Ronald Reagan o 1911–2004 Ronald Reagan Late a President of the United States h MEMORIAL TRIBUTES DELIVERED IN CONGRESS Courtesy Ronald Reagan Library Ronald Reagan j108 TH CONGRESS, 2D SESSION ... HOUSE DOCUMENT NO. 108–227k MEMORIAL SERVICES IN THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES AND TRIBUTES IN EULOGY OF Ronald Reagan LATE A PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES Compiled Under the Direction of the Joint Committee on Printing Chairman Robert W. Ney Vice Chairman Saxby Chambliss UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON : 2005 Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 135 (Mr. FRIST submitted the following concurrent resolution) IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES, July áá, áÖÖâ. Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), SECTION ". COMMEMORATIVE DOCUMENT AUTHOR- IZED. A commemorative document in memory of the late President of the United States, RONALD WILSON REAGAN, consisting of the eu- logies and encomiums for RONALD WILSON REAGAN, as expressed in the Senate and the House of Representatives, together with the texts of the state funeral ceremony at the United States Capitol Rotunda, the national funeral service held at the Washington Na- tional Cathedral, Washington, District of Columbia, and the inter- ment ceremony at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, Simi Valley, California, shall be printed as a House document, with illus- trations and suitable binding, under the direction of the Joint Com- mittee on Printing. SEC. #. PRINTING OF DOCUMENT. In addition to the usual number of copies printed, there shall be printed the lesser of— (1) 32,500 copies of the commemorative document, of which 22,150 copies shall be for the use of the House of Representatives and 10,350 copies shall be for the use of the Senate; or (2) such number of copies of the commemorative document that does not exceed a production and printing cost of $1,000,000, with distribution of the copies to be allocated in the same proportion as described in paragraph (1). iii A compilation of addresses and tributes as given in the United States Senate and House of Representatives plus such additional mate- rials, including the texts of eulogies, mes- sages, prayers, and scriptural selections deliv- ered at the funeral services held in Wash- ington, DC, and in Simi Valley, CA, on the life, character, and public service of the late President Ronald Reagan. Contents Page Biography ..................................................................................... vii Funeral Services for the Late Ronald Reagan, Held at— U.S. Capitol Rotunda ............................................................ xiii Washington National Cathedral ............................................ xxiii Ronald Reagan Presidential Library ....................................... xlix Memorial Tributes in the House of Representatives of the United States ........................................................................................ 1 Memorial Tributes in the Senate of the United States ................... 177 Index ............................................................................................ 323 v Ronald Reagan (1911–2004) RONALD WILSON REAGAN was born on February 6, 1911, in an apartment above the general store in Tampico, IL. His family consisted of his parents, John and Nelle, and his older brother Neil. After a series of homes in Chicago, Galesburg, Monmouth, and Tam- pico, IL, the Reagans moved to Dixon, IL, in 1920. RONALD REAGAN con- siders Dixon his boyhood home. There he attended high school where he became involved in school football, basketball, and track. He served as stu- dent body president, participated in school plays and worked on the year- book. For 7 summers he was employed as a lifeguard at Lowell Park, and is credited with saving 77 lives. REAGAN graduated from Eureka College with a bachelor of arts degree in economics and sociology. At Eureka College he was also involved in extra- curricular activities including football, swim team, drama, yearbook editor, school newspaper reporter and student body president. After graduating college REAGAN became a radio sportscaster, first at WOC in Davenport, IA, later a full-time staff announcer at WHO in Des Moines. While reporting on spring training with the Chicago Cubs in Cali- fornia, he made a screen test for Warner Bros. They liked the easy-speaking, handsome REAGAN and signed him to a 7-year contract. REAGAN worked in Hollywood for the next 27 years and appeared in 53 films. His military career began in 1935 with enlistment in the Army Reserve. Two years later he was promoted to second lieutenant in the Reserve Corps of the Cavalry. In the Cavalry he learned to ride horses, which became a love he enjoyed throughout his life. In 1942 he was called to active