WASHINGTON – Here’s how Maine’s members of Congress were recorded on major roll call votes in the week ending June 11.

HOUSE Ronald W. Reagan

Voting 375 for and none against, the House on June 9 approved a resolution (H Res 664) mourning the death on June 5 of former President Ronald W. Reagan and celebrating his accomplishments as the 40th chief executive of the United States.

Gil Gutnecht, R-Minn., said: “Ronald Reagan came into office during a great malaise. He made us believe again in ourselves, in our capacity to achieve great things. He ignored his critics and the cynics. He soldiered on with unstoppable optimism. He consigned Communism to the ash heap of history. As Margaret Thatcher said, he won the Cold War without firing a shot. He changed our party. He changed the way Americans see themselves; and in the end, he changed the world.”

Rush Holt, D-N.J., said: “Another part of the legacy, and I think the lasting legacy of President Reagan, will derive from the painful period as we watched Alzheimer’s take this vibrant and warm and really great person into, as Mrs. Reagan said, “A different place, a different world.’ And I hope we will use this to rededicate ourselves to research in Alzheimer’s and stem cell research so that others will not follow the former President in this path that was really painful for all of us to watch.”

No member spoke against the resolution.

A yes vote backed the resolution.

Rep. Tom Allen, D-1, voted yes. Rep. Michael Michaud, D-2, voted yes.

SENATE

Reagan commemoration

Voting 98 for and none against, the Senate on June 9 approved a resolution (S Res 373) in honor of the life and public service of Ronald W. Reagan, the 40th president of the United States, who died June 5 at age 93.

Majority leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., said: “Some call it the Reagan Revolution. Others call it the Reagan Restoration. I prefer the latter term. The man from Dixon – lifeguard, radio announcer, actor, governor, father, adoring husband, and president of the United States – restored not only our confidence, but our fundamental understanding of the source of America’s greatness: the American people….Now he will enter the history books as one of our greatest” presidents.

Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., said: “On foreign policy, (Reagan) will be honored as the president who won the cold war, and his famous words “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall’ will be linked in history with President Kennedy’s “Ich bin ein Berliner.’ He came to office convinced that we could not trust the Communists, or perhaps even negotiate with them, and his commitment to a strong national defense was never doubted by Soviet leaders. But he also understood the importance of working with our allies to protect our security….”

No senator spoke against the resolution.

A yes vote was to adopt the commemorative measure.

Sen. Olympia Snowe, R, voted yes. Sen. Susan Collins, R, voted yes.