US President Barack Obama and other top US politicians have mourned the death of Tom Foley, a former speaker of the House of Representatives known for finding common ground in negotiations.
Foley died at his home in the state of Washington.
A statement from the Foley family said he died of complications from strokes. He was 84.
In the powerful position of speaker, Foley, a Democrat, sought to end partisan battles.
But in 1994 Democrats lost their majority in the House for the first time in 40 years and Foley, a 30-year veteran, was voted out of office.
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After losing his seat he became US ambassador to Japan.
"Tom's straightforward approach helped him find common ground with members of both parties," Obama said in a statement.
Foley, who represented rural stretches of eastern Washington, also won praise from Republicans for his fairness and conciliatory leadership style.
George H W Bush, who served one term as president starting in 1989, said he and Foley didn't agree on everything, "but on key issues we managed to put the good of the country ahead of politics".
Current Speaker John Boehner, a Republican who faced pressure from conservatives that led to a government shutdown this month, remembered Foley as well-liked by lawmakers across the political spectrum.
"That had a lot to do with his solid sense of fairness, which remains a model for any speaker or representative," Boehner said in a statement.
Foley's widow, the former Heather Strachan, was the daughter of a US diplomat and the two married in Sri Lanka in 1969.
