Public honours late John Dingell, longest-serving congressman

DEARBORN, Mich. — Dozens of John Dingell’s former constituents lined up Monday at a performing arts centre in suburban Detroit to pay their respects to the longest-serving member of Congress in U.S. history, passing his flag-covered coffin and offering condolences to his wife and family.

Dingell’s casket was in a ballroom at the centre in Dearborn. Outside the room, mourners viewed oversized photos of his life and 59-year career in Congress. He died last week at age 92, four years after retiring from the House.

The visitation was the first of many public events this week. Funeral Masses will be held Tuesday in Dearborn and Thursday in Washington. A motorcade with Dingell’s casket will pass the U.S. Capitol, where the Michigan Democrat held power for years as a House committee chairman. He will be interred at Arlington National Cemetery.

Dingell succeeded his father in Congress in 1955, and his wife was elected to his seat in 2014. Rep. Debbie Dingell greeted the public after some private moments near the casket with former Rep. Candice Miller and Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel.

Former Vice-President Joe Biden, Rep. John Lewis of Georgia and Rep. Fred Upton of Michigan will speak at the Tuesday service. Former President Bill Clinton and former House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio will speak at the Washington service.

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See AP’s complete coverage of John Dingell here: https://apnews.com/JohnDingell

Mike Householder, The Associated Press