John David Dingell Jr. is an American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from December 13, 1955, until January 3, 2015. A member of the Democratic Party, he is the longest-serving U.S. Congressperson, representing Michigan for over 59 years. He represented Michigan throughout his congressional tenure and most recently served as the representative for Michigan's 12th congressional district.
He began his congressional career representing Michigan's 16th district by succeeding his father, John Dingell Sr., who had held the seat for 22 years. Having served for over 59 years, he has the longest Congressional tenure in U.S. history. He was also the longest-serving Dean of the U.S. House of Representatives and Dean of the Michigan congressional delegation. Dingell is one of the final two World War II veterans to have served in Congress; the other is Texas Representative Ralph Hall, who also left Congress in 2015. Dingell was a longtime member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and chaired the committee for multiple terms.
Dingell announced on February 24, 2014, that he would not seek reelection to a 31st term in Congress. His wife, Debbie Dingell, indicated that she planned to run to succeed her husband. She won the November 4, 2014, general election, defeating Republican Terry Bowman, and succeeded him in the 114th Congress. He was the last member of Congress who had served in the 1950s and during the presidency of Dwight D. Eisenhower.
President Barack Obama awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2014.
“I don't take sides for or against Hezbollah, or for or against Israel.”
In response to a question from a Detroit TV reporter, August 2006
Quoted in Henry Payne, 2006-08-03, Side with Terrorists or Israel?, National Review Online, 2006-11-24 http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=NzkzNDlmNDEyOGRlOTlkYWQyMWNhZmNkNDgxYjc0MzQ=,
“My old daddy used to say "kill the closest snake first."”
PBS Online NewsHour, August 18, 2003. http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/science/july-dec03/grid_8-18.html
From the live telephone interview which he gave to Paul W. Smith on his show Monday morning (on Detroit WJR News/Talk 760), March 22, 2010 about universal health care legislation http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvDwFQiSkBU&feature=player_embedded.
Congressional Record, February 8, 1995
