An ‘extraordinary man’: Former President Carter lies in state at Capitol ahead of state funeral

Former President Jimmy Carter’s body was brought to the District of Columbia on Tuesday afternoon and will lie in state at the U.S. Capitol before a state funeral set for Thursday across town at the Washington National Cathedral.

Carter died Sunday, Dec. 29, at 100 years old. His death came just over a year after the death of his wife of 77 years, Rosalynn Carter. 

Carter’s ceremonial arrival at the U.S. Capitol Rotunda came after the start of six days of funeral ceremonies that began Saturday morning in the 39th president’s hometown of Plains, Georgia.

Carter’s casket was greeted at Joint Base Andrews outside Washington, D.C., on Tuesday by the U.S. Air Force Band playing “Abide with Me.” From Andrews, a hearse took Carter’s casket to the U.S. Navy Memorial for a brief ceremony. Carter, a Naval Academy alumnus, served as a submarine officer before leaving the Navy to take over his family’s farm.

At the Navy Memorial, the casket was transferred to a horse-drawn caisson for a procession up Pennsylvania Avenue to the U.S. Capitol.

Vice President Harris delivered a eulogy at the Capitol’s lying-in-state ceremony and was joined by second gentleman Doug Emhoff in presenting a memorial wreath on behalf of the executive branch of the government.

The U.S. Capitol ceremony on Tuesday featured remarks from both House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., representing their respective houses of Congress.

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Speaker of the House Mike Johnson speaks during a memorial ceremony for former President Jimmy Carter in the Rotunda at the U.S. Capitol. (Jack Gruber/USA TODAY)

Johnson praised Carter in his speech as an “extraordinary man” and applauded both his service in the military and his work for charitable causes such as Habitat for Humanity and The Carter Center, the latter founded in 1982 by the former first couple.

“I’m reminded of his admonition to quote, ‘Live our lives as though Christ were coming this afternoon,'” Johnson remarked on Tuesday. “And of his amazing personal reflection, ‘If I have one life and one chance to make it count for something.'”

“We all agree that he certainly did,” he concluded. “So today, in these hallowed halls of our republic, we honor President Carter, his family and his enduring legacy that he leaves not only upon this nation but upon the world.”

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Former President Jimmy Carter (Emma Woodhead/Fox News Digital)

Johnson announced last month that Carter would lie in state in a letter to Carter’s second-eldest son, James Carter III.

“In recognition of President Carter’s long and distinguished service to the nation, it is our intention to ask the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate to permit his remains lie in state in the Rotunda of the United States Capitol,” the leaders wrote.

Besides Carter, just 12 presidents have lain in state in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda, the use of which requires approval by both the House and Senate. The last president to lie in state was George H.W. Bush in December 2018. Since 1865, nearly all services held in the Capitol Rotunda have used the catafalque that was constructed in 1865 for displaying President Lincoln’s casket.

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Members of the public can view Carter’s casket from early Wednesday through early Thursday, when his official state funeral service will be held at the Washington National Cathedral. 

The former president will be honored and remembered through several days of funeral services before returning to his hometown for private funeral and interment ceremonies. He will be laid to rest by his wife.