As per a news release by the Orrin Hatch Foundation, the former Utah Republican Senator Orrin Hatch has died at the age of 88. He was with his family during the time of his death.
Hatch was among the most revered people in his time in the Senate. He was Presidency Pro Tempore for the Senate and the longest-serving senator in Utah history. He served from 1977 to 2019 – 42 years.
He was a member of the senate during seven presidents tenures, including four Republicans and three Democrats, as well as nine Senate Majority Leaders, four Democrats and five Republicans. At the end of his term in January 2019, Senator Hatch was the ninth-longest-serving US Senator in American history.
After his retirement, Senator Hatch had the distinction of having enacted more legislation into law than anyone else. With his unwavering dedication to work, Hatch earned a reputation as one of the most efficient and bipartisan legislators ever. In all, he was the sponsor of as well as cosponsor of up to 750 bills which ended up in law.
“Senator Orrin G. Hatch personified the American Dream,” Matt Sandgren, the Director of the Executive Office at the Hatch Foundation said.
“Born as the child of a woodworker, and a plaster lather, he fought the hardships of his childhood and became the first United States Senator. With the hardships of his life always in the forefront of his mind, he decided to make it his mission in life to increase freedom and opportunities for others. The outcomes speak for themselves.
From trade and taxes, to healthcare and religious liberty, few legislators have had an impact more profound on American lives more than Orrin Hatch. He was hugely influential on the lives of the people whom he represented, regardless of whether they were clients he helped through forty years of casework or the countless numbers of interns he supervised throughout the states of Utah and DC, or the extensive group of Hatch staffers who continue to carry the legacy of his work now.
Senator Hatch was a beloved senator to many people. I'm sure I'm speaking for them all in saying that he'll be greatly missed.”
One of the things he was famous for was his wit. In his final year as a senator, he was able to provoke radical protesters from the left by offering them an ounce of truth.
RIP, sir. A life well-lived, and my condolences to your loved ones. Thank you for all of your effort and your great humor.
