Spencer Cox: “we are here today to commemorate the birthday of President Reagan. As you know, he turned 92 just a few days ago, and as…”

“we are here today to commemorate the birthday of President Reagan. As you know, he turned 92 just a few days ago, and as you know, Mr. Speaker, we were delayed in honoring him here on the floor because of the Space Shuttle Columbia tragedy. It is fitting that we remember President Reagan in this context because in his time, during his presidency, he helped heal and bring together our Nation in the wake of the Challenger disaster. Just as his words honored the crew of the Space Shuttle Challenger, President Reagan's eloquence continues to comfort and console us as we now remember the fallen crew of the Space Shuttle Columbia. President Reagan's words of January 28, 1986, speak to us 17 years later with all of their original force and beauty. He said, ``We will never forget them, nor the last time we saw them, as they prepared for their journey and waved good-bye, and `slipped the surly bonds' of effort and `to touch the face of God.' '' At 92, President Reagan is America's oldest President ever.”