WASHINGTON—Former President Jimmy Carter will lie in state at the U.S. Capitol this week, joining an exclusive list of those who have had the distinct and rare honor.
On a cold day in the nation’s capital, his coffin was brought to the Rotunda at the Capitol by horse-drawn carriage.
After a 21-gun salute, members of the military carefully took the coffin off the carriage and carried it up the Capitol steps.
Some of Carter’s grandchildren served as honorary pallbearers.
The casket was placed at the center of the Rotunda, which is in between the House and Senate sides of the Capitol. The area consists of iconic paintings such as the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the British surrendering in the Revolutionary War, and George Washington resigning his military commission.
Speeches were given to commemorate the 39th president, who died on Dec. 29 at the age of 100.
The congressional eulogies were given by House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.). Thune, in addition to noting Carter’s credentials as governor of Georgia and U.S. president, said Carter was, “first and foremost, a faithful of his prayer and his fellow man.”
“Jimmy Carter knew that his status as a former president could bring attention to good causes,” he said. “It’s why he encouraged Habitat [for Humanity] to make use of his name and image.”
Johnson noted that Carter was also a “patriot, veteran, [and] humanitarian.”
“Jimmy Carter was a member of the greatest generation,” he said.
“President Carter’s life, his selfless service, his fight against cancer, and his lasting contributions to his fellow man are all truly more important,” added Johnson.
“Whether he was in the White House during his post-presidential years, as was discussed, President Carter was willing to roll up his own sleeves to serve and get the job done,” he continued.
Vice President Kamala Harris also gave a eulogy.
“Today, we gather to celebrate the life of a man whose works will echo for generations to come, a man from Plains, Georgia, who grew up without electricity or running water, and served as 39th president of the United States of America, and lived every day of his long life in service to the people,” she said.
Harris called Carter “a respected global leader,” citing Carter’s brokering peace between Israel and Egypt while he was president.
Harris touted Carter’s founding of the Department of Energy, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the Department of Education.
She said that Carter carried himself with “humility, modesty, and grace.”
Following Harris’s remarks, the Naval Academy Glee sang “My Country ‘Tis of Thee.”
Also in attendance were members of Congress, a few Supreme Court justices, and Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser.
“The physical lying in state part is typically quiet and somber,” Joshua Kennedy, a political science professor at Georgia Southern University, which is in Carter’s home state, told The Epoch Times.
“Speeches and things of that nature are typically reserved for the funeral itself,” he continued. “But based on the coverage, we are likely to hear a great deal about former President Carter’s life, both in and out of the White House, as well as his devotion to his wife and family and the work he took up upon leaving the White House in 1981.”
Following the ceremony, the coffin will be available for viewing by members of the public between 7:30 p.m. to 12 a.m. ET on Jan. 7, and 7 a.m. to 12 a.m. on Jan. 8.
The coffin will leave the Capitol on Jan. 9 for the funeral at the National Cathedral in Washington.
Before Carter, the last elected leader to lie in state at the Capitol was former Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska), who was the longest-serving Republican member of Congress.
The last person to have the honor to lie in honor or state was Korean War veteran Ralph Puckett Jr., whose cremated remains were at the center of the Rotunda last year.
Lying in state is different from lying in honor, as the former is typically for those who were elected to office, while the latter is usually for those who provided distinguished service to the nation.
“Prominence, widely recognized importance, and family wishes seem to dictate the practice, for which there are no written rules,” Steven Smith, a political science professor emeritus at Washington University in St. Louis, told The Epoch Times.
Overall, Carter is the 46th person to lie in state or honor in the Capitol. The first to lie in state was Henry Clay—who served as a senator, speaker, and Secretary of State—in 1852. Carter is the 13th president to lie in state.
“Lying in state is considered a great honor for former government officials, and it is a routine practice for deceased presidents,” said Kennedy.
After all, he said, “as the Capitol is the center of government in the United States, and because it is much more accommodating to visitors given size constraints, presidents lying in state there fits well with tradition.”
Coffins lying in state at the Rotunda have presented standout moments.
One was on Dec. 4, 2018, when former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole (R-Kan.), at the age of 95, rose from his wheelchair to salute the casket of former President George H.W. Bush—a powerful gesture as the two were political rivals despite both being Republicans. Dole died a few years later and lay in state at the Capitol on Dec. 9, 2021.
Another moment was in June 2004 when former First Lady Nancy Reagan touched and kissed the coffin of her husband, former President Ronald Reagan.
A person lying in state or honor requires a concurrent resolution to be passed by both the House and Senate. This is done with little fanfare even with the deceased being the subject of political controversy.
“While we do live in very polarized, partisan times, Congress does manage to get more routine business done regularly, though this is not what attracts attention as it is usually uncontroversial,” said Kennedy.
“The notion of a former president lying in state is one with a long history, and I cannot conceive of how it would benefit any party collectively to attempt to prevent it.”
“Since the issue is not one of public policy, it is less controversial,” said Bullock.
“Even a very aggressive partisan like former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid lay in state,” he continued. “No one is trying to score points with their constituents or raise campaign funds by voting on this kind of [concurrent] resolution.”
