(BLOOMINGTON) - Former U.S. Rep. Lee Hamilton, a Democrat who represented southern Indiana for more than three decades and earned national respect for his bipartisan leadership, died Tuesday at age 94.
Hamilton served Indiana's 9th Congressional District from 1965 until his retirement in 1999. His daughter confirmed to The New York Times that he died at his home in Bloomington.
During his 34 years in Congress, Hamilton became one of the nation's most trusted voices on foreign policy and national security. He chaired the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House Intelligence Committee, placing him at the center of major U.S. policy decisions during the Cold War and its aftermath.
Hamilton played key roles in several historic investigations, including the Iran-Contra scandal in the 1980s, served as vice chair of the 9/11 Commission, and later led the bipartisan Iraq Study Group. Colleagues from both parties frequently cited his calm, methodical approach and commitment to facts over politics.
In 2015, President Barack Obama awarded Hamilton the Presidential Medal of Freedom, praising him as a model public servant and a champion of representative democracy.
Indiana Gov. Mike Braun ordered flags flown at half-staff on the day of Hamilton's interment, which has not yet been announced, calling him a symbol of integrity, civility and public service.
After leaving Congress, Hamilton remained active in public life, writing and speaking widely about democracy, governance and the importance of bipartisan cooperation.
Admirers say his legacy stands as a contrast to today's polarized political climate and a reminder of how public service can be done with principle and respect.