duty in World War II. His eyesight made him ineligible for overseas duty, and he was assigned to the U.S. Army Air Corp’s First Motion Picture Unit attaining the rank of captain. There he appeared in numerous training films and starred in films selling war bonds. In 1940 he married Jane Wyman, an actress he met while filming Broth- er Rat. Maureen Reagan was born, and Michael Reagan was adopted before their divorce in 1949. He then met actress Nancy Davis, they fell in love, and were married in 1952. They had two children, Patti and Ronald Reagan. REAGAN and Davis appeared together in only one film, Hellcats of the Navy, made in 1957. In 2002 they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. vii viii Ronald Reagan After World War II, REAGAN returned to Hollywood. His interest in the entertainment industry waned and he became increasingly more focused on political matters. He was president of the Screen Actors Guild for 5 years, and toured the country giving speeches as General Electric’s celebrity spokes- man. In 1960 REAGAN campaigned for Richard Nixon as a Democrat for Nixon. In 1962 he switched political parties from Democrat to Republican. He co-chaired the California campaign for Barry Goldwater for President, and launched his political career with a televised speech, ‘‘A Time for Choos- ing,’’ which raised a record $8 million for the Goldwater campaign. In 1964 REAGAN appeared in his last film, The Killers. In 1966 he was elected Gov- ernor of California, where he served for 8 years from 1967 through 1975. In 1975 he announced his candidacy for President of the United States, but failed to win his party’s nomination. In 1980 he won the Republican nomination for the Presidency, was overwhelmingly elected, and was inaugu- rated as the 40th President of the United States in 1981. President REAGAN was the oldest man to be inaugurated as President, the first two-term Presi- dent since Eisenhower, and the longest living President of the United States. During his 8 years in office, REAGAN was wounded by an assassin’s bullet, appointed the first woman to the Supreme Court, worked to cut infla- tion and reduce government spending, improved the military, negotiated reduction of nuclear weapons with the Soviet Union, defeated the takeover of Grenada, and called upon Soviet Leader Mikhail Gorbachev to tear down the Berlin Wall. At the age of 79 he left the Presidency and returned to California. In 1991 the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library was dedicated. In 1994 Presi- dent REAGAN released a letter to the American people announcing that he had Alzheimer’s disease, concluding his letter with, ‘‘I now begin this jour- ney that will lead me into the sunset of my life. I know that for America there will always be a bright dawn ahead. Thank you my friends. May God always bless you.’’ RONALD REAGAN died on June 5, 2004, and is buried at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, CA. Courtesy Ronald Reagan Library Speech at the Berlin Wall, June 12, 1987 Courtesy Ronald Reagan Library Official family photograph following the inauguration, January 20, 1981 FUNERAL SERVICES FOR Ronald Reagan 1911–2004 ★★★ WITH GRATITUDE FOR YOUR EXPRESSION OF SYMPATHY IN HONORING THE LIFE OF RONALD WILSON REAGAN FEBRUARY 6, 1911 to JUNE 5, 2004 RONALD REAGAN PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY SIMI VALLEY, CALIFORNIA ★★★ ———————❖ ——————— RONALD WILSON REAGAN FORTIETH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES February ã, ÜéÜÜ–June ä, áÖÖâ Wednesday, the éth of June, áÖÖâ The Rotunda United States Capitol Washington, D.C. xiii xiv Ronald Reagan R O T U N D A S E R V I C E UNITED STATES CAPITOL ———————❖ ——————— PRELUDE ‘‘Battle Hymn of the Republic’’ ‘‘America’’ ‘‘God of Our Fathers’’ U.S. Army Brass Quintet INVOCATION The Reverend Daniel P. Coughlin Chaplain, U.S. House of Representatives EULOGIES Senator Ted Stevens President pro tempore, U.S. Senate Representative J. Dennis Hastert Speaker, U.S. House of Representatives Richard B. Cheney Vice President of the United States HYMN ‘‘America the Beautiful’’ U.S. Air Force Singing Sergeants WREATHS PLACED Senator Ted Stevens Representative J. Dennis Hastert Vice President Richard B. Cheney BENEDICTION Dr. Barry C. Black Chaplain, U.S. Senate POSTLUDE ‘‘GOD BLESS AMERICA’’ U.S. Army Brass Quintet Funeral Services xv jAir Force One plane lands at Andrews Air Force Base.k jThe color guard representing all branches of the U.S. military gets into position.k jThe honor cordon and the Army band march into position.k jThe color guard carries the casket from the plane.k jMrs. Reagan disembarks. Mourners disembark.k j‘‘Hail to the Chief.’’ 21-gun salute. ‘‘America the Beautiful.’’k jThe color guard carries the casket to the hearse.k jThe hearse carrying the casket of RONALD REAGAN and the motorcade leave Andrews Air Force Base.k