Trey Gowdy: “Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor a modern-day forefather who rekindled the foundational beliefs of…”

“Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor a modern-day forefather who rekindled the foundational beliefs of our country, a leader who earnestly believed in American exceptionalism and the durable power of individual aspirations. At a time when the prevailing mood in our country suggested that our best days were in the past, a time when the challenges seemed larger than our capacity to meet them, President Reagan gave us a reason to hope. Through his words, through his actions, he forced us to take a hard look at ourselves and, in doing so, recapture the ideals that made this Nation great: Hard work, perseverance, personal responsibility, the collective belief that, when working together, greatness is always within our grasp. One by one, he re-inspired the robust American spirit of optimism that sustains us as individuals and unifies us as a country. He was a founding father of the New America, and for that we honor his memory and remain forever grateful.”