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.

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.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on the resolution under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, through the years of having the opportunity to know President Ronald Reagan, one could go down many a pathway in recalling his greatness. My first recollection of Ronald Reagan, I can recall clearly I was lying on the living room floor, and he was giving this speech on behalf of Barry Goldwater. The remarks in that speech entitled, ``A Time For Choosing,'' never to forget, ``You and I have a rendezvous with destiny. We will preserve for our children this, the last best hope of man on Earth, or we will sentence them to take the last step into a thousand years of darkness.'' I will never forget rolling over on the floor and saying to my family, ``This guy ought to be Governor of California.'' And, by golly, just 2 years later, he was: Governor Ronald Reagan, elected in 1966 by the people of California.

Two years after that, a group of seven Republican freshmen legislators were invited to the Governor's home for a little dinner. They had a set of card tables in the living room, a couple sat down at one card table, I sat on an extra chair, and, lo and behold, the Governor sat down beside me. The gentleman from California (Mr. Waxman) may remember that I was a bit more brash in those days than I choose to be now.

And so almost immediately, I raised the subject of interest to me to the then-Governor Reagan. I asked him what he thought about preschool and child care. It did not take 30 seconds for me to begin to understand that I had asked the right question, for Governor Reagan knew an awful lot more about preschool and child care than I ever thought of knowing. He and Nancy had been thinking about this subject for some time. And indeed, as a result of that beginning point of working together in this very special area of education, the Child Development Act was signed in 1972 by Governor Reagan and became the first major State quality day care programming that included health components and education components and involved parental responsibilities as well.

The Governor was way ahead of the curve, as one might see; for some 25 years later, Washington discovered the importance of child care.

Another illustration of an interesting side of the Governor who by many was considered to be some way out there, far out on the right; but quickly those who would observe carefully recognized that this Governor was looking out for the benefit of all people of California and because of that, shortly he became very well known as an environmental Governor. He joined quickly with Governor Laxalt of Nevada, and together hand in hand they literally saved Lake Tahoe.

A leader way ahead of his time, it was my privilege to spend so much time in those early days with Governor Ronald Reagan. At another time in this evening's discussion I would like to spend a moment discussing with all of you my first experience with Governor Reagan when he became President of the United States.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

President Reagan came to Washington at a moment when our country was in great malaise. Interest rates had risen as high as 21\1/2\ percent. Inflation was raging the country. Jobs were very, very difficult to come by. And in typical Ronald Reagan fashion, the President for whom the glass was always more than half full, he began setting forth policies that reduced interest rates, that impacted inflation, and created jobs. He set a stage for tomorrow that would lead us all to believe in America again and have new hope and opportunity within our country.

It is my privilege, Mr. Speaker, to yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Blunt).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Gallegly).

Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to yield 6 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Thomas), the chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means.

(Mr. THOMAS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, it is a great honor to yield 6 minutes to the gentleman from California

(Mr. Rohrabacher), who served Ronald Reagan as a part of his staff before coming to Congress.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Ronald Reagan became President in 1981 after an election in 1980. At that point in our history, our defenses had been reduced to such significant levels, all of us were concerned about the future of America's ability to defend itself. Indeed, there were great leaders who recognized the importance of building our defenses. Among those who have come here since President Reagan was with us is the gentleman from California (Mr. Cunningham).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Cunningham).

Mr. Speaker, the eloquence of our colleagues from both sides of the aisle reflect the best of Ronald Reagan. His leadership indeed recognized that there was little partisanship when you were really working towards solving problems for America's people.

Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Herger).

Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Dreier), chairman of the Committee on Rules.

(Mr. DREIER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Issa).

(Mr. ISSA asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Hart).

Mr. Speaker, I could not feel more strongly than I do about the gentlewoman's remarks. Indeed, one of the wonderful things that has happened in recent years in the House is the advent of young women like this stepping up to the plate, running for Congress, and making a big difference in the People's House.

It is my honor, Mr. Speaker, to yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hall).

Mr. Speaker, we appreciate the comments of our colleague from Texas. I am reminded of that tragic day when Ronald Reagan, shortly after he became President in March of 1981, and the assassination attempt took place. As they rolled him on a gurney into the emergency room, he looked up and said to his wife, I guess I forgot to duck, honey. Ronald Reagan, a man who was always ready to try to calm down the other person and make sure they felt okay, our President.

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Goodlatte), the chairman of the Committee on Agriculture.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I very much appreciate my colleague from Texas joining with us in this discussion this evening of perhaps America's greatest President, Ronald Reagan. In his words, Ronald Reagan said, ``Some argue that we should encourage democratic change and right-wing dictatorships but not in communist regimes. Well,'' he said, ``to accept this preposterous notion, as some well-meaning people have, is to invite the argument that once countries achieve a nuclear capability, they should be allowed an undisturbed reign of terror over their own citizens. We reject this, of course.''

