Rep. Don Young Honored at Capitol

Rep. Don Young Lying in State Ceremony

Members of Congress, friends, and family of Rep. Don Young gathered to pay their respects during the Lying in State ceremony on March 29, 2022. Photo by Ike Hayman.

Rep. Don Young Lying in State Ceremony

Rep. Don Young was honored in Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol. Photo by Scott Mahaskey.

Rep. Don Young Lying in State Ceremony

Rep. Young's casket was carried into the Capitol, where he lay in state in Statuary Hall. Photo by Phi Nguyen.

Rep. Don Young Lying in State Ceremony

Guests gathered in Statuary Hall during the ceremony. Photo by Ike Hayman.

Alaska's at-large Representative died on March 18, 2022.

Representative Don Young (AK-At Large) lay in state in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda on March 29, 2022. Rep. Young died on Friday, March 18, 2022. He was 88 years old. 

During the ceremony, Rep. Young was lauded for his long-standing commitment to serve the people of Alaska. At his time of death, Rep. Young was the oldest current member of both the House and U.S. Senate, as well as the longest-serving Republican in Congressional history.

“For five decades, he was an institution in the hallowed halls of Congress: a serious legislator always bringing people together to do the People’s work," eulogized Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (CA-12).

During the ceremony, Speaker Pelosi also recalled when Rep. Young became Dean of the House in December 2017, he said “I love this body. I believe in this body. My heart is in the House.”

Rep. Young represented the constituents of Alaska for over 50 years. He began his career as a public servant in local politics as the Mayor of Fort Yukon, Alaska, before being elected to the Alaska House of Representatives and Alaska Senate. As Alaska only has one Member in the U.S. House, Rep. Young was sometimes referred to as "Alaska's third senator" and served as its Representative At-Large since 1973.

During his 49-year tenure in the House, Rep. Young chaired the House Transportation Committee and the House Natural Resources Committee.

“There is no other person in this body that’s been loved, feared, and respected as much as Don Young,” said Republican Minority Leader, Kevin McCarthy.

Rep. Young's family and friends, as well as various Members of Congress, were present to honor Rep. Young at the Capitol. Members of the public can pay their respects at funeral services in Washington, D.C. and Alaska.