Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center $300 million for the project, including $150 million in President Reagan's name. The new building was constructed to withstand an 8.0 magnitude earthquake, one of the first buildings in California built to the most recent seismic standards. The new hospital is named after the late President of the United States and Governor of California Ronald Reagan (1911-2004). It was designed by C.C. "Didi" Pei of Pei Partnership Architects in collaboration with his father, renowned Pritzker Prize-winning architect I.M. Pei, and has been claimed to be the most technologically advanced hospital in the US. The hospital will contain fewer patient beds
USS Ronald Reagan did not attend either the launch or the commissioning due to Alzheimer's disease, died 11 months later. At the end of the graveside services, the ship's commanding officer at that time, Captain James Symonds, presented the flag that draped the former president's casket to Mrs. Reagan at her request. This was also the flag that had flown over Capitol Hill on 20 January 1981, when the president was inaugurated. At a later date, Captain Symonds also presented Mrs. Reagan the flag that had been flying over "Ronald Reagan" when the former president died. "Ronald Reagan" was the first nuclear-powered warship