[Senate Document 109-15]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]






109th Congress------------------------------------------S. Doc. 109-15 



 
               TRIBUTES TO HON. ROBERT C. BYRD



                                           

                                   Robert C. Byrd

                    U.S. SENATOR FROM WEST VIRGINIA

                                TRIBUTES

                           IN THE CONGRESS OF

                           THE UNITED STATES



                                           


                                           


             

Robert C. Byrd


                                      Tributes

                                Delivered in Congress

                                   Robert C. Byrd

                              United States Congressman

                                      1953-1958

                                United States Senator

                                        1959-

                                          a
                                           


                                           


                            Compiled under the direction

                                       of the

                             Joint Committee on Printing

                                Trent Lott, Chairman
                                           
                                      CONTENTS
             Biography.............................................
                                                                      v
             Proceedings in the Senate:
                Tributes by Senators:
                    Akaka, Daniel K., of Hawaii....................
                                                                     74
                    Alexander, Lamar, of Tennessee.................
                                                                     36
                    Baucus, Max, of Montana........................
                                                                     64
                    Biden, Joseph R., Jr., of Delaware.............
                                                                     75
                    Boxer, Barbara, of California..................
                                                                     59
                    Chambliss, Saxby, of Georgia...................
                                                                     38
                    Clinton, Hillary Rodham, of New York...........
                                                                     48
                    Coburn, Tom, of Oklahoma.......................
                                                                     51
                    Cochran, Thad, of Mississippi..................
                                                                     75
                    Coleman, Norm, of Minnesota....................
                                                                     76
                    Dodd, Christopher J., of Connecticut...........
                                                                     65
                    Domenici, Pete V., of New Mexico...............
                                                                     34
                    Durbin, Richard, of Illinois...................
                                                                     20
                    Enzi, Michael B., Wyoming......................
                                                                     79
                    Frist, William H., of Tennessee................
                                                                      3
                    Harkin, Tom, of Iowa...........................
                                                                     68
                    Hatch, Orrin G., of Utah.......................
                                                                     45
                    Isakson, Johnny, of Georgia....................
                                                                     41
                    Johnson, Tim, of South Dakota..................
                                                                     46
                    Kennedy, Edward M., of Massachusetts...........
                                                                     30
                    Kohl, Herb, of Wisconsin.......................
                                                                     58
                    Landrieu, Mary L., of Louisiana................
                                                                     69
                    Lautenberg, Frank R., of New Jersey............
                                                                     54
                    Leahy, Patrick J., of Vermont..................
                                                                     81
                    Levin, Carl, of Michigan.......................
                                                                     39
                    Lieberman, Joseph I., of Connecticut...........
                                                                     62
                    Martinez, Mel, of Florida......................
                                                                     78
                    McConnell, Mitch, of Kentucky..................
                                                                  9, 71
                    Mikulski, Barbara A., of Maryland..............
                                                                     47
                    Murray, Patty, of Washington...................
                                                                     57
                    Nelson, Bill, of Florida.......................
                                                                     53
                    Obama, Barak, of Illinois......................
                                                                     60
                    Reed, Jack, of Rhode Island....................
                                                                     51
                    Reid, Harry, of Nevada.........................
                                                                      4
                    Rockefeller, John D., IV, of West Virginia.....
                                                                     43
                    Salazar, Ken, of Colorado......................
                                                                     18
                    Sarbanes, Paul S., of Maryland.................
                                                                     71
                    Smith, Gordon H., of Oregon....................
                                                                     51
                    Specter, Arlen, of Pennsylvania................
                                                                     15
                    Stevens, Ted, of Alaska........................
                                                                     13
                    Warner, John, of Virginia......................
                                                                 25, 39
             Proceedings in the House of Representatives:
                Tributes by Representatives:
                    Mollohan, Alan B., of West Virginia............
                                                                     83
                    Rahall, Nick J., II, of West Virginia..........
                                                                     83
                                      Biography

               Robert C. Byrd's story is a classic American saga of 
             hard work, success, and achievement.
               Born in 1917 in North Wilkesboro, NC, Robert Byrd was 
             left a virtual orphan by the death of his mother when he 
             was only 1 year old. Brought to West Virginia by his aunt 
             and uncle to be reared as their own, the future Senator 
             grew up in various communities in the bituminous 
             coalfields, mastering life's early lessons and graduating 
             as valedictorian of his high school class in the depths of 
             the Great Depression in the 1930s.
               Unable at the time to afford college tuition, Byrd 
             sought employment wherever he found an opportunity--
             pumping gas at a filling station, working as a produce 
             salesman, and then becoming a meat cutter--picking up new 
             skills as he advanced.
               One of those skills--welding--was in demand after World 
             War II started, and he worked during the war years 
             building Liberty and Victory ships in the construction 
             yards of Baltimore, MD, and Tampa, FL.
               At war's end, he returned to West Virginia with a new 
             vision of what his home State and his country could be. In 
             1946, he made his first run for political office, and was 
             elected to the West Virginia House of Delegates.
               After two terms in the West Virginia House of Delegates, 
             Byrd was elected to the West Virginia Senate; then to the 
             U.S. House of Representatives for three terms; and 
             finally, in 1958, to the U.S. Senate, where he has 
             represented West Virginia continuously since, winning 
             reelection again and again by record margins in statewide 
             elections. He has served longer in the U.S. Senate than 
             has anyone else in West Virginia's history, an indication 
             of the confidence, faith, and trust that the people of his 
             home State have regarding him. In fact, in the history of 
             the Republic, only two other Members of Congress have had 
             a longer tenure than Senator Byrd's congressional career 
             of more than 50 years.
               In addition to fulfilling his Senate responsibilities, 
             he earned his law degree (J.D.), cum laude, from American 
             University in Washington, DC, in 1963 after 10 years of 
             study in night classes. This marked the first time in 
             history that a sitting Member of either House of the 
             Congress has accomplished the feat of beginning and 
             completing the courses of study leading to a law degree 
             while serving in Congress. Byrd was awarded his bachelor 
             of arts degree in political science, summa cum laude, by 
             Marshall University in 1994, at the age of 77.
               Continuing his upward trajectory, Senator Byrd became a 
             member of the Senate leadership in 1967, when he was 
             selected by his colleagues to be secretary of the 
             Democratic Conference. In 1971, he was chosen Senate 
             Democratic whip. In 1977, he was elected Democratic leader 
             by his Democratic colleagues, a position he held for six 
             consecutive terms. For the 12 years he held the position 
             of Democratic leader--from January 1977 through December 
             1988--Senator Byrd served as Senate majority leader 6 
             years (1977-1980, 1987-1988) and as Senate minority leader 
             6 years (1981-1986).
               On two different occasions, Senator Byrd has served as 
             chairman of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, 
             on which he has held membership since January 1959. Also 
             twice, Senator Byrd unanimously was elected President pro 
             tempore of the Senate, a post that placed him third in 
             line of succession to the Presidency. He was President pro 
             tempore from 1989 through 1994, and again from June 2001 
             through the end of 2002.
               Robert Byrd has the distinction of having held more 
             leadership positions in the U.S. Senate than any other 
             Senator of any party in Senate history and, on June 12, 
             2006, became the longest serving Senator in the history of 
             the Republic.
               In May 2001, Senator Byrd received what he considers his 
             greatest honor when Governor Bob Wise and both Houses of 
             the West Virginia Legislature named him ``West Virginian 
             of the 20th Century.'' In 2006, West Virginia voters 
             elected Senator Byrd to an unprecedented ninth 6-year term 
             in the U.S. Senate. He also has cast more votes than any 
             other Senator in the history of the Republic, having cast 
             more than 17,700 votes.
               Senator Byrd was married for more than 68 years to the 
             former Erma Ora James, his high school sweetheart and a 
             coal miner's daughter. Mrs. Byrd died on March 25, 2006, 
             after battling a long illness. The couple has two 
             daughters, Mrs. Mohammad (Mona Byrd) Fatemi and Mrs. Jon 
             (Marjorie Byrd) Moore. They have six grandchildren--Erik, 
             Darius, and Fredrik Fatemi; Michael (deceased), Mona Byrd 
             Moore Pearson, and Mary Anne Moore Clarkson--and six 
             great-grandchildren: Caroline Byrd Fatemi; Kathryn James 
             Fatemi, and Anna Cristina Honora Fatemi; Emma James 
             Clarkson and Hannah Byrd Clarkson; and Michael Yoo Fatemi.


