Ellen Tauscher, former Congressomwan and Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Affairs under the Obama administration, has died, according to a statement from her family released Tuesday morning. 

“It is with the greatest sadness in our hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved mother, sister, aunt, and friend, Ellen O’Kane Tauscher. Ellen died peacefully surrounded by her loving daughter, Katherine, and the rest of her family,” the statement read in part. 

Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) released a statement in response to Tauscher’s death, saying in part “The passing of Ellen Tauscher is a loss for us all. Ellen was brilliant, gracious and generous and always did her level best to lift up those around her. Ellen was a best friend and I’ll never forget her.”

Tauscher had shared earlier this month that she was recovering from pneumonia “unfortunately compounded by an unexpected complication” from esophageal cancer surgery she had in 2010. 

At that time she wrote on Facebook that she was on the mend and thanked others “for the thoughts and outreach.”

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