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Congressional Record—Senate S720 S720 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE February 6, 2006 lives. I sincerely hope that at the end President Reagan did leave the White history,’’ as Ronald Reagan prophesied of the day, after my colleagues have House 17 years ago. For some young during the depths of the Cold War. taken a close look, they will say this people, this seems like a long time ago. Today, because of Ronald Reagan, bill should not pass, that it is not fair, President Reagan’s words and deeds there are literally hundreds of millions it is unfair to so many people. It is are still so applicable today. of people who were once locked behind more important for us to step back He left our world 2 years ago, but we the Iron Curtain living in countries we now and decide what is reasonable. Fol- are still living in the wake of the now know as free countries—Lith- low many State examples, such as Reagan era. It was Ronald Reagan, uania, Latvia, Estonia, former East Texas and Illinois, that have found let’s remember, along with Margaret Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, ways to deal with this issue in a hu- Thatcher and Pope John Paul II, who Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, mane, sensible way, to bring it under fundamentally changed all the dynam- and added countries such as Ukraine control. I think we can do that. ics of the Cold War, to bury com- and Georgia, which are now tasting I don’t take anything away from Sen- munism and advance human liberty. that sweet nectar of liberty as opposed ator SPECTER or Senator LEAHY, the While many in those days accepted the to being behind the Iron Curtain. It is ranking member, who support it. They perpetual menace of communism and because Ronald Reagan provided us put in many hours in preparation. But the perpetual servitude of millions of with a perseverance—he persevered, I have to tell them at the end of the men and women locked behind the Iron our allies persevered, particularly in day, despite all their best efforts, there Curtain, Ronald Reagan did not. His Western Europe, and freedom has pre- are fatal flaws in this bill which I hope philosophy toward the Cold War was vailed. will lead to its defeat. radically different from the elite sages Five years after he left office in 1994, I will vote against the motion to pro- of the establishment. As Governor of we were all crushed to learn about ceed. I hope my colleagues will look at California and then also as President, Ronald Reagan being diagnosed with it long and hard because this is not he offered very clear and refreshing Alzheimer’s disease. He concluded his just a matter of passing another bill. ideas. He was asked one time: farewell address and letter to the This is a bill that would touch the lives Mr. Reagan, what is your strategy on the American people by writing: of many innocent people, many inno- Cold War? Now I begin the journey that will lead me cent families, and many victims who He declared: into the sunset of my life. I know that for will be denied their day in court, their About the Cold War, my view is that we America there will always be a bright new chance for just compensation. win and they lose. dawn ahead. I yield the floor and suggest the ab- He came into office as President. In As always, Ronald Reagan was right. sence of a quorum. his inaugural address in 1981, he called Despite new and numerous challenges, The PRESIDING OFFICER. The for an era of national renewal, and this this blessed country, America, has clerk will call the roll. stood strong for freedom, extending the The legislative clerk proceeded to was something very important after blessings of liberty and prosperity to a call the roll. the years of malaise that we had in the Mr. ALLEN. Mr. President, I ask late 1970s. That is exactly what his 8- whole new generation of Americans unanimous consent that the order for year Presidency turned out to be—an and sharing those blessings with even the quorum call be rescinded. era of national renewal for security, for more people who live here in this The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without opportunity, and for foundational val- world. objection, it is so ordered. ues. The Reagan revolution reversed When Ronald Reagan passed away on June 5, 2004, I know you, Mr. Presi- f the high unemployment, high inflation, economic policies of the 1970s and un- dent—and I see Senator HATCH from PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN’S leashed the greatest economic boom in Utah here—and all of America grieved 95TH BIRTHDAY American history. and mourned. He was my political Mr. ALLEN. Mr. President, I rise late His policies proved that low taxes are hero. But I also felt grateful, grateful in the afternoon, early evening, in re- good for the taxpayers, and they are for our country, for America, that we membrance of a great patriotic leader, also good for the economy, with more and, indeed, the world were blessed to a person who I think was America’s investment and more jobs and, for have had Ronald Reagan’s common- greatest leader of the 20th century and those who care about it, generating sense leadership and unwavering com- one of history’s alltime adherence ad- more revenue for the Government. mitment to the ideals of freedom vocates and leaders for freedom, indi- After his tax cuts started to impact the throughout the world. vidual freedom, liberty, and the ad- economy in 1983, the wheels of Amer- Today, on what would have been his vancement of security for free and just ican commerce started to move again. 95th birthday, I reflect on everything societies. The gentleman I am talking We saw an explosion of job creation, in- Ronald Reagan accomplished during about would have been 95 years old novation, and investment. his extraordinary life. If you want to today, and that is Ronald Wilson In foreign affairs, President Reagan measure a person’s greatness and what Reagan. scrapped the policy of coexistence. He he or she did in their life, you kind of I would hope, actually, on future made the advancement of freedom, not determine it by the number of people birthdays, the date of the birth of Ron- containment, into the foundational who were positively impacted by their ald Wilson Reagan, some Senator will principle of America’s foreign policy. efforts, their deeds, and their life—in stand in this Chamber and remind He rebuilt America’s military strength. Ronald Reagan’s case, as I said, the Americans and remember Ronald He started and initiated the Strategic hundreds of millions of people in Cen- Reagan, his words, his ideas, and his Defense Initiative which put unprece- tral and Eastern Europe who were lib- inspiration. dented strains on the Soviet economy erated from the tyranny of com- Ronald Reagan was one who moti- and their ability to finance their mili- munism, but we also have Americans, vated me to get involved in organized tary. now over 300 million strong, who have politics, and there are literally tens of He refused to be cowed into silence been enriched by the peace and pros- thousands of others. There are certain when talking about our enemy or the perity that resulted from Ronald Rea- people, though, if one looks through evils of communism. He called the So- gan’s courageous commitment to history, whose words are ones you can viet Union an evil empire. Oh, they foundational ideals. use; they are just enduring principles. I criticized him, but, indeed, that was an There are many such as myself—and think of Thomas Jefferson, John accurate description. He was a vocal, really too many to count—who were in- Locke, George Washington, James tireless champion for freedom. He went spired by meeting Ronald Reagan in Madison, Benjamin Franklin, Mark to Brandenburg Gate in 1987 and boldly person, who were touched by his great Twain—all those great quotes from said, ‘‘Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this character and integrity, his unfailing Mark Twain—even Will Rogers. But in wall.’’ He was criticized, but 2 years optimism and patriotism, his genuine our day, the person for inspiration, to later, the Berlin Wall was gone, and 2 good will and sense of humor, and his help us decide how to meet the chal- years after, the Soviet Union itself was words that applied the philosophy of lenges of our day, was Ronald Reagan. gone, discarded into the ‘‘ash heap of our Founders, whether it is George VerDate Aug 31 2005 01:03 Feb 07, 2006 Jkt 049060 PO 00000 Frm 00024 Fmt 4637 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G06FE6.030 S06FEPT1 hmoore on PROD1PC68 with HMSENATE February 6, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S721 Washington in his peace-through- I mentioned earlier Ronald Reagan’s President and the Congress to balance strength approach or James Madison in tax cuts in the 1980s and the positive the budget every year. That is impor- understanding our representative de- impact that had for jobs, investment, tant because if deficits continue, we mocracy or the spirit of this country as and economic progress in our country. will end up with higher interest rates. written by Thomas Jefferson in our When I came to the Senate in 2001, this Higher interest rates result in fewer Declaration of Independence. country was actually in the midst of an and fewer Americans, especially young Everyone remembers meeting Ronald economic slowdown.
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