Lawmakers in Washington remember the late Senator Bob Dole

WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - A Capitol Hill icon passed away at 98 Sunday. Former Sen. Bob Dole (R-Kan.) is being remembered by colleagues and friends as a hero whose legacy will live on.

There has been a bipartisan outpouring of support for the late senator, who served in the Senate for 27 years.

Before serving in the Senate, the Russell, Kan. native was nearly killed in World War II, sustaining injuries that stayed with him the rest of his life.

“He didn’t have the ability to shake a hand in kind of the normal way, but he went out of his way to make sure that every World War II veteran, really every veteran, knew that he or she was appreciated,” said Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.).

Moran shared stories with the Gray Television Washington News Bureau of being with Dole as he greeted World War II veterans at the memorial in Washington - a memorial Dole helped make a reality.

Moran says Dole is the first senator he ever met. He called Dole an unscripted, witty war hero who devoted his life to serving his nation in conflict and in peacetime.

Others around Capitol Hill joined Moran in mourning the death of a man they looked up to as a mentor, colleague, and friend.

Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), the longest serving senator, worked alongside Dole for years. He posted on Instagram Sunday:

Moran believes most Kansans would say they still wish Bob Dole was their senator today. Moran says Dole loved his state, especially the people in it.

“They knew that Bob Dole cared about them and worked hard on their behalf,” said Moran.

Moran says he expects Dole’s remains to lie in state in the U.S. Capitol. He also expects a memorial service to take place at the National Cathedral.

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