Barney Frank, gay rights icon and architect of bank rules, dies at 86
Summary
Barney Frank, a longtime U.S. Congressman from Massachusetts and a key figure behind major banking reform after the 2008 financial crisis, died at age 86. He was also an important advocate for gay rights and was one of the first openly gay members of Congress.Key Facts
- Barney Frank served in the U.S. House of Representatives for about 30 years.
- He helped create the Dodd-Frank Act, a law that changed banking rules to prevent risky behavior after the 2008 recession.
- Frank was openly gay and a pioneer for LGBTQ+ rights in politics, publicly coming out in 1987.
- He supported ending the "don't ask, don't tell" military policy and worked on laws to protect LGBTQ+ workers.
- Frank was married to his husband, Jim Ready, and was the first member of Congress to enter a same-sex marriage.
- After retiring in 2013, Frank served on the board of Signature Bank until it closed in 2023.
- Barney Frank died peacefully in hospice care, as confirmed by his longtime friend and former campaign manager.
- Memorial services are being planned in Boston and possibly Washington D.C.
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