Date: 2007-01-09
Speaker: TOM DAVIS (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Virginia

Mr. Speaker. I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker. though he served as President for only 21/2 years. Gerald Rudolph Ford. Jr.. leaves a legacy of leadership and service that will endure for years to come. As the 38th President of the United States. he is remembered as a man whose integrity and decency would be the salve needed to heal a deeply divided country during one of the most politically turbulent periods in our Nations history. He is also remembered as a loving and loyal husband. family man. and friend. Born on July 14. 1913. in Grand Rapids. Michigan. Gerald Ford graduated from the University of Michigan and excelled in both academics and athletics. He was voted the most valuable player on the football team his senior year at Michigan. which led to offers to play for the Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers. Despite these offers. Ford decided that law would be a better career choice. He attended Yale University Law School. graduating in the top 25 percent of his class while working as a football and a boxing coach. It was at Yale that he would receive his first taste of national politics. volunteering on Wendell Willkies 1940 Presidential campaign. His rise in Michigan politics was put on hold when he joined the United States Navy in 1942 to serve in the Second World War. He served valiantly on the aircraft carrier USS Monterrey until 1946. attaining the rank of lieutenant commander. 1948 was a banner year for Ford as it was the year he was elected to the House of Representatives. with over 60 percent of the vote. the lowest margin he was ever to receive. It was also the year he would marry Elizabeth "Betty" Bloomer. who would become one of his most ardent campaigners and mother to their four children. Ford served in the House for distinction and honor for 25 years. where his contributions earned him a reputation as a Congressmans Congressman. Even though his highest aspiration was to be Speaker of the House. he never got the chance. He did. however. hold the highest Republican post in a Democratically controlled Congress by being elected the minority leader in 1965. He held that post until 1973 when he was appointed by Presideint Nixon to replace Spiro Agnew as Vice Presient of the United States of America amid allegations of corruption. After Nixons resignation on August 9. 1974. Gerald Ford became the 38th President of the United States and has the distinction of being the only person to serve as but never be elected by the populace to either the Presidency or the Vice Presidency. As President. he followed a steady. sensible course to cope with the Nations economic problems. He is credited with halting doubledigit inflation and lowering unemployment. He also worked to solidify President Nixons accomplishments in China and ended U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. Under his leadership. the United States signed the final act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe. commonly known as the Helsinki agreement. which ratified postWorld War II European borders and supported human rights. and is now regarded as having helped bring down the Soviet Union. Maybe most importantly. his wisdom. courage and integrity restored the faith of the American people in the executive branch of government. His time in office is remembered for restoring trust and openness to the Presidency. His courageous and difficult decision to pardon President Nixon may have cost him the election. However. it is now regarded as being in the best interest of the Nation. allowing it to move forward and recover from a tumultuous time. After leaving the Presidency. Ford became an international ambassador of American goodwill. a noted scholar and lecturer. and a strong supporter of the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan. And together with his wife. Betty. he was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in 1999 in recognition of their dedicated public service and outstanding humanitarian contributions to the people of the United States. E 1230 Also in 1999 Ford received the Medal of Freedom. the Nations highest civilian award. for his role in guiding the United States through the turbulent times of Watergate. the resignation of President Nixon and the end of the Vietnam War. and for restoring integrity and public trust to the Presidency. Gerald R. Ford. the President and the man. embodied many fine characteristics that we as Americans value: honor. integrity. decency. hard work and kindness. For this. I ask my colleagues to join in honoring his legacy by supporting this resolution. Mr. Speaker. I reserve the balance of my time.