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President George H.W. Bush to Lie in State in US Capitol Rotunda

Rotunda will be open to the public through the night Monday and Tuesday

President Gerald Ford’s coffin was brought into the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol during the state funeral for Ford in Washington in 2006. President George W. Bush will receive the same honor on Monday. (CQ Roll Call file photo)
President Gerald Ford’s coffin was brought into the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol during the state funeral for Ford in Washington in 2006. President George W. Bush will receive the same honor on Monday. (CQ Roll Call file photo)

The leaders of the Senate and House announced Saturday that the body of President George H.W. Bush will lie in state in the Capitol Rotunda beginning on Monday evening.

A bicameral arrival ceremony is set for 5 p.m. on Monday, according to an announcement from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

As is customary for funerals of former presidents, the Capitol will be open around the clock to allow the country to pay its respects. Bush is the first former president to die since Gerald Ford in December 2006.

The public viewing is scheduled to begin Monday at 7:30 p.m., running until 7 a.m. on Wednesday.

President Donald Trump said Saturday he will send Air Force One to Houston to deliver Bush’s body to Washington. The 747 aircraft will fly under another moniker, as it is only officially Air Force One when the sitting commander in chief is onboard.

Earlier, Trump declared a national day of mourning for Wednesday, when the state funeral for Bush will take place at Washington National Cathedral.

The president and first lady will attend funeral, the White House announced. Trump also signed an order on Saturday directing that federal departments and agencies be closed Wednesday.

The former president will be buried Thursday next to his wife, Barbara, at the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum in College Station, Texas. The former first lady was buried at the family plot earlier this year.

The library and museum are on the campus of Texas A&M University, which announced the burial plan.

“We are proud to call him a son of Texas A&M University and will do everything in our power, through his presidential library, to keep his memory and accomplishments alive for all time,” Texas A&M Chancellor John Sharp said in a statement.

John T. Bennett contributed to this report.From the Archives: Lying in State, Lying in Honor — How Capitol Hill Helps a Nation Mourn

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