[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 125 (Tuesday, July 22, 2025)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E705-E706]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        APPRECIATING ED FEULNER

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JOE WILSON

                           of south carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 22, 2025

  Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, America will always 
cherish the vision of Ed Feulner for limited government, expanded 
freedoms, and Peace Through Strength. Personally, on January 4, 2019, 
he sent me a note acknowledging his achievements, ``Dear Joe, I'm 
honored. You're a real hero to all of us! Onward! Ed.''
  The following is from The Heritage Foundation on the loss of its 
Founder, Ed Feulner:

       ``Washington--The Heritage Foundation released the 
     following statement today from Heritage President Dr. Kevin 
     Roberts and Board of Trustees Chairman Barb Van Andel-Gaby, 
     lauding the legacy and mourning the loss of Heritage Founder 
     Edwin J. Feulner:
       ``It is with great sorrow that we announce the passing of 
     Edwin J. Feulner, founder, trustee, and the longest-serving 
     president of The Heritage Foundation.
       ``Ed Feulner was more than a leader--he was a visionary, a 
     builder, and a patriot of the highest order. His unwavering 
     love of country and his determination to safeguard the 
     principles that made America the freest, most prosperous 
     nation in human history shaped every fiber of the 
     conservative movement--and still do.
       ``Ed founded The Heritage Foundation in 1973, planting a 
     flag for Truth in a town too often seduced by power. What 
     started as a small outpost for conservative ideas became--
     under Ed's tireless leadership--the intellectual arsenal for 
     the Reagan Revolution and the modern conservative movement. 
     In the four decades that followed, Ed's foresight, 
     discipline, and moral clarity made Heritage a battleship, 
     unshaken by political winds and focused solely on fighting 
     for the American people.
       ``After leading Heritage for 37 years as president, Ed 
     continued to serve on our Board of Trustees, offering 
     encouragement and sage advice in equal measure. Ed was an 
     important mentor to us, respectively, and to all of those who 
     had the honor of knowing him. In addition to his work at 
     Heritage, he continued his active participation in many other 
     conservative organizations.
       ``Whether he was bringing together the various corners of 
     the conservative movement at meetings of the Philadelphia 
     Society, or launching what is now the Heritage Strategy 
     Forum, Ed championed a bold, ``big-tent conservatism.'' He 
     believed in addition, not subtraction. Unity, not uniformity. 
     One of his favorite mantras was `You win through 
     multiplication and addition, not through division and 
     subtraction.' His legacy is not just the institution he 
     built, but the movement he helped grow--a movement rooted in 
     faith, family, freedom, and the founding.
       ``His `Feulnerisms' still resonate in the halls of 
     Heritage--where they will always be remembered. `People are 
     policy,' for instance--the heartbeat of his mission--to 
     equip, encourage, and elevate a new generation of 
     conservative leaders, not just in Washington, but across this 
     great country. And we still remember his adjuration to never 
     be complacent or discouraged: `In Washington, there are no 
     permanent victories and no permanent defeats.'
       ``Ed himself seemed immune to discouragement. Every day 
     was, for him, a new opportunity to strike a blow for freedom, 
     to further the promise of America and make it a reality for 
     all. His was a life of joyful defiance in the face of tyranny 
     and bureaucratic decay--a life defined by courage, 
     conviction, and the word he signed off with every single day: 
     Onward!
       ``To his beloved wife, Linda, their children, and 
     grandchildren--we extend our deepest prayers and condolences. 
     And to Ed--we say thank you. Thank you for showing us what 
     one faithful, fearless man can do when he refuses to cede 
     ground in the fight for self-governance.
       ``The Heritage Foundation will honor Ed's life the best way 
     we know how: by carrying his mission forward with courage, 
     integrity, and determination. We will never forget his 
     leadership, his example, or his favorite charge: ``Onward. 
     Always.'' ''

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