Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
John Dingell Dies At 92: Long-Serving Congressman Remembered For Being A Tenacious Advocate For Health Care
The New York Times: John Dingell Jr., A House ‘Bull’ Who Served The Longest, Is Dead At 92
John D. Dingell Jr., a powerful and tenacious Michigan Democrat who pushed landmark legislation, exposed corruption in government and became the longest-serving member of Congress in American history, died on Thursday at his home in Dearborn, Mich. He was 92. His wife, Representative Debbie Dingell, announced the death in a statement. Ms. Dingell, who won election to his seat after he announced his retirement in 2014, said this week that she was at home with Mr. Dingell, whose health had been failing. (Schneider and Seelye, 2/7)
The Associated Press: Former Rep. Dingell, US’s Longest-Serving Lawmaker, Dies
He was a longtime supporter of universal health care, a cause he adopted from his late father, whom he replaced in Congress in 1955. He also was known as a dogged pursuer of government waste and fraud, and even helped take down two top presidential aides while leading the investigative arm of the powerful House Energy and Commerce Committee, which he chaired for 14 years. “I’ve gotten more death threats around here than I can remember,” Dingell told The Associated Press in a 1995 interview. “It used to bother my wife, but oversight was something we did uniquely well.” (Householder and Eggert, 2/7)
The Wall Street Journal: John Dingell, Longest-Serving Member Of Congress, Dies At 92
In the 59 years and 21 days Mr. Dingell served, he made a cause of universal health care, and, following in the footsteps of his father, introduced a bill at the beginning of every new Congress to provide universal health care to all Americans. The closest Congress ever came to that goal was passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2010, which required insurers to cover people with pre-existing conditions and expanded the Medicaid program for the poor. Then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) ended the House vote on that bill using the same gavel Mr. Dingell wielded to preside over the House passage of the Medicare program in 1965. (Benkelman, 2/7)
Kaiser Health News: Former Rep. John Dingell Dies; Longest-Serving Congressman Was A Force In Health Policy
As a young legislator, he presided over the House during the vote to approve Medicare in 1965. As a tribute to his father, who served before him and who introduced the first congressional legislation to establish national health insurance during the New Deal, Dingell introduced his own national health insurance bill at the start of every Congress. And when the House passed what would become the Affordable Care Act in 2009, leaders named the legislation after him. Dingell sat by the side of President Barack Obama when he signed the bill into law in 2010. (Rovner, 2/7)
The Washington Post: John Dingell: Colleagues, Friends Remember The Longest Serving Congressman From Michigan
President Obama reflected on Dingell’s role in landmark legislation such as Medicare, the Civil Rights Act and the Affordable Care Act. Dingell was especially passionate about ensuring access to health care, Obama wrote in a tribute shared on Twitter. “He had a long tradition of introducing legislation on the first day of each new Congress to guarantee health care for every single American,” Obama wrote. “Because of him, we’ve come closer to that vision than ever before. And when we finally achieve it — and we will — we’ll all owe him our gratitude.” (Brice-Saddler, 2/8)
Politico: Presidents, Lawmakers Pay Tribute To John Dingell
“Today, we have lost a beloved pillar of the Congress and one of the greatest legislators in American history," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said of Dingell, who died Thursday at 92, in a statement. "John Dingell leaves a towering legacy of unshakable strength, boundless energy and transformative leadership." (Griffiths, 2/7)
