[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 25 (Tuesday, February 11, 2003)]
[House]
[Pages H346-H350]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1545
             RECOGNIZING THE 92ND BIRTHDAY OF RONALD REAGAN

  Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
joint resolution (H.J. Res. 19) recognizing the 92nd birthday of Ronald 
Reagan.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                              H.J. Res. 19

       Whereas February 6, 2003, is the 92d birthday of Ronald 
     Wilson Reagan;
       Whereas Ronald Reagan is the first former President ever to 
     attain the age of 92;
       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;

[[Page H347]]

       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 the recent tragic loss of the space shuttle 
     Columbia and her crew remind us of how, 17 years ago, Ronald 
     Reagan's eloquence helped heal the Nation after the 
     Challenger disaster;
       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 
     92d birthday.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Otter). Pursuant to the rule, the 
gentlewoman from Tennessee (Mrs. Blackburn) and the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Davis) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Tennessee (Mrs. Blackburn).


                             General Leave

  Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks on H.J. Res. 19.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Tennessee?
  There was no objection.
  Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, House Joint Resolution 19, introduced by our 
distinguished colleague, the gentleman from California (Mr. Cox), 
recognizes the 92nd birthday of President Ronald Reagan.
  Last Thursday, February 6, Ronald Reagan became the first President 
to reach the age of 92. This resolution honors the man whose very name 
represents an era, a leader who saw in America that shining city on a 
hill when we had lost our sense of national purpose.
  Reagan's legacy transcends the decade in which he served. He has 
become the standard bearer of expectations for modern-day Presidents. 
And as time passes, history is judging him well. Those who once doubted 
Reagan's vision have come to recognize his greatness.
  During two terms in office, Reagan bounced back from a would-be 
assassin's attack with humor and courage. In an all-too-familiar scene, 
he comforted a Nation coping with the loss of our Challenger 7, and he 
kept his promises. Reagan campaigned on tax relief, and he delivered 
tax relief. In the process, he fueled record growth and expansion.
  Reagan's accomplishments were not just on do the domestic front. At 
the Brandenburg Gate, he defied the diplomats and said what millions of 
Americans were thinking: ``Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.'' Today, 
we know that Communist Russia was shaken to its core by this new type 
of a leader, one who was not afraid to stand tall for freedom.
  Now I hope this House will join all Americans in honoring President 
Reagan's 92nd birthday and, more importantly, his remarkable life.
  Mr. Speaker, for these reasons, I urge all Members to support the 
adoption of House Joint Resolution 19.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself of such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, a bigger-than-life screen actor and television 
personality, Ronald Reagan moved from being Governor of California in 
the 1960s to President of the United States and dominating American 
politics in the 1980s.
  He was the first President to be reelected to a second term since 
Dwight Eisenhower. Media-made and media-presented, Ronald Reagan got 
millions of Americans to feel proud of their Nation. America's 40-year 
Cold War with the Soviet Union cooled considerably and perhaps actually 
ended during Reagan's presidency. Many Americans credit him with having 
achieved what became a significant outcome.
  Born the son of a shoe salesman in small-town Illinois, Reagan's 
impoverished but loving parents instilled in him a sense of optimism 
that carried him through college as an average student. After 
graduation, he worked for a few years as a sports broadcaster in 
Midwestern radio before landing a film contract with Warner Brothers, 
which took him to Hollywood in 1936. Over the next 30 years, Reagan 
made scores of films, including many Army films produced during World 
War II. He hosted two popular television series and he actively engaged 
in politics as president of the Screen Actors Guild.
  In the 1950s, Ronald Reagan changed from being a Roosevelt New Deal 
Democrat to a conservative Republican. In 1966, he became Governor of 
California. He was reelected in 1970. Using his popularity in 
California, Reagan unsuccessfully challenged President Gerald Ford for 
the Republican nomination in 1976. He tried again and won the 
nomination in 1980, and thereafter defeated the incumbent Democrat, 
Jimmy Carter. With his 1984 reelection victory, President Reagan became 
the most politically successful Republican President since Eisenhower.
  Today, we celebrate former President of the United States Ronald 
Reagan's 92nd birthday. We wish him well, and trust that he will 
continue to carry on.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from California (Mr. Cox), the distinguished sponsor of 
this resolution.
  Mr. COX. Mr. Speaker, we are here today to commemorate the birthday 
of President Reagan. As you know, he turned 92 just a few days ago, and 
as you know, Mr. Speaker, we were delayed in honoring him here on the 
floor because of the Space Shuttle Columbia tragedy. It is fitting that 
we remember President Reagan in this context because in his time, 
during his presidency, he helped heal and bring together our Nation in 
the wake of the Challenger disaster.
  Just as his words honored the crew of the Space Shuttle Challenger, 
President Reagan's eloquence continues to comfort and console us as we 
now remember the fallen crew of the Space Shuttle Columbia. President 
Reagan's words of January 28, 1986, speak to us 17 years later with all 
of their original force and beauty. He said, ``We will never forget 
them, nor the last time we saw them, as they prepared for their journey 
and waved good-bye, and `slipped the surly bonds' of effort and `to 
touch the face of God.' ''
  At 92, President Reagan is America's oldest President ever. The 
previous record was set by John Adams. You remember, Mr. Speaker, that 
John Adams and Thomas Jefferson died on the same day, and they died, 
even more remarkably, on the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of 
Independence.
  As we think back years from now, as we think back on our founding, on 
our founders, on the Declaration of Independence and our great 
Presidents, I am quite sure that we will recall Ronald Reagan, for he 
has already distinguished himself as one of America's most remarkable 
individuals.
  Any one of his careers would itself be worthy of recognition by this 
Congress. He was an accomplished sports announcer on radio. He was a 
very renowned film actor. As you know, he was one of the best-known 
actors in America. He was a labor leader, twice elected president of 
the Screen Actors Guild. He was a very successful two-term Governor of 
California, and a very successful two-term President of the United 
States, elected twice in landslides.
  He was called the Great Communicator, in part because he spent so 
much time on television explaining his policies to us. He was quite 
good at it. But it was more than communication skill, because he had 
something very important to communicate. Lady Thatcher, then Prime 
Minister Thatcher, compared Ronald Reagan to Winston Churchill. She 
said, ``Like Winston Churchill, he made words fight like soldiers, and 
lifted the spirit of a nation.''

