Beau Biden funeral draws political heavyweights
Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle appeared at Beau Biden’s funeral Saturday in an outpouring of support for Vice President Joe Biden after his son’s death late last week.
The bipartisan display took place at St. Anthony of Padua Roman Catholic Church in Wilmington, Del.
{mosads}Beau Biden, 46, died on May 30 following a two-year battle with brain cancer.
Congressional leadership from both parties attended the mass in a rare moment of cooperation amid the vice president’s grief.
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) represented Democrats from both Congressional chambers.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), meanwhile, represented Republicans, while Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) was notably absent.
Former President Bill Clinton and Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton attended the service, as well as members of Obama’s cabinet and other members of Congress.
The lawmakers present included: House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) and Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Tom Carper (D-Del.) and Chris Coons (D-Del.).
Reps. Steve Israel (D-N.Y.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), Dutch Ruppersberger (D-Md), Niki Tsongas (D-Mass.), David Cicilline (D-R.I.) and John Carney (D-Del.) also attended.
Many of the Obama administration’s former and current cabinet members were also present.
Attorney General Loretta Lynch appeared. Beau Biden was Delaware’s attorney general between 2007 and earlier this year.
She was joined by her predecessor Eric Holder, who left the Department of Justice in late April.
Other cabinet members appearing were: Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell, Secretary of Agriculture Thomas Vilsack, Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julian Castro, Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robert McDonald and Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker.
Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Shaun Donovan appeared, as did Export-Import Bank Chairman Fred Hochberg.
Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy and Small Business Administration Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet also visited Saturday morning’s service.
Caroline Kennedy, U.S. ambassador to Japan and daughter of the late President John F. Kennedy, attended the mass in Wilmington.
Vicki Kennedy, the widow of the late Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.), another brain cancer victim, additionally appeared.
U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman, meanwhile, was the other major diplomat in attendance besides Caroline Kennedy.
Gen. Raymond Odierno, a close friend of Beau Biden, will deliver a eulogy during Saturday’s funeral. He was the Commanding General while Beau Biden served in Iraq.
Odierno will give Beau Biden the Legion of Merit on Saturday.
The vice president’s son previously won the bronze star while in the Delaware National Guard.
Beau Biden was reportedly mulling a 2016 gubernatorial run in Delaware before his death.
He is survived by his wife Hallie Biden and his children, Hunter and Natalie Biden.
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