{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.speaker.gov/press-release/speaker-ryan-s-remarks-honoring-life-president-george-hw-bush-3", "Speaker Ryan\u2019s Remarks Honoring the Life of President George H.W. Bush", "2018-12-03", "2018", "2018-12", "Republican", "House", "WI", "Paul Ryan", "R000570", "www.speaker.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTONToday, President George H.W. Bush was honored in a service at the United States Capitol. The ceremony marked the arrival of his casket to the Capitol Rotunda, where the late president will lie in state until Wednesday. House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) spoke to recognize President Bush's legacy of service, strength of character, and the indelible mark he left on our nation's history.\nSpeaker Ryan's remarks, as prepared for delivery, are as follows:\nAs Americans, we have no more solemn duty than laying a great patriot to rest.\nHere lies a great man.\nTo the Bush family:\nOn behalf of the whole HouseRepublicans and Democratswe are profoundly sorry for your loss. And we are honored to celebrate this wonderful life with you.\nLike so many, I feel a personal debt of gratitude today. The 1988 campaign was the first one I was involved in.\nWe handed out literature at the Janesville Craig Cougars ball games.\nI remember going to this big rally on the Miami of Ohio campus the day after the first debate. The whole experience really drew me into politics.\nHe was the first president I had the chance to vote for.\nAnd he was the first president to teach me that in a democracy sometimes you fall short. And that how you handle that is just as important as how you win.\nAn old preacher once said:\nGrace is but glory begun, and glory is but grace perfected.\nGlory is transcendent in the life of our republic. This Rotunda is a trumpet call to glory, tributes to the giants all the way up to the sky.\nGrace is different, more elemental. It is not larger than life; it is the stuff of lifethe connective tissue in a free society. It deepens the well of our common humanity.\nThroughout his life of service, President Bush personified grace. His character was second to none.\nHe reached the heights of power with uncommon humility.\nHe made monumental contributions to freedom with a fundamental decency that resonates across generations.\nNo one better harmonized the joy of life and the duty of life.\nThere is that indelible image of him as commander-in-chief during the Gulf War waving to a sea of troops during a visit over Thanksgiving.\nThere are the images of him as a devoted husbandthat twinkle in his eye Barbara always brought outespecially in those big family photos in Kennebunkport.\nThere is the image of him as a loving father reaching out to hold his son's hand at the National Cathedral after 9/11.\nAnd there is the letter he wrote to his children on the last day of 1990, as he wrestled with the decision over Operation Desert Storm.\nHe begins by recounting the family Christmas, and apologizes if he seemed distracted.\nI tried not to be, he writes.\nThen, for about a page, he elaborates on his struggle over sending young Americans into harm's way.\nTwice in the letter, he writes that every human life is precious.\nOn the original copy, he adds by hand a note wishing the family a happy new year.\nIn consequential times, George Herbert Walker Bush demonstrated the finest qualities of our Nation and humankind.\nA great leader and a good man.\nA gentle soul of sturdy resolve.\nHe showed us that how we live is as important as what we achieve.\nHis life was a hymn of honor.\nHis legacy is grace perfected.\nHis memory will belong to glory.\nGod bless the 41st president of the United States.", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.speaker.gov/press-release/speaker-ryan-s-remarks-honoring-life-president-george-hw-bush-3"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.9009186178445816, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}