U.S. Rep. Tom Reed said former President George H.W. Bush was a true public servant to the American people, from his time in the military to his years as a congressman, vice president and ultimately president.

Reed, R-Corning, spoke of Bush during a conference call Wednesday with regional media.

“He was a true American leader. As each day goes by he will be more recognized for the years he served,” Reed said. “He was at the helm for some very consequential moments. He guided the country through those moments.”

A state funeral was held for Bush, 94, on Wednesday. The 41st president died Friday in Houston.

Reed, who had met Bush, noted the Reagan-Bush era and the “sense of optimism” that the country felt in the 1980s. “They led the country in a positive way,” Reed said. “They put the country first.”

During his conference call, Reed also noted work done by the Problem Solvers Caucus, of which he is a member. The caucus recently claimed victory after U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi offered to make rules changes that would allow presenting and passing legislation from rank-and-file House members easier.

The caucus proposed a fast-track process for legislation co-sponsored by at least two-thirds of the House; a three-fifths threshold to pass bills under a closed rule; and a guarantee that members get at least one markup of a bipartisan bill in a committee the serve on.

Pelosi agreed to the changes as part of her bid to become House speaker.

Reed said forcing Pelosi to agree on the rules changes “claws back the power” from one or two people “at the top” to the rest of the House. “We have to be able to give that power to the members,” Reed said.

With a clearer path for legislation to make it to the House floor in the next Congress, Reed said he hopes to see lawmakers take up border security, immigration and infrastructure.