WHEREAS, President Ronald Wilson Reagan, a man of humble background, worked throughout his life serving freedom and advancing the public good, having been employed as an entertainer, union leader, corporate spokesman, Governor of California and President of the United States; and

WHEREAS, Ronald Reagan served with honor and distinction for two terms as the 40^th President of the United States of America, the second of which he earned the confidence of 3/5 of the electorate and was victorious in 49 of the 50 states in the general election - a record unsurpassed in the history of American presidential elections; and

WHEREAS, In 1981, when Ronald Reagan was inaugurated President, he inherited a disillusioned nation shackled by rampant inflation and high unemployment; and

WHEREAS, During Mr. Reagan's presidency, he worked in a bipartisan manner to enact his bold agenda of restoring accountability and common sense to government, which led to an unprecedented economic expansion and opportunity for millions of Americans; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Reagan's commitment to an active social policy agenda for the nation's children helped lower crime and drug use in our neighborhoods; and

WHEREAS, President Reagan's commitment to our armed forces contributed to the restoration of pride in America, her values and those cherished by the free world, and prepared America's Armed Forces to win the Gulf War; and

WHEREAS, President Reagan's vision of "peace through strength" led to the end of the Cold War and the ultimate demise of the Soviet Union, guaranteeing basic human rights for millions of people; and

WHEREAS, On February 6, 2002, Ronald Reagan will have reached the age of ninety-one years; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Legislature assembled in the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations hereby recognizes February 6, 2002, A.D. and subsequent yearly anniversaries thereafter as "Ronald Reagan Day."