| − | '''Alan Kooi Simpson''' (September 2, 1931 – March 14, 2025) served [[Wyoming]] in the [[U.S. Senate]] from 1979 to 1997. Despite his connection to the [[Republican Party]], he is a [[liberal]] on social issues. He originally benefited from the [[conservative]] reputation of his father, [[Milward Simpson]], who served Wyoming in the U.S. Senate from 1962 to 1967, after having been governor of Wyoming from 1955 to 1959. Simpson has been an advocate of fiscally conservative positions and argued strongly for entitlement reform. However, on social issues, he supports [[abortion]] and [[same-sex marriage]]. Simpson is most known for the [[Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986|Simpson-Mazzoli Act]], which President [[Ronald Reagan]] signed into law. The measure granted amnesty to three million illegal aliens. He was a co-chairman of the Simpson/Bowles committee. Since leaving the Senate, Simpson has taught at his ''alma mater,'' the University of Wyoming at Laramie. | + | '''Alan Kooi Simpson''' (September 2, 1931 – March 14, 2025) served [[Wyoming]] in the [[U.S. Senate]] from 1979 to 1997. Despite his connection to the [[Republican Party]], he is a [[liberal]] on social issues. He originally benefited from the [[conservative]] reputation of his father, [[Milward Simpson]], who served Wyoming in the U.S. Senate from 1962 to 1967, after having been governor of Wyoming from 1955 to 1959. Simpson has been an advocate of fiscally conservative positions and argued strongly for entitlement reform. However, on social issues, he supported [[abortion]] and [[same-sex marriage]]. Simpson is most known for the [[Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986|Simpson-Mazzoli Act]], which President [[Ronald Reagan]] signed into law. The measure granted amnesty to three million illegal aliens. He was a co-chairman of the Simpson/Bowles committee. Since leaving the Senate, Simpson has taught at his ''alma mater,'' the University of Wyoming at Laramie. |
| | In July 2022, Simpson cut a television commercial for liberal Republican U.S. Representative [[Liz Cheney]] and attacked former President [[Donald Trump]], who endorsed her primary challenger, the conservative [[Harriet Hageman]]. Simpson called Trump "a vicious animal" who "poisoned democracy." He declared the party of which he was a former assistant Senate leader had become "a cult" under the influence of Trump.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-vicious-animal-who-poisoned-democracy-ex-gop-sen-alan-simpson/ar-AAZFZz6?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=69876ea5f6a446ecae99ef70bdcfd75b|title=Trump "Vicious Animal" who "Poisoned Democracy|publisher=msn.com|accessdate=July 17, 2022}}</ref> | | In July 2022, Simpson cut a television commercial for liberal Republican U.S. Representative [[Liz Cheney]] and attacked former President [[Donald Trump]], who endorsed her primary challenger, the conservative [[Harriet Hageman]]. Simpson called Trump "a vicious animal" who "poisoned democracy." He declared the party of which he was a former assistant Senate leader had become "a cult" under the influence of Trump.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-vicious-animal-who-poisoned-democracy-ex-gop-sen-alan-simpson/ar-AAZFZz6?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=69876ea5f6a446ecae99ef70bdcfd75b|title=Trump "Vicious Animal" who "Poisoned Democracy|publisher=msn.com|accessdate=July 17, 2022}}</ref> |
| − | Simpson died at his home in Cody at the age of ninety-three in the spring of 2025. | + | Simpson died at his home in Cody at the age of ninety-three in the spring of 2025. The next year his wife, the former Ann Schroll died. |