Rep. C.W. Bill Young, the longest serving Republican in Congress, died Friday night at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda. The Florida representative was 82 years old.
A statement from the Young family on the congressman’s page said that the cause of death was “complications related to a chronic injury.” The statement also noted that Mr. Young passed away “in the company of his family.”
Mr. Young, who served for 22 terms in Congress, announced earlier this month that he would not seek re-election in 2014.
Several members of Congress, including Speaker of the House John Boehner, took to social media to express sadness at the loss of a colleague.
“The House has lost another dear friend,” Mr. Boehner wrote Friday night on Twitter. “We’ll miss Bill Young, as will countless others blessed by his life & service.”
In a statement, President Obama praised Mr. Young’s career of service to his constituents — and to the nation as a whole.
“For over 50 years, Bill served the people of Florida, in the state legislature and as the longest-serving Republican in the U.S. House of Representatives,” the president said. “He will be remembered for his advocacy and support for the armed forces, service members, and their families as well as his statesmanship and long history of working across the aisle to keep our country moving forward.”
Information on services for Mr. Young was not available Friday night.
• Jacqueline Klimas can be reached at jklimas@washingtontimes.com.
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