As Ronald Reagan rebuilt America, his defense budget designed to restrengthen our country's ability to defend itself, he stared down the Evil Empire and negotiated a nuclear arms treaty with Gorbachev. As two enemies became close friends, think of that, two enemies became close friends, Gorbachev was heard to say, Who would have thought it.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 3 minutes to my colleague, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Weldon).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Boehlert).

(Mr. BOEHLERT asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Barton).

(Mr. BARTON of Texas asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my colleague yielding his time back, and now we know why he is chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer).

Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Osborne), my favorite coach.

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Gingrey).

(Mr. GINGREY asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Linder).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Wilson).

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Wilson) very much for those very eloquent comments. I am reminded of the fact that in very simple form, Ronald Reagan challenged the world on behalf of liberty, on behalf of peace. He had this remarkable relationship that developed over time with Mikhail Gorbachev. After he described the Evil Empire in straightforward terms, they began to communicate as leaders of two great countries. Indeed, together over time they reduced the nuclear threat by coming to agreement with one another.

It has been said earlier, but let me repeat the words of Ronald Reagan: ``Mr. Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek the liberalization, come here to this gate, open this gate. Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.''

And indeed, within a couple of years, that wall came down. The East- West confrontation began to thaw; and between these two leaders, the world has seen a different kind of opportunity for peace. Today we face the challenge that involves the war on terrorism; and, indeed, that struggle is bound to last for years to come. It was the legacy of Ronald Reagan that laid the foundation for America to best be prepared to defend itself for liberty and for freedom.

Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to yield 5 minutes to my colleague, the gentleman from California (Mr. Calvert).

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to the order of the House today and as the designee of the majority leader, I request an additional hour of debate on the resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Chocola).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Hayes).

(Mr. HAYES asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Hunter), the chairman of the Committee on Armed Services, and I understand that somewhere in the building his son and his son's bride are wandering around. His son, Sam, was not born when the gentleman came to these Chambers, so because of family relations and otherwise, I now yield to him.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from California (Mr. Hunter) reminds me of another time when Ronald Reagan was trying to bring together Republicans to form a majority. It was 1969, and there was a majority for approximately 2 years in the California lower house for the assembly, and Ronald Reagan was then Governor of California. He came into this room, and here were 41 members of the new majority sitting there in front of him. He is sitting at a table in front of us, his legs dangling from the table, he has argyle socks on.

He said, I was trying to think about what I should say to you all. We have not had a majority before. We have to govern, he said, and he said, it is possible from time to time we may disagree with each other as we go about making decisions on public policy.

As I was thinking about what to say to you, I was reminded of my father-in-law, who is a dentist. It seems he had this fellow sitting in the chair, and the guy had an abscessed tooth which had to come out. And my father-in-law began to put this needle in his jaw. About that time my father-in-law felt kind of a groping at the lower part of his abdomen. He looked down startled, and the fellow looked back up and said, we are not going to hurt each other, are we, Doc?

For those who knew Ronald Reagan, he would get just to the edge of color, but nonetheless, he knew how to make a point to bring people together in a very special way; a man never to be forgotten, recognizing how important it is that we work together.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Hensarling).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Mrs. Biggert), Ronald Reagan's home State.

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Mississippi (Mr. Wicker), a member of the Subcommittee on Defense of the Committee on Appropriations.

Mr. Speaker, before I proceed any further, pursuant to the order of the House of today and as the designee of the majority leader, I request an additional hour of debate on the resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Goode).

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Wamp).

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

The gentleman from Tennessee, I must say, reminds me a bit of my own youth, for I was raised in a family where my father was a Republican, my mother was a Democrat. I was somewhat confused. But the gentleman reminds me of another thing. I remember as a student at UCLA having the chance to participate in a pre-Peace Corps people-to-people program. I was headed with a group of 11 other students on our way to India to talk about freedom and hope and opportunity.

During that time, I was really confused myself. Would I become a member of one of our great parties, the Democratic Party, or would I become a member of the Republican Party? It was amazing what that summer did. I made that decision for myself in the summer in India. Why? Because one of our great parties was of the view that maybe individuals in our society needed a little help, maybe individual people could not do it for themselves and government was a requirement. It was another of the great parties that thought the individual was critical, made a difference in our future, and if you apply your spirit, your talent, your energy within that party, the survival of the individual was the key. That is how I made my decision. The gentleman from Tennessee reminded me a lot of that tonight. It is a pleasure to be with him.

