 in Honor of President Ronald Reagan June 11, 2004 Juneau, Alaska - In honor of former President Reagan, Alaska Governor Frank Murkowski has issued a proclamation declaring Friday a Day of Mourning and Remembrance for President Ronald Reagan. He has authorized executive branch offices in Alaska to be closed on Friday. The day, however, is not a legal holiday, and many governmental functions will continue to be delivered. "President Reagan's funeral service will be held on Friday, June 11 in Washington's National Cathedral," Murkowski said. "I ask all Alaskans to observe a moment of silence at the time of the service, 11:30 a.m. eastern time, to reflect on all that President Reagan meant to Alaska. Governor Murkowski said, "He was truly a good friend of our state, and enjoyed visiting it numerous times. He understood the importance of Alaska's strategic location at the top of the world and halfway between the nation's heartland and Asia. Accordingly, he supported the buildup and maintenance of Alaska's four major military bases, which has benefited the nation and the economy of our state significantly over the decades." "President Reagan also understood and appreciated Alaska's vast storehouse of natural resources and supported the development of those resources. He was a supporter of the Trans Alaska Pipeline for the vast quantities of crude oil it has supplied to the West Coast. During the Alaska lands battle, Reagan was incredulous at the huge tracts of federal lands that the Carter administration agreed to lock up," Murkowski said. "President Reagan was a true friend of Alaska, one who will be sorely missed. Our friendship has a special meaning, as I came into the US Senate in the 1980 election, which swept Ronald Reagan into office. Later, he and Mrs. Reagan stayed in our home in Fairbanks at the time of the historic meeting between the President and Pope John Paul II in May 1984," said the Governor. Governor Murkowski will be attending the Reagan funeral service in the nation's capital.
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