[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 16 (Tuesday, February 6, 2001)]
[House]
[Pages H171-H178]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1415
               RECOGNIZING 90TH BIRTHDAY OF RONALD REAGAN

  Mr. PLATTS. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
joint resolution (H.J. Res. 7) recognizing the 90th birthday of Ronald 
Reagan.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                              H.J. Res. 7

       Whereas February 6, 2001, is the 90th birthday of Ronald 
     Wilson Reagan;
       Whereas both Ronald Reagan and his wife Nancy Reagan have 
     distinguished records of public service to the United States, 
     the American people, and the international community;
       Whereas Ronald Reagan was twice elected by overwhelming 
     margins as President of the United States;
       Whereas Ronald Reagan fulfilled his pledge to help restore 
     ``the great, confident roar of American progress, growth, and 
     optimism'' and ensure renewed economic prosperity;
       Whereas Ronald Reagan's leadership was instrumental in 
     extending freedom and democracy around the globe and uniting 
     a world divided by the Cold War;
       Whereas Ronald Reagan is loved and admired by millions of 
     Americans, and by countless others around the world;
       Whereas Ronald Reagan's eloquence united Americans in times 
     of triumph and tragedy;
       Whereas Nancy Reagan not only served as a gracious First 
     Lady but also led a national crusade against illegal drug 
     use;
       Whereas together Ronald and Nancy Reagan dedicated their 
     lives to promoting national pride and to bettering the 
     quality of life in the United States and throughout the 
     world; and
       Whereas the thoughts and prayers of the Congress and the 
     country are with Ronald Reagan in his courageous battle with 
     Alzheimer's disease: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
     United States of America in Congress assembled, That the 
     Congress, on behalf of the American people, extends its 
     birthday greetings and best wishes to Ronald Reagan on his 
     90th birthday.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Shimkus). Pursuant to the rule, the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Platts) and the gentleman from Ohio 
(Mr. Brown) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Platts).
  Mr. PLATTS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I am pleased to have the House consider House Joint Resolution 7, 
important legislation introduced by the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Cox).
  This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives 
in recognition of President Ronald Reagan's 90th birthday.
  Mr. Speaker, today we honor Ronald Reagan, our Nation's 40th 
President, who joins only John Adams and Herbert Hoover as former 
presidents to reach the age of 90.
  President Reagan moved into the White House in 1981, 7 years after 
America lost confidence in the presidency due to Watergate, 6 years 
after the end of the Vietnam War, which ripped America apart and, 
during dire economic times, including high inflation, high 
unemployment, and high interest rates. Across the country, morale was 
low. America was embarrassed in Iran with the hostage crisis, and our 
standing abroad had been greatly diminished.
  And then came Ronald Reagan, riding into Washington to save the 
American spirit.
  From the moment he placed his hand on the Bible to take the oath as 
President on January 20, 1981, it was clear that America would once 
again stand tall. In his inaugural address, Ronald Reagan said that we 
had every right to dream heroic dreams. After all, he said, ``Why not? 
We are Americans.''
  Ronald Reagan came to office disdained by many so-called wise men and 
women. They called him an ``amiable dunce'' and an actor reading a 
script. They twisted his belief in a strong defense and staunch 
anticommunism into a caricature of a war-monger unable to deal 
constructively with the Soviet Union. They were aghast at his common-
sense characterization of the Soviet Union as an ``evil empire,'' and 
his prediction that it was headed for the ``ash heap of history.''
  But President Reagan was a man of character and a man of conviction. 
He was a leader, a man not mesmerized by polls and focus groups, but 
one with the courage to stand up for what was right.
  With the strength of his beliefs and his faith in the ideals in the 
Founders and the inherent talent, energy and character of the American 
people, Ronald Reagan transformed our country and our world.
  He brought the world closer to peace and ended the nuclear arms race 
with the Soviet Union. Thanks to President Reagan's determination and 
leadership, the Berlin Wall fell, and then the Soviet Union fell, and 
with it, all the statues and monuments to Lenin, Stalin, and other 
former Soviet Union leaders. President Reagan had brought the Cold War 
to an end. The world was finally at peace.
  Ronald Reagan lead our economy out of an economic abyss and into 
years of prosperity with low interest rates, low unemployment, and low 
inflation. He rebuilt the hollow military force that he inherited into 
a fighting force second to none. America stands tall today, thanks to 
the leadership of Ronald Reagan. He is a giant among presidents and 
remains a larger-than-life figure who changed the world for the better.
  Ronald Reagan was a President with class, dignity and respect for the 
high office to which he was elected. Future historians will recognize 
him as one of America's truly great Presidents. For all that he did, 
for all that he said, and for all that he stood for, President Reagan 
deserves our admiration, our respect, and our gratitude. On behalf of

[[Page H172]]

