[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 59 (Wednesday, April 22, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H4603-H4606]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            PROVIDING FOR ACCEPTANCE OF RONALD REAGAN STATUE

  Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules 
and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 101) providing for 
the acceptance of a statue of Ronald Wilson Reagan from the people of 
California for placement in the United States Capitol.
  The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
  The text of the concurrent resolution is as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 101

       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring),

     SECTION 1. ACCEPTANCE OF STATUE OF RONALD WILSON REAGAN FROM 
                   THE PEOPLE OF CALIFORNIA FOR PLACEMENT IN 
                   UNITED STATES CAPITOL.

       (a) In General.--The statue of Ronald Wilson Reagan 
     furnished by the people of California for placement in the 
     United States Capitol in accordance with section 1814 of the 
     Revised Statutes of the United States (2 U.S.C. 2131), is 
     accepted in the name of the United States, and the thanks of 
     the Congress are tendered to the people of California for 
     providing this commemoration of one of California's most 
     eminent persons.
       (b) Presentation Ceremony.--The State of California is 
     authorized to use the rotunda of the Capitol on June 3, 2009, 
     for a presentation ceremony for the statue accepted under 
     this section. The Architect of the Capitol and the Capitol 
     Police Board shall take such action as may be necessary with 
     respect to physical preparations and security for the 
     ceremony.
       (c) Display in Rotunda.--The Architect of the Capitol shall 
     provide for the display of the statue accepted under this 
     section in the rotunda of the Capitol, in accordance with

[[Page H4604]]

     the procedures described in section 311(e) of the Legislative 
     Branch Appropriations Act, 2001 (2 U.S.C. 2132(e)).

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Brady) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania.


                             General Leave

  Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 
all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend 
their remarks and include extraneous matter on the resolution now under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, this resolution provides for the acceptance of a statue 
of Ronald Reagan from the State of California and authorizes the use of 
the Capitol Rotunda for an unveiling ceremony. Title II of the United 
States Code allows for each State to choose no more than two statues to 
represent that State in the Statuary Hall collection. The State of 
California has chosen to replace the statue of Thomas Starr King. The 
new statue represents Ronald Reagan, who served as President of the 
United States from 1981 to 1989. I urge that the House pass this 
resolution for the ceremony acceptance of the statue.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 
may consume.
  One of the advantages of having spent a little time around the House 
of Representatives besides your hair turning gray is that I'm now the 
senior Republican Member of the delegation and thereby have the 
privilege of carrying this resolution on behalf of the Members of the 
House. So, Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to introduce H. Con. Res. 
101 to accept the statue of Ronald Reagan from the people of California 
for placement in the United States Capitol.
  This bill authorizes the State of California to use the Rotunda of 
the Capitol on June 3, 2009, for a presentation ceremony. The Architect 
of the Capitol shall display the statue in the Rotunda. The current 
statue of Thomas Starr King will be relocated to a suitable place in 
Sacramento, California.
  I am honored to have both known and worked with Ronald Reagan both 
when he was Governor and, of course, as President of the United States. 
One of the great leaders of the 20th century, Ronald Reagan. His 
contributions on behalf of freedom around the world are unparalleled 
since the end of World War II. There is no more Cold War. There is no 
more Berlin Wall. There is no worldwide threat of Communist 
dictatorship because of the leadership of President Ronald Reagan.
  When the history of our time is written, the accomplishments of 
President Reagan will shine out. He made America the land of 
opportunity once again and brought the breath of freedom to millions of 
people around the world who had spent decades under the yoke of 
tyranny.

