Former longtime Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah dies at 88

Former Republican Sen. Orrin G. Hatch – the longest-serving senator in Utah's history after 42 years in public service – died on Saturday at the age of 88. He leaves behind a wife Elaine, and six children.

On Saturday, the Hatch Foundation announced, "Senator Hatch passed away at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 23, 2022, in Salt Lake City, Utah, surrounded by family."

Hatch – who had served as a Senator since 1977 – retired in January 2019.

The Hatch Foundation noted, "Upon his retirement, Senator Hatch held the distinction of having passed more legislation into law than any other Senator alive," adding that he had sponsored or cosponsored over 750 bills that were signed into law.

"Beyond the sheer volume of his legislative successes, Hatch authored or coauthored many of the most consequential laws of the past half century, including: the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which helps protect the free exercise of religion for all Americans; the Drug Price Competition and Patent Term Restoration Act (also known as Hatch-Waxman), which created the modern generic drug industry; the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (or SCHIP), which provides health care for uninsured children from low-income families who do not qualify for Medicaid; and the Americans with Disabilities Act, which prohibits discrimination against persons with disabilities," the Hatch Foundation stated.

https://www.theblaze.com/news/utah-senator-orin-hatch-dead