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to yield such time as she may consume to my dear friend, the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Granger).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Franks).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Tennessee (Mrs. Blackburn).

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, from the days I knew Ronald Reagan as Governor, and he was a key leader who sponsored early development of child care in our State, recognizing the importance of quality daycare in terms of the future of America's children, the environmental governor who saved Lake Tahoe, to the days that I had a chance to watch him rebuild America's strength by building our defense, he always was straightforward, candid with the American people.

And not so long ago he was heard to say: ``In closing let me thank you, the American people, for giving me the great honor of allowing me to serve as your President. When the Lord calls me home, whenever that may be, I will leave with the greatest love for this country of ours and eternal optimism for its future. I now begin the journey that will lead me into the sunset of my life. I know that for America there will always be a bright dawn ahead.''

God bless you, Ronald Reagan. To Nancy and their family, all of us share with you our prayers for our great President, Ronald Wilson Reagan.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to the previous order of the House, 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 further consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hyde), the Land of Lincoln and the birthplace of Ronald Reagan, and the chairman of the Committee on International Relations.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Sensenbrenner), the distinguished chairman of the Committee on the Judiciary.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Hayworth).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Gutknecht).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce), the home State of our dearly departed President.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from the great State of our former, President, the gentleman from California (Mr. Radanovich).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Norwood).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Pence), a distinguished Member of this body, a true Reaganite.

(Mr. PENCE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentlewoman from the State of Wyoming (Mrs. Cubin).

(Mrs. CUBIN asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Florida (Mr. Miller).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Platts).

Mr. Speaker I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Missouri (Mrs. Emerson).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Texas (Mr. Thornberry).

(Mr. THORNBERRY asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Gilchrest).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Green).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Texas (Mr. Burgess).

(Mr. BURGESS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Florida (Mr. Feeney).

(Mr. FEENEY asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Garrett).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Kline).

Mr. Speaker, I yield for the purpose of making a unanimous consent request to the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Everett).

(Mr. EVERETT asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from the State of Washington (Mr. Hastings).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from the State of Florida (Ms. Harris).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Isakson).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Nevada (Mr. Gibbons).

(Mr. GIBBONS asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Texas (Mr. Carter).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Forbes).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Barrett).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Florida (Mr. Lincoln Diaz-Balart).

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Upton).

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

The first time I met Ronald Reagan was the day I began work for him in the White House. We shook hands and exchanged pleasantries in the Oval Office. Of course, it is difficult to forget one's first meeting with the President of the United States, but what I particularly remember is how quickly he put me at ease. Of course, he told a joke.

Learning that I was a Harvard graduate, he told me the story of a friend of his who had graduated from Harvard Law School, had become a partner in a large firm but had lost his position due to a problem with drinking and drugs, and consequentially, in succession, he lost his wife, his family, his income, and even ran afoul of the law, being put in jail for shoplifting. But now he was out of jail. He had cleaned up his life and, most importantly, he had met a wonderful woman to whom he wished to propose marriage. But, and it was on this point that he asked the President's advice, he had not told this woman about his background for fear of losing her. So he asked the President, should I tell her that I went to Harvard?

I knew immediately where I stood. Two years later, I was with the President in the Oval Office, and I have a picture hanging on my desk of this moment, and I am sitting across from his desk, across from him, just the two of us. He has a big smile on his face, and I am about to burst out laughing because he was, of course, telling another joke.

It was a special privilege to travel with the President on Air Force 1, and what I particularly remember is the way the President came back to cheer up the staff, to regale us with stories and jokes. I was particularly fond of his amazingly authentic Irish brogue.

But I will not forget especially the last time I saw him as President. It was here in this Capitol. He had summoned us, the Republican Members, just days before the inauguration to give us a private valediction. No press, no public, just us. And he spoke from the Democratic sides of the aisle, from the rostrum on the left, a mistake I attributed to his lack of familiarity with House procedure. It was a mistake of mine, however. He knew exactly what he was doing. And as he described his political career, he described how I did not leave the Democratic Party, the Democratic Party left me; and he strode purposefully to this other rostrum to the delight of the Republican Members.

But what he told us that day rose far above party and partisanship. Because, of course, he saw a consistent thread throughout his career in his support for FDR, his campaigning for Harry Truman, his support and campaigning for Ike, and of course his own administration. A few moments after he finished here on the floor, we went to Statuary Hall and he mingled with the Members and we had a few private moments there. This was, of course, just a few feet from where in the rotunda later today his body will lie in repose. He did not tell me a joke at that time. Instead, after congratulating me on my recent election to Congress, something we had had the chance more exuberantly to celebrate after me and my new colleague, the gentleman from California (Mr. Rohrabacher), visited with him in the Oval Office in June, he told me never forget to trust the people who sent you here and always fight for the principles that you and I share.

