Milestones

Ten years ago: In his final State of the Union address, President Reagan declared America was “strong, prosperous, at peace.” Vice President George Bush clashed with Dan Rather, who attempted to question the Republican presidential candidate about his role in the Iran-Contra affair.

Five years ago: A gunman shot and killed two CIA employees outside agency headquarters in Virginia (Mir Aimal Kansi, was later convicted of the shootings.) President Clinton appointed his wife, Hillary, to head a committee on health-care reform.

One year ago: Responding to recent cases of deadly food poisoning, President Clinton promised to seek $43 million dollars to implement an early warning system for food contamination.