Former US Congressman Barney Frank, a Democrat who represented Massachusetts for over three decades and was one of the first openly gay members of Congress, died Tuesday night at age 86. He had been in hospice care at his home in Maine since April.

Frank was a key architect of the Dodd-Frank Act, a historic overhaul of financial regulations following the 2008 financial crisis. The law, signed by President Barack Obama in 2010, created new regulatory bodies and tightened restrictions on banks. It was partially rolled back under President Donald Trump in 2018.

A trailblazer for LGBT rights, Frank was the first member of Congress in a same-sex marriage. He advocated for ending the "don't ask, don't tell" policy and fought for workplace discrimination protections for LGBT workers.

His sister Doris Breay said, "He was, above all else, a wonderful brother." Former campaign manager Jim Segel called him "a leader on civil rights, on gay rights, on leading other marginalized communities."

In his final month, Frank gave interviews reflecting on his life and the current political climate. He told CNN, "I'm filled with disgust at the current state, but optimism that it's going to get better."

Source: www.bbc.com