[[Page H348]]

  If the events of September 11 have taught us anything, it is that 
America still requires a strong national defense against enemies who 
would destroy freedom and democracy.
  When Ronald Reagan became President, we had endured an era of 
national malaise, bereft of any sense of moral direction. Throughout 
his term of office, throughout 8 of the fastest-moving years in 
history, President Reagan brought our Nation back with his Irish 
twinkle and that homespun style of his, which seemed never to abate. He 
brought a new assurance to America.
  He not only was America's oldest President, he was one of America's 
most active Presidents ever, and he was one of the most energetic 
leaders of the Free World that the world has ever seen. With a 
toughness that we had not seen in a long time, he stood toe-to-toe with 
what he unabashedly described as the Evil Empire. For such moral 
clarity, he was dismissed as naive and dangerously undiplomatic.
  When he said, ``Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall,'' he was 
criticized. The realists among us knew that the Soviet Union was going 
to be there forever and we should learn to accommodate it. President 
Reagan saw a different future, and he worked hard to bring it about. As 
a result, hundreds of millions of people, not just in the Soviet Union, 
but throughout Central and Eastern Europe, were liberated.
  If he were with us here today, President Reagan would humbly 
acknowledge that he appreciated the birthday wishes on the 53rd 
anniversary of his 39th birthday.
  When former President Clinton was running for office, he once said 
America needed a President for the '90s. Perhaps now, if we could 
repeal the 27th Amendment, we could have a President in his 90s. Hope 
springs eternal.
  Mr. Speaker, President Reagan and his vision will not be forgotten. 
His love of country and his ability to see the best in all of us 
revitalized our common faith in the American dream. President Reagan's 
enthusiasm and big-hearted spirit of America continues to inspire us 
with a vision of our potential and the limitless possibilities that 
dwell just beyond the horizon.
  As he said at the end of his D-Day speech in Normandy, we can say of 
President Reagan: Mr. President, we will always remember, and we will 
always be proud. Happy birthday.
  Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from California 
for introducing this very worthwhile measure.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from 
Colorado (Mr. Beauprez).
  Mr. BEAUPREZ. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding me 
time.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues in recognizing the 
92nd birthday of President Ronald Reagan. To many Americans, President 
Reagan is more than a man. He is an extraordinary symbol of all that 
makes our society great. And as the foundation of President Reagan's 
greatness is his character, so it is part and parcel of our Nation's 
character as well.
  He once said, ``The character that takes command in moments of 
crucial choices has already been determined by 1,000 other choices made 
earlier in seemingly unimportant moments.''
  At this hour, as Congress wrestles with crucial choice, our character 
is being tested, I pray vigorously that our response will be founded in 
a tradition of great character, of wise choices. May we look to the 
character of Ronald Reagan for inspiration.
  I will close with these words from his farewell address: ``Because we 
are a great Nation, our challenges seem complex. It will always be this 
way. But as long as we remember our first principles and believe in 
ourselves, the future will always be ours.''
  Happy birthday, Mr. President.
  Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Lincoln Diaz-Balart).
  Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, it can be said that 
the most important facet and indispensable quality for leadership is to 
be able to see the future, at least in its most important aspects, and 
the ability to stay the course, despite all the inevitable pressures 
leading in other directions in order to reach that future.
  I consider it an honor to be able to rise in this House of 
Representatives today to wish President Reagan happy birthday on the 
occasion of his 92nd birthday.

