Lincoln catafalque

No law, written rule, or regulation specifies who may lie in state; use of the Capitol rotunda is controlled by concurrent action of the House and Senate.

Any person who has rendered distinguished service to the nation may lie in state if the family so wishes and Congress approves.

The catafalque is a simple bier of rough pine boards nailed together and covered with black cloth.

Although the base and platform have occasionally been altered to accommodate the larger size of modern coffins and for the ease of the attending military personnel, it is basically the same today as it was in Lincoln's time.

A list of those who have lain on the catafalque: 1.^ Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg had lain on the steps of the Supreme Court of the United States on September 23 and 24, 2020, and inside the United States Capitol on September 25, 2020, in the National Statuary Hall.