The death of Moammar Gadhafi at the hands of rebel fighters will have a longstanding effect on U.S. foreign policy. Our Nick Reisman has reactions of incumbent New York elected officials to Gadhafi's death.

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NEW YORK STATE -- Politicians both here in New York and across the country hope Libya can move forward now that it's country's autocratic ruler Moammar Gadhafi has been killed by rebel forces.

"So this is a momentous day in the history of Libya. The dark shadow of tyranny has been lifted and with this enormous promise the Libyan people now have a great responsibility to build an inclusive and tolerant and democratic Libya that stands as the ultimate rebuke to Gadhafi's dictatorship," President Barack Obama said.

And for those who lost loved ones in acts of terror sponsored by the regime, it's an especially important day. Gadhafi's government admitted responsibility in 2003 for the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 that killed 270 people, including 35 Syracuse University students.

Obama said, "For those of us in the United States we are reminded of all those Americans that we lost at the hand of Gadhafi's terror. Their families and friends are in our thoughts and in our prayers. We recall their bright smiles, their extraordinary lives and their tragic deaths."

In statements issued Thursday, New York lawmakers also expressed relief at the news of Gadhafi's death.

Homeland Security Chairman and Long Island Congressman Peter King said, "This is a great victory for the people of Libya and the world. Gadhafi obviously was a mass murderer and a reckless dictator. With him gone, it certainly gives an opportunity to stabilize the Middle East but the United States must do all that it can to ensure that the radicals do not hijack the Libyan revolution."

New York Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer also issued statements saying the world was better off without Gadhafi.