Hatch, Orrin, 1934-

<b>Orrin G. Hatch, R</b><br>
<b>Biography</b><br>
<b>Political Highlights:</b> sought Republican nomination for president, 2000; U.S. Senate, 1977-2019<br>
<b>Born:</b> March 22, 1934; Pittsburgh, Pa.<br>
<b>Residence:</b> Salt Lake City<br>
<b>Religion:</b> Mormon<br>
<b>Family:</b> Wife, Elaine Hatch; six children<br>
<b>Education:</b> Brigham Young U., B.S. 1959; U. of Pittsburgh, J.D. 1962<br>

<p>Senator Orrin G. Hatch was sworn in as the President pro tempore of the United States Senate on January 6, 2015. As a member of the Senate for 42 years, Hatch was the longest-serving officeholder in Utah history. He served during the administrations of seven Presidents—four Republicans and three Democrats—and alongside nine Senate Majority Leaders—four Democrats and five Republicans. At the end of his term in January 2019, Senator Hatch was the ninth longest-serving US Senator in American history. He had likewise served as a Republican Senator for longer than anyone else in history.</p>

<p>Senator Hatch currently holds the distinction of having passed more legislation than any other Senator alive today. In so doing, Hatch earned a reputation as one of the most effective and bipartisan lawmakers of all time. In total, he sponsored or cosponsored more than 750 bills that became law.</p>

<p>Beyond the sheer volume of his legislative successes, Hatch authored many of the most consequential laws of the past four decades, including the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which holds the government accountable for ensuring the free exercise of religion; the Drug Price Competition and Patent Term Restoration Act (known as Hatch-Waxman), which created the modern generic drug industry; the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, which provides healthcare for uninsured children from low-income families who do not qualify for Medicaid; and the Americans with Disabilities Act, which prohibits discrimination against and requires accommodations for persons with disabilities.</p>

HATCH, Orrin Grant, a Senator from Utah; born in Homestead Park, Allegheny County, Pa., March 22, 1934; received early education in the public schools of Pittsburgh, Pa.; graduated, Brigham Young University 1959; graduated, University of Pittsburgh Law School 1962; admitted to the Pennsylvania bar in 1963 and commenced practice in Pittsburgh; moved to Utah in 1969 and continued practicing law; elected as a Republican to the United States Senate in 1976; reelected in 1982, 1988, 1994, 2000, 2006, and again in 2012, and served from January 3, 1977, to January 3, 2019; president pro tempore (2015-2019); chair, Committee on Labor and Human Resources (Ninety-seventh to Ninety-ninth Congresses), Committee on the Judiciary (One Hundred Fourth to One Hundred Sixth Congresses; One Hundred Seventh Congress [January 20, 2001-June 6, 2001], One Hundred Eighth Congress), Committee on Finance (One Hundred Fourteenth and One Hundred Fifteenth Congresses); was not a candidate for reelection to the Senate in 2018.

<p>Orrin Grant Hatch (born March 22, 1934) is an American attorney, retired politician, and composer who served as a United States Senator from Utah for 42 years (1977–2019). He is the longest-serving Republican U.S. Senator in history and the longest-serving U.S. Senator from Utah.</p>

<p>Hatch chaired the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions from 1981 to 1987. He also served as chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee from 1995 to 2001 and 2003 to 2005. On January 3, 2015, after the 114th United States Congress was sworn in, Hatch became President pro tempore of the Senate. He served as chairman of the Senate Finance Committee from 2015 to 2019. Hatch led the efforts to pass the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. He retired in January 2019 and was succeeded by the 2012 Republican presidential nominee, Mitt Romney.</p>