all Americans, we in the Congress proclaim: Happy 90th birthday, 
President Reagan.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to stand up here to honor the man, 
Ronald Reagan, today. My father was born only 6 days after Ronald 
Reagan. He passed away early last year and shared, as a World War II 
veteran as Ronald Reagan was, my father shared the same values and the 
same patriotism that my friends talk about with Ronald Reagan.
  I hope that we learned something from the Reagan years. We all 
watched this country in 1981. This country went down the course of tax 
cuts for the wealthiest citizens, big increases in military spending, 
the beginning of Star Wars, and the beginning of the most persistent, 
obscene budget deficits that this country had ever seen, to the point 
that by 1992, when President Clinton was elected, we were running up 
the budget deficit; we were spending $1 billion a day more than we were 
bringing in. We ran a deficit which was $1 billion in 1981 when 
President Reagan took office, a debt of $1 trillion that went to $5 
trillion in those 12 years.
  So while we do honor President Reagan today, and we have taken the 
last 8 years to clean up, if you will, that debt, those fiscal problems 
we were in, I hope that we can honor Ronald Reagan best by, while 
honoring the good things he did, but not repeating the mistakes he 
made, not repeating the way that some want to today with tax cuts for 
the rich, more increases in military spending, and Star Wars running up 
again these huge budget deficits.
  So I hope that we honor the man, and we certainly, on this side as, 
Democrats have no objection to this bill and support the measure. We 
honor the man and we learn from history's mistakes.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. PLATTS. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Cox).
  Mr. COX. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this 
time.
  When I first was elected to Congress in 1988, it was the last year of 
the Reagan administration. I had worked for President Reagan in the 
White House as his legal counsel, and because the Congress is sworn in 
shortly before the Presidential Inauguration, as we recall from the 
events of just a few weeks ago, I served in this House of 
Representatives under President Reagan for a period of a few weeks. My 
colleague from southern California, also elected to the House of 
Representatives that year, the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Rohrabacher), who is here in the Chamber with us today, likewise had 
been here when President Reagan came and addressed us from the floor of 
the House, the minority Members then, because we were a Republican 
minority, and I sat in that back row, and President Reagan, who not 
being a former Member of Congress, stood at this particular rostrum, 
which is reserved under our traditions, because it is on the left-hand 
side of the aisle, for the Democrats. He described his career and how 
he became involved in public life as the leader of a labor union, how 
he had campaigned for Harry Truman, and how the principles of freedom 
that he stood for had remained with him all of that time. But, he said, 
about midway through his adult life, while he helped fashion those 
principles, his party did not, and he strode, purposefully across the 
floor from this rostrum to this rostrum and said, that is how he became 
a Republican. But the truth is that after two terms as President, 
Democrats and Republicans overwhelmingly claimed Ronald Reagan as their 
great President and a great leader and a great spokesman for the ideas 
that Americans, not Republicans, not Democrats, all share.
  It was 20 years ago that this brave and idealistic man came to 
Washington, and I will say that with the benefit of a fifth of the 
century since that time, it is pretty clear that Washington has rarely 
seen his like. He is a hero to the Nation, and I can honestly say he is 
a hero of mine. We have seen that heroism once again as he and his 
wife, Nancy, whom we all fondly recall as our First Lady, wage their 
brave fight against Alzheimer's disease.
  Ronald Reagan has lived a remarkable life of leadership, first as the 
head of a great labor union, then as governor of California, now our 
most populous State, two terms, then two terms as President of the 
United States. The same qualities brought him through each of those 
remarkable careers. The courage to be candid, to be honest, to be 
forthright, the courage fortified by faith and by humor. Even now on 
his 90th birthday, I am sure, were he with us today, I am sure he would 
tell us a joke about his age. I remember when I worked for him at the 
White House he used to say, I have already lived 20 years longer than 
my life expectancy at birth, and that has been a source of annoyance to 
a great many people.
  His courage created the unique optimism that is now always associated 
with President Reagan, and that spread throughout the whole country. 
Our Nation became more optimistic, believed more in itself as a result 
of his leadership. When President Reagan stood at the Brandenburg gate 
and said, ``Mr. Gorbachev, tear town this wall,'' he did so at a time 
when most people in official circles in Washington believed that the 
Berlin Wall and, indeed, Soviet communism itself, were permanent facts 
of life, to be accommodated and, perhaps, at best, contained. But 
Ronald Reagan knew better. Shortly after he said, ``Mr. Gorbachev, tear 
down this wall,'' the Berlin Wall did, in fact, come tumbling down, and 
half a continent in chains for 45 years was liberated.
  President Reagan, of course, would deny much credit for this. He 
attributed it to America and its own ideals. Here is what he said on 
December 16, 1983, when he created the National Endowment for 
Democracy. ``Speaking out for human rights and individual liberty and 
for the rule of law is good and right,'' he said, ``but it is just not 
good enough. We must work hard for democracy and freedom, and that 
means putting our resources, organizations, sweat and dollars behind a 
long-term program,'' and he had a long-term program to win the Cold 
War, and today we are all the beneficiaries of it.
  President Reagan saw this not as a great military victory alone, 
although surely it ended that doctrine of mutual assured destruction 
that loomed like a shadow over all of our lives for so many decades 
but, rather, even more as a victory of freedom for millions of people 
enslaved by communism.
  I will mention in response to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Brown), 
that because I worked in the White House during the Reagan 
administration, I saw that here in Congress, President Reagan was 
unsuccessful in controlling spending. Yes, he did bring America's top 
tax rates from 70 percent down to 28 percent, and yes, that did ignite 
an economic expansion that we are still living through today; but no, 
President Reagan did not bring us deficits, for during the 1980s tax 
revenues to the government more than doubled as a result of that 
economic expansion that he started. Instead, it was runaway spending in 
Congress that President Reagan unsuccessfully railed against. In his 
last State of the Union address from this very rostrum, he asked 
Americans to give him a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution, 
so that even if Congress were unwilling to be fiscally responsible, we 
could live within our means.

                              {time}  1430

  Mr. Speaker, I say to President Reagan, I am happy to tell him that 
his message has sunk in. We are all Reaganites now, for all of us 
working together, Republicans and Democrats, are balancing the budget. 
We are now arguing about how to spend the tax surplus or give it back 
to the taxpayers.
  These are happy times. Indeed, all of it, I think, can be dated back 
to the hard work and leadership provided by President Reagan.
  So, Mr. Speaker, for President Reagan's 90th birthday, how about if 
we promise to complete the Reagan revolution here in Congress. Happy 
birthday, Mr. President.
  Mr. PLATTS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from 
Florida (Mr. Weldon).
  Mr. WELDON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for 
yielding time to me.

[[Page H173]]

