Elijah Cummings' Body to Lie in State at U.S. Capitol

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The body of Maryland Rep. Elijah Cummings will lie in state in the National Statuary Hall of the U.S. Capitol next week.

According to a release from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office, a formal ceremony honoring the life and service of the 68-year-old Democrat, will be open to members of Congress, the Cummings family as well as invited guests on Thursday.

“In the House, Elijah was our North Star. He was a leader of towering character and integrity, whose stirring voice and steadfast values pushed the Congress and country to rise always to a higher purpose," Pelosi said of Cummings. "His principled leadership as Chair of the Committee on Oversight and Reform was the perfect testament to his commitment to restoring honesty and honor to government, and leaves a powerful legacy for years to come."

A public viewing is scheduled to follow the ceremony.

A wake and funeral for Cummings has been scheduled for Friday (Oct. 25) at the New Psalmist Baptist Church in Baltimore, where the congressman worshiped for nearly 40 years.

Cummings died on Thursday at the age of 68 following complications from longstanding health problems at John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. The congressman began his career in public service in the Maryland House of Delegates where he served for 14 years. He was later elected to Maryland's 7th Congressional District in 1996 where he would go on to chair the House Oversight and Reform Committee as well as a senior member of the House Committees on Transportation and Infrastructure. He also worked on both the Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation and the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials.

Photo: Getty Images


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