                                           

                                      TRIBUTES

                                         TO

                                   ROBERT C. BYRD
                              Proceedings in the Senate
                                                  Monday, June 12, 2006
               Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, today marks an extraordinary--
             extraordinary--milestone in the history of the Senate and 
             in the life of one of our most distinguished colleagues.
               Today, Robert C. Byrd, the senior Senator from West 
             Virginia, becomes the longest serving Senator in the 
             history of the United States.
               Today, he will have served 17,327 days in office, and 
             outlasted 1,885 Senators who have graced this Chamber 
             since 1789. He has cast more votes than any other Senator. 
             And this year, Senator Byrd is running for an 
             unprecedented ninth term.
               Our distinguished colleague has amassed an astonishing 
             record of service, and it is my privilege and honor to pay 
             tribute to the Dean of the Senate--one of the greatest 
             orators in the grand tradition of this august institution.
               Senator Byrd won his first election to the Senate back 
             in 1958. Lyndon Johnson was the majority leader. Dwight 
             Eisenhower was President. And the Soviets had won the 
             space race with the launch of Sputnik.
               Senator Byrd joined the Appropriations Committee and 
             quickly got to work learning the ins and outs of 
             parliamentary procedure.
               Senator Byrd has been called a walking encyclopedia of 
             Congress. Indeed, in his career he has authored a four-
             volume history of the U.S. Senate.
               In 1971, Senator Byrd was chosen Senate Democratic whip. 
             In 1977, he was elected Democratic leader, a position held 
             for six consecutive terms.
               He led the Senate as majority leader for 6 years, and 
             served as minority leader for another 6.
               Senator Byrd has twice been elected President pro 
             tempore.
               All told, Robert C. Byrd has held more leadership 
             positions in the Senate than any other Senator in history.
               But even having attained this extraordinary influence, 
             Senator Byrd has never forgotten where he came from or who 
             sent him here.
               From early on in his career, he demonstrated his deep 
             commitment to the people of West Virginia. His loyalty, 
             closeness, and respect have been rewarded. Senator Byrd 
             has won overwhelming majorities in each of his reelection 
             campaigns, winning with 78 percent in 2000.
               He is known across his State for his unflagging support 
             for his constituents and the future and welfare of those 
             people of West Virginia. In 2001, he was named by his 
             State ``West Virginian of the 20th Century.''
               Today marks a great achievement for the senior Senator, 
             but in some ways it is also bittersweet.
               Today, Erma Byrd, the Senator's wife of nearly seven 
             decades, would have turned 89 years old. The Senator has 
             said that his love for Erma was greater than anything in 
             his life. Without her, he could not have reached such 
             great heights, nor could he have endured the inevitable 
             rough patches of political life.
               On the occasion of their 65th wedding anniversary, the 
             Senator paid an eloquent tribute to his high school 
             sweetheart. His words:

               Erma and I are complete and whole, a total that is more 
             than the sum of its parts. In my life, Erma Byrd is the 
             diamond. She is the priceless treasure, a multifaceted 
             woman of great insight and wisdom, of quiet humor and 
             common sense.

               Senator Byrd has said that, for him, today's achievement 
             will pass with little fanfare or pride. Today, he will do 
             what he has always done on June 12. He will honor his dear 
             wife Erma, remember her and pray for her.
               So we will celebrate on his behalf and pay honor to them 
             both--Senator Byrd for his lifelong service to his 
             country, and Erma for her quiet and steady support for the 
             country gentleman from West Virginia.
               When history is written, I am certain that Senator Byrd 
             will hold a prominent place as a Senate legend--and in no 
             small part because of the love of a kind and gentle lady, 
             Erma Ora Byrd.

               The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The minority leader is 
             recognized.

               Mr. REID. Mr. President, it is Monday. The galleries do 
             not have many people in them. We have a new batch of 
             pages. Others graduated recently. But everyone here--pages 
             and those in the gallery--should recognize that today is a 
             day of history in America.

               Public service is about personal sacrifice for the 
             greater good. It is about reaching for the better angels 
             of our human nature.

