Sen. Chris Coons (D., Del.) on Sunday backed Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer's (D., N.Y.) call to rename the Russell Senate Office Building after Sen. John McCain (R., Ariz.).
McCain passed away on Saturday after a year-long battle with an aggressive form of brain cancer. The senator was such a monumental figure that leaders around the world have shared their respects for the Arizona senator.
After the news of McCain's passing, Schumer wrote in a tweet that he would introduce a resolution to rename the Russell Senate Office Building after the one time Republican presidential candidate.
"Nothing will overcome the loss of Senator McCain, but so that generations remember him I will be introducing a resolution to rename the Russell building after him," Schumer tweeted.
The Senate, the United States, and the world are lesser places without John McCain.
Nothing will overcome the loss of Senator McCain, but so that generations remember him I will be introducing a resolution to rename the Russell building after him.
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) August 26, 2018
McCain's Washington, D.C. office was located in the Russell Building. The building is currently named after former Sen. Richard Russell Jr, a Democratic senator from Georgia, who was in favor of racial segregation. The building was the first office building for the Senate and is located across Constitution Avenue from the Capitol.
Coons agreed with Schumer's resolution, telling CNN on Sunday morning that renaming the building would be a good way to honor McCain.
"I think it's an excellent idea," Coons said. "We should honor John in a couple of ways. That would be a terrific thing for us to do, I think. I also think we should do more for national service. He fought tirelessly for our armed forces and veterans and he believed national service whether civilian or military helps bring our country together. Helps make it possible for young people to earn college and gain skills and I'd like to do something in the national service arena in his name and his honor."
"And last, anyone who is watching, if you know someone who is a Vietnam era veteran, or a veteran of any kind, we could all do more in John's memory to be grateful for and support America's veterans," Coons added.
Prior to his service in Congress, McCain had served as the Navy's liaison to the Senate, where he was first introduced to many lawmakers where he would later work with as a senator.
Along with his grandfather and father, McCain is the namesake of the destroyer USS John S. McCain.