Barney Frank, the former Democratic congressman from Massachusetts who became one of the most influential figures in American financial regulation and a pioneering voice for LGBTQ rights, has died at the age of 86. His death was confirmed by his husband, James Ready, who did not disclose the cause.
Frank served in the House of Representatives from 1981 to 2013, rising to become chairman of the House Financial Services Committee. He was a key architect of the Dodd-Frank Act, the sweeping reform of Wall Street regulation passed in response to the 2008 financial crisis. His blunt, often acerbic style made him a formidable presence on Capitol Hill and a frequent target of conservative critics.
In 1987, Frank became one of the first members of Congress to voluntarily come out as gay, a decision that marked a turning point in American political life. At the time, he said he did not want his sexuality to be a distraction from his work. That decision paved the way for a generation of openly LGBTQ politicians in the United States and beyond.
Frank’s career was defined by his commitment to liberal internationalism and the Atlantic alliance. He was a vocal supporter of US engagement in Europe, including NATO enlargement and cooperation with the European Union. In later years, he became a sharp critic of the Brexit process and what he saw as the erosion of democratic norms in Britain and the United States.
The tributes that followed his death reflected his broad and bipartisan influence. Former President Barack Obama called Frank “a lion of the Senate” (in a statement that erroneously referred to his chamber) and praised his “unflinching integrity.” Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Frank’s work on financial reform “made the world a safer place.”
But Frank’s legacy is not without controversy. Critics of the Dodd-Frank Act argue that its complexity burdened small banks and failed to prevent the risk of future crises. Frank himself acknowledged in later years that parts of the law needed revision, though he remained a staunch defender of its core provisions.
For allies in Europe, Frank stood as a symbol of liberal persistence and pragmatism at a time of growing illiberalism in both the United States and the United Kingdom. His death is a reminder of the generation of politicians who shaped the post-war order and the network of institutions, financial and political, that have sustained it.
Frank is survived by his husband, James Ready, whom he married in 2012 after same-sex marriage was legalized in Massachusetts. A private funeral is planned, with a public memorial to follow in Washington.