It was the serious side of him because he was all about ideas. And while his humor, his gregariousness, his avuncularity has been much remarked upon in recent days, that was an important aspect of his leadership; but it does not tell us about the substance of his leadership, where he was taking the country. And it was the ideas that President Reagan brought to Washington that mattered most of all.

It is well known and much remarked upon that Ronald Reagan won the Cold War without firing a shot. He led the global movement to tear down the Berlin Wall. He led an economic renaissance at home by dramatically reducing the burden of taxes across the board, from a marginal rate of 70 percent down to 28 percent. But it is just as important to recognize the leading role that President Reagan played in supporting our country, such issues as the civil rights of women and men here at home.

President Reagan, of course, appointed the first woman to be ambassador of the United Nations. He appointed the first woman to be a Justice of the United States Supreme Court. He appointed the first woman to be Secretary of Transportation, the first Latina to be Treasurer of the United States.

On November 2, 1983, he made Martin Luther King's birthday a national holiday. He appointed the first African American chairman of the U.S. Civil Rights Commission, my good friend and great American, the late Clarence Pendleton. He extended the Voting Rights Act for a quarter century. He named the first Hispanic to the Cabinet, Lauro Cavasos, as Secretary of Education.

On August 10, 1988, he provided compensation to Japanese Americans who had been deprived of their civil liberties and their property during the infamous internment of World War II ordered by FDR.

Today, we can see the wisdom of President Reagan's policies from a distance. He appointed the first-ever Presidential Commission on AIDS and gave national direction to the effort to stop the spread of this terrible disease.

His was the statesmanship of a true leader. While fighting Soviet expansion in Africa, he fought apartheid and imposed sanctions on the racist Government of South Africa by executive order. He demanded as a condition of lifting those sanctions the release of Nelson Mandela. And yet he refused to declare economic warfare against the civilian population of that country, black, white, and all races as the United Nations had done in imposing its sanctions on Zimbabwe. So today, whereas Zimbabwe has become a living hell, an autocracy that has stripped away all pretense of law or property or personal safety, South Africa has a real democracy where all men and women can vote and where all are equal before the law.

In Central America, he prevented the Soviet Union from establishing a beachhead in our own hemisphere, and

likewise in Nicaragua. And throughout Central and South America and the Caribbean, just as in Central Europe and Asia, democracy grew and prospered.

Mr. Speaker, from that day in January of 1981, when President Reagan was sworn in, until last Saturday, the American people always knew where to look for a hero. President Reagan did great things not only for our country but for our world. Today, more than 1 billion people live in freedom because of his global leadership. In fact, all of the people of the world, those who enjoy the sweet blessings of liberty and those who still yearn for freedom, will always know where to look for a hero.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Brown).

(Mr. BROWN of South Carolina asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Cole).

(Mr. COLE asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Burton).

Mr. Speaker, there are few men in our history whose lives can be said to have changed the world. Ronald Reagan was one of those men.

Ronald Reagan was an inspiration to me personally and politically. In 1984, I was honored to head his reelection campaign in Oklahoma. I also served as chairman of the Oklahoma Republican Party during his Presidency. A favorite memory of mine is of a meeting with the President and Republican State party chairmen from the South at the White House in 1988. A 15-minute meeting turned into an hour-long treasure as he regaled us with one hilarious political story after another. Ronald Reagan loved politicians, he loved politics, and he loved public service.

I cannot claim to have known Ronald Reagan well. I was privileged to be with him on more than a few occasions. All the same, he changed my life and the lives of millions of others. He was a voice of faith, faith in America, faith in her people, faith in their future, and, most profoundly, faith in freedom.

Ronald Reagan inspired us to do great things. With him we accomplished much. It is for us to continue to build that shining city on a hill to which he so often referred. There is much yet to do. Ronald Reagan was my hero; but more importantly, he was an American hero. We mourn his passing, but we celebrate his life of achievement and patriotism.

Mr. Speaker, there are few men in our history and there will be few men in our future who live their lives in such a way that the world will be changed because of their existence. Ronald Reagan is one of those men. His dignity, character, strength and convictions will distinguish him in the pages of history and define him as one of the greatest presidents of the twentieth century. President Reagan was an inspiration to many and his optimism for America's future encouraged those across all party lines. He knew there was a brighter tomorrow through the path of strong values, hard work, tough decisions and perseverance. His leadership pulled America through the end of the Cold War, pushed the Soviet Union and the eastern Bloc onto the ``ash heap of history'' and restored the virtues of idealism and optimism to our country. He was a visionary who instigated the rebirth of conservatism and shaped the Republican Party into the governing national majority we see today.