               That quote is a great quote for today. That quote is 
             from Robert Byrd, which should come as no surprise because 
             the description fits him to a tee.
               As we have heard from the distinguished majority leader, 
             Senator Byrd passes Strom Thurmond, who I had the good 
             fortune to serve with, and becomes the longest serving 
             Senator in American history, with 17,327 days--17,327 
             days--of service in the Senate.
               You add that to his 6 years in the House of 
             Representatives, and Robert Byrd has served in the 
             Congress 25 percent of the time we have been a Nation. 
             Seventy-five percent of the time other people served in 
             the Congress. But this one man has served 25 percent of 
             the time we have been a country. This gives us some 
             perspective of what a significant day this actually is. 
             The U.S. Senate first met in New York City in 1789.
               Robert C. Byrd has served a distinguished career. His 
             career in the Senate is significant, important, and 
             impressive. But his life is impressive.
               America is a place where everyone has a chance. It does 
             not matter that you are an orphan at age 1. It does not 
             matter that you are raised with an aunt and uncle. It does 
             not matter that your new parents work very, very hard in 
             the coal mines of West Virginia. Because, you see, in 
             America people can succeed no matter what the status of 
             their parents.
               Robert Byrd is testimony to that. He graduated 
             valedictorian of his high school class. He went to work in 
             the depths of the Great Depression because he had no way 
             of paying to go to college. He worked at a number of 
             different jobs. He worked odd jobs wherever he could find 
             them, pumping gas, selling produce, working as a meat 
             cutter, a butcher, and even during World War II doing some 
             welding on Liberty and Victory ships.
               After the war, he returned to West Virginia and began 
             his distinguished career of public service.
               The West Virginia House of Delegates was his first 
             elected position. Then he was elected to the West Virginia 
             Senate. Then he was elected to the U.S. House of 
             Representatives in the early 1950s. In 1958, he was 
             elected to the U.S. Senate.
               His career of leadership is unsurpassed and will always 
             be unsurpassed. He has been a mentor to me for all these 
             many years and a leader for whom all of us in this body 
             have the highest respect.
               But as we have already heard, for all of his accolades--
             and there have been many--Senator Byrd himself will tell 
             you his greatest success truly came on a late day in May 
             1937, when he put on his best suit, traveled to the nearby 
             town of Sophia, WV, and married his high school 
             sweetheart, Erma. Today is her birthday.
               Now, I had the good fortune to travel, on a couple of 
             occasions, with Erma Byrd and the Senator. We had work to 
             do around the world. What a wonderful, wonderful woman. 
             She was kind, thoughtful, and quiet, but with a great 
             presence about her. I remember having the honor, really--
             and it was that--of Senator Byrd asking me to go to West 
             Virginia. We had a parliamentary exchange with the British 
             Parliament.
               I had heard this song, ``West Virginia Hills,'' but it 
             never meant anything to me until that occasion in a mesa 
             in West Virginia where we gathered with those British 
             parliamentarians for an evening event to listen to some 
             bluegrass music, to watch the Sun go down in those West 
             Virginia hills. That is something I will always remember 
             of Robert Byrd and his lovely wife Erma.
               There has been no greater advocate in the almost 18,000 
             days this man has served in the Senate, and the more than 
             18,000 days he has served in the Congress, no greater 
             advocate for the State of West Virginia than Senator 
             Robert Byrd.
               He has fought to improve access to education and health 
             care. The things he has done for transportation in West 
             Virginia are legendary. He has brought jobs there. He has 
             done things to protect pensioners.
               We just passed on May 24 an example of what Senator Byrd 
             does for West Virginia. The Mine Improvement and New 
             Emergency Response Act of 2006 was passed on May 24. 
             President Bush will sign this into law. Again, it is 
             important legislation for miners across the country. It 
             means a lot to me. I have spoken to Senator Byrd about 
             miners. My father was a miner. And I am proud of the work 
             Senator Byrd has done for West Virginia because it helps 
             all miners.
               I asked, as I was coming here, my long-serving personal 
             assistant Janice Shelton: What do you want me to say about 
             Senator Byrd? She has worked with me all the time I have 
             been in the Senate.
               She said: No Senator comes and talks to the country like 
             Senator Byrd.
               The Fourth of July you prepare your own speech; you read 
             your own speech about the Fourth of July. Thanksgiving, if 
             we are here, you give a speech on Thanksgiving. Christmas, 
             Mother's Day, wonderful--I can still remember your 
             speeches on Mother's Day. The reason those speeches are so 
             important to every one of us--of course, they are 
             important to you; they reflect upon your mother, the woman 
             who raised you--is because it causes us to reflect on our 
             own mothers. Every time you gave one of those speeches, I 
             thought of my red-haired mother working so hard, taking in 
             wash so that I could have clothes like the other kids. So 
             every speech you give is not only for the people of West 
             Virginia. It is for the country. It is for the people who 
             work here with you.
               I have had the good fortune--in fact, I visited with one 
             of my friends who I practiced law with for 12 years. A 
             brilliant man, he is so smart. He reads books, has from 
             the time he was a boy until now, many books each week. I 
             have always admired Rex Jemison and how smart he is. But 
             Senator Byrd, to those of us who have worked with you, you 
             have no peer.
               I can remember as if it were yesterday when you decided 
             you were going to take over the Appropriations Committee 
             and no longer have a leadership position. We had an event 
             in the Russell Building, the caucus room. There was no 
             press, Senators, very limited staff. You stood and talked 
             to us a little bit. You told us things we thought we 
             always knew, and I have retold this story so many times. I 
             am going to retell it again. You told us you could get in 
             your car in Virginia, drive to West Virginia and back--and 
             it takes about 8 hours--reciting poetry over and back 
             without stopping and never recite the same poem twice. 
             Think about that. Calculate it for a minute. How many 
             people have read the Encyclopedia Brittanica from cover to 
             cover? Senator Robert Byrd. How many people have sat down 
             when we have a break and read the dictionary? This man has 
             done this. How many people can recite poetry as he did? I 
             have just talked about this. How many people can recite 
             Shakespeare verse after verse, passages out of Scripture?
               Senator Byrd gave a series of speeches here, 10 
             speeches, each lasting for 1 hour. The subject was the 
             line-item veto was going to ruin the Senate. The 
             comparison was to the Roman Empire, the rise and fall of 
             the Roman Empire. Senator Byrd gave 10 speeches. When I 
             was not able to listen personally, I listened to the 
             recording. So tremendous were those speeches that the head 
             of the political science department at UNV-LV, Dr. Randy 
             Tuttle, taught a course on Robert Byrd based on these 10 
             speeches.
               I asked Senator Byrd: You gave those speeches, you quit 
             right on time, you had an hour set aside. How did you know 
             when to stop?
               He said: It was easy. I memorized all 10 of them.
               When we met with the British parliamentarians, as I just 
             recounted, in West Virginia, the bluegrass music stopped, 
             and Senator Byrd had staff pass out a little tablet and 
             pencil to everybody. He said: If I make a mistake, write 
             it down. And he proceeded to give us a demonstration of 
             memory that I have never seen before, starting with the 
             first ruler in Great Britain, the years the person served, 
             the name, how to spell it, and very briefly what was 
             accomplished during that period of time, from the 
             beginning to the present Queen Elizabeth. Those 
             parliamentarians were dumbfounded. How could an American 
             do something they had never even thought about without a 
             note?
               There are some professors, I am sure, who are experts on 
             ancient Rome, but I would tell all those academics, they 
             don't have anything on the Senator from West Virginia as 
             far as knowledge of the Roman Empire.
               I consider myself so fortunate to have been able to 
             serve in the Senate with Robert Byrd. And not only serve 
             in the Senate with Robert Byrd, but all the time I have 
             been here, I had the good fortune of serving on his 
             Appropriations Committee.
               The great Senator Daniel Webster said that ours:

               . . . is a Senate of equals, of men of individual honor 
             and personal character, and of absolute independence. We 
             know no masters, we acknowledge no dictators. This is a 
             hall for mutual consultation and discussion; not an arena 
             for the exhibition of champions.

               The prayer that was uttered today by Reverend Black, our 
             Chaplain, says exactly what Daniel Webster said. That was 
             a wonderful prayer, tremendously well done for this 
             occasion. But I would say in response to the great Daniel 
             Webster, there are champions among us. There are giants as 
             well. I have served in public office a long time, but no 
             one can dispute the fact, as far as I am concerned, that 
             Robert Byrd is a giant.
               I want him to know how much I appreciate all he has done 
             for me. I care a great deal about this man. I love Robert 
             Byrd. I love Robert Byrd. He is a person who sets a 
             standard for all of us.

               The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Thomas). Under the previous 
             order, there will be a period for the transaction of 
             morning business until 3 p.m., with each Senator permitted 
             to speak for up to 10 minutes each.
               The Senator from Kentucky.

               Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I come to the floor today 
             to pay tribute to our distinguished colleague from West 
             Virginia who, as the majority leader and the Democratic 
             leader pointed out, celebrates today truly a momentous 
             occasion, becoming the longest serving U.S. Senator in the 
             history of our country.
               Senator Byrd's record and achievements have been covered 
             by the majority leader and the Democratic leader. I would 
             like to make a few different observations.
               When Senator Byrd came to this body in 1959, he was a 
             member of a very large Democratic class. His party had had 
             a very good day. It was the second term of President 
             Eisenhower. In his class were such people as Eugene 
             McCarthy and Tom Dodd and Phil Hart. Lyndon Baines Johnson 
             was the leader of his party in the Senate at the time. In 
             fact, Senator Byrd was accompanied to the well on his 
             first day in office not by the senior Senator from his 
             State, as is tradition, but by Majority Leader Johnson, 
             his future mentor.
               Shortly before the distinguished Senator from West 
             Virginia got here, Majority Leader Johnson had appointed a 
             committee to pick out the five greatest U.S. Senators in 
             history. John F. Kennedy was appointed to be the head of 
             that committee. After due deliberation, they picked out 
             five Senators: Henry Clay from my State of Kentucky, 
             Daniel Webster, John C. Calhoun, Robert La Follette, and 
             Robert Taft. Those five Senators, who were designated as 
             the five greatest Senators of all time, are depicted out 
             here off the Senate Chamber in the waiting room.
               Six or 8 years ago, we decided to consider adding two 
             more to the list. I had the opportunity to be on a 
             committee that reviewed the possibility of adding two 
             more. We concluded there were two more who should be 
             added, one Democrat and one Republican.
               Our colleagues on the Democratic side picked Robert 
             Wagner of New York, who was the author of most of 
             President Roosevelt's New Deal legislation. After due 
             deliberation, the Republicans on the committee, of which I 
             was one, concluded that Arthur Vandenberg was the 
             appropriate selection for us, based upon his willingness 
             in the late 1940s to make the Truman containment policy, 
             the Marshall plan, and other initiatives at the beginning 
             of the cold war that basically set out the strategy that 
             we followed until the Berlin Wall came down in 1989. So 
             two more Senators were added--Arthur Vandenberg and Robert 
             Wagner.
               Today I think it is safe to predict that some day in the 
             future, some Senate will decide to revisit the issue of 
             what other great Senators might be added to this pantheon 
             off the Senate floor that now includes seven U.S. Senators 
             in our history. I think I can confidently predict that 
             near the top of the list, if not at the top of the list, 
             some day down the road will be the distinguished Senator 
             from West Virginia.
               Mr. President, today, June 12, 2006, is our good friend 
             from West Virginia's 17,327th day in the Senate, making 
             him the longest serving Senator ever.
               Senator Robert C. Byrd's first day as a Senator was 
             January 3, 1959, when he was 41 years old. He is the 
             1,579th Senator. Some of his contemporaries were John 
             Sherman Cooper, Hubert Humphrey, Everett Dirksen, John F. 
             Kennedy, and Richard Russell.
               Over his nearly 50 years of service here--he has been 
             elected to eight full terms--Senator Byrd has served with 
             405 Senators, out of a total of 1,885 Senators who ever 
             served. That is 21\1/2\ percent of the total number. Over 
             one-fifth of all Senators who ever served can say they 
             served with Senator Byrd.
               And I add that Senator Byrd is only the second Senator 
             ever to be elected to eight full terms.
               As the Senators from two coal-producing States, Senator 
             Byrd and I have worked together on a number of issues over 
             the years to ensure that coal remains a safe, cheap, and 
             plentiful source of energy, and that coal miners and their 
             families can continue in this industry. Together we 
             ensured that the Capitol complex would continue to be 
             heated by coal. And we work together as members of the 
             Appropriations Committee. I thank the Senator for his 
             friendship over the years.
               As astounding as the Senator from West Virginia's 
             service in this body is, I must point out that he has even 
             more experience representing the people of West Virginia. 
             Senator Byrd served in the West Virginia House of 
             Delegates from 1947 to 1950, the West Virginia Senate from 
             1951 to 1952, and the U.S. House of Representatives from 
             1953 to 1959. He was elected to his first office in 1946.
               He was also elected assistant majority whip here in the 
             Senate in 1965. In 1971, he was elected majority whip. I 
             have heard that can be a tough job.
               In 1977, Senator Byrd succeeded Senator Mike Mansfield 
             as majority leader. He has also served as minority leader 
             and Senate President pro tempore, meaning he has held 
             every major position in the Senate.
               After serving as majority and minority leader, Senator 
             Byrd became chairman of the Appropriations Committee in 
             1989, and has been chairman or ranking member ever since. 
             Our colleague from Alaska, the current Senate President 
             pro tempore, has served with him on that committee since 
             1973.
               Senator Byrd set the record for number of Senate votes 
             cast at 12,134 on April 27, 1990, breaking a record set by 
             Senator William Proxmire. He cast his 17,000th vote in 
             March 2004, and continues to set the record every time he 
             votes. As of the opening of the Senate today, he has cast 
             17,666 votes.
               As his constituents in West Virginia know so well, 
             Senator Byrd is the son of a coal miner. Before government 
             service, he worked as a welder in wartime shipyards and as 
             a meatcutter in a coal company town.
               Senator Byrd is also an expert on Senate history. He 
             wrote, with the assistance of Senate historian Richard 
             Baker, a four-volume collection of history, speeches and 
             statistics titled ``The Senate 1789-1989.'' He also wrote 
             a history called ``The Senate of the Roman Republic,'' and 
             a 2005 autobiography titled ``Child of the Appalachian 
             Coalfields.''
               And my good friend from West Virginia is an accomplished 
             fiddle player as well. He has performed on the television 
             variety show ``Hee Haw,'' at the Grand Ole Opry, and at 
             the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. He 
             even recorded an album called ``Mountain Fiddler.''
               Senator Byrd earned his law degree from American 
             University in 1963, while serving in the Senate. He 
             attended night school while doing a full day's work here. 
             President Kennedy presented him with his diploma and gave 
             the commencement address.
               President Kennedy received an honorary degree from 
             American University at the ceremony. So he began his 
             commencement address with these words:

               President Anderson, members of the faculty, Board of 
             Trustees, distinguished guests, my old colleague Senator 
             Bob Byrd, who has earned his degree through many years of 
             attending night law school while I am earning mine in the 
             next thirty minutes, ladies and gentlemen . . .

               In 1994, Senator Byrd was awarded his B.A. summa cum 
             laude by Marshall University, which he had attended for 
             one semester in 1951. He had earned A's in all his 
             classes, but could not afford to continue. So he actually 
             received his law degree before his bachelor's.
               Senator Byrd is the first West Virginian in history to 
             win all 55 of that State's counties in a statewide race. I 
             am sure many of his fellow West Virginians know of his 
             knowledge and reverence for the Constitution, and that he 
             always carries a copy in his left breast pocket.
               Senator Byrd's legacy in this body is felt every day. 
             Martin Gold, author of ``Senate Procedure and Practice,'' 
             wrote:

               Senator Robert Byrd (D-WV) is a giant in the field of 
             parliamentary history and law. No Senator has had a 
             greater impact on Senate rules and precedents.

               And Michael Barone, in ``The Almanac of American 
             Politics,'' said this of Senator Byrd:

               Robert Byrd, the senior member of the United States 
             Senate, may come closer to the kind of senator the 
             Founding Fathers had in mind than any other.

               Now, these comments from scholars are certainly to be 
             respected. But I think Senator Byrd said it best at a 
             spirited rally near the end of one of his recent campaigns 
             for office. Senator Byrd said:

               West Virginia has always had four friends: God Almighty, 
             Sears Roebuck, Carter's Liver Pills and Robert C. Byrd.

               Mr. President, Senator Byrd would be the first to tell 
             us he could not have accomplished all he has without the 
             love of his life, his partner, and his best friend--his 
             wife, Erma Ora James Byrd. Erma passed away this March, 2 
             months shy of what would have been their 69th wedding 
             anniversary.
               The daughter of a coal miner, today would have been her 
             89th birthday. I am sure she is watching down on us from 
             Heaven today as we honor her husband, the Senator from 
             West Virginia.
               Stories of enduring love are part of the history of any 
             nation. Robert and Erma were made for each other, and were 
             together for nearly 69 years. Mr. President, I believe 
             they are one of our Nation's great love stories.
               I say to my friend and colleague from West Virginia, no 
             one has had a greater career here. Your service is of 
             great distinction. We all admire you very much, and we are 
             here today to honor you on this most important occasion.
               I yield the floor.

               The PRESIDING OFFICER. Who seeks time?
               The President pro tempore.

               Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I join those who honor my 
             great friend, our great friend, the Senator from West 
             Virginia. This has been a tradition. Each time a Senator 
             has reached the position where he has served longer than 
             anyone else before, we have had tributes such as this. It 
             is my honor to be here with my good friend today.
               Having known Carl Hayden and Strom Thurmond, both of 
             whom have the distinction that Senator Byrd has had in my 
             lifetime and my service in the Senate, I believe he joins 
             a small but distinguished group of dedicated public 
             servants, people who have devoted their lives to serving 
             our country.
               I had the honor of being the whip for 8 years, 4 years 
             in the minority and 4 years in the majority. I remember so 
             well what I called the Byrd history lessons. Maybe Senator 
             Byrd didn't call them that, but each evening in those days 
             Senator Byrd would come to the floor and give another 
             statement about the history of the Senate. I believe those 
             became the framework for the volumes he has written on the 
             history of the Senate. I didn't need to read them; I 
             listened to them. As a matter of fact, I think I listened 
             to every one the Senator made because the then-majority 
             leader, Howard Baker, would say to me: Teddy, it is your 
             turn. I would be in the chair listening to Senator Byrd.
               Winston Churchill once said: ``We make a living by what 
             we get, but we make a life by what we give.''
               I don't know anyone in my lifetime that I would say has 
             given so much as Senator Byrd.
               Others have talked about what he did before he came into 
             public life. I know he attended college while he was in 
             the West Virginia House of Delegates and State Senate and 
             finished law school as a working Member of the Senate.
               He has truly given more than he ever received. But, 
             really, I would say of my friend from West Virginia that I 
             know of no man who has done so much to make the Senate a 
             family. When I first came here, that was one of the first 
             things that Senator Mike Mansfield said to me--that you 
             have to realize you are living in a family. This is a 
             family. Senator Byrd has made that his sort of mantra, and 
             to be the person who represents the family, reminding us 
             that we are part of a family.
               I remember so well, Senator Byrd, when you made such 
             kind remarks about my wife Ann after she passed away in an 
             aircraft accident. I also recall the days that you 
             congratulated me on getting remarried, and then on the 
             birth of our daughter Lily when, again, Senator Byrd took 
             the floor. I will never forget the time you came to the 
             floor and talked about the fact that my first grandchild 
             had been born. Senator Byrd told me at that time that I 
             had my first taste of immortality. Now that I have become 
             the grandfather of 11 children, I have touched immortality 
             a little bit more than most people perhaps. I stand in awe 
             of the honor of being a grandfather. I will never forget 
             what he said. That means you are going to go one 
             generation beyond the generation you helped bring into the 
             world. You have seen your children produce children, and 
             that really matches your love for the Senate family.
               I don't know of anybody here who has had a sorrow or an 
             achievement when Senator Byrd hasn't taken the time to 
             seek us out and either commiserate with us in our sorrow 
             or tell us what a great achievement it was. It is a great 
             achievement to be part of the Senate family and to be 
             nurturing our own families.
               Others have spoken about your dear wife Erma. I know how 
             close the two of you were. I know that because of 
             conversations we have had about Erma. We were all saddened 
             when she passed away earlier this year, but I know she is 
             looking down on you today, Senator Byrd. I know she is 
             proud of your service and, if she were here, she would be 
             right up there in the gallery. But she is up there 
             somewhere looking at all of us.
               Actually, many of you may not know this, but I met 
             Senator Byrd during the Eisenhower administration. I 
             remember sitting in the gallery the day you were sworn 
             into the Senate in 1959. You were already in the House. 
             When I got to the Senate, I was talking to the wife of Bob 
             Bartlett, my predecessor, the Senator's good friend. I was 
             told that the one person in the Senate I could trust would 
             be Bob Byrd. Coming from her, that meant a great deal to 
             me personally. We have worked together for 35 years now on 
             the Appropriations Committee. I wish I could count the 
             days when we were chairmen; when Senator Byrd was 
             chairman, I would wander over to his room, and when I was 
             chairman, he would come to my room. I remember one day--
             and he will not like this--he came over and said someone 
             had given him some cigars, and he suggested that we ought 
             to smoke a cigar. I had not smoked a cigar in 20 years, 
             but I said it would be a good idea. When Senator Byrd 
             makes a suggestion, it is a good idea. I joined him then. 
             About 6 months later, I had somebody give me a couple of 
             cigars, and I wandered over to Senator Byrd's office and 
             said, ``Let's share a cigar again.'' Senator Byrd said, 
             ``I have quit.''
               I was on that trip to London, too, at the British 
             Parliamentary Conference, and in West Virginia when 
             Senator Byrd was the host. I don't know if you know this, 
             Senator.
               I have a video of you when we were in London when we sat 
             around, those Members of the American Senate who were 
             there, after meeting with our colleagues from Britain, and 
             we talked and you told us about your own history. I 
             remember that so well. I remember asking you to recite the 
             poem about your dog. We talk about this prodigious memory 
             of Senator Byrd. I have never known anything that I could 
             ask him to recite that he didn't have the ability to 
             recite.
               Having been here so long together, I come back to where 
             I started. You have kept alive the spirit of family in 
             this Senate. I think without the spirit of family, we 
             would lose the essence of what it is to be here. I tell 
             people that sometimes I sort of pinch myself to realize 
             that I really am a Member of the Senate. Others can talk 
             about their backgrounds. I don't talk about mine very 
             much, but I certainly never had any reason to believe I 
             would ever be standing here, and I think Senator Byrd 
             could say the same thing.
               We are here to honor the son of West Virginia, the 
             patriarch of our Senate family. He is, as Senator 
             McConnell said, a symbol of our history. I am here to 
             thank you, Senator, for being a good friend. I think you 
             have been one of the best friends I have had in the 
             Senate, and you have really sustained me in times of 
             sorrow and encouraged me in times of joy. I am here to 
             honor you for your service; it is a great service. But 
             mostly I am here because I am honored to be able to call 
             you my friend.

               The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Pennsylvania is 
             recognized.

               Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, this is truly a unique day 
             in the life of the Senate, with the spotlight shining on 
             Senator Robert Byrd in recognition of an enormous 
             achievement, being the longest serving Senator in the 
             history of the body. It is a remarkable achievement.
               Senator Byrd started his political career with an 
             election in 1946, 60 years ago, and is still going strong. 
             He served in the Senate at the same time that Harry S. 
             Truman was President of the United States.
               Just think about that for a moment. This is a man whose 
             service has spanned the Presidencies of President Truman, 
             President Eisenhower, President Kennedy, President 
             Johnson, President Nixon, President Ford, President 
             Carter, President Reagan, President Bush, President 
             Clinton, and President Bush. It is quite an accolade. And 
             Senator Byrd accurately states that he hasn't served under 
             any President, however, he has served with Presidents. He 
             is a scholar and devotee of the doctrine of separation of 
             powers, something which seems to have been forgotten 
             lately. But when the issue arose as to the line-item veto 
             and the constitutional amendment for the balanced budget, 
             Senator Byrd has been vociferous in defending the 
             prerogatives of the Congress of the United States. He even 
             goes so far from time to time to remind people that 
             article I of the Constitution is for the Congress. You 
             don't get to the executive branch until you get to article 
             II. You don't get to the judicial branch until article 
             III. In many ways the Supreme Court has rewritten the 
             sequence of the Constitution taking primacy. There is an 
             effort on the expansion of executive power, but Senator 
             Byrd is the bulwark for separation of powers. To think 
             that he was here when Jack Kennedy was here, as well as 
             when Lyndon Baines Johnson was here--about whom so much 
             has been written as the master of the Senate. There will 
             be a sequel to that, and it will be about Bob Byrd. 
             Senator Byrd was here when great men like Lyndon Johnson 
             and Jack Kennedy strode these corridors for so many years. 
             It is an enormous slice of history.
               As a newcomer to the Senate, I watched Senator Byrd very 
             closely. There is a lot to be learned from Senator Byrd. 
             Senator Byrd was chairman of the Appropriations Committee 
             when I was one of the younger members of that committee. 
             One day, I thought Senator Byrd's allocations didn't match 
             the budget resolution and I told him. It is sort of 
             untoward to disagree with the chairman. I saw a 
             magnanimity in Senator Byrd to listen to one of the 
             younger Senators. I even called for a vote. The vote was 
             26 to 3. People said it was a great accomplishment to get 
             two other Senators to join me, Alfonse D'Amato and Bob 
             Kasten. We lost 26 to 3, but it was considered a victory, 
             which is a testament to Senator Byrd's power.
               Senator Byrd said to me on that day: Some day, you will 
             be chairman of the Appropriations Committee and you can 
             make the allocations. I thought it entirely farfetched at 
             that time that I would ever be chairman of the 
             Appropriations Committee, but it may happen. I am next in 
             line behind Senator Thad Cochran. It will be quite a 
             formidable challenge because Senator Byrd continues to be 
             ranking Democrat on the committee. To come up against this 
             titan, this legend, he will probably do more to make the 
             allocations if, as, and when I become chairman.
               Senator Byrd has been a master tactician. I recall one 
             early morning, about 3 a.m., when we Republicans were 
             carrying on a filibuster. I believe it was on campaign 
             finance reform. Senator Dole gathered us all together in a 
             remote spot and said: Guys, don't show up on the Senate 
             floor. Make Senator Byrd maintain a quorum.
               For those who don't know the Senate rules, they are 
             sufficiently complicated and we would not expect C-SPAN II 
             watchers to know, if anybody is watching on C-SPAN II. But 
             you have to have a quorum on the floor to conduct 
             business, or somebody can suggest the absence of a quorum, 
             and it just stops. So Senator Byrd had this idea about 
             having some Republicans on the floor. Knowing the rules as 
             he did, he directed the Sergeant at Arms to execute 
             warrants of arrest for absent Senators. I have never seen 
             this in my long tenure. Remember that, Senator Byrd?

