[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 9]
[Senate]
[Page 11869]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                HONORING PRESIDENT RONALD WILSON REAGAN

  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. Murkowski). Under the previous order, S. 
Res. 374 is considered and agreed to, the preamble is agreed to, and 
the motion to reconsider is laid upon the table.
  The resolution (S. Res. 374) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 374

       Whereas Ronald Wilson Reagan, the 40th President of the 
     United States, was born on February 6, 1911, in Tampico, 
     Illinois, to Nelle and John Reagan and raised in Dixon, 
     Illinois;
       Whereas as a lifeguard at Rock River in Lowell, Illinois, a 
     young Ronald Reagan saved the lives of 77 swimmers;
       Whereas Ronald Reagan enrolled in Eureka College where he 
     played football, acted in amateur theater, and graduated with 
     a bachelor's degree in economics and sociology;
       Whereas Ronald Reagan landed his first job as a radio 
     announcer for WOC in Davenport, Iowa, and went on to become a 
     popular sports announcer;
       Whereas Ronald Reagan launched a movie career that spanned 
     50 movies, including his most famous role as the football 
     legend, ``The Gipper'';
       Whereas Ronald Reagan, who received more fan mail than any 
     other actor at Warner Brothers Studios except Errol Flynn, 
     served as president of the Screen Actors Guild from 1947 to 
     1960;
       Whereas on March 4, 1952, Ronald Reagan married his great 
     love, Nancy Davis, who was to become his lifelong confidante 
     and companion;
       Whereas Ronald Reagan was the father of 4 children: 
     Maureen, Michael, Patti, and Ronald Prescott;
       Whereas Ronald Reagan hosted the popular television series 
     ``GE Theater'' from 1954 to 1962;
       Whereas in 1962, Ronald Reagan switched his party 
     affiliation from Democrat to Republican and 2 years later 
     delivered a major televised speech in support of Presidential 
     candidate Barry Goldwater;
       Whereas in 1966, Ronald Reagan won the governorship of 
     California and in 1970 was reelected to a second term;
       Whereas Governor Reagan campaigned for the Republican 
     nomination in 1968, and again in 1976;
       Whereas on July 16, 1980, the former Governor won the 
     Republican nomination and on November 4, 1980, won the United 
     States Presidency in a landslide vote;
       Whereas President Reagan appointed the first woman to the 
     United States Supreme Court, Justice Sandra Day O'Connor;
       Whereas on March 30, 1981, only 2 months into his 
     Presidency, Ronald Reagan survived an assassination attempt 
     and upon meeting Nancy in the hospital, quipped with 
     characteristic good humor, ``Honey, I forgot to duck'';
       Whereas President Reagan delivered on his promise to cut 
     taxes for American workers in 1981, and achieved the historic 
     tax cuts of 1986 which overhauled the Federal tax code and 
     reduced tax rates for almost all taxpayers, including 
     removing 6,000,000 Americans from the tax rolls;
       Whereas under President Reagan's leadership, inflation 
     fell, interest rates declined, and by the seventh year of his 
     Presidency, the stock market hit an all-time high;
       Whereas President Reagan presided over the longest economic 
     expansion in the history of the United States until that time 
     and rebuilt the national defenses of the United States;
       Whereas President Reagan won reelection in 1984 carrying 49 
     out of 50 States--one of the biggest electoral victories in 
     the political history of the United States;
       Whereas during summit meetings with Soviet Union President 
     Mikhail Gorbachev in December 1987, President Reagan signed a 
     treaty to eliminate intermediate-range nuclear forces;
       Whereas President Reagan's steadfast opposition to 
     communism, his unshakeable resolve to defeat the ``Evil 
     Empire'', and his secure belief in government for and by the 
     people, led to the collapse of the Berlin Wall and victory in 
     the Cold War;
       Whereas President Reagan's belief in freedom as a God-given 
     right of all peoples led to a democratic revolution across 
     Central America; and
       Whereas Ronald Wilson Reagan, father, husband, actor, and 
     dedicated public servant, restored the pride, optimism and 
     strength of the United States and earned the deep respect and 
     affection of his fellow citizens: Now, therefore, be it:
       Resolved, That the Senate notes with deep sorrow and solemn 
     mourning the death of Ronald Wilson Reagan.
       Resolved, That the Senate extends its heartfelt sympathy to 
     the wife and family of President Reagan.
       Resolved, That the Senate commends the former President for 
     his Presidency and its many accomplishments.
       Resolved, That the Senate calls on all the people of the 
     United States to reflect on the record of the 40th President 
     of the United States during this national period of 
     remembrance.
       Resolved, That the Secretary communicate these resolutions 
     to the House of Representatives and transmit a copy thereof 
     to the family of the former President

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Kentucky.

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