Ronald Reagan was a source of inspiration to me both personally and politically. I was serving as Executive Director of the Oklahoma State Party when Reagan was elected. In 1984, I was honored to head his re- election efforts in Oklahoma. I also served as Oklahoma GOP Chairman during his presidency, so I had opportunities to meet and work with him.

Ronald Reagan had a magic that really appealed to people. A favorite memory is of a meeting with the president and Republican state party chairmen from the South in 1988. A 15 minute meeting turned into an hour-long treasure as he regaled us with one hilarious political story after another. His wit and humor are as fresh in my memory today as they were 20 years ago. I was privileged to see up close what so many Americans intuitively felt when watching him on television. He was an extraordinary man who lived life and enjoyed being with people. It is no wonder he was able to move thousands of people and mobilize them to support his efforts. It's a gift few of us have--and he had that magic in abundance.

Not only is Ronald Reagan a personal hero to me, his influence has shaped a generation of politicians. And by doing that he instilled the values that the Republican Party embraces today. Countless Republican officeholders got into elective politics because he fired their imagination. More profoundly, he showed that the institution of the presidency does work. We seldom remember that after the trials of Watergate and twenty years of failed or shortened administrations, some thought our country was too big for one man to govern, inspire and shape. No one, particularly those who worked with Ronald Reagan, question that today.

And let us not forget that he was a very effective politician whose drive to succeed and will to win were intense. He lost primary after primary in 1976 before coming back from the political graveyard in North Carolina, Texas and Oklahoma. Former Republican National Chairman Frank Farenkopf tells the story that on election day in 1984, the president was so far ahead in the polls that he and Ed Rollins cancelled a rally in Minnesota. He did not need to be bothered, they reasoned. After he won 49 states and only lost Minnesota by about 2,500 votes, the president liked to tease both of his advisors about their election day gaffe. It became a joke, but the president wanted Minnesota in his column.

Much has been made in recent days of Ronald Reagan's courage. We saw his physical courage when an assassin sought to take his life in early 1981. We saw it again when he confronted the ravages of Alzheimer's with grace, candor and sensitivity. But President Reagan also had the courage of his ideas and an ability to see the right path for his party and for is country.

One of Ronald Reagan's biographers, Edmund Morris, tells of his astonishment when he read the president's diaries from his time in office. He learned how many of the major and complex decisions of the Reagan Administration were made by the president, alone and in private. Ronald Reagan did not care, Morris recounts, who got the credit as long as his decisions were implemented and his goals for America came closer to realization. Recently Kiron K. Skinner and Marty Anderson's fine works detailed the depth and breath of Reagan's view of the world--a view he implemented in office.

In describing another great man at another time in history, Winston Churchill writes in his History of the English Speaking Peoples that Robert Peel was `` . . . the dominating force and personality in English politics . . .'' who ``whether in Opposition or in office . . . towered above the scene. He was not a man of broad and ranging modes of thoughts, but he understood better than any of his contemporaries the needs of the country and he had the outstanding courage to change his views in order to meet them.'' Robert Peel, Mr. Churchill added, saw the industrial revolution in Britain that made her the pre-eminent world power in the nineteenth century was driven not by the government but by private enterprise, by capital, by entrepreneurs, by a free people willing to take risks.

There are many differences between Robert Peel and Ronald Reagan. Mr. Peel split his party and destroyed a governing coalition to support Free Trade--a decision validated by history. As a governor and then as a president, Ronald Reagan united a party badly divided over ideas and led it out of the political wilderness. The Republican ascendancy in national government today is a direct result of his leadership. But in reading Winston Churchill's appraisal of Robert Peel's political biography. He was the dominating personality in American politics for a generation.

From the vantage of the early twenty-first century, it is hard to recall the mood of the country and its troubles at his election in 1980. Watergate, defeat in Vietnam, unrestrained Soviet adventurism, double digit inflation and interest rates, massive unemployment, an energy crisis, American hostages in Tehran, the end of the post-War U.S. domination of the global economy--all these combined to give some a sense America's best days were behind her; that perhaps free enterprise and freedom were not the answer; that we had to accept totalitarian communism as a legitimate and equally plausible alternative to our own way of life. Ronald Reagan rejected these ideas. He was optimistic about America, he believed the United States was ``a shining city on the hill'', a beacon of hope and freedom to the world. He understood communism was evil and free peoples must defend themselves against the darkness of tyranny and oppression. He saw a bright and prosperous future for all Americans, one where their work could carry them as far as they dared to dream. Looking back, we take all these things for granted, but Ronald Reagan was ridiculed by the intellectuals and so-called realists of his day. It took real courage to stand up for his beliefs to put them into practice, and to defend them from the faint of heart while they took root and blossomed. To paraphrase Mr. Churchill's assessment of Mr. Peel, Ronald Reagan understood his countrymen better than anyone else on the political stage. They needed leadership, he gave it and they loved him for it.