                              {time}  1130

  His memory will live on among all the free and loving people around 
the world.
  Mr. Speaker, a statue of Ronald Reagan in the U.S. Capitol is a 
fitting tribute to one of the most significant leaders of our time. I 
urge swift passage of H. Con. Res. 101.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may 
consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Dreier).
  Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend for yielding me this time, 
and I rise to join him in stating what a tremendous action we are 
taking by bringing the statue of Ronald Reagan to the Capitol. We are 
sorry that our colleague, the distinguished ranking member of the 
Committee on Administration, Mr. Lungren, couldn't be here today, but I 
know that he and our colleague Ken Calvert have worked long and hard to 
get us to this day, and I believe that it is going to be a great thing.
  It is very fitting, I think, that as we just 3 months ago marked the 
20th anniversary of the end of Ronald Reagan's Presidency, that we look 
at where we are as we deal with the challenges that exist.
  Clearly the hallmark of the Reagan Presidency and his philosophy was 
a very staunch belief in the power of free markets and free peoples. 
This belief led President Reagan to increase American prosperity, and, 
as my colleague Mr. Lewis has just pointed out, champion the cause of 
democracy and political freedom around the globe, bringing down the 
Berlin Wall and bringing the Soviet Union to its knees.
  Unfortunately, as we look at the challenges that we are dealing with 
today, there are many demagogues who have pounced on our current 
economic crisis to cynically advance what are, unfortunately, anti-free 
market principles. They try to exploit the anxieties and uncertainties 
of the current situation by claiming that economic freedom inevitably 
led to the downturn that we are going through today and the only 
solution is to dramatically increase the nanny-state view of 
government.
  Mr. Speaker, they clearly ignore the true causes of the crisis that 
we are dealing with today: regulators who failed to do their jobs, 
individuals who borrowed irresponsibly and banks that lent 
irresponsibly, government efforts to interfere in the housing market 
and artificially drive up demand, and unchecked government-sponsored 
enterprises that behaved recklessly. These are the kinds of things that 
led to the challenges that we are dealing with, not the failure of the 
free market.
  That is why I think it is important for us to note that Ronald 
Reagan's vision was a very important one, and I believe passionately 
that we should, as we are going through the economic challenges that we 
face, provide the prescription that Ronald Reagan did in 1981 by 
bringing about broad across-the-board marginal rate reduction to 
stimulate economic growth, because growth is clearly the single best 
way for us to deal with the economic crisis that we have, with the debt 
that has been accumulated, and to deal with the necessary Federal 
spending that is out there.
  Mr. Speaker, one of the great things that Ronald Reagan was known for 
was his sense of optimism. So I have got to say that I believe 
fervently, as Ronald Reagan would have if he were here today, that our 
economy is going to recover. I think that it is going to recover in 
spite of, not because of the things that we are doing here in the 
United States Congress and here in Washington, D.C., but we are going 
to recover because we are Americans.
  Now, at the base of this statue that is going to be in the Great 
Rotunda, unveiled, as Mr. Lewis has said, on June 3, there are three 
great statements, and they all come down to the very simple directive 
that Ronald Reagan always had, and that is America's best days are 
ahead of us, and by virtue of that, we have to continue to remain 
optimistic. Using that Reagan spirit, as we deal with the challenges 
through which virtually every American is going today, is very, very 
important to us. So I strongly support this resolution.
  Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my 
time.
  Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may 
consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Calvert), a member of the 
committee.
  Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in strong support of H. Con. 
Res. 101, providing for the acceptance of the statue of Ronald Reagan 
from the people of California for placement in the United States 
Capitol.
  First, I would like to thank my colleagues who joined me in the 
original letter requesting the California legislature to pass a 
resolution to bring the statue of Ronald Reagan to the United States 
Capitol. A special thanks goes to California State Senator Dennis 
Hollingsworth for leading the effort and carrying the resolution in the 
State legislature. I would also like to thank the Ronald Reagan 
Presidential Foundation for their support and work

