The House leadership paid tribute to the late Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.) on the floor Friday, a day after the death of the longest-serving member of Congress in history.
After observing a moment of silence, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) applauded Dingell’s legislative accomplishments, noting his work on helping fellow veterans.
{mosads}“He worked for the advancement of his fellow veterans and their care and benefits in peace time. And he fought all of his life for fairness and opportunity for all.”
Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said they lost a “beloved pillar of this Congress,” referring to him as one of the greatest legislators in history.
“Every chapter of Chairman John Dingell’s life was lived in service to our country, from his time as a House page, as a teenager, to his time in World War II, to almost six decades of serving the people of Michigan in the U.S. Congress,” she said on the floor.
“John Dingell leaves a towering legacy of unshakeable strength, boundless energy and transformative leadership.”
Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) applauded Dingell’s commitment to his constituents, giving a nod to his wit on social media and ability to work with members across the aisle.
“He had great passions, passions for his constituents, passion for his committee, Energy and Commerce. He loved this committee so much he thought there needed [to be] no other committee in this House,” McCarthy joked.
Dingell, 92, served in the House from 1955 to 2015. He died Thursday after being diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2018.