Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., in August 2012. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP)
Yahoo News
Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., died overnight of complications from viral pneumonia, his office said Monday.
At 89, Lautenberg was the oldest senator—and the last World War II veteran serving in that legislative body. He enlisted at 18 and served in the Army Signal Corps in Europe during the war.
Lautenberg served on the Senate committees on Appropriations; Commerce Science and Transportation; and Environment and Public Works. He had struggled with health problems earlier this year and already had announced that he would not run for re-election in 2014.
Gov. Chris Christie, a Republican, has the power to appoint someone to fill the vacancy, according to The Bergen Record, which was first to report the news. Christie is expected to schedule a special election to find a permanent successor—a decision that is sure to impact what was already considered a heated race to replace the late senator.
Lautenberg's career accomplishments included writing the law that banned smoking on airplanes, and he later helped craft legislation to ban smoking in all federal buildings. He also played a central role in raising the national drinking age to 21. He also wrote the law that prevents domestic abusers from owning firearms.
That last one is part of the reason pro-gun folks hated him so. Gun-rights fanatics are like that. Anything that even mentions restricting gun ownership, however sensible, is cause for their ire.
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