Republican Don Young dies after 49 years in Congress: report

The Dean of the House of Representatives has passed away after 49 years in Congress.

“It’s with heavy hearts and deep sadness that we announce Congressman Don Young, the Dean of the House and revered champion for Alaska, passed away today while traveling home to Alaska to be with the state and people that he loved,” his office said in a statement.

The Anchorage Daily Newsreported, "Young, a Republican and the longest-serving member of Congress, lost consciousness on a flight from Los Angeles to Seattle and couldn’t be resuscitated, said Jack Ferguson, a lobbyist who served as Young’s chief of staff."

Young was running for a 26th term in Congress. He also served in the Alaska House of Representatives, state Senate, and mayor of Fort Yukon.

At one point in his long career, Young reportedly held Rep. John Boehner (R-OH) up against the wall with a 10-inch knife to his throat during a discussion on earmarks.

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