Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Iowa's 6th district
In office January 3, 1975 – January 3, 1987
Preceded by
Wiley Mayne
Succeeded by
Fred Grandy
Personal details
Born
Berkley Warren Bedell
(1921-03-05)March 5, 1921 Spirit Lake, Iowa, U.S.
Died
December 7, 2019(2019-12-07) (aged 98) Naples, Florida, U.S.
Political party
Democratic
Spouse
Elinor Healy
(m. 1943; died 2017)
Children
3
Alma mater
Iowa State University
Profession
Businessman
Military service
Allegiance
United States
Branch/service
United States Army
Years of service
1942–1945
Rank
First lieutenant
Battles/wars
World War II
Berkley Warren Bedell (March 5, 1921 – December 7, 2019) was an American Democratic Party politician and businessman who served as the U.S. representative for Iowa's 6th congressional district from 1975 to 1987. After starting a successful business in his youth, Berkley Fly Co., he ran for Congress in 1972, but was defeated by incumbent Wiley Mayne.[1] In 1974 however, Bedell beat Mayne and was elected to the U.S. House.
He was known for his support of representative democracy and his populist style. For example, he would hold town halls and let constituents vote on motions to decide what he would do in Congress on their behalf and these meetings helped Bedell understand the problems of his constituents;[2] as a result, he backed issues that were important to his farming constituency, such as waterway usage fees[3] and production constraints.[4]
Bedell did not seek reelection in 1986 after contracting Lyme disease from a tick bite.[5] Though no longer serving in Congress, he remained active in Iowa politics, strongly supporting Howard Dean in 2004 over John Kerry.[6] In the 2008 presidential election, he met several times with Chris Dodd,[7] but ultimately endorsed Barack Obama.[citation needed]
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Berkley Warren Bedell (March 5, 1921 – December 7, 2019) was an American Democratic Party politician and businessman who served as the U.S. representative...
Iowa's 6th congressional district. With Mayne's successor, Democrat BerkleyBedell, deciding not to run in 1986, Grandy, a Republican, campaigned for the...
Look up Bedell or bedell in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. Bedell may refer to: Arthur Bedell (fl.1572), English MP for Lichfield BerkleyBedell (1921–2019)...
Lakes. The 80-acre (32 ha) park was a gift of former U.S. Congressman BerkleyBedell and his wife Elinor. The park preserves prairie, wetland, and oak savannah...
delegates. This was done to prevent Mondale from gaining another delegate. BerkleyBedell, Minnette Doderer, Tom Harkin, Barbara Leach, Tom Miller, Nagle, and...
and Restraint of Trade Activities affecting Small Businesses (Chair: BerkleyBedell; Ranking Member: Dan Quayle) Impact of Energy Programs, Environment...
objective science." Harkin drew support from Iowa Democrat Representative BerkleyBedell, who believed that cow colostrum had cured his Lyme disease. The OAM's...
Coleman) Department Operations Research and Foreign Agriculture (Chair: BerkleyBedell; Ranking Member: Pat Roberts) Domestic Marketing, Consumer Relations...
the closest a Democrat has come to winning what is now the 4th since BerkleyBedell left office in what was then the 6th District in 1986. That year, Republican...
Member: Joseph M. McDade) General Oversight and the Economy (Chair: BerkleyBedell; Ranking Member: Silvio O. Conte) Antitrust and Restraint of Trade Activities...
Energy, Environment and Safety Issues affecting Small Business (Chair: BerkleyBedell; Ranking Member: Silvio O. Conte) Tax, Access to Equity Capital and...
were David W. Dennis, losing to Philip Sharp, Wiley Mayne, losing to BerkleyBedell, Harold Vernon Froehlich, losing to Robert John Cornell, and Joseph...
Mayne narrowly lost the 1974 election to his 1972 opponent, Democrat BerkleyBedell. After leaving Congress, Mayne returned to Sioux City, Iowa, to resume...
collision. BerkleyBedell, 98, American politician and businessman, member of the U.S. House of Representatives (1975–1987) and founder of Berkley, complications...
leaving the newspaper, Gearan was chief of staff for U.S. Representative BerkleyBedell of Iowa for three years. In 1983, Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis...
Richard (Tom)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. "BEDELL, Berkley Warren". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. "KEYS...
didn't graduate, United States senator from South Dakota (1936-1938) BerkleyBedell (1921–2019), attended for two years but did not graduate, United States...
Don Fuqua Georgia 5: Wyche Fowler: To run for U.S. senator Iowa 6: BerkleyBedell Louisiana 7: John Breaux: To run for U.S. senator Louisiana 8: Catherine...
January 3, 1967 Democratic 4th Elected in 1964. Lost re-election to Kyl. BerkleyBedell January 3, 1975 – January 3, 1987 Democratic 6th Elected in 1974. Retired...
Global Information
United States
United States Army
First lieutenant