  Mr. Speaker, it is a real pleasure for me to be able to rise and 
speak in support of this resolution, and join my two distinguished 
colleagues from California, Mr. Cox and Mr. Rohrabacher, who are both 
alumni of the Reagan administration.
  Later this afternoon I will have a bill on the floor that further 
honors the legacy of Ronald Reagan by naming a post office in my 
congressional district after our 40th President.
  I feel very strongly that what we are doing today and what we are 
doing as part of the Reagan Legacy Project in items like naming a post 
office after Ronald Reagan are extremely important.
  Ronald Reagan was a man who was harshly criticized by the liberal 
Democrat-leaning press in the United States throughout his Presidency. 
Much of his legacy will be defined by those press reports, and, as 
well, by those historians who, in addition to journalists, tend to be 
overwhelmingly liberal, Democratic-leaning, anti-Republican and anti-
conservative in most of their philosophy.
  So therefore, I think it is extremely important that people such as 
ourselves raise our voices and try our best to get the truth out.
  In this regard, I was extremely pleased just Sunday to pick up a copy 
of the Washington Post, a newspaper that had been, I think, harshly 
critical of much of the Reagan administration initiatives, and lo and 
behold, there was a favorable story in there indicating that when we 
actually sit down and read some of Ronald Reagan's papers that are 
being made available to the public, lo and behold, we find that he was 
actually smart; that he actually had very, very good insights into what 
he was doing. To see this indeed printed by the Washington Post to me 
was extremely gratifying.
  Ronald Reagan indeed was one of the greatest Presidents in our 
Nation's history, and I believe was one of the greatest of the 20th 
century. As was very, very well outlined by my colleague, the gentleman 
from Pennsylvania, in his comments earlier, he came to office at a time 
when we had very high inflation rates, high unemployment, low morale.
  We had been through some very difficult years. His policies were 
successful not only in ending the Cold War and turning that economic 
crisis around, but probably, more importantly, lifting the American 
spirit.
  We are living under the legacy of the policies that he introduced 
back then still to this day. Economists attribute the strong economy of 
the nineties to Alan Greenspan and the policies of Ronald Reagan. It is 
therefore fitting that we honor him on his birthday in this way.
  Mr. PLATTS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Idaho (Mr. Otter).
  Mr. OTTER. Mr. Speaker, today I am honored to join my colleagues and 
thousands of Idaho citizens in sending the very best of birthday wishes 
to President Ronald Reagan on his 90th birthday, or, in his words, the 
51st anniversary of his 39th birthday.
  When President Reagan came to office 20 years ago, he was faced with 
double-digit interest rates, rampant inflation, high unemployment, long 
gas lines, a weakened military, low national morale, and with a 
Democrat-controlled House, he, too, sought a bipartisan agreement and 
support, and in that process, cut the tax rates 25 percent, reduced 
wasteful spending, strengthened our national defense, and restored 
America's pride and her respect.
  I was honored to serve on President Reagan's Task Force on 
International Private Enterprise. His vision of free markets, reducing 
tax burdensome regulations, and smaller, more responsible government, 
is as relevant in the year 2001 as it was in 1981.
  America thanks President Reagan for his vision and leadership. Our 
prayers are with him and our prayers are with Nancy.
  Mr. PLATTS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Rohrabacher).
  Mr. ROHRABACHER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding time 
to me.
  Mr. Speaker, today we honor former President Ronald Reagan on the 
occasion of his 90th birthday. For those of us who worked with him, it 
is a tremendous source of satisfaction that our former boss is now 
being given the credit that he is due as one of America's greatest 
Presidents.
  Every day it is becoming ever more clear that the long period of 
prosperity our people have enjoyed started in January of 1983. January 
of 1983 is when Ronald Reagan's economic policies, especially his tax 
program, went into full effect. At that point the economy took off like 
a rocket, and it has not ceased to expand since then to this very day, 
except for a very short 6-month dip in 1999 and 1992, unfortunately 
during a presidential election.
  By the time President Clinton took office, however, the man who now 
claims credit for this long period of expansion, the growth rate in the 
economy was already 5.4 percent based on, of course, the strong economy 
that ignited in January of 1983.
  My apologies to my friends on the other side of the aisle, but it was 
President Reagan whose policies led to this dramatic uplifting of the 
well-being of the American people that we have enjoyed for over a 
decade now.
  Most of all, one of the factors that has insured that prosperity was 
that Ronald Reagan had a tough pro-freedom, pro-strength foreign policy 
that ended the Cold War and ushered the world into a new historic era 
of peace. The potential for world peace was never greater than at the 
end of his term in office, so that hundreds of billions of dollars that 
would have been spent on weapons now can build better lives for people 
and help pay off our debt. Our brightest minds, instead of focusing on 
developing technologies that will kill people more effectively, now can 
focus on technologies that will uplift the condition of humankind. That 
is what Ronald Reagan brought us, the kind of world that Ronald Reagan 
brought us.
  The peace and prosperity to which I refer did not just happen. It 
came as a result of the courage and the wisdom of Ronald Reagan, a 
former lifeguard in a very small town in Illinois. A lifeguard, that is 
how he started out, and that is what he did for his entire life. He 
saved the lives of 17 people in a small lake, and continued trying to 
save people for the rest of his life.
  He invested in the military, in our military, to win the Cold War. 
Just like we did in World War II, we invested a lot of money. There was 
a great deal of debt in World War II, but under his leadership, America 
went on the offensive. We began supporting freedom fighters, battling 
Soviet troops and surrogates from Afghanistan to Nicaragua, and 
supported democratic movements in Poland and in the Soviet Union 
itself.
  In the end, the greatest and most sinister threat to freedom on our 
planet collapsed in its own evil. It would not have happened without 
the vision of Ronald Reagan, a former lifeguard, and yes, a former 
sports announcer and a former actor.
  Today it is often said that the accomplishments I have mentioned 
would have happened anyway, without Ronald Reagan. Well, it just is not 
so. Ronald Reagan fought his battle against people who opposed 
everything he was trying to do every step of the way. He made things 
happen with the strength of his convictions and the power of his 
speeches.
  He was maligned as heartless and as stupid by people who disagreed 
with his approach. Let me add, a majority of Democrats in this Congress 
and in the Congress at that time consistently voted to undermine every 
attempt Ronald Reagan made to confront Soviet expansionism, whether it 
was the supporting of anti-Communist forces in Latin America or the 
rebuilding of our military strength. Had their policies been heard and 
carried the day, we would still be in the Cold War and still be 
spending those billions of wasted dollars on weapons systems that now 
can be spent in economy-building ways.
  Ronald Reagan was a good-hearted man. He was a strong man, but a 
good-hearted man, as good-hearted as I have ever met. He was hurt by 
suggestions that he was a mean-spirited person or did not care about 
others.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Shimkus). All time has expired.
  Mr. ROHRABACHER. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to speak for 3 
additional minutes.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?

[[Page H174]]