[[Page H4605]]

in bringing the statue to the Capitol, and also artist Chris Fagan, who 
I am sure did a remarkable job in sculpting the statue of Ronald 
Reagan.
  In my 16 years in the House, initiating the effort to bring the 
statue of President Reagan to our Nation's Capitol has been one of my 
greatest privileges. Like many people, President Reagan helped shape my 
political views as a young man, and as the cochair of his Riverside 
County campaign back in the day, I was, of course, very proud to see 
him succeed in becoming the 40th President of the United States.
  As we find ourselves today struggling with hardship and conflict, 
President Reagan was also confronted with a troubled economy and 
uncertain times, not just as the Governor of California, but later as 
President of the United States. In both cases, his characteristic 
optimism and can-do attitude helped meet those challenges.
  Ronald Reagan was elected the 33rd Governor of the State of 
California in 1967 and during his administration led California toward 
a ``Creative Society,'' one that ``turns away from increasing reliance 
on government and leads toward renewed respect for--and greater 
reliance on--the collective genius and common sense of the people.''
  As President, he inherited an economy facing double-digit 
unemployment and inflation. President Reagan initiated sweeping 
economic reforms, deep across-the-board tax cuts and implemented sound 
monetary policies to contain inflation. His policies resulted in 
bringing the economy out of recession and turning it into the largest 
peacetime economic boom in American history.
  The country also faced the continuation of a 35-year-long Cold War. 
President Reagan, in his famous June 1982 speech in the British 
Parliament, described ``a plan and a hope for the long term, the march 
of freedom and democracy which will leave Marxism-Leninism on the ash 
heap of history as it has left other tyrannies which stifle the freedom 
and muzzle the self-expression of the people.''
  Five years later, Reagan delivered his courageous address at the 
Brandenburg Gate in West Berlin near the infamous wall and demanded, 
``Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.'' This was the beginning of the 
end of the Cold War and also signified a new beginning for relations 
between the United States and Russia.
  Mr. Speaker, there were many accomplishments for me to name here, but 
it is clear that President Reagan was a Californian, an American and a 
patriot. California is proud to have such a leader as both Governor of 
our State and President of our Nation who brought so much greatness to 
the world.
  Today, I encourage all of my colleagues to support the resolution and 
bring the statue of President Ronald Reagan to the Capitol so that 
visitors from all over the world can honor the man who declared 
America's destiny is ``to be a shining city on the hill for all mankind 
to see.''
  Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I reserve my time.
  Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to control the time 
of the gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis).
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from California?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
California (Mr. McCarthy).
  Mr. McCARTHY of California. Mr. Speaker, I would like to first thank 
the gentleman for his work and also our colleague Jerry Lewis for his 
work.
  I rise today in support for House Concurrent Resolution 101. 
President Ronald Reagan was first known widely to the public as a 
beloved actor. Ronald Reagan became president of the Screen Actors 
Guild, a two-term Governor of California, and then a two-term President 
of the United States.
  During his time in office as President, Ronald Reagan tamed 
inflation, reduced America's tax burden, and faced down the Soviet 
empire, delivering millions from tyranny.
  Speaking at the Berlin Wall on June 12, 1987, President Reagan 
challenged Soviet General Secretary Gorbachev to bring down the Iron 
Curtain. Standing at the Brandenburg Gate, Reagan declared, ``If you 
seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern 
Europe, come here to this gate. Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate. Mr. 
Gorbachev, tear down this wall.''
  Upon his death in 2004, when Ronald Reagan was lying in State in the 
Rotunda, Gorbachev came and paid silent tribute to his erstwhile 
adversary. Fittingly, in the same Rotunda, the statue of President 
Ronald Reagan will remain permanently, with a ring of fragments from 
the Berlin Wall embedded in its pedestal.
  President Reagan once said, ``There is no limit to what a man can do 
or where he can go if he doesn't mind who gets the credit.'' While 
placement of the statue in the Capitol Rotunda does not, in my opinion, 
offer due credit to the 40th President, by recognizing him in this 
manner the people of California ensure that Ronald Reagan will have a 
lasting and symbolic presence for the countless future generations of 
Americans visiting the United States Capitol.
  I would like to thank the former First Lady, Nancy Reagan, and the 
Ronald Reagan Presidential Library for their tireless work in this 
tribute. Along with my colleagues Ken Calvert and Jerry Lewis, they 
have been a driving force behind this effort.
  Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve.
  Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to our newest Member from 
the State of California (Mr. McClintock).
  Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  Mr. Speaker, the statue of Ronald Reagan could not possibly be 
arriving here at the United States Capitol at a more appropriate time 
in the history of our Nation. In these difficult days, we need to 
remind ourselves as a Nation what it was like when it truly was morning 
again in America.
  They say it is always darkest before the dawn, and Ronald Reagan took 
office at a far more difficult time than the one we are having right 
now. We tend to forget double-digit unemployment, double-digit 
inflation, interest rates above 20 percent, mile-long lines around gas 
stations, American embassies seized with impunity, and an American 
military so weak it couldn't mount a simple rescue mission.
  The arrival of this statue and all that it represents is a potent 
reminder that when our Nation has drifted off course, we have always 
found our way back to those grand and uniquely American principles of 
individual rights, personal responsibility, limited government and free 
enterprise that define us as a people.
  It is true, Ronald Reagan was a great communicator. But as William 
Saracino has said, Reagan wasn't communicating cookie recipes. He was 
communicating the self-evident truths of the American tradition. And 
those truths resonated throughout the Nation and ultimately produced 
that bright moment when we realized that it indeed was morning again in 
America.
  May this statue of Ronald Reagan remain here always as a promise that 
America's greatest days still lie ahead and that our founding 
principles will always shine as a bright beacon toward a safe harbor in 
the stormy tempests we have encountered and that we have yet to 
encounter.
  Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve my 
time.
  Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Mississippi (Mr. Harper).
  Mr. HARPER. Mr. Speaker, I stand before you to speak of a statesman 
whose statue will stand tall in the halls of the Capitol, whose 
character and service to his country will long outlast the 8 years of 
his Presidency, and whose positive influence on America will endure 
forever. I stand before you to speak today about a statesman who I have 
long admired. That statesman was our 40th President, Ronald Reagan.
  When Ronald Reagan took office in 1981, the economy was struggling 
with high unemployment, high interest rates, and Americans were looking 
for hope. President Reagan brought commonsense values to this country 
and to Washington. He reduced the tax burden on Americans and helped 
those small businesses that were struggling. He gave us that confidence 
and hope that we needed as a country.

