State Tribute to Former President Carter at the Capitol

Thousands of people braved freezing temperatures to make their way to the US Capitol to pay their respects to former President Jimmy Carter, who was held in state honors Wednesday in the heart of American democracy, ahead of his state funeral.

The many visitors, including several elected officials and Vice President Kamala Harris, highlighted the achievements and humanity of the 100-year-old former president, who died last month.

David Smith, a professor at George Mason University's Carter School of Peace and Conflict Resolution, said the former president definitely influenced his career. He told VOA that he came to the Capitol to honor the man, but also to honor the causes of former President Carter.

"He had such an impact on so many people," he said. "His work supporting minorities, appointing women to the judiciary, protecting our environment, human rights activism - all those things are very important to me."

The former president's flag-draped casket arrived in the Capitol lobby on Tuesday, ahead of Thursday's state funeral.

In that grand space — where only about 50 Americans have been given this special honor since 1852 — Senate Majority Leader Jon Thune, at a service late Tuesday, described former President Carter as: "A Navy veteran, peanut farmer, governor of Georgia. And the president of the United States. Church school teacher. Nobel Prize Winner. Advocate for peace and human rights. And above all, a loyal servant of his creator and his fellow citizens."

And Vice President Harris — who the day before, in this very building, certified the incoming president's victory — extolled former President Carter's policies.

"He was the first president of the United States to have a comprehensive energy policy, including providing some of the first federal support for clean energy," she said Tuesday. "He also passed over twelve major pieces of environmental protection legislation. And more than doubled the size of America's national parks."

mr. Carter, who served as the 39th president, died on December 29 at the age of 100 after nearly two years under medical observation in the state of Georgia. Since then, his last journey took his coffin through the narrow streets of his humble hometown, the town of Plains; through the boulevards of Atlanta, the state capital, and through the skies of snowy Washington, DC, for his state funeral.

Thursday's funeral will bring together President Joe Biden and former presidents, including President Biden's predecessor and successor, President-elect Donald Trump. The president-elect arrived in Washington on Wednesday evening to pay tribute to former President Carter and meet with Republican lawmakers. VOA (A2 Televizion)