John Joseph Moakley: “Mr. Speaker, I know and I realize that there may be a lot of people in this country who think Washington National…”

“Mr. Speaker, I know and I realize that there may be a lot of people in this country who think Washington National Airport should be named after President Reagan, but I daresay very few of them live in the area. For that reason, Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this restrictive rule. Because in 1986 there was a bill in which the Federal Government ceded responsibility for managing this airport to the Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority. That bill was signed into law by none other than President Ronald Reagan. Because, Mr. Speaker, President Reagan was a big believer in giving local government more control and the Federal Government less control. In fact, Mr. Speaker, President Reagan himself said, and I quote, this is a quote: In many respects the Federal Government is still operating on the outdated and, if I may say so, arrogant assumption that the States just can't manage their own affairs. But this bill is a complete contradiction of the very philosophy of Ronald Reagan himself. This bill takes a local airport name and says the Federal Government has decided to change the name of this airport despite nearly unanimous local opposition.”