Former U.S. Representative Barney Frank has entered hospice care at his home in Ogunquit, Maine. Frank, now 86, is receiving treatment for congestive heart failure.
Frank discussed his condition during a recent interview with Politico. He said he feels “very good — no pain, no discomfort.”
He added, “At 86, I’ve made it longer than I thought. At some point, my heart’s just going to give out, and it’s reaching that stage. So I’m taking it easy at home and dealing with it by relaxing.”
EXCLUSIVE: Liberal icon Barney Frank is entering hospice care.
One of his final acts: A book repudiating progressive Dems, who he says have “embraced an agenda that goes beyond what’s politically acceptable.”
One of his regrets: “I won’t see the continued implosion of Donald…
— POLITICO (@politico) April 28, 2026
Frank represented Massachusetts’s 4th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1981 until his retirement in 2013. Prior to that, he served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives beginning in 1972.
During his congressional tenure, he held several leadership positions within the House Democratic Party caucus and on committees. This includes stints as chairman of the House Financial Services Committee from 2007 to 2011, a period that included the 2008 financial crisis. In that role, he was a principal author of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, which established new regulatory frameworks for the financial sector, including the creation of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and enhanced oversight of banks and derivatives markets.
He also participated in broader Democratic legislative efforts on issues including federal budgeting, taxation, and social programs. As a long-serving member of the House, he contributed to Democratic Party strategy on floor debates and committee work, often serving as a vocal advocate for positions aligned with the party’s priorities during periods of both majority and minority control.
In the Democratic Party, Frank held influence as a senior member of the House leadership structure in the Financial Services Committee and through his involvement in caucus discussions on economic policy. Throughout his career, he held significant sway as one of the party’s most experienced voices on financial and regulatory matters.
