[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 1]
[House]
[Page 458]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



          CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL FOR RONALD AND NANCY REAGAN

  (Ms. DUNN asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. DUNN. Mr. Speaker, on February 6, Ronald Reagan will be 
celebrating his 89th birthday. To commemorate this occasion, I will be 
joining my colleague, the gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Gibbons), in 
introducing legislation to award the Congressional Gold Medal to Ronald 
and Nancy Reagan.
  Together with his devoted First Lady, Ronald Reagan believed in the 
promise of the American dream. In an era of growing cynicism, the 
Reagans worked in their own optimistic, upbeat way to make America a 
place where everyone can rise as high and as far as her ability will 
take her.
  In 1989, I had an opportunity personally to thank Ronald Reagan for 
his contributions to America. This was shortly after the Berlin Wall 
was taken down and the land he once declared an ``evil empire'' began 
to be dissolved. Now is the time to broaden this ``thank you'' so that 
it comes from all the American people.
  Mr. Speaker, we can begin this process here in the Congress in a 
bipartisan way by awarding him and his First Lady the Congressional 
Gold Medal.
  Mr. and Mrs. Reagan, this ``thank you'' is long overdue.

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