  There was no objection.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Each side will control 3 additional minutes.
  Mr. PLATTS. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Rohrabacher).
  Mr. ROHRABACHER. Mr. Speaker, by insisting on responsible policies, 
President Reagan proved that he cared much more about the needy and 
downtrodden than his touchy-feely liberal critics whose decades-long 
failed policies had kept millions of Americans in despair and 
dependency.
  Yes, during the Reagan years there was a budget deficit, as has been 
mentioned, just as there was in World War II. That deficit can almost 
all be attributed to our military buildup, and I admit that, certainly, 
that was the factor. But it was that buildup that permitted us to end 
the Cold War and to lower the level of defense spending and now to 
balance our budget, which is exactly what we have done. Now, in the 
spirit of Ronald Reagan, we are cutting taxes and paying down and 
paying off the debt.
  Finally, the viciousness against Reagan was at times so much. 
However, he himself kept a positive attitude. Reagan was often 
described as a puppet, a man, just a front man, and other decision-
makers were using him. This characterization is so contrary to the 
reality of those of us who knew him that it just boggles the mind.
  The now famous Berlin Wall speech in which Ronald Reagan called for 
Gorbachev to tear down the wall, every one of his senior advisors told 
him, begged him, pleaded with him not to say it, but Ronald Reagan knew 
that if he was to remain true to the things that he had believed in all 
his life and was going to give hope to those people around the world, 
that they had to know that we believed in what we had been saying. He 
had to tell Mr. Gorbachev to tear down that wall, even though George 
Schultz and all his advisors and people in this city today who claim to 
have written that speech for Ronald Reagan were people who were 
actually advising him not to give the speech.
  Reagan stayed true to his ideals, and he saved the world in doing so. 
Today, the Ronald Reagan we knew and loved still lives, and he grows in 
stature as history reflects upon his enormous accomplishments and 
leadership. We wish him a happy 90th birthday.
  We enter now a new millenium, celebrating our liberty, secure in our 
peace, and blessed by prosperity and unimagined opportunity. A man of 
vision and ideals saw this as he looked ahead. He took the steps and 
stands that were necessary to make it happen.
  We thank Ronald Reagan. Now it is up to us, and I am certain if he 
were with us today, he would be just as confident of the American 
people as he ever was, and he would urge us on to greater heights and 
achievements because, after all, as he reminded us, we are Americans. 
So, what is holding us up? Let us get going.
  Mr. PLATTS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
  Mr. Speaker, President Reagan has also enjoyed a special relationship 
with the American people. In 1994, after being diagnosed with 
Alzheimer's disease, he wrote a heartfelt letter to all of us. ``My 
fellow Americans,'' he wrote, ``I now begin the journey that will lead 
me into the sunset of my life. I know that for America there will 
always be a bright dawn ahead.''
  Thanks to President Reagan, there is still a bright dawn in our 
future. For that, President Reagan deserves our gratitude, our best 
wishes, and our love. Happy birthday, President Reagan. Mr. Speaker, I 
encourage all Members to support this joint resolution.
  Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, today we celebrate the 90th birthday of 
Ronald Reagan. As we honor his life it is important to reflect on what 
he has contributed to our nation. As I consider this remarkable life, 
from his boyhood to the present, I see the heroic figure of a man 
coming to the rescue.
  His first period of public service was when he served as lifeguard at 
Lowell Park in Dixon, Illinois. In seven years as a lifeguard, he is 
credited with saving 77 lives. To this very day, the sum of Ronald 
Reagan's contributions is measured by what he has done for others.
  After a successful career in Hollywood as an actor and union 
president, Reagan again turned to public service. He witnessed the 
turmoil of the 1960s and the difficulties facing his beloved state of 
California. He saw the need for leadership and a new course directed 
from the governor's mansion. Never before holding public office, Ronald 
Reagan boldly stepped forward and offered his vision to the voters of 
America's most populous state. He won in a landslide.
  After two terms in Sacramento, Governor Reagan saw a series of 
threats menacing the United States. He challenged the incumbent 
Republican President in 1976 for the nomination, and, although he did 
not succeed, he revitalized the conservative movement. In 1980, Reagan 
again entered the presidential race and this time he won his party's 
nomination.
  I remember well the era of uncertainty that clouded America's future. 
Communism had reached the zenith of its power with strongholds in Asia, 
Africa, Europe, Cuba, and even Central America. American hostages were 
held in Iran and the enemies of the United States celebrated our 
weakness. Our economy was deflated and the American people dispirited.
  Here in Washington in 1980, the President buckled to the pessimism of 
the time and called on the people to accept that our best days were 
gone. Ronald Reagan would have none of that--not the nonsense that 
America was a crippled giant, or that our best days were history. He 
placed before the American people his vision that we could overcome any 
hardship and route any challenge.
  He renewed our belief in ourselves and we elected him to the White 
House. Again, Ronald Reagan came to the rescue. He turned our economy 
around, rebuilt our military, and aggressively outlined our national 
interests. The results were astounding.
  Double-digit inflation and a 70-percent tax rate drained out economic 
vitality. He pushed the top tax rate down to 28 percent and broke the 
back of inflation. In the last 18 years, we have enjoyed economic 
growth in all but six months. Our recent prosperity is rooted in the 
seeds Reagan planted 20 years ago.
  Reagan applied his faith in freedom and opportunity to world events 
as well. He knew that if we stood up to communism, it would be the 
forces of oppression that would collapse. Now, the Cold War is over--
his unwavering defense of freedom and economic opportunity has 
transformed the world.
  Our prosperity and our security are the legacies of Ronald Reagan. 
However, I think his most lasting gift to the nation is the rekindled 
American spirit. Thank you President Reagan for all you have done for 
the nation and for the world. I join everyone in wishing you a happy 
birthday.
  Mr. GRUCCI. Mr. Speaker, thank you for this opportunity to add the 
voices of New York's First Congressional District as we honor a true 
American hero, President Ronald Reagan, on the celebration of his 90th 
Birthday.
  At a dark time in our country's history, President Reagan reminded 
our nation of its greatness of all we had accomplished over the course 
of 200 years of history, and all the potential we held in store. If 
only we could shed the great sense of pessimism that plagued our 
country.
  And why not? America has always been the home of the industrious, the 
self reliant, and those who knew that a better way to a better future 
could, and would be found. Americans have excelled because they won't 
settle for second best, or merely for the best that is available. We 
constantly strive to make things better.
  President Reagan knew this, and he knew it was his mission to remind 
us of that. It was his mission to restore our faith and confidence in 
our nation and ourselves.
  Spreading his message in a way that cut across all social and 
economic classes, President Reagan cut to the heart of the arguments of 
popular pessimism, and revealed their folly. He inspired us as a 
nation. As a people.
  President Reagan knew America could be better. He reminded us that 
America is, and always has been, the land of hope, freedom and 
prosperity, the destination of millions who dream of coming here and 
sharing in, and contributing, to our destiny with greatness.
  Under his guidance, America's prominence in the World community was 
restored. Our economy blossomed, and hope and promise spread from 
neighborhood to neighborhood. Community to community. From one 
coastline to another.
  Ronald Reagan was the voice in the darkness that reminded us of this. 
It wasn't just nostalgic longing after a decade of economic, military 
and social decline. It was a fact. Just look around.
  And just as we have countless times in our history, from the Sons of 
Liberty to the spirit of inventors such as Thomas Edison and the great 
economic expansion of the Eisenhower Administration, America rallied.
  President Reagan led our charge. We as a nation seized our destiny, 
under his leadership, and proved once again that we were the best on 
the planet. Simply because of a man who, like our father, told us that 
he believed in us, and knew all along that we could.
  He inspired all Americans to make a contribution into our 
communities. On a personal

[[Page H175]]