                              {time}  1600

  The United States of America and, indeed, the world, owes so much to 
Ronald Reagan. Ronald Reagan was someone who, at a very critical moment 
in the history of the United States, arose and offered himself in 
leadership to, in effect, save the Free World. I admire Ronald Reagan 
profoundly. Each day, as we have the opportunity to learn more and more 
about the history of the tumultuous events that saw his presidency, 
that his presidency lived through, as we learn more, we see Ronald 
Reagan's greatness more, and not only his importance, but his 
indispensable, indispensable contribution to the freedom of the world 
and the end of what he rightfully called the Evil Empire as seen in all 
its truth.
  So I commend my colleagues for having brought this resolution 
forward. Happy birthday, President Reagan.
  Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished 
gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Chocola).
  Mr. CHOCOLA. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to pay tribute to a great man, 
our 40th President of the United States, Ronald Reagan, on the occasion 
of his 92nd birthday. I believe it is indeed appropriate that I make my 
first speech on the House floor in honor of this great man.
  If it were not for his principles of limited government, personal 
responsibility, and strong fiscal discipline, I might not be here 
today. Mr. Speaker, it is with those principles in mind that I decided 
to become a candidate for the United States House of Representatives. 
It is those principles that I will remain loyal to as long as I am a 
Member of this body.
  In 1985 President Reagan said, ``We in government should learn to 
look at our country with the eyes of the entrepreneur, seeing 
possibilities where others see only problems.'' As a former small 
business owner, I could not agree more with that sentiment.
  So, Mr. Speaker, I am glad that we are here today, able to honor 
President Reagan, because it has given me an opportunity to say ``thank 
you'' to a great man, and happy birthday, Mr. President.
  Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Garrett).
  Mr. GARRETT of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for 
yielding me this time.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the 92nd birthday of our 40th President, 
the honorable and great Ronald Reagan.
  We live in a world today that is very similar to the world that 
Ronald Reagan faced as President in 1981 to 1989. Just as the President 
overcame an economy that at the time was buried in a recession and he 
fought to rid the world of communism, so too our President today, 
George W. Bush, is working hard to put in place an economic package 
that will spur on the economy, while continuing to fight terrorism, 
both here and abroad as well.
  President Reagan entered the White House in 1981 when the economy was 
in a recession. His solution to that problem was dubbed then, and we 
still call it today, ``Reaganomics.'' It involved an immediate and 
across-the-board tax cut; and it was designed to create jobs, encourage 
investment, and provide economic efficiency in this country.
  His policies essentially laid down the foundations for a prosperous 
and generous society. His tax cuts eventually led to higher government 
revenues, not less; greater economic efficiency and, ultimately, 
pulling us out of that recession.
  President Reagan also took a strong moral stance against communism on 
all fronts. Knowing that our Nation faced grave threats on a daily 
basis, he provided our military with the resources they needed at that 
time to get the job done, and they were able to get the job done.
  President Reagan is really one of the greatest figures of our time, 
and he will be remembered in the White House and in this Nation as a 
man of great talent and great character.
  We must honor his legacy today by continuing to ensure that tyranny 
is

