[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 13 (Monday, February 23, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S859]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  RENAMING WASHINGTON NATIONAL AIRPORT

 Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, the proposal in Congress to rename 
the Washington National Airport for former President Ronald Reagan has 
caused some to claim that anyone who opposes the change is expressing a 
partisan view.
  I greatly respect and admire former President Reagan. I have 
supported naming Washington, D.C.'s largest federal office structure 
the Ronald Reagan Building. The ceremony to do that will be held in the 
next few months. I also have supported naming the aircraft carrier that 
is currently under construction the U.S.S. Ronald Reagan.
  But I did not think it was appropriate for Congress to dictate a name 
change to the local airport authority. The bill turning over the 
authority for the airport to a metropolitan airport authority was 
signed by President Reagan nine years ago. I don't think the spirit of 
that transfer of control is served by a proposal directing the airport 
authority to rename the airport.
  That airport is now named after America's first President. In fact, 
the porticos in the architecture of the Washington National Airport 
were designed to resemble Mount Vernon.
  Again, while I admire and respect President Reagan, I believe that 
it's most appropriate that the principal airport serving our nation's 
capital retains the name of our first President. However, I did vote 
for an amendment that would permit renaming it, provided the local 
airport authority chose to do so. I think that is the appropriate 
course.

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