note, I distinctly recall how President Reagan energized me to get 
involved in public service. His words and actions instilled within me 
the importance of public service. His guiding principles of tax relief, 
patriotism, contributions to our communities, and pride in our country 
led me to public service. To use the skills I learned in private 
industry to enhance the quality of life of my neighbors, friends and 
family.
  I can't imagine America today if it hadn't been for Ronald Reagan. 
For that, and so much more, on behalf of citizens of New York's First 
Congressional District, grateful for your service to our nation and the 
inspiration you are, I wish you the very best of birthdays.
  Mr. Speaker, thank you, and God bless the United States of America.
  Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, today marks the 90th birthday of former 
President Ronald Reagan, a decent and honorable man, who had the unique 
ability to see what was best about America and appeal to ``the better 
angels of our nature.''
  He came into office when America was suffering from a crisis of 
confidence, and he gave us back our voice.
  By invoking images of a ``shining city upon a hill'' he reminded 
Americans not only of our national heritage, but of how the oppressed 
and downtrodden of the world looked to this nation for leadership.
  In my recent trip to Africa I was again reminded of how incredibly 
blessed America is. It is my firm belief that to whom much is given 
much is required.
  Those who are oppressed and downtrodden today still view this nation 
as Ronald Reagan described it a decade ago--a ``shining city upon a 
hill''--a beacon of hope and democracy.
  And so, in the spirit of President Reagan's birthday I ask that you 
take a moment to reflect on how we can continue to embrace this 
calling. While the Cold War is over, the Berlin Wall is down, and 
Soviet communism is in the ash heap of history as Reagan predicted it 
would be, there are still those fighting for the freedom that we so 
often take for granted. Whether it be the persecuted House Church 
pastor in China or the frightened civilian in the Sudanese marketplace 
praying not to be the unlucky target of daily bombing raids, these 
people demand a voice.
  President Reagan was a champion for human rights in the Soviet Union 
and Eastern Europe. He spoke up in defense of freedom and democracy. He 
raised the cases of dissidents during his high-level meetings with 
Soviet officials. He made passionate and eloquent speeches outlining 
America's values. He engaged, but he engaged forthrightly and he backed 
up engagement with action.
  President Reagan once said, ``We must be staunch in our conviction 
that freedom is not the sole prerogative of a lucky few, but the 
inalienable and universal right of all human beings.''
  Sadly President Reagan does not remember the hope that his words 
provided to millions living behind the Iron Curtain. But we can not 
forget. For while the times and circumstances may have changed, the 
yearning for freedom has not.
  We send our best wishes today to Ronald Reagan and with those wishes 
go our appreciation as a grateful nation that we were fortunate enough 
to have him serve as our President.
  Mr. REYNOLDS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the birthday 
of our 40th President, Ronald Reagan.
  It is natural on birthdays to reflect on the mark one has made in 
life. We have much to reflect upon today, on Ronald Reagan's Ninetieth 
birthday. Because of his leadership, Americans are more prosperous, 
secure, and free.
  Reagan's leadership has left America more prosperous. The record 
economic expansion of the past two decades can be directly attributed 
to the policy changes enacted by Ronald Reagan. Cutting taxes, 
deregulating industries, and greatly reducing the possibility of 
catastrophic war have proven a winning formula for economic success. 
Leaders across the world have learned and are copying his example.
  When his contemporaries pursued an industrial policy or a middle 
ground between capitalism and socialism, Reagan opted for limited 
government. As a result, America has reaped virtually uninterrupted 
economic growth and surged ahead of rivals in technological innovation.
  Reagan's leadership has left America more secure. His grand strategic 
plan brought down the greatest threat to our way of life. His 
contemporaries counseled detente and feared confrontation with the 
Soviet Union. But Reagan unabashedly called it the Evil Empire and 
wanted nothing less than its destruction.
  After years of military decline, Reagan rebuilt and restored the 
morale of our military. Never has a nation become so mighty as the 
Untied States, and it is due in no small part to leadership of Ronald 
Reagan.
  And Reagan's advocacy of the Strategic Defense Initiative will 
shortly bear fruit as we build a national missile defense. He 
recognized the insanity of MAD, and though we should instead construct 
a physical, rather than merely psychological, defense to protect 
Americans and our allies from the horror of nuclear war.
  Most important, Reagan's leadership has left Americans and the world 
more free. Domestically, Americans are freer than before Reagan entered 
the Oval Office. And, his philosophical legacy has shifted the momentum 
of history toward, rather than away from, greater individual freedom.
  Around the world, hundreds of millions of people formerly enslaved by 
communism have been liberated by the collapse of the Soviet Union, 
precipitated by Ronald Reagan. Only five countries remain so enslaved. 
Even citizens in countries that were not communist also enjoy greater 
freedom, as their governments recognize the success of the Reagan model 
and decrease government interference in their lives.
  In increasing our prosperity, security, and freedom, president Ronald 
Reagan succeeded greatly in the most crucial functions of government. 
For this, he is one of our greatest presidents.
  Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.J. Res. 7, 
a bill to recognize the accomplishments and legacy of President Reagan.
  What is the standard we use to judge our Presidents? How do we 
appropriately honor those men who have served our great nation and the 
office of the Presidency with great distinction, courage, honor, and 
vision? In this city, which is already graced with so many memorials of 
marble, granite, and bronze, to men and women who have loved freedom 
more than life and their country more than self--how can we best 
remember and celebrate the service rendered to these United States and 
to those dedicated to the cause of freedom throughout the world by 
President Ronald W. Reagan?
  President Reagan represents the spirit that has made America strong. 
He began his eight years in office at a time when America appeared to 
be on the ebb--economically and militarily demoralized. But for 
President Reagan--it was morning in America. America during the Reagan 
years was an America of hopes fulfilled and a place where dreams came 
true. Reagan's America was to be a Shining City on a Hill--shining the 
light of freedom for all peoples throughout the world. This was his 
vision, a vision from which he never wavered.
  In a speech given in 1964, President Reagan responded to his 
detractors, to those who said that only bigger and more powerful 
governments could provide security despite the price of freedom.
  He said:
  They say the world has become too complex for simple answers. They 
are wrong. There are no easy answers, but there are simple answers. We 
must have the courage to do what we know is morally right. . . You and 
I have a rendezvous with destiny. We will preserve for our children the 
last best hope of man on earth or we will sentence them to take the 
first step into a thousand years of darkness.
  Thoughout his life, President Reagan has fought against tyranny and 
oppression--against that thousand years of darkness. He did not shy 
back from calling the communist Soviet Union an Evil Empire; He did not 
hesitate to support those freedom-fighters who were engaged in battle 
against tyranny; He fought back relentlessly against every attack 
against America's people and her interest.
  His moral courage and his conviction that America should be the 
example for all who would desire freedom to pursue life, liberty and 
happiness never failed and he is an example to all Americans. Around 
the world today, we are harvesting the benefits of that vision and hard 
labor as more and more nations around the world are turning from 
tyranny and oppression to democracy and justice.
  I still share President Reagan's vision of America as a Shining City 
on a Hill shining its light freedom around the world. It is only 
fitting that we honor the lifetime and legacy of this great American 
hero. As long as freedom is our watchword and liberty our call to arms, 
America will continue to so shine its light into the world for all to 
see.
  Mr. KERNS. Mr. Speaker, today history is made, as President Ronald 
Wilson Reagan is one of only three President's to reach the age of 90. 
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to wish President Reagan a Happy Birthday!
  President Reagan is the reason I am able to stand here before my 
colleagues today. His strength as a leader, inspired me to someday 
serve this great nation, as he so eloquently has served. And I feel 
honored that I have been given the opportunity.
  Because of his hard work and devotion to conservative ideals, his 
presidency resulted in one of the most dynamic periods in recent

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U.S. history, refocusing our nations business, international and social 
agendas. We are a better country today because of his leadership.
  It is my hope, that I may be able to work with my colleagues to 
continue what President Reagan started, ``to make government work with 
us, not over us; stand by our side, not ride on our back.'' We are 
still working to continue what he started 20 years ago, ``the era of 
national renewal''.
  We are faced with many important domestic policy decisions before us 
this Congress. Many of the same issues President Reagan's presidency 
was faced with including tax cuts, social security reform and issues 
concerning medicare. May we always be able to look back on his years 
and have them guide us into the next century.
  Let us be able to remember President Reagan's daily optimism and wake 
up each day with the aspirations of making today better than yesterday, 
and tomorrow better than today.
  As we work to make tomorrow better, may we remember his bi-partisan 
message that ``there is no such thing as a left or right. There is only 
an up or down.
  Let us keep President Reagan's vision for America alive and never 
back down on what we believe will make this world a better place, doing 
what sometimes may seem the impossible. Let us remember his words that 
make the unthinkable a reality. ``Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. 
Gorbachev, tear down this wall!''.
  The President once remarked: ``What I'd really like to do is go down 
in history as the President who made Americans believe in themselves 
again.''
  The Gipper said it best, ``we will always remember, we will always be 
proud, we will always be prepared, so we may always be free.''
  Hapy Birthday to President Reagan!
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, on this day, Ronald Reagan will 
join John Adams and Herbert Hoover as the only Presidents to reach age 
90. We know him as our 40th President. However, many do not know the 
precedents set by him. For example:
  He was the oldest man elected president;
  He was the first Hollywood actor to be elected President, earning the 
monikers, ``Dutch,'' ``The Gipper,'' and ``The Great Communicator,'' 
and
  He appointed the first woman to the supreme court, Supreme Court 
Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.
  Ronald Reagan was born in Tampico, Illinois on February 6, 1911. 
While at Eureka College, he studied economics and sociology, played on 
the football team, acted in school plays, and served as class 
president. While in college, young Reagan proven himself to be a 
strong, well-liked, vocal leader, characteristics that would suit him 
well in future endeavors.
  After graduation, Reagan worked as a sports announcer for WOC, a 
radio station in Davenport, Iowa. Subsequently, he pursued a career in 
broadcasting and acting.
  In 1947, after serving for three years in the U.S. Army, he was 
elected president of the Screen Actors Guild. As president of the 
Screen Actors Guild, Reagan became embroiled in disputes over the issue 
of Communism in the film industry; his political vies shifted from 
liberal to conservative. Moreover, he toured the country as a 
television host, becoming a spokesman for conservatism--taking it to 
the mainstream.
  Leadership extended beyond Reagan's film career into public service. 
He focused on understanding the nation's institutions and developed a 
philosophy and outlook that he implemented throughout his political 
career. Furthermore, Reagan was able to rally others to believe in his 
political ideals as he ascended into higher legislative positions.
  In 1966, Ronald Reagan successfully secured a bid for governorship. 
While Reagan was governor, he cut the state budget and raised taxes. He 
signed a new billion dollar tax increase, which helped balance the 
state budget. In addition, he raised person and sales taxes, and 
lowered property taxes. As a result of his popular appeal, he was 
reelected for a second term in 1970. After a successful eight years as 
governor of California, Ronald Reagan focused exercising his leadership 
skills in the highest public office in the United States.
  In 1980, Ronald Reagan won the Republican Presidential nomination. 
While working with Congress. Reagan obtained legislation to stimulate 
economic growth, curb inflation, increase employment, and strengthen 
the national defense. He embarked upon a course of cutting taxes and 
Government expenditures, refusing to deviate from it when the 
strengthening of defense forces led to a large deficit. His staunch 
approach to public policy combined with his savvy appeal has earned 
Ronald Reagan the title as ``The Great Communicator.'' We all can learn 
from the legacy of Ronald Reagan.
  Today, this nation and this body celebrates his 90th birthday. This 
resolution acknowledges not only his birthday, but his role as our 40th 
President.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge the passage of this resolution.
  Mr. MARKEY. Today our nation's 40th President turns ninety--one of 
only three other Presidents in our history to reach his ninetieth year. 
With recent advances made in health and science, we can anticipate many 
more of our future Presidents to live into their nineties, along with 
the entire U.S. population.
  But what impact does an increase in our country's aging population 
have? And what sort of quality of life will our elderly enjoy? I have 
my concerns.
  Currently there is a threat facing our elderly population--a wave, 
gaining momentum and sweeping its way through the minds of our aged. 
This disease afflicts President Reagan. It is Alzheimer's and it 
threatens the future for our nation's elderly, their families and our 
health care system.
  Alzheimer's is indiscriminate and cruel, it creeps into the brain, 
captures the mind and steals the memory--irrevocably altering the 
personality of its victims leaving not only loved ones unrecognizable 
to the Alzheimer's patient but the patient unrecognizable to her loved 
ones. This is what makes this disease particularly cruel . . . the loss 
of the thread of continuity that weaves itself through every experience 
of our lives and defines us as who we are.
  It was only forty years ago that researchers considered Alzheimer's 
Disease a rare disorder. But since then, scientists have come to 
realize that it is far more common than we originally thought . . . so 
common in fact that today Alzheimer's Disease is the leading cause of 
age-related dementia in the country.
  So common--that one in ten Americans over the age of 65, and one out 
of every two Americans over the age of 80 are afflicted.
  So common--that 37 million Americans say they know someone with 
Alzheimer's.
  So common--that 19 million Americans say they have a family member 
with the disease.
  So common that 2.7 million spouses, relatives and friends care for 
people with Alzheimer's.
  And so common that today over 4 million Americans suffer with the 
disease.
  The word epidemic is derived from the Greek word ``epideemia'' which 
translates literally to ``a visit.'' Alzheimer's has become the 
epidemic of our aging population . . . but given the projection that by 
2050 14 million Americans will be afflicted--unless we find a way to 
stop this disease--Alzheimer's won't be just visiting our aging 
population, Alzheimer's will be moving in.
  Two years ago, I joined with my Republican colleague Chris Smith of 
New Jersey to create the Bipartisan Congressional Task Force on 
Alzheimer's Disease. To date over 130 Members of Congress have signed 
on. And last Congress, I along with my dedicated colleagues fought to 
increase NIH research funding for Alzheimer's research--I am pleased to 
say NIH received somewhere in the range of an $85 million increase 
bringing the total budget for federally funded Alzheimer's research to 
$515 million.
  In addition, I was able to include a $300 million (or $1.3 billion 
over 10 years) provision in the Balanced Budget Refinement Act of 2000 
that would make it possible for homebound Medicare beneficiaries with 
Alzheimer's Disease to go to adult day care and religious services mass 
or synagogue, without losing their home health benefits. Believe it or 
not, before this provision was passed into law--Medicare beneficiaries 
with Alzheimer's Disease would lose their home health benefit if they 
went to church or adult day care.
  My efforts to improve the lives of those afflicted and affected by 
Alzheimer's are animated by my own personal experience with my mother's 
battle. However, there is one program--a bill I introduced last 
Congress which made its way into law--that was specifically inspired by 
ongoing discussions I had with the doctors who treated my mother's 
illness.
  In talking to these caring physicians, I was made aware of the lack 
of funding for clinical research or as physician-scientists call it 
``translational'' research. Specifically, there is not enough 
applicable research being done on ``real'' people with the disease or 
likely to get the disease. Not enough focus on cutting edge treatments, 
and preventative measures.
  The Alzheimer's Clinical Research and Training Awards program which 
passed into law last Congress will provide $11.25 million over five 
years to fund physician-scientists in translational research. It's a 
small start but I'm hoping this program will grow.
  In the battle against Alzheimer's we've accomplished some--but there 
is still so much more we must do. By working together to increase 
funding for research, prevention and care, it is my hope that President 
Reagan and the millions of other Americans who currently suffer with 
Alzheimer's will be the last generation to experience this devastating 
epidemic.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in support of the 
Resolution, H.R. 7, expressing the sense of Congress on behalf of

