HISTORIC HONOR: WATCH AS AMERICA'S PASTOR TRAVELS TO WASHINGTON ONE LAST TIME

by CBN News

The man known as "America’s Pastor," Billy Graham, is in Washington, DC one last time Wednesday as his body lies in honor in the US Capitol Rotunda.

Some 30 family members are accompanying Graham’s casket to the city where he befriended and counseled presidents on both sides of the aisle.

Graham died last Wednesday at the age of 99.

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For House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-WI, and other congressional leaders, there was never any doubt that Graham would receive this honor.

"We got together and decided this is obviously something we should do," said Ryan. "Between Mitch, the president, myself, and Patrick McHenry we made that decision very quickly."

Eleven presidents and other distinguished Americans have had the honor, but Graham is only the fourth private citizen to lie in honor in the Capitol.

The others are civil rights heroine Rosa Parks in 2005 and two US Capitol Police officers who died in the line of duty in 1998.