OAN Staff Brooke Mallory
4:39 PM – Friday, March 14, 2025
Former Republican Senator Alan Simpson, who was known as a moderate conservative with a witty sense of humor, passed away on Friday at the age of 93.
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The Associated Press reported that Simpson had been having a difficult time recovering from a broken hip from December.
Simpson was named co-chair, in addition to Erskine Bowles, a former deputy White House chief of staff under former President Bill Clinton, of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform by President Barack Obama in 2010 — and the commission produced several proposals for lowering the national debt.
The former commission has been referred to by political analysts as “the first DOGE,” as it also strived to make major spending cuts in defense, domestic spending, and entitlement programs—such as Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.
However, the commission failed to secure the necessary 14 out of 18 votes from its members to send the plan directly to Congress for a vote. It would have had to secure the supermajority of commissioners required to force a vote in Congress.
“He was an uncommonly generous man,” Simpson’s older brother, Pete, said in a family statement. “And I mean generous in an absolutely unconditional way. Giving of his time, giving of his energy—and he did it in politics, and he did it in the family, forever.”
After declining to run for a fourth term in the Senate, Simpson’s tenure in D.C. came to an end in 1997. His political career began in 1979.
“Al Simpson is known for his devoted lifelong service and unparalleled sense of humor. Whether serving in the United States Army, the Wyoming House of Representatives, or the United States Senate, his commitment and contributions made a consequential difference,” stated Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), who now serves as majority whip—a leadership position previously held by Simpson.
“While others ran from tough issues, Al embraced the opportunity to solve them. He cherished every fight to do what he thought was right. He was a mentor and a dear friend. Al’s incredible legacy will influence generations to come,” he continued.
Additionally, Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) similarly reflected on Simpson’s positive impact on her life.
“Known for his famous humor and wit, Al was loved both in Wyoming and far outside our borders. Those who met Al knew that he never forgot a face or interaction. In addition to his service in the U.S. Army and the U.S. Senate, Al repeatedly stepped forward as a private citizen to work on important issues like the Iraq Study Group and the Simpson-Bowles Fiscal Responsibility Commission,” she said.
In 2022, Simpson received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Biden.
“Despite increasing polarization, he brought people together with wit and wisdom to make progress and find common ground. Never afraid to stand up for what he felt was right, he worked on pressing issues like campaign finance reform and marriage equality,” Biden stated.
“Alan Simpson exemplifies our national ideals of civil discourse, responsible governance, and public service.”
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