Orrin Hatch, Longtime Utah GOP Senator, Dies

Orrin G. Hatch, the longest-serving senator in Utah history, passed away Saturday evening in Salt Lake City surrounded by his family at the age of 88, according to the Hatch Foundation.

The foundation did not provide a cause of death for Hatch, who served from 1977 to 2019.

"Senator Orrin G. Hatch personified the American Dream," said Matt Sandgren, Executive Director of the Hatch Foundation, in a statement. "Born the son of a carpenter and plaster lather, he overcame the poverty of his youth to become a United States Senator. With the hardships of his upbringing always fresh in his mind, he made it his life's mission to expand freedom and opportunity for others—and the results speak for themselves."

The foundation said Hatch worked under the administration of seven presidents in his 42 years as a member of the U.S. Senate, where he also served as president pro tempore. At his retirement in 2019, Hatch had "passed more legislation into law than any other Senator alive," sponsoring or cosponsoring more than 750 bills that went on to become law.

"From tax and trade to religious liberty and healthcare, few legislators have had a greater impact on American life than Orrin Hatch," Sandren said. "He was a profoundly positive influence in the lives of those he served, whether they were the constituents he helped over four decades of casework, the hundreds of interns he sponsored in both Utah and DC, or the robust network of Hatch staffers who carry on his legacy to this day. Senator Hatch touched the hearts of countless individuals, and I know I speak for all of them when I say he will be dearly missed."

Hatch served in numerous positions of leadership and "was one of only a few Senators in history to serve as Chairman of three major Senate Committees: the Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee (now called the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, 1981-1987), the Senate Judiciary Committee (1995-2001; 2001; 2003-2005), and the Senate Finance Committee (2015-2019)," according to the foundation.

He spent 32 years as chairman or ranking member of a major committee in his 42 years of service, "an unparalleled record."

"A man of wisdom, kindness, character, and compassion, Orrin G. Hatch was everything a United States Senator should be," said A. Scott Anderson, chairman of the Hatch Foundation. "He exemplified a generation of lawmakers brought up on the principles of comity and compromise, and he embodied those principles better than anyone. In a nation divided, Orrin Hatch helped show us a better way by forging meaningful friendships on both sides of the aisle. Today, more than ever, we would do well to follow his example. May we honor Orrin's memory by living as he lived—committed to our country, to our principles, and to each other."

Hatch was the author or coauthor of "many of the most consequential laws of the past half century," the foundation said, including the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, Drug Price Competition and Patent Term Restoration Act, State Children's Health Insurance Program and Americans with Disabilities Act.

In Utah, highlights of his work include the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act and the Central Utah Project.

With the nickname "Mr. Balanced Budget" from President Ronald Reagan, his priorities included "pro-growth tax reform, opening up foreign markets to American exports, and entitlement reform to ensure the long-term sustainability of Social Security and Medicare," the foundation said.

Hatch received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2018. His other awards include 14 honorary degrees from institutions and the National Intelligence Distinguished Public Service Medal from the Director of National Intelligence.

Hatch, born March 22, 1934, near Pittsburgh in Homestead Park, Pennsylvania, was the son of a homemaker and a union carpenter. He was one of nine children, with a childhood described as "happy" but "marked by poverty and significant hardship."

When he was 10, his older brother, Jesse Hatch, was killed in action during World War II in Europe, an event that "deeply impacted" his life.

"After Jesse's death, Hatch resolved to live two lives—one for himself and one for his brother," the foundation said.

In high school, he played basketball, was an amateur boxer and president of the student body.

"He brought his passion for music, athletics, and student government with him to Brigham Young University in 1952," the foundation said. "To pay his way through college, Hatch worked as a janitor during the school year and as a journeyman lather in the summers."

At age 19, he served a two-year mission in Ohio and Indiana for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, "one of the most formative experiences of his life."

Hatch married Elaine Hansen in the Salt Lake Temple upon his return from the mission. He earned a bachelor's degree in history from BYU and a law degree from the University of Pittsburgh Law School, where he attended on a full honors scholarship and graduated with honors in 1962.

After a move to Utah in 1969, Hatch "distinguished himself as a trial lawyer and found great meaning in representing individuals in need: injured railroad workers, small businessmen, and many others who often could not pay for his services," according to the foundation. "Hatch represented them anyway."

Friends and colleagues began to urge Hatch to consider a career in public service, and he filed May 10, 1976, to run for U.S. Senate, defeating three-term Democratic Senator Frank Moss.

Upon his retirement, Hatch built the Orrin G. Hatch Foundation, a national policy think tank with a mission of "civility and solutions, which were the twin pillars of Hatch's Senate service."

Hatch is survived by his wife of more than 60 years, Elaine, their six children and dozens of grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

The foundation said details regarding funeral arrangements will be announced.

Update: 4/23/22, 10:43 p.m. ET: This story has been updated with additional information and background.