The Congressional Cemetery is an historic cemetery located in the Anacostia section of Washington, DC.

As could be surmised from its name, it is the final resting place of many members of the United States Congress. Most of these persons died in Washington while Congress was in session or afterwards when they were too ill to return to their homes. Others were former members who had retired in the Washington area. Other persons, including family members, are also buried there.

In recent years, very few members of Congress have been interred at this location. There are several reasons for this. One is the improvement in transportation; most members of Congress who become gravely ill are able to be taken to their home area for treatment. Another is a result of advances in preservation of human remains; if members die suddenly, their remains are usually embalmed and then returned to their home state, and refrigeration, embalming and motuary science in general have advanced greatly in recent decades. A further factor is the area of the city in which the cemetery is located; Anacostia has long been considered a largely-undesirable area with many low income residents, many of whom dwell in public housing. Even daytime visitors to the cemetery looking to visit the historic graves often feel intimidated; this is an environment in which very few affluent families, from which nearly all members of Congress are drawn, desire for the remains of their loved ones to be interred.

Other persons who have served the United States Government are also eligible for interrment there under certain circumstances; perhaps one of the more celebrated incidences of this occurring in recent years was when Leonard Matlovich , a gay U.S. Air Force Vietnam veteran who was an early activist for gay rights with regard to military members, was buried there.

External Links

• [Congressional Cemetery Website]