( CNN ) -- Rep. Bill Young of Florida , the longest-serving Republican member of the House , died Friday evening , his chief of staff said . Harry Glenn said that C.W . Bill Young was surrounded by family when he died at 6:50 p.m. at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda , Maryland . `` The cause of death was complications related to a chronic injury , '' Glenn said . News of Young 's death came two days after his family said in a statement that he was `` gravely ill. '' The 22-term representative was n't on the House floor for the vote on reopening the government and raising the debt ceiling . Just last week , he announced that he would n't run for another term . `` It 's my time , '' the 82-year-old told the Tampa Bay Times in a phone interview . As to why he was retiring , Young said , `` I do n't know that I would pick out one thing . It 's a lot of things . '' Among them , Young said , was his frustration with congressional gridlock . `` I 'm a little disappointed . It seems there 's too much politics . It 's a different Congress , '' he told the Times . Young was first elected to the House in November 1970 . After serving 10 years in the Florida State Senate and 43 years in the U.S. House , Young spent more than half a century in elected office . He served with a total of eight presidents . During his tenure , Young was heralded for his expertise on defense issues . He chaired the full House Appropriations committee and its defense subcommittee during his tenure on Capitol Hill . Former House Speaker Tom Foley dead at 84 . People we 've lost in 2013 .
Rep. Young had served 22 terms in the U.S. House . Young , 82 , announced last week he would not seek re-election . His family said earlier this week the congressman was `` gravely ill ''