[[Page H4606]]

  His leadership reached far beyond America, as his peace-through-
strength approach to rebuilding our military and supporting missile 
defense, among other things, helped bring an end to communism in the 
former Soviet Union, giving freedom to millions of people across 
Eastern Europe.
  It is also very personal to my family. My 19-year-old special needs 
son, Livingston, has collected 45 Ronald Reagan books so far that he 
has in his office, in his room at home, and he is looking forward to 
coming to the June 3 ceremony. It is a special event for our family.
  This statue will be a constant reminder of the hope he gave us as we 
continue to our ``rendezvous with destiny.''

                              {time}  1145

  Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. I will continue to reserve, Mr. Speaker.
  Mr. CALVERT. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Poe).
  Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I'm honored to be here to pay tribute 
to a man known by many and whose influence can be seen throughout the 
world today.
  During his life he was president of the Screen Actors Guild; he was a 
fan of FDR and his New Deal policies; he was a registered Democrat but 
became a registered Republican; and he was also a member of the media. 
Doesn't sound like a person I normally would pay tribute to.
  However, he was also an Army officer, he served as 33rd Governor of 
the State of California; and almost single-handedly won the Cold War. 
He had the eternal sense of optimism. He summarized it best in this 
quote: ``It's morning in America.''
  And today we consider the measure which would authorize a statue of 
Ronald Reagan to be displayed here in this Capitol. It's a fitting 
tribute. Ronald Reagan arguably is one of the most influential persons 
in the 20th century. And there's no doubt that the world is a better 
place because Ronald Reagan was here. You can just ask the millions of 
people in Eastern Europe that are free today and have freedom because 
that wall, as he demanded, came down.
  Ronald Reagan ushered in a new era, ``Reagan Revolution,'' as it came 
to be called, and swept across every aspect of America, from the 
executive branch to the legislative branch and the judicial branch.
  Ronald Reagan pursued policies that reflected his personal belief in 
the worth of the individual. He stood up for the little guy. He 
advocated small Federal government and more power to the people to make 
decisions for themselves and their communities. He believed in the 
sanctity of the Constitution, federalism, a balanced budget and a 
strong military. He established policies consistent with all of those 
beliefs.
  Ronald Reagan once said, ``Each generation goes further than the 
generation preceding it because it stands on the shoulders of that 
generation.'' That statement is true, and I believe our children and 
our children's grandchildren are better off because they're standing on 
the shoulders of this great American statesman.
  And that's just the way it is.
  Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CALVERT. May I inquire of the gentleman if he has any speakers?
  Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. No, I don't.
  Mr. CALVERT. I'll give the closing remarks, Mr. Speaker.
  In closing, June 3 will be a great day here in the United States 
Capitol, a great day for our State of California, and certainly, I 
believe, a great day for America and for the world who appreciated 
Ronald Reagan's leadership. This was truly a remarkable American. So we 
look forward to gathering together with the former First Lady and with 
other people who will come from throughout the United States and 
throughout the world to pay tribute to this great man.
  Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in memory of Ronald Reagan and his 
accomplishments as our nation's 40th president. He was a legendary 
president, skilled actor, and loving husband and father to his family.
  Today, we pay tribute to a great American, a man who deeply loved 
this country. In the midst of darkness, Reagan showed no fear--staring 
down the face of communism and ultimately leading us to victory in the 
Cold War. He exhibited unprecedented leadership during a period in our 
history when our economy seemed bleak, our enemies surrounded us, and 
the fight against Soviet Communism pushed against our ideals of freedom 
and democracy. Even after an assassination attempt in 1981, Reagan 
quickly returned to duty with tremendous grace and ease, giving us a 
mere glimpse of his strength and determination to better our country. 
Known as the ``Great Communicator,'' Reagan had an amazing gift of 
connecting with the public, instilling us with a sense of pride as 
Americans. President Reagan once stated, ``There is no limit to what a 
man can do or where he can go if he doesn't mind who gets the credit.'' 
Certainly, these words ring loud and true today in the halls of 
Congress, reminding us that we are merely servants of the American 
public.
  I wholeheartedly support today's resolution for the acceptance of a 
statue of President Reagan to be placed in the U.S. Capitol. Mr. 
Speaker, I ask my esteemed colleagues to join me in supporting this 
resolution and in expressing our heartfelt gratitude for Ronald 
Reagan's service to our great Nation.
  Mrs. BACHMANN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to give my support to H. 
Con. Res. 101 that would forever honor America's 40th President, Ronald 
Reagan. Both as Governor of California and as our nation's Chief 
Executive, Reagan faced domestic and international struggles with 
optimism and decorum that assured us all, ``It's morning again in 
America.'' President Reagan captured the hearts and minds of Americans 
by following in the footsteps of our Founding Fathers in advocating 
less government, private enterprise and a managed budgetary approach.
  At a time when we are unsure of our economic future and deal 
precariously with the nations of the world, a figure of Reagan would 
serve as a simple reminder that confidence in our country's potential 
is necessary to our success today. President Reagan once told us, ``I 
know in my heart that man is good. That what is right will always 
eventually triumph. And there's purpose and worth to each and every 
life.''
  Mr. Speaker, I rise to show my support for honoring President Reagan 
in this way. It is a gesture appropriate to the legacy he left us as a 
leader and as an American.
  Mr. CALVERT. I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I urge an ``aye'' vote, and I 
yield back the balance of my time
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Brady) that the House suspend the 
rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 101.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the concurrent resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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