[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 32 (Tuesday, February 20, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E205]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





             A TRIBUTE TO THE LIFE AND SERVICE OF JEFF BELL

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. PAUL D. RYAN

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 20, 2018

  Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to 
the life of Jeffrey L. Bell, an Army veteran and prominent conservative 
leader who passed away on February 10, 2018. I extend the deepest 
condolences of the whole House to the Bell family, most especially his 
wife, Rosalie, and their four children.
  Jeff Bell's many contributions to politics and public policy date 
back half a century. He was a heavyweight in the conservative movement 
before it even was a movement. His ideas, and the passion with which he 
espoused them, paved the way for the Reagan Revolution. He was an 
integral part of President Reagan's campaigns, and worked with my 
mentor, Jack Kemp, to develop the policy agenda that would bring the 
nation great prosperity and end the Cold War.
  His work spanned, and inspired, generations. Jeff ran for U.S. Senate 
in New Jersey twice, in 1978 and 2014. He published two influential 
books, in 1992 and 2012. To the last, he remained at the forefront, one 
of the most original voices for inclusive, aspirational conservatism.
   Indeed, I count myself among the many who learned so much from this 
man. We first met in the early 1990s, and I have looked up to him ever 
since. Beyond the depth of his thinking, I was always struck by how 
decent and gracious Jeff was to everyone he encountered--the epitome of 
a happy warrior. It was such an honor to know him.
  God bless the memory of Jeff Bell, the family that he loved so 
dearly, and this great country that he served so well and faithfully.

                          ____________________