Like Mr. Peel, Ronald Reagan also had the courage to change his views. A New Deal Democrat, his partisan affiliation and ideological vantage point slowly shifted over time

from a liberal Democrat who believed in government intervention to a conservative Republican who trusted Americans and the people of the world to solve their own problems. As anyone who has even a passing understanding of Hollywood and it's cultural and political outlook knows, this was not an easy thing to do. Ronald Reagan learned about communists first hand when he battled to keep them out of the entertainment industry. Much of his later political success was based on a willingness to stand up to Soviet aggression. Yet, when a glimmer of light came through the darkness behind the Iron Curtain, President Reagan saw America's chance for victory through negotiation and began to talk to the Soviets and their leader, Mikhail Gorbachev. Many of his longtime supporters decried his decision and they did so with good reason because the Soviets historically did not negotiate in good faith. But the president had the courage and the vision to see the great opening and he took it. And, like so many times in the past, he was right. And we are better for it.

Mr. Speaker, like many Americans I cannot claim to have known Ronald Reagan well. I was privileged to be with him on more than a few occasions, but more often I watched him on television or read about him in the morning's newspapers with the rest of the country. All the same, he changed my life. And he changed the lives of millions around the world. His was a voice of faith. Faith in America, in her people, and in freedom. He inspired us to do great things. With him we accomplished much. Though he has gone to a better place, it is for us to continue to build that shining city on the hill. There is much yet to do. But Ronald Reagan's legacy and memory will inspire us in our task.

Mr. Speaker, I join today with others in the House in expressing deepest condolences to Nancy Reagan and the Reagan family on the passing of Ronald Wilson Reagan, the 40th President of the United States of America, and in paying tribute to President Reagan as we remember his presidency and what he meant to our country and indeed to the world.

I deeply admired and respected President Reagan. I had the good fortune to run for the 10th District of Virginia seat in Congress in November 1980 when he was elected to his first term. Some called my victory then ``on Reagan's coattails.'' I have no doubt I'm in Congress today because of him.

I will always be grateful that after my two unsuccessful bids for Congress, Ronald Reagan led the ticket that I was on and I became a member of the Class of 1980.

As we remember President Reagan today, I have been moved by the outpouring of love and support we have been seeing over the past few days across our Nation and especially in California, where he served the Golden State as governor for two terms.

``Thank you, President Reagan. You made us proud again.''

That was the sentiment on one of the many posters and other mementos in memory of President Reagan placed outside the entrance to his presidential library in Simi Valley, California, the day after his death on June 5. And that sentiment could well sum up the legacy of President Reagan, who lost his 10-year battle with Alzheimer's disease at age 93.

He was the leader of our Nation when Americans needed to know and more importantly to believe that indeed it was ``morning again in America,'' and the best was yet to come for our great country--that we could be proud to stand up and be called an American. He made us feel good again. He gave us hope. He inspired us. He gave us optimism because he was an optimist.

And when we needed to be comforted at a time of our own Nation's mourning in the wake of the space shuttle Challenger disaster in 1986, he was there for us, speaking to us much like a father, telling us it would be all right: ``It's all part of the process of exploration and discovery. It's all part of taking a chance and expanding man's horizons. The future doesn't belong to the fainthearted; it belongs to the brave. . . . Nothing ends here; our hopes and our journeys continue.''

The June 7 edition of National Journal's Hotline headlined, ``Ronald Wilson Reagan,'' described Mr. Reagan's presidency well:

The optimism of Morning in America left little room for

mourning in America. So instead of grief, there is respect

for the man, celebration of his boldness, relief for his

widow, and memories of leadership with purpose, grace and

humor.

He literally disarmed his enemies aboard with his tenacity.

He gently disarmed his political enemies at home with his

modesty. If he was overestimated as an actor, he was

underestimated as a political leader. Because he never quite

fit in with official Washington, he stayed connected

inseparably with the people. And for an entire generation of

Americans, he defined the Presidency.

He dreamt, acted out, and embodied the American dream. He

was a leader. Those who agreed with his policies cherished

his principles. Those who doubted his capacities wondered at

his accomplishments.

Friend and foe have come to see him as an American icon,

whose light may forever shine from his city on the hill.

In many ways, President Reagan's profound conviction that every human being had the right to live in freedom inspired my work for humanitarian and human rights causes. While he didn't always outwardly show it, he was a man of deep faith. He said in a speech before the House of Commons in 1982: ``We must be staunch in our conviction that freedom is not the sole prerogative of a lucky few, but the inalienable and universal right of all human beings.''

