Under the current House Rule IV, the House Chamber may only be used for legislative functions, conference meetings, and caucus meetings unless the House agrees to take part in a ceremony. Earlier in House history, however, the Chamber also served as a place to memorialize Representatives who died in office. The United States Capitol Rotunda is known widely as a space where the nation pays tribute to its most revered citizens, whose bodies lie in state or in honor in that room. Comparatively little is known about funerals that took place in the Hall of the House. Beginning with Congressman Nathaniel Hazard of Rhode Island in 1820, the House Chamber has hosted 30 funerals for sitting Members. As timed progressed, the House developed standing practices that were employed when a serving Member passed away: the announcement of the Member’s death was made on the House Floor; a resolution was made regarding the funeral; a resolution was made to don black armbands for a period of 30 days; Congress adjourned out of respect; and the House followed by hosting or attending the funeral. From the early 1800s to 1870s, many Members of the House that died in the capital city were buried in Congressional Cemetery, located in the northeast section of Washington, D.C. Of the 70 Members buried at Congressional Cemetery, eight had funerals in the House Chamber. In addition, 108 Members of the House are honored in Congressional Cemetery with cenotaphs—four-sided memorial stones with a name engraved on each side of the monument. Eight of the cenotaphs, including that of John Quincy Adams of Massachusetts, memorialize those Members whose funerals were held in the House Chamber. The practice of the cenotaphs ended in the 1870s with the exception of two: Representatives Hale Boggs of Louisiana and Nicolas Begich of Alaska, who passed away in 1972. In cases where the late Representatives’ funerals were not held in the Capitol, Members were transported by funeral train back to their home district or a location designated by the family. A delegation from the House was traditionally appointed to attend the funeral. The House paid for the cost of the delegation’s travel and documented the outlay in the Clerk’s contingent expenses report. On occasion, what was referred to as a "state funeral" was held in the House Chamber. These state funerals generally had a specific guest list consisting of the President, Justices of the Supreme Court, Senators, and fellow House Members. Both Speaker Champ Clark of Missouri and Representative James Mann of Illinois (see photo to the right) were accorded state funerals in the chamber.1 With Congress and the country continuing to grow, the House agreed to set a $1,000 spending limit out of its contingent expenses to cover the cost of funerals in 1883. This was designed to put a stop to extravagant funerals, which were becoming more prevalent.2 In 1932, during the depths of the Great Depression, the House determined that sitting Member funerals no longer would be paid for with contingent expenses of the House.3 The last funeral to take place in the House Chamber was Speaker William Bankhead of Alabama in 1940. When retired, Speaker Thomas “Tip” O’Neill of Massachusetts passed away in 1996, Congress honored the former Speaker by adorning the rostrum on the House Floor with funeral wreaths.

Funeral of James Mann in the House Chamber Image courtesy of Library of Congress

	Member	Date of Funeral Service	Location
	Nathaniel Hazard*	December 18, 18204	House Chamber
	Jesse Slocumb*	December 21, 18205	House Chamber
	John Linn**	January 6, 18216	House Chamber
	William A. Burwell*	February 17, 18217	House Chamber
	Thomas T. Bouldin*	February 13, 18348	House Chamber
	Warren R. Davis*	January 30, 18359	House Chamber
	Jonathan Cilley**	February 27, 183810	House Chamber
	Joab Lawler*	May 9, 183811	House Chamber
	Lewis Williams**	February 25, 184212	House Chamber
	Joseph Lawrence*	April 19, 184213	House Chamber
	Peter E. Bossier**	April 26, 184414	House Chamber
	William Taylor*	January 19, 184615	House Chamber
	Richard P. Herrick**	June 23, 184616	House Chamber
	John Quincy Adams**	February 26, 184817	House Chamber
	James A. Black**	April 5, 184818	House Chamber
	Philip Johnson**	February 3, 186719	House Chamber
	David B. Mellish	May 26, 187420	House Chamber
	Samuel Hooper	February 16, 187521	House Chamber
	Edmund W.M. Mackey	January 30, 188422	House Chamber
	Morrison R. Waite	March 28, 188823	House Chamber
	William D. Kelley	January 11, 189024	House Chamber
	Nelson Dingley, Jr.	January 16, 189925	House Chamber
	Amos Cummings	May 4, 190226	House Chamber
	Sereno E. Payne	December 13, 191427	House Chamber
	James B. (Champ) Clark	March 5, 192128	House Chamber
	James R. Mann	December 3, 192229	House Chamber
	Martin B. Madden	April 29, 192830	House Chamber
	Edward W. Pou	April 2, 193431	House Chamber
	Joseph W. Byrns	June 5, 193632	House Chamber
	William B. Bankhead	September 17, 194033	House Chamber

