The following article was originally published in The Hill on October 6, 2011.

BY: Peter Sullivan

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle honored Apple founder Steve Jobs Thursday morning after learning the news of his death Wednesday night, many emphasizing Jobs’s impact on their own lives.

Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) and Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) both celebrated the iPad, one of Apple’s more recent products.

Wasserman Schultz tweeted, "#SteveJobs helped me better balance work & family. FaceTime w/ my kids on my iPad from anywhere, even 35K ft. #bestgiftforworkingmom. RIP.”

Rangel wrote, "The iPad has opened a whole new world for me at age 81.”

According to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Jobs “brought joy to millions.” She tweeted shortly after the news broke Wednesday night: "Steve Jobs was a visionary, a risktaker, an entrepreneur, and a creative genius who brought joy to millions."

One of several White House tweets following up on President Obama's press release noting Jobs's death raised a common theme of Jobs as a bold, quintessentially American risk-taker. Obama called Jobs "brave," "bold," and "talented."

Rep. Michael Honda (D-Calif.), who represents Silicon Valley, pointed to risk-taking by invoking another American, tweeting, "In #SteveJobs, we lost a titan of innovation. He embodied the spirit of Silicon Valley. Our region will miss ‘the Thomas Edison of our time.’"  

Jobs “changed the world,” wrote Rep. Tom Rooney (R-Fla.). 



"Steve Jobs turned a vision of the future into reality for millions. He was an icon of American innovation. #SteveJobsLegacy," tweeted House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.).


A more philosophical take came from Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), who reflected in a tweet on Jobs's impact on humanity: "Jobs' life is a testament to the value of the individual, living in freedom, seeking to improve the human condition."

Jobs died at age 56 after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. He had stepped down as head of Apple in August.