On Friday, Alaska Congressman Don Young surpassed former Speaker Sam Rayburn’s tenure and became the 6th overall longest serving congressman in the history of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Young has served since March of 1973, and is in his 25th term.
He already was the Republican Party’s longest-serving member of the House in history, and is currently Dean of the House, the first Republican Dean in over eight decades.
“It’s truly the honor of a lifetime to represent Alaskans. I love this institution dearly, and I’m grateful to have served with nearly 2,200 friends on both sides of the aisle in the House,” Young said in a video posted by his staff.
“His tenure in the United States Congress. 48 years, 256 days.That’s me. That puts me in the sixth position of every congressman who has ever served for longevity. When I get reelected this time, I’ll go to number four,” he said in the video, taped in his colorful DC office, surrounded by his Alaska memorabilia. “I thank you for that, Alaskans. Don Young thanks you. I’ve done the job for you because you’ve asked me to do it, and we’re going to do it again. I’m proud of that. It’s gonna be good times. God bless.”
Rayburn, of Texas, was a Democrats who served as the 43rd Speaker and was also speaker three times. He still is the record-holder for having the longest tenure as Speaker, 17 years total. He served from 1913 until 1961, and an office building — the Rayburn Building — at the Capitol is named in his honor.
Watch the Don Young video at this link:
