[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 16 (Tuesday, February 6, 2001)]
[House]
[Page H188]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO RONALD REAGAN

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Biggert). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. LEWIS of California. Madam Speaker, I wanted to further say to 
the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Gutknecht) that the job that Ronald 
Reagan did as President, my colleague has expressed almost the 
wonderment of that very well. But the thing that we must all remember 
is that the East-West confrontation is now a thing of the past, and 
indeed we are on a pathway for long-term opportunities for peace, not 
just for the United States but for the world; and if it were not for 
Ronald Reagan's leadership, I cannot say that we would be there today.
  So while I will be happy to yield to my colleague, I very much 
appreciate his commentary in working with us at this very serious time 
in his life congratulating him on his 90th birthday.
  Mr. GUTKNECHT. Madam Speaker, if the gentleman would yield, if I 
could just say, I was one who sort of came of age politically under 
Ronald Reagan, and he was and always will be to me a tremendous teacher 
of true principles, and he seemed to have a tremendous understanding of 
the American people.
  We certainly wish our current President, George W. Bush, the best. 
And we all, I think, could be better students of what Ronald Reagan 
tried to teach; and if we learn nothing else, it is that we need to 
continue to relearn those simple principles, I think we will all be 
better served.
  Mr. LEWIS of California. Madam Speaker, I certainly very much 
appreciate the consideration of my colleague.
  Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Burton).
  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for 
yielding.
  Let me just say that tonight we are going to hear, my colleagues, all 
kinds of great things that Ronald Reagan accomplished as President of 
the United States. But I want to tell my colleagues real briefly a 
little personal aside that happened to me.
  My mother and stepfather, who died 2 years ago, both were working 
class people. My mother worked as a waitress for 18 years at L.S. Ayres 
& Co. Tearoom. She used to bring her tips home to help keep the house 
afloat. And my stepfather was what they called a sand hog in a foundry. 
Not very glamorous jobs.
  When I entered politics, I told them one day I wanted to be a 
congressman to serve in the United States Congress. And, of course, 
they both had great aspirations for me, but they, in the back of their 
minds, thought I would never make it.
  So I promised my mom and my dad that, if I ever made it to the United 
States Congress, I was going to take them in the front door of the 
White House to meet the President of the United States, not the back 
door, but the front door.
  And so, the time came when I was elected; and it just so happened 
that Ronald Reagan was the President of the United States and a man 
whom I think was one of the greatest Presidents we ever had. The day 
came when I was going to take my mom and dad over to the White House 
and go in the front door to meet the President. And unbeknownst to me, 
Ronald Reagan's staff, because the President had asked them to, had 
called and said, we want to know something about Dan Burton, his 
background and everything before he comes over so we can talk to his 
parents.
  And when we went in the Oval Office to meet the President of the 
United States, this little waitress and this man who worked in a 
foundry all his life getting up at 5:30 in the morning, he walked in 
and he shook their hands and he started telling them what a great guy I 
was, and told them all the things he knew about me and what a great 
asset I was to the United States Congress. He did not need to do that, 
but it sure was great for me and it was great for my mom and dad.
  And so, I thank President Reagan very much for making my mom and dad 
feel like they were two of the proudest people in the United States one 
day in my life.
  Mr. LEWIS of California. Madam Speaker, I say to the President, our 
colleagues and all Americans join together in joining Ronald Reagan, 
our great President, a very happy 90th birthday.

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