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WASHINGTON - Long-serving Minnesota U.S. Rep. Bill Frenzel died Monday at age 86, said a spokeswoman for the Brookings Institution where Frenzel served as a visiting scholar.

Frenzel represented Minnesota's 3rd District, covering the southern and western Twin Cities suburbs, from 1971 until he retired in 1991.

He rose through the congressional ranks to become the ranking member on the House Budget Committee and was also a member of the tax writing Ways and Means Committee.

By the time Frenzel retired, he had became one of the GOP's principal economic policy spokesmen and remained deeply involved in U.S. trade policy until his death, having been re-appointed by President Obama to serve on a trade advisory panel in September.

He was a leader among moderate Republicans in Congress during a period when Democrats completely controlled the lower chamber and he was known for working closely across the aisle.

Following his retirement, Frenzel stayed active in public policy as a scholar at the Brookings Institution and worked with groups promoting a balanced federal budget.

Third District Republican U.S. Rep. Erik Paulsen issued this statement:

DFL Gov. Mark Dayton also remembered Frenzel Monday.

"When I was growing up he was the congressman representing my family. Everyone always had the greatest respect for him and for his intelligence and his knowledge of tax issues, and just his friendliness and his humanity," Dayton told reporters.

Others took to Twitter to recall Frenzel.

https://twitter.com/newtgingrich/status/534461221064699904

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Brett Neely

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He represented Minnesota's 3rd District from 1971 until his retirement in 1991 and was an expert on the federal budget.

Former Minnesota U.S. Rep. Bill Frenzel dies

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