Senator Daniel K. Inouye will lie in state in the Capitol Rotunda on Thursday, December 20. All tours of the Capitol will be suspended on that day. On Friday, December 21, tours will resume at noon. The Capitol Visitor Center will be open on Thursday only for those wishing to pay their respects, official visitors or individuals who have House or Senate Gallery passes. Entry for the viewing, which will take place on Thursday from noon to 8 p.m., is through the Capitol Visitor Center. Those who plan to attend should consult the list of prohibited items at the U.S. Capitol before arriving.
The Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol has been considered the most suitable place for the nation to pay final tribute to its most eminent citizens by having their remains lay in state or in honor (complete list). The historic catafalque is a platform that supports the casket of all those who have lain in state in the Capitol Rotunda. The catafalque was hastily constructed in 1865 to support the casket of Abraham Lincoln while the president's body lay in state in the Rotunda. The catafalque has since been used for all those who have lain in state in the Capitol Rotunda, as listed below. When not in use, the catafalque is kept in a specially constructed display area in the Exhibition Hall of the Capitol Visitor Center.
Senator Daniel K. Inouye, was the most senior member of the U.S. Senate and was the President Pro-Tempore, he is known for his distinguished record as a legislative leader, and as a World War II combat veteran with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, who earned the nation’s highest award for military valor, the Medal of Honor. Senator Inouye's complete biography is available at http://www.inouye.senate.gov/about-dan/biography.