[[Page H177]]

the American people, to extend our birthday greetings to our former 
President, Ronald Reagan, who turns 90 today.
  I am pleased to associate myself with the legislation we will be 
considering immediately after this Bill, which renames the facility of 
the U.S. Postal Service in West Melbourne, Florida, in honor of 
President Reagan.
  Of our 43 Presidents, only two prior to today--John Adams and Herbert 
Hoover--reached their 90th birthday. It is a remarkable achievement and 
it is totally appropriate that the Congress make note of it.
  In recent years, the publication of new material--including the love 
letters written by the President to his wife, and the radio addresses 
which he delivered form 1977 until 1980--have led to a long overdue 
reassessment of our 40th President by historians and by the general 
public. While some unfairly had characterized President Reagan as a 
mouthpiece for others, the historic evidence now shows beyond dispute 
how erroneous that perception has been. Ronald Reagan was the author of 
his own thoughts and the articulator of them. His vision and leadership 
helped bring about a better nation and a better world, and it is long 
overdue that he received appropriate credit for his contributions.
  Americans across the nation have long held President Reagan in high 
regard. President Reagan became known for his skill at inspiring his 
audience. He was eloquent and effectively expressed his philosophies to 
all people. He united our nation after what many considered the most 
turbulent time in history, and in times of tragedy, such as the 
Challenger explosion, his words of sympathy and consolation eased the 
grief of our nation.
  President Reagan's skills as ``the great communicator'' may have 
obscured the fact that he was a genuine visionary. When President 
Reagan took office, America and the Soviet Union held the world under a 
sword of Damocles, with the threat of nuclear war never far from our 
minds. President Reagan fully grasps the most valuable of all lessons 
of history--the lesson that negotiations are futile if we do not go to 
the bargaining table from a position of strength.
  Though President Reagan faced challenges at home from many who 
disagreed with this belief, he never wavered. The fruit of his efforts, 
the 1988 Arms Control Treaty, heralded our final victory in the Cold 
War, and ushered in the era of pax Americana.
  Today, President Reagan faces the most serious fight of his life as 
he battles against Alzheimer's disease. May his family receive some 
solace and strength from the knowledge that his friends and admirers, 
including those of us in this chamber, always keep in our thoughts and 
prayers, the ``Gipper''.
  His birthday today is a reminder to all of us of just how precious 
life is, and an appropriate time to commemorate the genuine 
contributions of this great American hero.
  Mr. Speaker, I am honored to associate my name with these legislative 
initiatives which honor one of the great Americans of the 20th century, 
our 40th President, Ronald Reagan.
  Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 90th 
birthday of former President Ronald Reagan and to pay tribute to his 
distinguished service during his eight years as our Nation's leader. 
President Reagan's idealism and vision set the stage for remarkable 
achievements both at home and abroad. His policies placed America on a 
course for economic growth and prosperity and military superiority in 
the world--helping to secure America's position as the world's super 
power and the pivotal leader of the free world.
  President Reagan's optimism for life, and his ability to inspire, 
renewed our citizens' commitment to the values and principles of 
freedom and justice upon which our Nation was founded. His policy of 
``peace through strength'' brought an historic ending to the Cold War, 
dismantling much of the Soviet Union's military might and positioning 
our armed forces for victory a few years later in the Persian Gulf. His 
domestic policies introduced an era of economic expansion that would 
help carry us through the end of the 20th century. His efforts to 
combat crime and drugs and to reevaluate our Nation's healthcare system 
marked the beginnings of much-needed and long-overdue reforms.
  In short Mr. Speaker, President Reagan embodied those qualities that 
we seek in our Nation's leaders--vision, optimism, decency, integrity, 
responsibility. He believed in democracy, freedom, and the basic 
goodness of America. And he led by example. I am honored to join my 
colleagues today in honoring this great American and great former 
President--Ronald Reagan--and extending to him and to his wonderful 
wife, Nancy, our best wishes and our eternal gratitude for their 
contributions to our great Nation.
  Mr. BROWN of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, Ronald Reagan exemplified 
honor and dignity while serving his country and restored stability to 
an unstable nation. The United States will be forever indebted to this 
exceptional man. I am proud and humbled to honor our 40th President, 
Mr. Ronald Reagan, on his 90th birthday.
  President Reagan focused on rebuilding our country's military forces 
and developing a defense system to protect our shores. On May 15, 1993, 
Mr. Reagan delivered the Commencement Speech at The Citadel. This 
remarkable address highlighted his continued support of our military 
and the need for military readiness, an issue clearly facing us today.
  It is with honor and humility that I read to you a part of his 
address:
  ``It is said that the price of freedom is eternal vigilance. And I'd 
like to offer several reasons why we must stay strong militarily:
  ``First, despite the spread of democracy and capitalism, human nature 
has not changed. It is still an unpredictable mixture of good and evil. 
Our enemies may be irrational, even outright insane--driven by 
nationalism, religion, ethnicity or ideology. They do not fear the 
United States for its diplomatic skills or the number of automobiles 
and software programs it produces. They respect only the firepower of 
our tanks, planes and helicopter gun ships.
  ``Second, the Soviet Union may be gone, but even small powers can 
destroy global peace and security. The modern world is filled with 
vulnerable ``choke-points''--military, geographic, political and 
economic . . .
  ``Third, technology--for all its blessings--can enable new enemies to 
rise up overnight. Scientific information flows to ambitious dictators 
faster than ever . . . who can predict what will be the `blitzkriegs' 
of tomorrow?''
  President Ronald Reagan advised against weakening the military in 
peacetime, and, in turn, honored the young men willfully seeking the 
opportunity to serve our nation. He further commented, ``In my eighty-
two years, I've seen America drop her guard time and time again--and 
each time with tragic consequences . . . Today, the United States 
dominates the world arena. Once again, our noble first instinct is to 
seek peace. And that's why America needs the brave and skilled soldiers 
of The Citadel more than ever.''
  I share many of President Reagan's views on military readiness. I am 
happy and proud to add that we share one more thing--we both received 
Honorary Doctorates from The Citadel.
  Happy Birthday, Mr. President.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to in support for 
the purpose of recognizing Ronald Reagan's 90th Birthday (H.J. Res. 
7)--the 40th President of the United States. This resolution simply 
extends the best wishes and warm birthday greetings of the 107th 
Congress to former President Reagan on this 90th birthday.
  Twelve years after leaving the White House with plans to spend his 
sunset years chopping wood and riding horses. Ronald Reagan celebrates 
his 90th birthday while battling old age, Alzheimer's disease and a 
broken hip. These are not easy obstacles for a wonderful man like 
Ronald Reagan or his loved ones. Fortunately, I have learned that Mr. 
Reagan will celebrate his 90th birthday very quietly at his home with a 
birthday cake (likely his favorite chocolate) and his lovely wife, Mrs. 
Reagan.
  Reagan basked in the glory of retirement for six years, then learned 
he had Alzheimer's. Mrs. Reagan, his wife of nearly 49 years, has 
vigilantly guarded his privacy since he withdrew from public view on 
Nov. 5, 1994, with a poignant letter about his Alzheimer diagnosis. ``I 
know this touched many of my fellow Americans. I only wish there was 
some way I could spare Nancy from this painful experience,'' he wrote.
  Former President Reagan was recognized as the Great Communicator for 
good reason. His powers of persuasion over foe and friend--which 
extended to a range of issues--were considerable. He clearly held views 
with an acute passion. He loved public policy and spent a great deal of 
his life assuming the highest office of the land. From speeches early 
in his political career and his final days in Hollywood, through the 
White House years and into retirement, President Reagan has left a vast 
legacy of achievement.
  The perceptions of Ronald Reagan as a political figure and a foreign 
policy maker are numerous. I respected the fact that Ronald Reagan was 
dedicated to winning the Cold War. By the end of his presidency, he had 
led the groundwork for the fall of the Soviet Empire. While many of us 
never viewed the Soviet Empire as the danger that he envisioned, we 
respected his vision and determination to spread freedom around the 
world.
  Finally, let me just make a few remarks about Mr. and Mrs. Reagan. We 
should salute the couple's extraordinary courage in continuing to share 
their story with the world, building awareness, and lifting the 
enormous stigma of Alzheimer's and showing that life goes on. Again, 
happy birthday, Mr. Reagan.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I stand today to honor one of our 
nation's greatest patriots and most respected Presidents, Ronald W. 
Reagan, on this, the 90th anniversary of his birthday.

