Stephanie Herseth Sandlin: “Mr. Speaker, it is with a profound sense of loss and sadness that I rise today to honor the memory of one of our…”

“Mr. Speaker, it is with a profound sense of loss and sadness that I rise today to honor the memory of one of our Nation's most influential leaders, former President Ronald Reagan. Much has been said, and rightfully so, about President Reagan's infectious love of this great Nation. Ronald Wilson Reagan firmly believed that the United States of America had a unique role to play in the world and a singular place in history. In his first inaugural address he reflected on this faith in country in attributing the unparalleled prosperity and opportunity of this great land to the fact that "freedom and the dignity of the individual have been made more available and assured here than in any other place on Earth." Mr. Speaker, his singular commitment to the inherent worth of the individual is a hallmark of Ronald Reagan's personal and political legacy. His sincere devotion to that core idea defined his personality, and it defined his Presidency.”