MOURNING THE PASSING AND CELEBRATING THE EXTRAORDINARY LIFE AND LEGACY OF JOHN DAVID DINGELL, JR. OF MICHIGAN, THE LONGEST SERVING MEMBER IN THE HISTORY OF THE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Sheila Jackson Lee (Democrat, TX) \u2014 2019-2-12

. Madam , I rise to mourn the passing and commemorate the remarkable life of Congressman John David Dingell, Jr. of Michigan, who passed away on February 7, 2019 at the age of 92. prgtoken John Dingell was one of the towering figures in the history of the U.S. House of Representatives and of our nation. prgtoken John Dingell served this House and this nation with integrity, grace, intellect, and legislative mastery for nearly six decades; in fact his retirement at the end of the 114th Congress brought an end to the longest tenure of service in the history of the U.S. House of Representatives at 59 years and 21 days of service, a record that is unlikely to be duplicated or surpassed. prgtoken John Dingell was present at the creation and played a major role in shaping virtually every landmark piece of legislation of the last half century, including the legislation creating the U.S. Civil Rights Commission, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the National Environmental Policy Act, the Americans With Disabilities Act, Endangered Species Act, the Clean Air Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, the Social Security Amendments of 1965 which created Medicare, and the Affordable Care Act to name just a few. prgtoken As Chairman of the powerful Energy and Commerce Committee for sixteen years, John Dingell shepherded through to passage the Endangered Species Act, the Clean Air Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act, among other pieces of legislation. prgtoken And for more than a half century, John Dingell honored the memory and passion of his father and congressional predecessor--John D. Dingell, Sr.--in introducing at the beginning of each new Congress legislation providing for universal healthcare. prgtoken His persistence was rewarded in 1965 when he was chosen to preside as Pro Tempore on the day the House passed the legislation creating Medicare and Medicaid. prgtoken Madam , John Dingell's service to this institution began in 1938 when he became a House page at 11 and he was in the chamber on December 8, 1941, when President Franklin Roosevelt announced that a state of war existed between the United States and Japan following the attack on Pearl Harbor. prgtoken A member of the Greatest Generation, John Dingell enlisted in the U.S. Army during World War II where he rose to the rank of Second Lieutenant. prgtoken After the war, John Dingell went on to earn his undergraduate degree in chemistry and law degree from Georgetown University in 1949 and 1952, respectively. prgtoken After law school John Dingell returned to his hometown of Detroit where he worked as a Wayne County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney before winning the special election in 1955 on to fill the unexpired term of the congressional seat that had been held by his late father since 1933. prgtoken John Dingell was elected to a full term in 1956 and reelected to each of the succeeding 28 Congresses. prgtoken Madam , as we mourn the passing of