Lautenberg To Be Eulogized By Dignitaries, Lie In Repose In Senate
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) will be eulogized by Vice President Joe Biden, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and his colleague Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) at a funeral service Wednesday at Park Avenue Synagogue on the Upper East Side.
Lautenberg died Monday at the age of 89 from complications from viral pneumonia.
The longtime senator will also be eulogized by members of his family.
Following the funeral service, there will be a color guard ceremony to transfer Lautenberg's casket to a D.C.-bound Amtrak train at the Frank R. Lautenberg Rail Station in Secaucus, N.J.
Lautenberg's casket will arrive at the U.S Capitol on Thursday, where it will lie in repose in the Senate chamber before he is interred at Arlington National Cemetery on Friday.
Lautenberg was the last remaining World War II veteran serving in the Senate.
"I'm shaken by the loss of my friend, my colleague and a tremendous ally in the senate," Menendez told WCBS 880's Steve Scott Monday afternoon. "While he looked frailer, I thought we'd have him for a longer time so I am taken aback by the loss."
Political leaders from both sides of the aisle offered their condolences and praised Lautenberg's years of public service.
Lautenberg was behind many legislative achievements over the years, including working to ban smoking on airplanes, raising the drinking age to 21 and championing Amtrak.
On Tuesday, Gov. Chris Christie announced a special election will be held on Oct. 16 to select a replacement for Lautenberg's term, set to end in Nov. 2014.
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