Though known as an ardent Democrat, Frank often reached across the aisle, helping to pass bipartisan legislation. GRIDLOCK IN WASHINGTON: HOW IT CAME ABOUT AND HOW IT CAN BE ENDEDĪfter sixteen terms in Congress, few people know the inner workings of Washington better than Barney Frank.Obama who said in a written statement that, "The House of Representatives will not be the same without him."Ĭontact a speaker booking agent to check availability on Barney Frank and other top speakers and celebrities. Frank's combative liberalism and quick wit make him a standout in a Capitol filled with politicians dependent on talking points and polls, a trait alluded to by Mr. According to the Wall Street Journal: "Mr. In May 2014, the American Humanist Association awarded Frank the Humanist of the Year.Īfter sixteen terms in Congress, Frank's legacy as a champion of civil rights and financial reform, as well as his ability to simplify any issue at hand in a clever and witty way, will be sorely missed. In 1987, Frank became the first member of Congress to voluntarily come out as openly gay, and in 2012 he married his longtime partner, becoming the nation's first congressman in a same-sex marriage while in office. He also led the passage of the Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights Act, a measure that drew praise from editorial boards and consumer advocates. He worked to adopt a sweeping set of financial regulations aimed at preventing a recurrence of this crisis, and was a key author of the Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, the regulatory overhaul signed into law in July 2010. He championed the interests of the poor, the underprivileged and the vulnerable, winning re-election 12 times by wide margins.Īs chair of the House Financial Services Committee from 2007 to 2011, Frank was instrumental in crafting a compromise bill to stem the tide of home mortgage foreclosures, as well as the subsequent $550 billion rescue plan. He has also been a leader in the fight against discrimination of various sorts.
In particular, he focused on providing aid to local communities, and to building and preserving affordable rental housing for low income people. While in Congress, Frank worked to adjust America's spending priorities to reduce the deficit, provide less funding for the military and more for important quality of life needs at home. First elected to Congress in 1980, Barney Frank is known as a superb legislator and a pragmatic politician whose sharp intellect and sense of humor has made him one of the most influential and colorful figures in Washington.
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