Lawmakers remember Madeleine Albright's 'remarkable' legacy after her death: 'Lived out the American dream'

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Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright dead at 84

Bret Baier reflects on the political legacy of the first female U.S. secretary of state.

Lawmakers reacted to the passing of former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright Wednesday, including past and current politicians from both sides of the aisle.

Albright, 84, died early Wednesday, according to a statement released by her family.

"We are heartbroken to announce that Dr. Madeleine K. Albright, the 64th U.S. Secretary of State and the first woman to hold that position, passed away earlier today. The cause was cancer. She was surrounded by family and friends. We have lost a loving mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend," her family said in a statement. The statement went on to describe her as "a tireless champion of democracy and human rights."

MADELEINE ALBRIGHT DIES OF CANCER AT 84

Former President Bill Clinton, under whom Albright served as the first female secretary of state, was quick to comment on her passing.

Secretary of State Madeleine Albright talks with President Bill Clinton on Oct. 14, 1998. (Stephen Jaffe/AFP via Getty Images)

"Few leaders have been so perfectly suited for the times in which they served," wrote Clinton. "As a child in war-torn Europe, Madeleine and her family were twice forced to flee their home. When the end of the Cold War ushered in a new era of global interdependence, she became America’s voice at the UN, then took the helm at the State Department, where she was a passionate force for freedom, democracy, and human rights."

Clinton additionally stated that he and his wife, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, were grateful for Albright's friendship since they left office.

He added, "Because she knew firsthand that America’s policy decisions had the power to make a difference in people’s lives around the world, she saw her jobs as both an obligation and an opportunity. And she made the most of them in advancing peace, security, and shared prosperity: ending ethnic cleansing in Bosnia and Kosovo; supporting the expansion of NATO into Central Europe; fighting the proliferation of nuclear weapons; broadening U.S. efforts to strengthen civil society, reduce poverty, and relieve debt in developing countries; elevating concerns about climate change and environmental degradation on the world stage; and much more."

Former President George W. Bush also remarked on Albright's passing with a written statement touting that Albright "lived out the American dream."

Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright sits next to New Zealand's Prime Minister John Key during the Clinton Global Initiative's annual meeting in New York, Sept. 29, 2015. (Reuters/Lucas Jackson, File)

"She lived out the American dream and helped others realize it. As a young girl in Czechoslovakia, she fled the Nazis, and years later, she fled Communism. When she arrived in the United States as a young girl aboard the SS America in 1948, she never dreamt that she would become our nation’s first female Secretary of State. She served with distinction as a foreign-born foreign minister who understood firsthand the importance of free societies for peace in our world," Bush wrote.

Former President Barack Obama said Albright was a "champion for democratic values" and recounted one of his favorite stories with the former Cabinet secretary.

"As the first woman to serve as America’s top diplomat, Madeleine Albright helped bring peace to the Balkans, paved the way for progress in some of the most unstable corners of the world, and was a champion for democratic values. And as an immigrant herself, she brought a unique and important perspective to her trailblazing career."

"One of my favorite stories: At a naturalization ceremony, an Ethiopian man came up to Madeleine and said, "Only in America could a refugee from Africa meet the Secretary of State." She replied, ‘Only in America could a refugee from Central Europe become Secretary of State.’"
 
"It’s because of people like Madeleine that the story of America is, ultimately, one of hope – an upward journey. Michelle and I send our thoughts to the Albright family and everyone who knew and served with a truly remarkable woman."

"Madeleine Albright was one-of-a kind and first-of-a-kind. As a refugee who fled the Nazis and Soviet Communism, she embodied the American dream with her inspiring life story and long and distinguished career leading America’s foreign policy, eventually rising to become our country’s first female Secretary of State," wrote Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

"While she may have been small in stature, she was a titan in American history and statecraft. Her brilliance, passionate patriotism, and sharp wit made her a formidable presence on the world stage and her story inspired women and girls across the globe. My thoughts are with Secretary Albright’s family as our nation pays deep gratitude for her years of service and remembers her life and legacy," the senator added.

Born Marie Jana Korbel on May 15, 1937, Albright immigrated to the United States from Czechoslovakia with her family in 1948 following a communist coup. Her family was Jewish and converted to Roman Catholicism when she was 5 years old. Three of her Jewish grandparents died in concentration camps.

"You didn’t have to share every one of Secretary Albright’s policy views to appreciate her dedicated leadership on behalf of our nation," said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. "I genuinely enjoyed the times we got to work together on shared interests, including the ongoing project of helping secure a democratic future for the people of Burma. Secretary Albright understood keenly that the United States of America is a global power with global interests and global responsibilities and must act accordingly."

Albright served in the administration of former President Bill Clinton, first as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and then as secretary of state during his second term. As secretary of state, she played a role in urging the Senate to ratify expansion of NATO into former Soviet nations and secure nuclear non-proliferation agreements.

Former President Jimmy Carter talks with Secretary of State Madeline Albright in New York, Jan. 8, 2001.

Senate Foreign Relations Committee member Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., wrote a statement grieving the death of his "friend and mentor."

"I’ve been honored to know Secretary Albright for decades, and to have had the blessing of knowing her humor, brilliance, talent, and remarkable insights into world affairs. Through her role as a stateswoman, President of the Truman Scholars Foundation, Chair of the National Democratic Institute, and in so many other ways, she made a lifetime of difference. She used her experience as a refugee who fled communism to become one of the real giants of American foreign policy and drew on that service to mentor the next generation of leaders," Coons wrote.

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Albright also helped convince Clinton to go to war against Yugoslav leader Slobodan Milosevic.

Following her service in the Clinton administration, she remained outspoken and critical of the Bush administration's foreign policy following 9/11.

"Madeleine Albright was a towering figure in American diplomacy, a tireless champion for democracy, and a dear friend," said Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia. "I will miss her wise counsel."

Fox News' Jon Brown contributed to this report.