to sign into law H.R. 4115, which would permanently authorize the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

One of my earliest acts as President was to dedicate the Museum, and since then almost 15 million people have visited the institution, which serves as a constant and painful reminder that racism, anti-Semitism, and all forms of hatred are ever-present dangers, and that indifference to hatred makes each of us complicit in some way. Each generation must be taught these critical lessons anew, and therefore the Museum's special emphasis on reaching America's young people is vitally important for our country's future.

The Museum has become a moral compass that must endure, especially as the Holocaust recedes in time. When the survivors are gone, our Nation will have this vital American institution to illuminate humanity's darkest potential and to inspire our eternal vigilance.

WILLIAM J. CLINTON

The White House, October 12, 2000.