born march representative iowa starting successful business youth ran united_states congress defeated incumbent beat elected congress known support representative democracy populist style example hold town halls let constituents vote motions decide congress behalf meetings helped understand problems constituents result backed issues important farming constituency usage fees production constraints seek reelection contracting disease bite longer serves congress remains active iowa politics strongly supporting presidential election met times endorsed barack_obama end early life born spirit lake iowa educated spirit lake public schools graduated spirit lake high school earned spending money business midst great depression business involved dog hairs result sold trout flies began tying fly fishing bedroom moved business parents basement time got space grocery store continue business time graduating high school attended met fellow student minnesota married minneapolis august son kenneth born thomas daughter college personal life interrupted joined army served united_states_army lieutenant flight trainer got began garner success fish business business larger hundreds employees international operations millionaire 1960s served member political career running congress early 1970s decided run political office ran republican incumbent iowa 6th congressional district staunch supporter richard_nixon secured victory president year favorable republicans politically suffer republicans vote president judiciary committee damage defeated rematch time congress took efforts uphold representative democracy held town halls regularly constituents let vote motions decide congress behalf type communication told types issues affecting farming constituency farmed life steps congress benefit farmers usage fees sponsored bold initiatives tenure united_states house_of_representatives initiative came constituents problems barge industry focused usage fees introduced legislation require barge industry pay fee waterways pointed government paid millions dollars create maintain original plan set rate barge industry paid directly related government spent projects additional effect helping curb unnecessary projects plan proposed senate congress eventually passed version original plan forward senator compromise version enacted tax gasoline barges trust projects supporters usage fees including backed compromise gave plea colleagues oppose viewed lacking crucial element original plan capital recovery trust optional government spend money projects trust compromise eventually signed original plan house_of_representatives continued introduce succeeding sessions floor vote succeeding sessions farming issues forward agricultural plan thought increase production controls farmers raising prices crops plan backed labor unions certain democrats passed amendment farm legislation mandated referendum determine types production controls enact purpose plan production controls decrease aggregate supply crops making individual crops cost benefit farmers middle acute debt crisis second referendum farmers decide severity controls hand opponents plan different view legislation representatives claimed referendum redundant farmers voted politicians office bill example politicians jobs opposed bill opposition production controls president threatened veto farm bill plan left place bill got floor amendment proposed strike provision passed investigations large businesses congress chairman position investigate large oil companies claimed certain large oil companies taxes certain cases wanted pass legislation increase regulations corporations investigations quickly gained support small gasoline congressman chief target accused paying taxes crude oil end government tried case eventually dropped opportunity attack administration caring small business owners advocated governmental agencies aside research development money small businesses clash reagan late congress passed law forbade united_states funding groups aiming overthrow government nicaragua visited nicaragua honduras representative trip spoke soldiers generals governmental officials members conclusion end trip ronald_reagan aiding violation federal law promised hold hearings returning congress later join house democrats demanding documents white_house related reagan administration refused provide decade wore called central american policies sheer saying mining acts war retire congress reagan acts central_america iran affair furthermore sharp critic reagan agricultural policies calling resign calling agricultural plan failure dead arrival house senate reagan agricultural plan consisted primarily gradual reduction farm subsidies attacked looking backward dismissed expert organic farming chairman charge regulating operations opposed proposals reagan reforming organization proposals generally involved shifting costs meat duties federal government industry controversy revealed internal known potential customs violations company engaged asserted gone taiwan discuss prior violations customs law regards sale fishing rods company taiwan subsidiary responded denying wrongdoing saying personally involved company years end charges levied reelected story published politics decided seek reelection contracting bite founded center alternative medicine noted advocate health freedom largely friendship remains important political figure iowa politicians meeting trips state established land donated park named congressman wife opponent vietnam war signed petition urging united_states military intervention iraq petition signed names 1970s presented press conference march said unbelievable united_states settle disputes war said iraq war similar vietnam war presidential election attacked voting freedom farm act claims wrecked farm program later officially endorse candidacy election met december announced endorsement barack_obama
Berkley Bedell