I saw a poignant television news report from southern California on Sunday evening which also reminded me that another crucial part of his legacy belongs not only to America, but to the world. A woman was interviewed. She was holding a bouquet of flowers. Tears were streaming down her face.

She had a broken English accent and identified herself as a Russian emigrant. She said she had to come to the makeshift memorial outside the funeral home where President Reagan was resting because, ``I owe my life to President Reagan.''

I was also reminded of how President Reagan gave hope to the persecuted peoples of the world when I read an opinion article from the June 6 edition of The Jerusalem Post written by former Soviet political dissident Natan Sharansky. I will insert the entire text of that article for the Record. Mr. Sharansky wrote:

In 1983, 1 was confined to an eight-by-ten foot prison cell

on the border of Siberia. My Soviet jailers gave me the

privilege of reading the latest copy of Pravda. Splashed

across the front page was a condemnation of President Ronald

Reagan for having the temerity to call the Soviet Union an

``evil empire.''

Tapping on walls and talking through toilets, word of

Reagan's ``provocation'' quickly spread throughout the

prison. We dissidents were ecstatic. Finally, the leader of

the free world had spoken the truth--a truth that burned

inside the heart of each and every one of us.

Who will ever forget Ronald Reagan calling the Soviet Union ``an evil empire'' and his challenge to then-Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev outside the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin: ``Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.''

And who would ever have imagined the relationship President Reagan forged with Mr. Gorbachev which ultimately led to the fall of communism and indeed, the tearing down of the Berlin wall. Mikhail Gorbachev will honor that legacy of President Reagan by his attendance at Mr. Reagan's funeral service at the National Cathedral in Washington on Friday, June 11.

Ronald Reagan was a remarkable man and I believe will be remembered by history as one of the greatest presidents of our Nation. I will close by sharing his own words spoken in August 1992 about how he wanted to be remembered:

Whatever else history may say about me when I'm gone, I

hope it will record that I appealed to your best hopes, not

your worst fears, to your confidence rather than you doubts,

and may all of you as Americans never forget your heroic

origins, never fail to seek divine guidance, and never, never

lose your God-given optimism.

We thank God for the life of Ronald Wilson Reagan.

Republican Members who were elected in 1980 on the ticket

with President Reagan:

Wendell Bailey, Missouri; Cleve Benedict, West Virginia;

Tom Bliley, Virginia; Hank Brown, Colorado; Greg Carman, New

York; Gene Chappie, California; Dan Coats, Indiana; Jim

Coyne, Pennsylvania; Larry Craig, Idaho; Hal Daub, Nebraska;

Larry DeNardis, Connecticut; David Dreier, California; Jim

Dunn, Michigan; Bill Emerson, Missouri; T. Cooper Evans,

Iowa; Bobbi Fiedler, California; Jack Fields, Texas; Steve

Gunderson, Wisconsin; and Judd Gregg, New Hampshire.

James Hansen, Utah; Tommy Hartnett, South Carolina; Bill

Hendon, North Carolina; John (Jack) Hiler, Indiana; Duncan

Hunter, California; Gene Johnston, North Carolina;

John LeBoutillier, New York; Bill Lowery, California; Bill

McCollum, Florida; Bob McEwen, Ohio; Ray McGrath, New York;

David Martin, New York; Lynn Martin, Illinois; Guy Molinari,

New York; Sid Morrison, Washington; John Napier, South

Carolina; and Jim Nelligan, Pennsylvania.

Mike Oxley, Ohio; Stan Parris, Virginia; Clint Roberts,

South Dakota; Pat Roberts, Kansas; Hal Rogers, Kentucky;

Marge Roukema, New Jersey; Claudine Schneider, Rhode Island;

Clay Shaw, Florida; Mark Siljander, Michigan; Joe Skeen, New

Mexico; Albert Lee Smith, Alabama; Chris Smith, New Jersey;

Denny Smith, Oregon; David (Mick) Staton, West Virginia; Ed

Weber, Ohio; Vin Weber, Minnesota; Frank Wolf, Virginia; and

George Wortley, New York.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Scott).

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer).

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Alexander).

(Mr. ALEXANDER asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee).

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Israel).

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, it is not just nostalgia that makes us remember President Ronald Reagan especially so fondly upon the occasion of his death. Politics, ideology, geography aside, there is a mark of leadership and charisma which undeniably stamps some men and women.

Ronald Reagan was one of those men whose leadership was felt by all who encountered him. When President Reagan first came to office, he quickly understood that enacting his economic agenda would require bipartisan support in Congress, which was under Democratic control, 242-192 and 1 absent. It took 52 bipartisan votes to enact anything, and President Reagan understood that.

