Former Congressman Bob Michel has died at age 93. Michel was a member of the United States House of Representatives for 38 years. He represented central Illinois' 18th congressional district, and was the GOP leader in Congress, serving as Minority Leader for 14 years of Democratic Party dominance of the House.
Michel was awarded the Presidential Citizens Medal in 1989 by outgoing president Ronald Reagan. It's the second highest civilian award given, In 1994, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award in the United States, by President Bill Clinton.
A graduate of Bradley University in Peoria, the town where he was born and raised.