Sending condolences to Senator Frank Lautenberg's family, the U.S. President Barack Obama said in a statement that he was "deeply saddened" by the demise of the New Jersey Democrat who was the last World War II serving veteran in the Senate.
"Michelle (Obama's wife) and I were deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Senator Frank Lautenberg," said the U.S. president in the statement released on Monday.
"Michelle and I extend our deepest condolences to Bonnie, the Lautenberg family, and the people of New Jersey, whom Frank served so well," said Obama.
The senator passed away Monday morning at the New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell, according to the senator's office. He was 89.
Acknowledging Lautenberg's services, the U.S. president said that the senator had contributed immensely in improving the American lives.
The president said Frank Lautenberg improved countless Americans' lives by focusing on social issues such as health and safety of people in the country.
"First elected to the Senate in 1982, he improved the lives of countless Americans with his commitment to our nation's health and safety, from improving our public transportation to protecting citizens from gun violence to ensuring that members of our military and their families get the care they deserve," said the president.
Some of his well-known legislations were the airplane smoking ban and the law that made 21 as the legal age to drink alcohol.
Even while suffering from viral pneumonia, the New Jersey democrat returned to Congress in April to vote in support of gun-control legislation.
"The intrepid Frank R. Lautenberg was the personification of Jersey Strong today, casting votes in favor of background checks for gun owners, and bans on assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines," Senator Robert Menendez said in a statement.
Several human rights activists including overseas Tibetans sent condolences through social networks saying that the senator had been a strong 'voice' in the fight against human rights violations across the world.
"He was a very good friend to Tibet and a strong voice against communist China's policies. He cosponsored the resolution to award the Congressional Gold Medal to the Dalai Lama," said Jigme Ugen, a Tibetan living in Minnesota and the vice president of SEIU Healthcare Minnesota.
