[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 9]
[Senate]
[Pages 11954-11955]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                             RONALD REAGAN

  Mr. ENSIGN. Mr. President, I rise today to honor and remember the 
greatest President of the 20th century, Ronald Wilson Reagan.
  Ronald Reagan is widely known for taking some of the most courageous 
stands on behalf of our Nation and for truly changing the course of the 
world, but Ronald Reagan may have never known the impact that he had on 
so many individuals, including me.
  I was in college when Ronald Reagan swept through our country in 
1980--on a mission to empower Americans by reducing taxes, shrinking 
the Federal bureaucracy, and instilling a sense of hope for the future. 
Until that point, I had always considered myself a Democrat. Ronald 
Reagan's straight talk and emphasis on common sense and individual 
empowerment changed the way I looked at politics. As Ronald Reagan used 
to say--and he would know--I became ``a former Democrat

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who saw the light.'' He opened my eyes to a philosophy that I truly 
felt could change the direction of our country.
  I was not alone. President Reagan's popularity while in the Oval 
Office for two terms showed that Americans--Republicans, Democrats, and 
independents--were inspired by him the way I was. More impressively, 
tens of thousands of Americans are mourning his death and reflecting on 
how he touched and changed their lives. The endless line of mourners, 
waiting for hours to walk past his coffin and pay final respects, is 
unparalleled. The most heartwarming for me is to see parents with their 
children, teaching them about the legacy of this great President and 
hopefully instilling a dose of Reagan optimism in the next generation.
  There are many lessons to teach our children about Ronald Reagan. I 
know I will teach them to my own children.
  Respect for others: Many of the stories that are being shared by 
those who knew Ronald Reagan revolve around his respect for all people. 
Whether it was someone who washed dishes in the White House or the 
leader of another Nation, Ronald Reagan treated each with the same 
amount of dignity and respect--and loving humor.
  Commitment to principles: Ronald Reagan never shied away from his 
principles. His steadfast commitment led to monumental changes in the 
world landscape--making it a better place for all of us. On Memorial 
Day 1986, President Reagan said at Arlington National Cemetery:

       If we really care about peace, we must stay strong. If we 
     really care about peace, we must, through our strength, 
     demonstrate our unwillingness to accept an ending of the 
     peace. We must be strong enough to create peace where it does 
     not exist and strong enough to protect it where it does. 
     That's the lesson of this century. . . .

  And that is a lesson from our 40th President.
  Mutual love and admiration: I would be remiss if I did not note the 
relationship that Ronald and Nancy Reagan shared. Reading some of their 
old love letters, watching them together during his presidency, and 
seeing her devotion over these most trying last 10 years, one cannot 
help but be touched by the feelings that emanated from their marriage. 
Nancy Reagan was every bit Ronald Reagan's partner in the White House, 
and his legacy is theirs. Today Nancy Reagan grieves--she has lost her 
soul mate. And we grieve for her loss.
  Optimism and hope for tomorrow: If nothing else, I hope that 
Americans today are inspired by Ronald Reagan's eternal optimism. He 
believed in this country and its people with every fiber of his being. 
He once told a gathering of youth in 1985 that:

       True wealth, and the real hope for the future comes from 
     the heart--from the treasure of ideas and spirit, from free 
     people with a vision of the future, trust in their fellow 
     men, and faith in God. The better future that we all yearn 
     for will not be built by skeptics who spend their lives 
     admiring the complexity of the problems. It'll be built by 
     free men and women who believe in themselves.

  I know Ronald Reagan is in a better place today, and, from his view, 
he is rooting for us and believing in our future.
  Leaders like Ronald Reagan change the course of history with their 
vision and inspire a new generation. I serve Nevada in the United 
States Senate because I, too, was inspired by Ronald Reagan. Today, I 
thank him from the bottom of my heart for his service to this nation, 
for his unwavering leadership, and for his spirit that will always 
represent our greatness and remind us that we can achieve anything.
  President Reagan, may God bless you and watch over you. And may God 
continue to bless America.

                          ____________________