[[Page H349]]

conquered by liberty and that every American sees permanent tax relief 
in their checkbook.
  I believe we do this, Mr. Speaker, by continuing to make every effort 
to stand for freedom, defend our citizens, and to help make the world a 
safer and better place to live. We do that by bringing terrorists to 
justice and spreading prosperity to all Americans with job creation and 
immediate tax relief.
  Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from California (Mr. Rohrabacher), who knew and worked 
very closely with President Reagan.
  Mr. ROHRABACHER. Mr. Speaker, happy birthday to Ronald Reagan. I am 
sure Nancy is watching, and she knows how much we care for and love 
Ronald Reagan; and she has been at his side from the beginning.
  I met Ronald Reagan when I worked in his campaign for Governor in 
1966. I worked on both of his presidential campaigns; and then, after 
he won his presidential race in 1980, I went with him to the White 
House for 7 years and worked with him as one of his principal speech 
writers. Let me note, I had never written a speech for anyone before I 
wrote a speech for Ronald Reagan as President of the United States. He 
taught me all about speech-writing. We always used to say, if President 
Reagan was not a President, he was a good enough writer to be the 
President's speech writer.
  But more than that, his skill was his principles that counted. He had 
principles and ideals. He had a philosophy that included an economic 
philosophy and a personal philosophy. He brought about a change in the 
national spirit that saved America. He brought about a change in the 
economy that saved America. He brought about a change in America's 
strategic position that saved the world. His tax cuts turned our 
economy around and gave us the longest period of growth in American 
history. And yes, there were deficits. But had we not had Ronald 
Reagan's economic policy in place, those deficits charted out the way 
it was before Reagan would have been twice as big as what happened 
under Reagan's period of growth.
  Bill Clinton could not even change the direction that Ronald Reagan 
started. That is how strong an influence he was on the American people. 
Remember, right up here, Bill Clinton declared the era of big growth or 
big government is over.
  But what is most important, Ronald Reagan, criticized by people on 
the other side of the aisle, criticized as a war monger, criticized as 
someone who had a bad heart, stood firm and strong, supported freedom 
in the world, and demanded that Gorbachev tear down the Wall. This is 
what changed the world. It was his strength of character, even when he 
was being criticized personally and undermined every step of the way 
for political purposes, he stood strong and the will of the Communist 
bosses in Moscow crumbled, for the first President they ever had to 
stand up, who really believed in freedom and democracy and was willing 
to make that part of America's offensive policy against Communist 
tyranny.
  That changed the world. It has made it safer. It gave us the 
opportunity to spend less money, hundreds of billions of dollars less 
on a national defense over the years. We would never have had that 
respite, except that Ronald Reagan stood firm. When people said, let us 
have a nuclear freeze that leaves the Soviet Union in a dominant 
position, Reagan said no. If we are going to do anything with nuclear 
weapons, it has to leave us both on par. We will have a mutual 
reduction of nuclear weapons, and that is exactly what happened. They 
said it could never be done, and they called him a war monger for 
demanding something that could never happen, that the Communist bosses 
would never agree to.
  Mr. Speaker, we are all the recipients of Ronald Reagan's wisdom. We 
all are benefiting from the strength of character of this man who 
carried us from uncertainty and in retreat and left an America on the 
rise, an America that was growing economically, but an America that was 
reinvigorated in its commitment to freedom and justice and to treat the 
people of the world decently. We captured, we captured the hearts and 
souls of the people throughout the world, the young people, especially 
those in the Soviet Union.
  Today, we should take heed of what Ronald Reagan did and remember, 
those people in Iraq are our greatest ally. Those people in China are 
our greatest ally, those people who want democracy and freedom and 
suffer under their tyranny; and we should be on their side and we too 
can make this a better and more peaceful world as Ronald Reagan did. We 
are grateful to Ronald Reagan. Happy birthday, Ronald Reagan. We are 
grateful to you. We really appreciate it.
  Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. Speaker, for all of the reasons that have been 
articulated by my esteemed colleagues, I urge adoption of this measure.
  Mr. GIBBONS. Mr. Speaker, it is a great honor for me to recognize 
former President Ronald Reagan's ninety-second birthday and his 
