Dingell, John David, Jr., 1928–2019, American congressman, b. Colorado Springs, Colo.; grad. Georgetown Univ. (B.S., 1949; J.D., 1952). He served in the Army (1944–46) and after a brief career in private practice, working for a circuit judge, and as the assistant prosecuting attorney of Wayne Co., Mich., he was elected (1955) to the U.S. House of Representatives. He filled the seat of his late father, John David Dingell, Sr. 1894–1955, a 23-year Michigan congressman. The elder Dingell was a key proponent of the Social Security Act (1935) and an advocate of national health-care legislation. A Democrat like his father, the son presided over the passage of Medicare in 1965. For many years the younger Dingell chaired the powerful energy and commerce committee. Reelected to the House 29 times, he became the longest serving member of Congress in 2013 (with more than 57 years of service), surpassing the tenure of West Virginia's Robert C. Byrd. His wife, Deborah Insley Dingell, 1953–, b. Detroit, a descendant of one of the founders of Fisher Body, has served in Congress since 2015. She succeeded her husband when he chose not to run in 2014.
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