Charles Rangel, a former Democratic New York representative who served 46 years in Congress, died on Monday at the age of 94.
Rangel’s death was revealed in a statement issued by City College of New York. According to the CCNY announcement, Rangel is a “war hero, history-making congressman, and master lawmaker.”
Rangel was a founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus, and in 2007, he became the first black member of Congress to lead the important House Ways and Means Committee. He was first elected to Congress in 1970 and served a New York City-based district for 23 years, from 1971 to 2017.
Rangel resigned from the Ways and Means Committee in 2010 in the face of mounting criticism for ethical infractions. In December 2010, the House censured him by a vote of 333-79 for various ethics infractions.
“I know in my heart I am not going to be judged by this Congress,” Rangel said after the censure vote. “I’ll be judged by my life in its entirety.”
Rangel, a prominent supporter of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, also supported former President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare. He was a Korean War soldier who received the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said in a statement posted to X on Monday that Rangel was a “phenomenal patriot, hero, statesman, leader, trailblazer, change agent & champion for justice,” adding that “Harlem, NYC & America are better today because of his service.”
Current House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith said in a statement in response to the news of Rangel’s death that the former congressman’s life “underscored how America is a land of opportunity.”
“From humble beginnings in Harlem to the top tax-writing Committee in the United States Congress, Chairman Rangel’s life underscored how America is a land of opportunity,” Smith wrote in the statement. “There can be no question he was a fighter, and the Purple Heart and Bronze Star he earned during the Korean War were just the start of a long career of service. My prayers are with his family.”
“Today, we mourn the Lion of Lenox Avenue: Chairman Charles Rangel. A decorated war hero, civil rights leader and trailblazing legislator, he spent decades fighting for justice, equality and economic opportunity. My prayers are with the Rangel family and the Harlem community,” Pelosi wrote in a statement posted to X.
Democrat Rep. Gwen Moore wrote, “Charles Rangel. 1930 – 2025. He was a war hero. The trailblazing first Black Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee. A founding member of the Congressional Black Caucus. America has lost an institution of change, and I have lost a dear friend. Rest in peace, Charlie.”
Democrat Congresswoman Nikema Williams wrote, “Congressman Charles Rangel did more than break barriers, he built the blueprint. As a founding member of @TheBlackCaucus, his legacy lives on in every member fighting for justice and opportunity in our communities. His trailblazing leadership helped make health care more accessible for millions, and he was steadfast in bringing real investment to those too often left behind. Leslie, Carter, and I send our deepest condolences to the Rangel family and all who loved him.”
The Congressional Black Caucus said, “It is with deep respect and profound sadness that we mourn the passing of former Congressman Charles B. Rangel, a founding member and former Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus. May he rest in peace.”
Democratic Rep. Steven Horsford wrote on X, “I am deeply saddened by the passing of Congressman Charles B. Rangel. Because of his fearless leadership, I could walk the halls of Congress. A founder of the CBC and a trailblazer on Ways and Means—his legacy lives in all of us. Rest in power, Lion of Lenox.”