DeLauro Statement on Congressman Barney Frank

May 20, 2026 Press Release Today, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) released a statement following news that legendary Congressman Barney Frank had passed away: “Barney Frank will be remembered as a titan in American politics. He was a dear friend, deeply intelligent, and he never suffered fools. I am saddened by his loss, but his legacy of service driven by his fighting spirit will touch the lives of millions of Americans now and yet to come. “Amid the 2008 financial crisis, it was Barney Frank who held the gavel on the House Financial Services Committee and coauthored the Dodd-Frank Act with another good friend, Senator Chris Dodd. This legislation put new scrutiny on Wall Street to protect the financial security and investments of working and middle-class Americans and established the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — the agency responsible for protecting consumers which has since returned $21 billion to hardworking Americans. “And he was a tireless advocate for the LGBTQ+ community, strongly advocating for same-sex marriage nationwide secured in the Obergefell v. Hodges decision and codified under the Respect for Marriage Act. “He was a groundbreaker and a tireless champion for the working and middle-class but through it all he kept an incredible sense of humor that held us together through some of our toughest fights in Congress as Democrats. “He will be deeply missed, but I am thankful for his work. We are a better country because of it.”