unceasing commitment to our great nation.
  In 2000, Congresswoman Jennifer Dunn, the late Senator Paul 
Coverdell, and I introduced legislation to bestow the Congressional 
Gold Medal to President Reagan and his beloved wife, Nancy, in honor of 
their dedicated service to the United States.
  The Reagans formally received their Congressional Gold Medal last 
May, at a special ceremony here in the Capitol.
  Upon passage of the Reagan Congressional Gold Medal bill, Mrs. Reagan 
remarked, ``it means a lot to us to receive so much support at this 
difficult time, and we are very honored.''
  Yet, honor and fame were never priorities for Ronald Reagan, and his 
journey to the White House was not marked by a desire for power or 
position.
  He preferred to see himself as a simple citizen who was called upon 
to serve the nation he so loved.
  Ronald Reagan truly is a great American, in every sense.
  Led by his belief in the limitless potential of Americans, President 
Reagan turned the tide of public cynicism and sparked a national 
renewal.
  During his eight year tenure, the United States enjoyed a period of 
astonishing economic growth, military superiority, and international 
change.
  Ronald Reagan's contagious optimism and passionate patriotism served 
as a inspiration to the entire nation. Under his leadership, Americans 
believed, once again, in the American Dream.
  As we enter the 21st Century, our Nation still finds its strength in 
President Reagan's ideals and his steadfast confidence in democracy, 
freedom, and America.
  Often, as Americans, we look back at our history to learn from our 
mistakes and celebrate our triumphs.
  The leadership and accomplishments of President Reagan certainly will 
not be forgotten, for they shaped the country we call home and the 
world as we know it today.
  Thank you President Reagan for your commitment, dedication, and faith 
in America and her people.
  Mr. STARK. Mr. Speaker, I gladly recognize and congratulate President 
Ronald Reagan on his 92nd birthday. However, I voted present because I 
could not in good conscience support a resolution that goes beyond 
simply offering personal well wishes and endorses President Reagan's 
economic policies.
  I do not believe President Reagan's legacy of monumental budget 
deficits and excessive tax cuts for the rich was good economic policy. 
I don't believe his policies renewed America's economic prosperity. 
Instead they left too many Americans behind and left a giant bill we 
are still paying today.
  I am sorry that the authors of this resolution felt it necessary to 
insert such partisan language. It would have otherwise been a 
completely non-controversial resolution that I would gladly support it.
  Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor a 
great American and our 40th President--Ronald Reagan. He is a man who 
not only inspired a generation, but led a Nation through one of its 
most challenging eras. His inspiration has carried well beyond his 
public years and will influence Americans well beyond our years in 
Congress.
  Let us never forget that the very policies we fight for every day on 
the House floor--increased defense spending, tax relief, homeland 
security and fiscal discipline--have the fingerprints of Ronald Reagan 
all over them. It was his leadership and ingenuity decades ago that 
serve as the very foundation of our legislative agendas today.
  Ronald Reagan not only inspired a Nation--He inspired the world to 
follow a path of progress and humanity in a decade plagued with the 
threat of communist tyranny. Today, we face a similar battle--this time 
against the threat of terrorism and weapons of mass destruction. While 
Ronald Reagan may not be leading us in this battle, let us follow the 
path that he blazed over a decade ago. Should we follow the principles 
of his leadership, the blanket of freedom and democracy over America 
will only grow stronger.

[[Page H350]]

  Let me also note that it would not be appropriate to honor President 
Reagan without honoring the person that has heroically stood by his 
side with complete dedication and unwavering commitment. Nancy Reagan's 
commitment to her husband, parallels President Reagan's commitment to 
this Nation. Her daily struggle to confront a disease that has taken 
away the true voice and spirit we continue to rally around is nothing 
short of heroic and should inspire this entire Nation.
  I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring President Reagan on his 92 
birthday by supporting H.J. Res. 19.
  Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Whitfield). The question is on the 
motion offered by the gentlewoman from Tennessee (Mrs. Blackburn) that 
the House suspend the rules and pass the joint resolution, H.J. Res. 
19.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of 
those present have voted in the affirmative.
  Mrs. BLACKBURN. 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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