I met with the President on several occasions as he sought to build that bipartisan coalition to pass his legislation. I met with President Reagan one on one in the Oval Office as well as in Air Force One, and for a second-termer in 1981 that was pretty tall cotton for a Jones County cotton farmer.

In 1981, I was just in my second term and was a member of the conservative Democratic forum better known as the Boll Weevils, the precursor to today's Blue Dogs. In the very first month Reagan was in office, he had to pass into law an increase in the debt limit, and so he invited me to meet with him. Now, mind you, this was the first major piece of legislation of the Reagan administration. In the past, prior to President Reagan's being elected, Republicans had always opposed increasing the debt limit. Republicans had denounced Democrats for voting to increase the debt limit. So here was the first Republican President in many years coming to ask conservative Democrats for support in passing this very thing into law, something members of his own party had opposed on many occasions in the past.

We had a lengthy talk. The twinkle in the eye that many of those who had known him much better from California were there, and we finally struck a deal. We had an understanding that if the President could deliver 100 votes from Republicans, then we would do our best to deliver the necessary Democratic votes. President Reagan more than held up his end of the bargain. He ultimately delivered 150 Republican votes. So in the spirit of bipartisanship and on a very tough issue, Reagan successfully secured the votes he needed, from Democrats and Republicans, and got the increase in the debt limit, just as he and we needed it.

I was proud to have several opportunities to work with the President in the months and years ahead to build bipartisan coalitions, especially on his economic agenda. I still proudly display a picture in my home in Abilene, Texas, of President Reagan signing the 1981 tax bill. I got one of the pens and one I treasure.

Reagan had very strong principles and very strong values. We know what they were. But he also understood that in order to govern, it was important to find a middle ground. And I was lucky enough to be in the middle of many of those compromises.

One of his greatest strengths was his ability to communicate, a skill that he used to great effect when courting votes in Congress. His courting of Members of Congress was the best of any President I have served with, and I have now been privileged to serve with five. If the Members can imagine a second-termer sitting in the Roosevelt Room in the White House talking about some issues with the President's Cabinet members and others and having the President walk in unannounced and put his hands on his shoulder; some telephone calls that we had many times when there was a vote and the President had to work the phones like no President that I have seen since, rounding up the votes, and he was very effective at doing that.

President Reagan's private and public demeanors was the same. What one saw was what one got. That is the mark of a great leader.

Ronald Reagan was a very decent man, and he understood how he could use his office to make a difference in countless lives. This aspect of his personality was always very clear to me

because it was this decency, this understanding of the power of the office that gave me the most rewarding opportunity I had to work with President Reagan.

The context was very personal. In May of 1983, I was contacted by the grandfather of Ashley Bailey, a baby girl in Abilene, Texas, who needed a liver transplant to survive. At that time organ donations and organ transplants were not as common as now, and the organ donation system was not organized to the extent it is today.

I spoke to President Reagan's folks about it to ask for his help in getting the baby girl a new liver. Shortly after receiving my letter, President Reagan used his weekly radio address to publicize Ashley's situation and encourage all Americans to fill out organ donor cards. He also called Ashley's mother, Annette.

Unfortunately, the President's plea did not result in finding a liver in time to save Baby Ashley, but it did end up saving the lives of dozens of other babies who needed liver transplants. President Reagan later started a national organ donor awareness program, which led to the designation of National Organ Donation Awareness Week every April. To this day I consider this one of the highlights of my 25 years in Congress.

Reagan knew how to disagree without being disagreeable, rise above politics, and these qualities, unfortunately, are rare today. President Reagan and House Speaker Tip O'Neill, the Massachusetts liberal, were good friends who got along very well during their years of service together. They never lost their philosophical convictions, and they never let those philosophical convictions hijack their understanding that America's democracy requires respect for all opinions and a practical determination to work out our differences for the good of the country.

President Reagan spoke of hope and a better tomorrow. He reminded us that we live in the greatest country in the world, and he made us believe it and believe in ourselves. He believed that we, as Americans, had a special duty to promote peace and freedom for the rest of the world. He always told us that for America, the best was yet to come.

It is good for all of us to remember Ronald Reagan's optimism, his kind-heartedness, and his cordiality. As we remember this great man this week, it would do us good to remember how we should behave today and in the future.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, tonight, certainly, our prayers go out to Nancy Reagan and to the Reagan family. And in the true spirit of the character that has been exemplified over and over by those that have known President Reagan tonight, I yield the balance of my time to my classmate and the gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis) to use in whatever manner he might see fit tonight.