	*indicates the Member is buried in Congressional Cemetery. **indicates the Member is memorialized on a cenotaph at Congressional Cemetery.
	Bibliography Online Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, http://bioguide.congress.gov.; House Journal, various Congresses.; History of the Congressional Cemetery, 59th Cong., 2nd sess., Senate Doc. 72 (GPO: 1906). ; House Report No. 2035, 47th Congress, 2nd Sess.; House Report No. 2035 (47th Congress, 2nd Sess.; “Funerals or Services in the United States Capitol,” Architect of the Capitol’s office, Office of the Curator, July 1998.; Historic Congressional Cemetery, http://www.congressionalcemetery.org/.

1. Nation Mourns Champ Clark,” Boston Daily Globe, 3 March 1921: 1. “ Washington To Honor Mann At Rites In Capitol,” Chicago Daily Tribune, 2 December 1922: 4.
2. House Report No. 2035, 47th Cong., 2nd sess.
3. House Report No. 1757, 72nd Cong., 1st sess.
4. House Journal , 16th Cong., (18 December 1820): 76-77.
5. House Journal , 16th Cong, (21 December 1820): 87-88.
6. House Journal , 16th Cong, (16 January 1821): 111-112.
7. House Journal , 16th Cong, (17 February 1821): 244.
8. House Journal , 23rd Cong, (13 February 1834): 320.
9. House Journal , 23rd Cong, (29 January 1835): 126.
10. House Journal , 25th Cong, (27 February 1838): 501.
11. House Journal , 25th Cong, (9 May 1838): 856.
12. House Journal , 27th Cong, (24 February 1842): 440
13. House Journal , 27th Cong, (18 April 1842): 722.
14. House Journal , 28th Cong, (25 April 1844): 851.
15. House Journal , 29th Cong, (19 January 1846): 271-272.
16. House Journal , 29th Cong, (23 June 1846): 996-997.
17. House Journal , 30th Cong, (24 February 1848): 446.
18. House Journal , 30th Cong, (5 April 1848): 655.
19. House Journal , 39th Cong, (2 February 1867): 317.
20. House Journal , 43rd Cong, (25 May 1854): 618.
21. House Journal , 43rd Cong, (16 February 1875): 479. “Death of the Honorable Samuel Hooper,” Boston Globe, 15 February 1875: 1.
22. House Journal , 48th Cong, (30 January 1884): 452. “The Death-Roll: Funeral of Congressman Mackey,” Chicago Daily Tribune, 31 January 1884: 1.
23. House Journal , 50th Cong, (28 March 1888): 1351. “A National Loss: Sudden Death of Chief Justice Waite,” Los Angeles Times, 24 March 1888: 4.
24. House Journal , 51st Cong, (11 January 1890): 108. “Died in Harness, Judge Kelly Expires at Capitol,” Boston Daily Globe, 10 January 1890: 1.
25. House Journal , 55th Cong, (14 January 1899): 76. “Death of Dingley,” Boston Daily Globe, 14 January 1899: 1.
26. House Journal , 57th Cong, (3 May 1902): 672. “Over Amos Cummings’ Body,” Atlantic Constitution, 5 May 1902: 2.
27. House Journal, 63rd Cong., (14 December 1914): 32. “Sereno E. Payne Dies Suddenly of Heart Failure,” Chicago Daily Tribune, 11 December 1914: 1.
28. House Journal, 66th Cong., (2 March 1921): 294. “Nation Mourns Champ Clark,” Boston Daily Globe, 3 March 1921: 1.
29. House Journal, 67th Cong., (2 December 1922): 24. “ Washington To Honor Mann At Rites In Capitol,” Chicago Daily Tribune, 2 December 1922: 4.
30. House Journal, 70th Cong., (29 April 1928): 768. “Madden Funeral Is Held In Capitol,” New York Times, 30 April 1928: 1.
31. House Journal, 73rd Cong., (2 April 1934): 335. “Rep. E.W. Pou, House Dean, Dead at 70,” Washington Post, 2 April 1934: 1.
32. House Journal, 74th Cong., (5 June 1936): 560. “Speaker J.W. Byrns Dies From Stroke In Home At Capital,” New York Times, 4 June 1936: 1.
33. House Journal, 76th Cong., (16 September 1940): 956. “Hold Bankhead Rites in House Chamber Today,” Chicago Daily Tribune, 16 September 1840: 14.