DETROIT (AP) - Some key dates in the life and career of U.S. Rep. John Dingell, who died Thursday at age 92. The Michigan Democrat was the longest serving member of Congress in U.S. history.
- July 8, 1926: John David Dingell Jr. is born in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
- Nov. 8, 1932: John Dingell Sr. is elected to Congress as a “New Deal” Democrat.
- Dec. 8, 1941: The younger Dingell, serving as a congressional page alongside his congressman father, is on the floor of the House during President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s speech asking Congress to declare war on Japan following the attack on Pearl Harbor.
- Sept. 19, 1955: Rep. John Dingell Sr. dies in office.
- Nov. 8, 1955: John Dingell Jr. wins a special election to serve out the unexpired term of his father, defeating Thomas E. Brennan, the Republican nominee, with 76 percent of the vote.
- Jan. 22, 1956: Dingell is sworn into Congress.
- Jan 25, 1957: Dingell introduces a bill to provide national health insurance, following in the footsteps of his father. Dingell later proposed a national health insurance bill every term.
- July 1, 1961: Dingell bill to protect wetlands becomes law.
- February 10, 1964: Dingell votes in favor of the Civil Rights Act.
- April 8, 1965: Dingell presides over the House as it approves the Medicare bill.
- Jan. 5, 1970: Dingell authors the National Environmental Policy Act.
- Dec. 20, 1973: Dingell-sponsored Endangered Species Act becomes law.
- Dec. 22, 1975: Energy Policy and Conservation Act sponsored by Dingell is signed into law.
- Dec. 21, 1979: Dingell helps the passage of $1.5 billion in Chrysler loan guarantees.
- Jan. 3, 1981: Dingell becomes chairman of Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- May 16, 1981: Dingell marries Deborah Insley.
- Feb. 6, 1983: Rita Lavelle, Superfund administrator under President Ronald Reagan, is fired following an investigation by Dingell’s panel.
- March 1, 1985: Dingell and his oversight subcommittee hold hearing with defense contractor General Dynamics that exposes wasteful spending.
- Jan. 12, 1991: Dingell votes to authorize President George H.W. Bush to proceed with Operation Desert Storm in Iraq.
- 1994: Universal health care proposal pushed by President Bill Clinton and long sought by Dingell is defeated.
- Feb. 25, 1997: Dingell introduces the Patient’s Bill of Rights.
- Sept. 14, 2001: Dingell votes to authorize use of force against Afghanistan.
- Oct. 24, 2001: Dingell votes against the Patriot Act.
- Oct. 14, 2005: Dingell becomes the third-longest serving member of the U.S. House, surpassing Rep. Emanuel Celler.
- Dec. 13, 2005: Dingell celebrates 50 years in Congress.
- Feb. 11, 2009: Dingell becomes longest-serving member of U.S. House in U.S. history.
- January 2010: Dingell joins Twitter, goes on to amass more than 250,000 followers.
- March 23, 2010: Dingell sits next to President Barack Obama as historic $938 billion health care overhaul is signed into law.
- June 7, 2013: Dingell becomes longest-serving member of Congress, surpassing the former record-holder, the late Sen. Robert Byrd of West Virginia.
- Feb. 24, 2014: Dingell announces he will retire at the end of his term.
- Nov. 24, 2014: President Barack Obama awards Dingell the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
- Feb. 7, 2019: Dingell dies at his Dearborn home at age 92. The announcement is quickly followed by an outpouring of tributes.
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