Joe Biden To Pay His Respects To Rep. John Lewis At U.S. Capitol
Congressman John Lewis, well-known as the “conscious of Congress” died on July 18 and the world is still mourning his death. Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee and former Vice President Joe Biden will honor Lewis as his body lies in state in the U.S. Capitol on Monday (July 27).
According to The Washington Post, Biden is traveling to Washington, D.C, today to pay his respects along with his wife Jill Biden. Lewis endorsed Biden back in April.
Lewis' body will lie in state in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda for an invitation-only arrival ceremony, which will take place at 1:30 p.m. ET. It’s not clear if Biden will publicly speak at the ceremony.
After the ceremony, there will be a public viewing outside, which will adhere to CDC safety guidelines for social distancing as the coronavirus continues to surge in various parts of the country.
Lying in state is a form of ceremonial tribute reserved for honoring the lives of the most prominent and distinguished American statesmen and military leaders.
RELATED: John Lewis To Be Honored With Several Days Of Commemorations In Washington, Alabama and Georgia
Lewis, a sharecroppers' son, died on July 17 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. The 80-year-old civil rights icon has already received two-days of tributes in Alabama where his body rode in a horse drawn carriage one last time over the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma and Black Lives Matter Plaza, the last place he made a public appearance.
Lewis was 25 when Alabama troopers viciously beat the marchers in 1965 in what became known as “Bloody Sunday.” In the iconic march, a state trooper struck Lewis in the head with a baton and he lost consciousness.
Over the years, Lewis has been a powerful advocate for civil rights. In 2011, President Barack Obama awarded Lewis the nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.