Mourning the Passing of President Ronald Reagan

MOURNING THE PASSING OF PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN -- (House of Representatives - June 08, 2004)

Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to the order of the House of today and as designee of the majority leader, I call up the resolution (H. Res. 664) mourning the passing of President Ronald Reagan and celebrating his service to the people of the United States and his leadership in promoting the cause of freedom for all the people of the world, and ask for its immediate consideration.

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Mr. HERGER. Mr. Speaker, some of my first impressions of Ronald Reagan were back in the 1950s when I was yet in grammar school, and I observed him as he hosted the "General Electric Theater." And then again I remember him just after graduating from high school in 1964 when he campaigned and he spoke out for Barry Goldwater. Ronald Reagan stood for ideals that simply were not being expressed anyplace else.

The appropriately named Reagan Revolution was precisely that. He was one of the main reasons I ran for political office. In the late 1970s, we heard our leaders talk about lowering expectations and the good times are over and that our Nation is in a, quote, general malaise. This was mirrored in high inflation that reached 10 to 12 percent, unemployment rates that were over 10 percent or more, and a prime interest rate that reached as high as 21.5 percent.

But then in stepped Ronald Reagan saying America could do better and America would do better. When Ronald Reagan said it, you believed it. His vision of the shining city on the hill gave hope to countless millions of Americans. Back then I, as a small business owner who grew up on a ranch, the American dream appeared endangered by high taxes and big government. In California, property taxes were doubling and tripling. With Ronald Reagan, there was someone we could rally around. His hope, his direction, and his moral clarity gave us all renewed energy. Ronald Reagan had the great ability to say what so many of us were thinking, what we were thinking about our national budget, about our national defense, about taxes; and, yes, about a better America.

The first time I ever met Ronald Reagan was in 1980 when I was running for the State Assembly in California and I journeyed to Simi Valley to get my picture taken with him. I can remember growing up hearing my mother talking about President Franklin Roosevelt, how she would listen to President Roosevelt on the radio during the Great Depression and during World War II. President Roosevelt gave hope to her generation. Ronald Reagan was to my generation what FDR was to my parents.

In Congress I had the privilege to meet Ronald Reagan six or seven times. Just being around President Reagan was inspiring. He lit up the room. To those of us who believed strongly in the American dream, in traditional values and the Judeo-Christian faith, Ronald Reagan was indeed a shining light in the city when there seemed to be none. His spirit will live on in the hearts of Americans. He was truly one of our Nation's greatest Presidents.

Ronald Reagan, thank you, thank you, for all you have done for me. Thank you, thank you, for all you have done for our great Nation.