Former Sen. Orrin Hatch, Longest-Serving Republican US Senator, Dies at 88

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Hatch, the former Senate president pro tempore, served in the chamber for 42 years from 1977 to 2019. The statement did not include a cause of death.

“A man of wisdom, kindness, character and compassion, Orrin G. Hatch was everything a United States Senator should be,” said A. Scott Anderson, President of the Hatch Foundation. “He was an example of a generation of legislators educated in the principles of courtesy and compromise, and he embodied those principles better than anyone. In a divided nation, Orrin Hatch helped show us a better way by forging meaningful friendships on both sides of the corridor. ”

Hatch announced in January 2018 that he would not seek re-election, paving the way for Mitt Romney to return to elected office by running for and winning his seat. Romney was and remains a critic of former President Donald Trump.

Before Hatch’s retirement announcement, then-President Trump urged him to stay in Washington. During a 2017 event in Utah, Trump called Hatch “a real fighter” and said he hoped the Republican would continue to serve “in the Senate for a long time.”

At the time of Hatch’s retirement announcement, then-White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said Trump was “very sad to see Senator Hatch go.” Trump had the “greatest and deepest respect” for Hatch, particularly for the role he played in passing tax reform, Sanders said.

Hatch spoke at the time of his retirement about the growing partisanship in Congress.

“My heart is heavy because it aches for the time when we actually lived up to our reputation as the world’s foremost deliberative body. It longs for the days when Democrats and Republicans would meet at a middle ground rather than walk away.” partisan trenches,” Hatch said in a valedictory address on the Senate floor in December 2018.

political legacy

Hatch served in the administrations of seven US Presidents and worked with nine Senate Majority Leaders. During his time in office, he served as chairman of the Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources, the Senate Committee on Judiciary, and the Senate Committee on Finance.

Her tenure on the Judiciary Committee included the confirmation of Justice Clarence Thomas in 1991. During Thomas’ controversial Senate confirmation hearings, Hatch suggested that Anita Hill, who had testified that Thomas sexually harassed her when he was her boss, had made up some of your claims. . (Chairman Joe Biden was chairman of the Judiciary Committee at the time.)

The late former legislator was chairman emeritus of the Hatch Foundation, which focuses on civic engagement and political discourse and houses his legislative records. The Utah Republican authored and co-authored several landmark pieces of legislation, including the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, the Drug Price Competition and Patent Term Restoration Act, the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, and the Americans with Disabilities, according to the release.

“Senator Orrin G. Hatch embodied the American Dream,” Matt Sandgren, executive director of the Hatch Foundation, said in the statement.

“The son of a carpenter and a plasterer, he overcame the poverty of his youth to become a United States Senator. With the hardships of his upbringing always fresh in his mind, he made it his life’s mission to expand freedom and opportunity for others — and the results speak for themselves. From taxes and trade to religious freedom and health care, few lawmakers have had a greater impact on American life than Orrin Hatch,” Sandgren said.

Elected officials and fellow Republicans responded to news of Hatch’s death on Saturday.

Utah Republican Senator Mike Lee called Hatch “a giant of the Senate and a pillar” in his state.

“Orrin was a friend, a mentor and an example to me and many others. I saw countless times how his brilliant mind, quick wit and concern for his nation, his state and his colleagues turned pernicious problems into clear paths forward” . Lee said on Twitter. “His example of principled, dedicated statesmanship and unwavering collegiality is missed but will never be forgotten.”

“This breaks my heart,” Utah Governor Spencer Cox, a Republican, said in a tweet. “Abby and I are so grateful for the opportunities we had to spend time with this incredible public servant. He was always so kind and generous with his time and wisdom. Utah is grieving the Hatch family.”

Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel called Hatch a “dear friend.”

“Devastated to learn of the loss of Senator Orrin Hatch,” McDaniel said. “I met my husband while he was working for the Senator. He will be greatly missed. He was a statesman who represented the best our country has to offer. Pray for his family.”

Utah House Speaker Brad Wilson, a Republican, saying Hatch: “There are few examples of greater devotion to public service than that of Senator Orrin G. Hatch. While deeply saddened by his passing, his legacy will live on in the impact he had on the lives of Utahns and the friendship that he showed to those around him.

Hatch is survived by his wife, Elaine, and their six children.

This story has been updated with additional information.




Reference-www.cnn.com

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