Former Rep Barney Frank Dies at 86

Former Rep. Barney Frank, (D-Mass.), who helped the United States through financial collapse, died Tuesday night. He was 86. Frank was known for his biting wit, liberal politics and mastery of financial policy. He…

Sandra RhodesMay 20, 20262 min read

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in the House for 16 terms and became chairman of the House Financial Services Committee during the 2008 financial crisis.

His name became part of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.

He co-authored the 2010 law with then-Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) after the collapse of the housing market and the near-failure of the U.S. financial system.

The law, signed by President Barack Obama on July 21, 2010, imposed new rules on major financial firms, derivatives, mortgage lending and consumer protection.

For supporters, Dodd-Frank was viewed as the most consequential financial regulatory overhaul since the New Deal.

For Republican critics, including President Donald Trump, it became a symbol of regulatory overreach. It was partially repealed in 2018.

For Frank, it was the capstone of a career built on unapologetic liberalism, legislative detail and a willingness to fight in public.

Frank was a pioneer for gay rights in American Politics. In 1987, while already serving in Congress, he publicly came out as gay.

With this, he became the first sitting member of Congress to do so voluntarily.

He later became the first sitting U.S. representative to enter into a same-sex marriage when he married his longtime partner Jim Ready in 2012.

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