**Remember Reagan**

*U.S. Representative John R. Carter*

June 10, 2004

In March 1981 John Hinkley fired several shots at the president and his
party as they left the Washington Hilton. Reagan was taken to the
hospital with a serious chest wound that needed emergency surgery. As he
was wheeled into the operating room he smiled, looked around at the team
of surgeons, and said, "I hope you are all Republicans!"

The doctor replied, "We are all Republicans today."

This week the same is true for our nation. We are all Republicans as we
pause to remember a president who united the divided in Washington and
changed policy throughout the world as he fought for democracy.

Reagan came from modest beginnings and truly lived the American dream to
the fullest. In 1911, Reagan was born to Jack and Nelle Reagan in the
small town of Tampico, Ill. For his first job he was a lifeguard, and he
approached it no differently than he did the presidency - with passion.
During that summer in 1926 he saved 77 lives. Reagan went on to become a
radio announcer and then a movie star. He led the Screen Actor Guild as
their president for six years. During that time Reagan campaigned and
supported Harry Truman and Dwight Eisenhower and was a witness in
Congressional hearings concerning communism in Hollywood.

Through policy and leadership Governor Reagan changed California for the
better and he did the same as President Reagan for this nation.

Reagan had an infectious passion that carried through the airwaves of
radio, reached through the screen of movie theatres, and spread
throughout the nation and world during his presidency. It was his
passion, along with his wit and ability to communicate that captivated
the public.

It was Reagan's passion and optimism for America's future that
invigorated the public and restored their faith and patriotism in our
country and military. After Vietnam, and the wars that came before, this
nation was divided by war. Reagan united a country and made policy that
strengthened the country.

Through his economic plan, "Reaganomics," Reagan implemented a
three-stage tax cut and eliminated bureaucratic red tape with
deregulation. Our nation had not seen such a daring economic plan since
Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal. Reagan's tax cut affected our economy
well into the 90's and is ultimately the reason for America's global
economic position. Reagan didn't just put more money into taxpayers'
pockets he reinvested in our military and during his two terms increased
Defense spending by 35 percent.

We cannot forget another of Reagan's great achievements, ending the Cold
War. This nation and world had been through years of war and it wasn't
completely over when Reagan took office. The Cold War ended when the
Berlin Wall fell on November 9, 1989, but the build up to that day was
eight years of work. Reagan called the Soviet Union an "Evil Empire,"
and negotiated the first U.S.- Soviet treaty to reduce the number of
nuclear weapons through a series of four summits with Gorbachev. He then
challenged Gorbachev, "... if you seek liberalization: Come here to this
gate! Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this
wall!" And Gorbachev finally did.

With passion, Reagan led the world in the fight for democracy and now,
after his passing, we will continue to fight with the same passion.

Reagan always believed that better days were ahead for America and they
were and given the leadership and policy of Reagan, we will continue to
have better and better days. With our nation's divine providence it will
be "morning in America" everyday.

\###