[[Page H178]]

  There are those Americans who today will remember Ronald Reagan as 
the charismatic 40th President of the United States. A leader who by 
the sheer force of his immutable optimism gave America a reason to be 
proud and secure of our place in the world.
  Others will remember the ``Great Communicator'' who in the wake of 
``stagflation'' and an oil crisis, articulated a doctrine of personal 
responsibility and limited government, which brought to our nation 
economic stability, security, and self-respect.
  But I am here to honor another Reagan. A man of steely convictions, 
and resolute vision. A man who in one simple speech redefined America's 
purpose, and gave us all new certitude that we would prevail against 
the Soviet Union.
  In 1983, the international stage was a different place than it is 
today. The Soviet Union still stared menacingly westward over the 
satellite states of Eastern Europe. The nuclear arms race was a 
reality, and fear of nuclear war gripped the nation.
  It was in this atmosphere of Cold War fear, and amid growing calls to 
give up the arms race that Mr. Reagan, at perhaps his most eloquent, 
strode onto a stage in Orlando, Florida and delivered a speech that put 
his critics on notice that America would not back down. America would 
stand, alone if she must, to defend and protect the institutions of 
liberty and freedom from the Communists.
  He reminded us not to ignore the facts of history, and the aggressive 
impulses of an evil empire because, as he said, ``to simply call the 
arms race a giant misunderstanding is to remove ourselves from the 
struggle between right and wrong and good and evil.'' He reminded us 
not only of why we were fighting, but of what we were fighting for. The 
cold war was a struggle between good and evil, freedom and oppression.
  It was this message which President Reagan carried with him to my 
hometown of Miami, FL. At the Orange Bowl Stadium, and in the middle of 
Little Havana, he placed the Cuban Dictator, Fidel Castro, on notice--
that the United States would stand firm against the tyrannical Castro 
regime and would defend the right of the Cuban people to live free of 
oppression; that the United States would not tolerate communist Cuba's 
continued threats against U.S. national security and regional 
stability.
  His words still carry with them a strength and clarity of vision 
which only the greatest of leaders posses. His insistence that this was 
the path America would take was tempered by the knowledge that in doing 
so, we would all share in the glory of the right and the honorable. 
Ronald Reagan reminded us all that America was strong, that America was 
right, that America was proud.
  The legacy of Ronald Reagan is secure, for no other reason than the 
fact that he stood up for America and said in a strong, clear voice 
that patriotism is not dead, and that liberty and freedom are always 
worth fighting for.
  Because of this President Reagan, I would like to thank you for your 
service to your country, and wish both you, and Mrs. Reagan, Godspeed.
  Mr. KNOLLENBERG. Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to be here today to 
honor President Ronald Reagan on his 90th birthday. President Reagan's 
policies have shaped this great nation and set us on the path to the 
longest peacetime economic expansion since the end of the Second World 
War. His optimism restored Americans' confidence in our great nation 
and in themselves.
  President Reagan once said ``A leader, once convinced a particular 
course of action is the right one, must have the determination to stick 
with it and be undaunted when the going gets rough.'' President Reagan 
proved he was a true leader. Despite dire predictions from pundits 
about his policies, Reagan fought for what he believed in and made the 
country better off as a result.
  President Reagan inherited an economy that was out of control with 
high inflation, interest rates and unemployment. Americans were being 
held hostage in Iran and the Soviet Union was threatening freedom 
across the world. Once elected, Reagan embarked on an ambitious agenda 
to reduce taxes, reduce Americans' dependence on the federal 
government, and achieve ``peace through strength'' by rebuilding our 
military. His tax cuts stimulated the economy and Americans re-elected 
him by one of the largest margins in U.S. history. During his second 
term, we began to see the results of Reagan's commitment to the 
principles of individual rights for all and projecting military 
strength with the weakening of communist control of Eastern Europe and 
the Soviet Union. These principles led soon thereafter to the collapse 
of the Berlin Wall the Soviet Union.
  America is still experiencing the benefits of the Reagan's economic 
policies of lower taxes, free trade and reliance on free markets. We 
have had eighteen consecutive years of nearly unbroken economic growth 
and low inflation. Productivity is growing and incomes are rising. As 
Reagan stated at the end of his presidency:

       In eight short years, we have reversed a 50-year trend of 
     turning to the government for solutions. We have relearned 
     what our founding Fathers knew long ago-it is the people, not 
     the government, who provide the vitality and creativity that 
     make a great nation. Just as the first American Revolution, 
     which began with the shot heard `round the world, inspired 
     people everywhere who dreamed of freedom, so has this second 
     American revolution inspired changes throughout the world. 
     The message we brought to Washington--reduce the government, 
     reduce regulation, restore incentives--has been heard around 
     the world.

  One of Reagan's greatest legacies is that he restored Americans' 
confidence in themselves and reminded them that the government has no 
power except that granted it by the people. I look forward to 
continuing Reagan's revolution by fighting for lower taxes, less 
intrusive government and individual responsibility.
  Happy Birthday President Reagan and God bless.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Platts) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the joint resolution, H.J. Res. 7.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of 
those present have voted in the affirmative.
  Mr. PLATTS. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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