John Dingell, longest-serving member of Congress, dies at 92
John Dingell, the longest-serving member in the history of Congress, died Thursday at 92, Fox News has confirmed.
Dingell served 21,572 days in Congress from December 1955 through January 2015. He succeeded his father in the House of Representatives.
He is survived by his wife, Debbie, who currently holds his House seat and four children. A cause of death was not immediately known.
“It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of John David Dingell, Jr., former Michigan Congressman and longest-serving member of the United States Congress," the congresswoman said in a statement following Dingell's death.
"Congressman Dingell died peacefully today at his home in Dearborn, surrounded by his wife Deborah. He was a lion of the United States Congress and a loving son, father, husband, grandfather, and friend. He will be remembered for his decades of public service to the people of Southeast Michigan, his razor sharp wit, and a lifetime of dedication to improving the lives of all who walk this earth.”
The Michigan Democrat was considered an authority on Congressional procedures, akin to the legendary Sen. Robert Byrd, D-WV. Dingell was best known for his legislative skills, deep reverence for history and stinging wit.
Nicknamed “The Truck” during his longtime tenure as chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, the congressman from Detroit fueled the passage of many landmark measures, including health care reform, energy regulations and telecommunications expansion.
Beyond Dingell’s policymaking prowess, journalists, aides and fellow lawmakers frequently sought the opinion of the dean of the House to put current events in context. Did Congress really deserve those abysmal approval ratings? Had partisanship spiked out of control? How could legislating, an inherently messy process, be done more efficiently?
In his answer, Dingell quoted Benjamin Franklin’s response to a question of whether the founders had created a monarchy or a republic: “A republic, if you can keep it.”
“We have the privilege of serving as part of perhaps the greatest experiment in the history of government,” Dingell said in 2011.
By the time Dingell hit the record for the longest tenure in the House in February 2009, he was the Democrats’ go-to colleague for underlining a moment’s historical significance. Dingell’s presence at a press conference or in the chamber for a speech would immediately give an event a more serious tone.
“He will be remembered as one of the most influential members of Congress not to have served as president,” said former Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, who served on the Energy and Commerce Committee with Dingell for two decades.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/john-dingell-longest-serving-member-of-congress-dies-at-92