               Mr. BYRD. Yes, I do.

               Mr. SPECTER. Now we have confirmation. I have called a 
             witness here. The Sergeant at Arms was a little fellow, 
             Henry Giugni. He started to patrol the halls. He came upon 
             Senator Lowell Weicker. Now, Henry was about 5-foot-4, and 
             Lowell Weicker was 6-foot-4. Lowell was at his fighting 
             weight of about 240 at the time. It was about 3:30 in the 
             morning. Do you know what happens with Senators at 3:30 in 
             the morning? I won't say on the Senate floor. The Sergeant 
             at Arms decided not to arrest Lowell Weicker. He made a 
             very wise judgment. Instead, he went knocking on Senate 
             doors. Senator Robert Packwood made the mistake of 
             answering the door. Senator Packwood compelled them to 
             carry him out of his office. He agreed to walk here, but 
             he insisted on being carried into the Senate Chamber. I 
             don't think Senator Byrd got his quorum, but he got his 
             man, Senator Packwood.
               I once had the temerity to engage Senator Byrd in a 
             debate. I have watched Senator Byrd very closely when he 
             would control the floor with the parliamentary maneuver of 
             getting unanimous consent before yielding the floor, which 
             gave him the right to the floor.
               I had read the rule book, and Senator Byrd contended 
             that he could do that without unanimous consent if there 
             had been no objection. I thought I had watched him with 
             the rules to the contrary and engaged him in a lengthy 
             debate. I did not win that debate, but it was a great 
             learning experience.
               Senator Byrd commanded the floor with great authority. 
             In the old days, we used to have sessions that went all 
             night. Senator Byrd was sitting in that chair, and he rose 
             at about 12:18 a.m.--this is another true story; you get 
             very few true stories out of Washington. We were all 
             enervated. Some of us were even tired, but not Bob Byrd. 
             He rose from his chair and he said: I ask unanimous 
             consent that I may speak as long as I choose.
               A Senator in this chair, whom I will not identify, rose 
             as if to object. Senator Byrd looked at him as if his eyes 
             were like laser beams, and the Senator sat down. Past 
             midnight, Senator Byrd had unanimous consent to speak as 
             long as he chose. It wasn't too long, but it was a great 
             display of fortitude and authority.
               My final comment about Senator Byrd is about the debates 
             we have had on constitutional law. His scholarship on the 
             institution is unparalleled, and that is a record which 
             will never be broken. It is pretty hard to say ``never,'' 
             but when one looks at the volumes of his work, when one 
             looks at the magnitude of his speeches--he used to speak 
             every Friday afternoon for as long as he liked. He spoke 
             to an empty Chamber, but he spoke to a full history book.
               Senator Byrd once said to me that if he became 
             President, he would make me his Attorney General. May the 
             Record show that Senator Byrd is nodding in the 
             affirmative, and Senator Byrd, if you become President, I 
             expect you to live up to that promise.
               I yield the floor.

               The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Colorado.

               Mr. SALAZAR. Mr. President, I rise to congratulate my 
             good friend, Senator Robert Byrd, on becoming the longest 
             serving Senator in the history of our great Nation. 
             Senator Byrd has now served as Senator for 17,327 days. 
             That is almost as long as I have been alive. I fully 
             expect to continue serving with him for many more days.
               I know that during those 17,000-plus days in the Senate, 
             Senator Byrd has inspired many. I also know that as we 
             continue to witness his service in the days ahead in the 
             Senate, he will continue to provide inspiration to this 
             body and to all of my colleagues and to me. I am sure that 
             in those days, just as he has in the past, Senator Byrd 
             will continue to implore our colleagues to respect the 
             wisdom of the Founders and the brilliance of our 
             Constitution, which he so proudly carries as a symbol on 
             his lapel every day, and during those days in the future, 
             he will continue to remind us all in the Senate of how 
             much we can and should learn from the history of our great 
             country and the experience of this democracy.
               He will continue, as he always has, fighting for the 
             hard-working people of his beloved West Virginia, and he 
             will, as he always has, continue to provide generous 
             counsel to those of us who have far less experience than 
             he does, for Senator Byrd truly has been and continues to 
             be a mentor to all of us, and always, with his grace and 
             with his dignity, setting an example for all Senators to 
             act with that dignity, with that courtesy, and with that 
             eloquence which is truly a legacy of Robert Byrd in the 
             Senate. For me, as the No. 99 Senator and as one of the 
             most junior in this body today, I am personally inspired 
             and grateful to Senator Byrd for his achievements and for 
             his example.
               Just as my family has given me strength in my life, I 
             know Senator Byrd's remarkable service would not have been 
             possible without the love and support of his own family. I 
             have often been moved by Senator Byrd's words about the 
             power of the love and the bond he and his late wife Erma 
             shared for decades. So as we honor Senator Byrd today, as 
             we honor this institution, we also honor the memory of 
             Erma, and we honor the rest of Senator Byrd's family as 
             well.
               It is a great privilege for me to represent the people 
             of Colorado in this great Chamber. It is also a true honor 
             to be a colleague to a historic figure in the name of 
             Senator Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia.
               Once again, I congratulate him.
               I yield the floor and suggest the absence of a quorum.

               The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
               The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the 
             roll.

               Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that 
             the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

               The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so 
             ordered.

               Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I rise to join my colleagues 
             who came to the floor earlier today to mark a historic 
             milestone. It isn't just a milestone for one man, it is a 
             milestone for our Senate and our Nation.
               Today, our colleague, Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia, 
             who just left the Chamber, becomes the longest serving 
             Senator in the history of the United States of America. 
             Today marks Senator Byrd's 17,327th day in office; that is 
             47 years, 5 months, 1 week, and 2 days spent in service in 
             the Senate on behalf of his beloved people of the State of 
             West Virginia.
               Many of us know Senator Byrd's impressive official 
             biography. He has held more leadership positions in the 
             Senate than any other Senator in our history, including 6 
             years as Senate majority leader, and 6 years as minority 
             leader. Twice Senator Byrd has served as chairman of the 
             Senate Appropriations Committee, and twice he has been 
             elected by his colleagues as President pro tempore, a 
             position that places him third in line to the Presidency 
             of the United States.
               In many ways, Senator Byrd's life is the story of the 
             20th century of America. He started from the most humble 
             origins and has risen to the greatest heights, and he has 
             done this not on the backs of others but by the sweat of 
             his brow and the power of his massive intellect.
               To me, one of the most impressive facts about Senator 
             Byrd is that he studied for his law degree while he was 
             serving as a Member of Congress. He would make law by day 
             and study it at night. True to form, Senator Byrd not only 
             earned his doctorate of jurisprudence from American 
             University in 1963, it was awarded cum laude.
               Senator Byrd may also be one of the last great orators 
             in the U.S. Senate, and whether the topic is the war in 
             Iraq or the Peloponnesian War, the basic ingredients of a 
             great speech are always present in Senator Byrd's address: 
             clear, substantive thinking and the rhetorical skills to 
             effectively express it.
               For Senator Byrd, noble purposes are foremost as his 
             motive and objective. He doesn't take the easy road, and 
             he doesn't pander. When President Bill Clinton signed the 
             line-item veto into law in 1996, it was immediately 
             challenged in court by a group of six Senators, the first 
             of whom, of course, was Senator Robert C. Byrd. Senator 
             Byrd, though loyal to his party and loyal to his 
             President, was loyal first to his view of the 
             Constitution. He believed the law was unconstitutional and 
             concentrated too much power in the executive branch of 
             government. Ultimately, the Supreme Court agreed with 
             Senator Byrd and disagreed with the Congress and the 
             President who enacted the law.
               Almost 10 years later, Senator Byrd took to the floor of 
             the Senate, speaking out and facing the wrath of popular 
             sentiment in opposing the invasion of Iraq. At the time, 
             it wasn't easy for him to vote no, nor was it a 
             comfortable decision to defend at home, but Senator Byrd 
             didn't shrink from the challenge--he never has--and he did 
             something which has become quite rare in American 
             politics: He stood up and led. He said that of all the 
             thousands of votes he has cast--more than 17,000 to be 
             exact--that vote opposing the war in Iraq is the one in 
             which he takes the greatest pride.
               I might add just parenthetically, I share that 
             sentiment. In this case, too, I believe ultimately history 
             will prove all of us right who voted no on the use of 
             force in Iraq.
               Senator Byrd has an unquenchable willingness to serve, a 
             willingness to lead and carry the burdens and 
             responsibilities of leadership. Above all else, he has 
             done these things while continuing to be a truly honorable 
             man. When all is said and done, the most important words 
             that will be spoken about Robert C. Byrd will not be that 
             he was a great speaker or great statesman or great U.S. 
             Senator--he is certainly all of that--the true measure of 
             this man will not be found in recounting the number of 
             days he has served in this body; rather, it will be found 
             in his strength of character and in his integrity.
               That character and integrity are evidenced in many ways 
             by his love of his beloved late wife Erma. He was such a 
             devoted husband and partner. Even as she suffered serious 
             illness in the last years and months of her life, he never 
             left her side. To his children and grandchildren, he 
             remains a loving father, a caring grandfather, and a wise 
             teacher. To his friends, he is a man whose word can always 
             be counted on. To his country, he is a leader who found 
             power only in the commitment to service. And to his State, 
             he is a shining example of the very best that is in all of 
             us.
               I am honored to be counted as one of those who call 
             Robert C. Byrd a friend, and I know this about my friend: 
             Today he marks a milestone that no other Senator in the 
             history of the United States has marked, but his success 
             will be measured in terms of his faithfulness to the 
             people who placed him here and the trust of the people of 
             West Virginia. They have never been betrayed by this great 
             man.
               Although he has risen to the highest levels of power, he 
             has never forgotten where he comes from, who sent him, and 
             what his mission is.
               If my colleagues will allow me two personal observations 
             about Senator Byrd and to tell two stories that I think 
             really are symbols of his view of the world and the great 
             power of his intellect. One of the first involved a debate 
             on the floor of the U.S. Senate about the National 
             Endowment for the Arts. It occurred a few years ago. A 
             Senator on the other side of the aisle offered an 
             amendment to eliminate the National Endowment for the Arts 
             with the argument that there were art displays or exhibits 
             that were being funded with Federal dollars that were 
             embarrassing. This Senator went on to argue that it really 
             made no sense for us to subsidize the arts in America 
             because they were out of the reach of the common man and 
             we should allow the patrons of the arts, those private 
             benefactors, to take care and not our government.
               I came to the floor to argue against that position, 
             telling the story of how my immigrant mother used to take 
             me in the car across the bridge to the art museum in St. 
             Louis, this woman with an eighth grade education, to show 
             me works of art and talk about artists she knew very 
             little about but wanted to learn more about. As I was 
             telling my story, I saw Senator Byrd come on to the floor, 
             and I assumed he was coming to talk about some other 
             issue, but he asked for recognition. He stood here at his 
             desk, as he has so many times, and completely enthralled 
             this Chamber as he told the story of his simple life in 
             West Virginia where he was orphaned and raised by other 
             members of the family and how one fine day, his new 
             stepfather took him out and bought him a fiddle. With that 
             fiddle, he started taking music lessons and developed a 
             passion for music. He talked about what music and the arts 
             meant to him growing up as a poor boy in a small town in 
             West Virginia. It was a classic Robert C. Byrd moment, 
             taking a chapter in his life from many years ago and 
             bringing it to application today.
               The second experience I recall is one that I have told 
             over and over to friends in Illinois. If I hadn't been 
             there to see it, I would not have believed it. It goes 
             back to the days when I was a Member of the House of 
             Representatives on the Appropriations Committee. Senator 
             Byrd, a leader in the Senate, had a transportation 
             appropriations bill that passed the Senate with several 
             noteworthy projects for his State of West Virginia. A 
             Republican Senator across the rotunda took exception to 
             these earmarks for the State of West Virginia and vowed 
             that when he came to conference between the Senate and the 
             House, he would take out these projects for the State of 
             West Virginia. They were excessive, in his view. He was 
             interviewed by several news media, including the 
             Washington Post.
               The day of the great confrontation took place just a 
             couple floors--one floor below us in the appropriations 
             conference room. It is a long room with a huge table. The 
             Senate conferees sit on one side of the table. Senator 
             Mark Hatfield was then chairman of the Senate 
             Appropriations Committee, of which Senator Byrd was a 
             member, and I sat on the other side of the table with 
             House Appropriations Committee members, waiting for this 
             classic, historic confrontation between Senator Robert C. 
             Byrd and his critic from the House of Representatives. It 
             was interesting because as we all sat down, there was one 
             chair that was left empty. Directly across the table from 
             his House critic was the empty chair Senator Byrd would 
             occupy. The moment came when finally the House Member was 
             recognized, and he stood up and with a lengthy speech took 
             exception to the fact that Senator Byrd was putting these 
             projects in for the State of West Virginia. When he 
             finished and had exhausted himself--no one interrupted 
             him--and sat down, Senator Byrd asked for recognition in 
             this appropriations conference room.
               I am going to get a few of these facts wrong because I 
             didn't write them down. Senator Byrd would never get them 
             wrong. But I trust that at the end of the story, you will 
             understand what happened that day.
               Senator Byrd reflected for a moment, as he often does, 
             looking to the ceiling, and then he spoke. He said: In 
             1830, Daniel Webster wrote his famous letter to Mr. Hayne. 
             And then he paused, and Senator Byrd said: If my memory 
             serves me, it was January that he wrote the letter. 
             January the 28th, Senator Byrd said. And if I am not 
             mistaken, he said, it was a Thursday. And he went on to 
             explain how Webster wrote the letter to Hayne explaining 
             the basics of our Constitution, explaining that in the 
             House of Representatives, a State as small as West 
             Virginia doesn't stand a chance with a limited population 
             and very little political power to get things done; the 
             State of West Virginia has to rely on the Senate, where 
             every State has two Senators. And if he, Robert C. Byrd, 
             didn't stand up for his small State of West Virginia in 
             the Senate, who would? What chance would a small State 
             have?
               It was the classic argument that really was the 
             foundation for the creation of Congress. Senator Byrd that 
             day won the argument, won his case before the conference 
             committee.
               I thought at the time, years before I was elected to the 
             Senate, I wish I had a videotape of that moment. That was 
             one of those great moments which I have seen here in the 
             Congress. So when I came to the Senate a few years later, 
             I went up to Senator Byrd and I said to him: I will never 
             forget that day when you had the debate in the 
             appropriations conference committee about the projects for 
             West Virginia and how you not only recalled the exchange 
             between Daniel Webster and Mr. Hayne and the historical 
             and constitutional significance, you not only recalled the 
             year and the day, but you recalled the day of the week it 
             occurred. I said: When you said, ``I believe it was a 
             Thursday,'' I was just absolutely amazed. Senator Byrd 
             reflected for a moment, and he said: Well, I believe it 
             was a Thursday. I said: I am not questioning you; no, I am 
             not questioning you; I am just telling you that I thought 
             that detail brought more to that debate than anyone could 
             imagine.
               So as luck would have it, 2 hours later, we had a vote 
             on the floor here, and Senator Byrd at this desk called me 
             over. I came over to his desk, and he said: Senator 
             Durbin, I was almost certain it was a Thursday, and I 
             asked my staff to pull out a perpetual calendar, and if 
             you will look here, January 28, 1820, was, in fact, a 
             Thursday. I said: I never doubted you for a moment.
               I have heard him stand on the floor reciting poetry at 
             length. I have heard him recount the debates of this 
             Senate and the history of this Nation in the type of 
             detail that puts all the rest of us to shame. He is truly 
             not just an institution of West Virginia, not just an 
             institution of the Senate; he is a national treasure. He 
             brings to debate in this Chamber--what little debate we 
             have anymore--a certain gravity, a certain importance that 
             reminds us why we are here, that we have been fortunate 
             enough to be called by the people who vote in our States 
             to be one of the few men and women to serve in this great 
             Chamber, and in serving, we not only represent them, we 
             represent a long line of history, of great men and women 
             who have had this opportunity to serve in the U.S. Senate.
               Today, of course, is recognition of his special place in 
             the history of our Nation and in the history of the 
             Senate: 17,327 days in office--47 years, 5 months, 1 week, 
             and 2 days--not only witnessing the parade of history but 
             being such a major part of it.
               Senator Byrd, I salute you and your service to the 
             people of West Virginia and this Nation.
               Mr. President, I yield the floor.

               Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I have been very much looking 
             forward to this moment.
               First, I ask unanimous consent that an article which 
             appeared in the Charleston Gazette on June 12, 2006, be 
             printed in the Record following my remarks.

               The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so 
             ordered.
               (See exhibit 1.)

               Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, this article embraces the 
             comments of many dear friends of the Senator, and I say 
             with some humility, a few of my own comments as well.
               I think back on the 28 years that I have been privileged 
             to have represented the Commonwealth of Virginia in this 
             Chamber.
               There is no single individual for whom I have greater 
             reverence or respect than my dear friend, the senior 
             Senator from West Virginia. We bonded together early on. 
             When I arrived here, he sought me out, and I sought him 
             out because our two great States at one time were one 
             State, the State of Virginia. But now, even though we are 
             two States, our States have so many issues in common.
               Many times Senator Byrd and I have come to this floor 
             with regard to the subject of the coal miners, their 
             safety, their ability to operate and provide that 
             essential component to America's energy needs, coal; how 
             dangerous is the profession, how much we respect their 
             families and others who share the risk that the miners 
             take every day.
               Then, more specifically, I remember so well how we have 
             worked together all of these many years in support of 
             clean-coal-burning technology.
               Coal is the largest single reserve of energy that this 
             Nation possesses--the largest, far beyond petroleum, far 
             beyond natural gas, far beyond the other renewables, and 
             so forth. Coal is there. Our research and industrial base 
             works year after year to try to see how we can consume 
             these vast coal reserves and thereby become less and less 
             dependent on importing our energy needs, but burning it in 
             such a way that it does the least possible harm to the 
             environment, be it the air we breathe or the problems 
             associated with acid rain, and so forth.
               I commend my dear friend for all the work that he has 
             done and will continue to do for years on clean coal 
             technology.
               Virginia and West Virginia also share a common border 
             that is basically established by the Appalachian 
             Mountains. This part of Virginia and West Virginia has its 
             own magnificent qualities, particularly the sturdy 
             lifestyle of the people who choose purposefully to live in 
             those hills and valleys and those mountains which are so 
             often ravaged by heavy floods and so often ravaged by 
             other natural disasters, such as snowstorms.
               Senator Byrd and I many times have gone to visit those 
             regions in the aftermath of a natural disaster. We find no 
             desire on the part of those people to leave those regions, 
             only to remain.
               Senator Byrd was instrumental in passing legislation 
             which provides recognition for those geographic areas of 
             the Appalachian range that are deserving of financial 
             assistance and other forms of assistance because of the 
             rigorous, challenging lifestyle in these regions. He has 
             seen that funding has remained these many years equitably 
             allocated between the several States.
               I think of him foremost as one who is a family man. How 
             often he has reminisced about the members of his family. 
             He speaks with a great sense of pride and humility on how 
             his family, much like every Member of this Senate, is 
             closely involved in the life of the Senate, closely 
             involved because of the commitments the families make: the 
             many long hours Senators are required to either be in the 
             Chamber or traveling throughout their States, traveling 
             throughout the 50 States, or, indeed, around the world. It 
             is a challenge for the families, and Bob Byrd is a family 
             man, along with his beloved wife Erma.
               I remember so well early on in my career, I had the 
             privilege to be invited by Senator Byrd, to join him on a 
             number of codels to various parts of the world. We served 
             together on the Senate Committee on Armed Services these 
             many years. So often we would visit the troops and others 
             throughout the world.
               One trip I remember ever so vividly, he took the first 
             congressional codel to the then-Soviet Union to visit with 
             Gorbachev, who had risen to a powerful position in the 
             Soviet Union after a lot of strife and turmoil. That man 
             exhibited extraordinary courage. I so looked forward to 
             our important visit, as did every member of that codel--I 
             think there were about a dozen of us who joined Senator 
             Byrd to go over to the Soviet Union.
               Senator Strom Thurmond, whose record Senator Byrd, with 
             a sense of humility, passes today, was on that codel. And 
             as we flew to the Soviet Union, I had the privilege--along 
             with one or two others--of working with Bob Byrd on 
             remarks he wanted to make. That was an important set of 
             remarks. Strom Thurmond represented the Republican side of 
             that delegation. We were basically equally divided. I 
             remember working through that statement well into the wee 
             hours of the night as that plane was traversing that long 
             distance.
               The following day, Gorbachev announced he was going to 
             allocate an hour and a half to meet this delegation. The 
             time was carefully allocated by Senator Byrd and Senator 
             Thurmond to members of the delegation.
               I recall that I was the junior man on that delegation. 
             When he got to me, I had 2 minutes. I was proud to get 2 
             minutes. Our dear colleague and friend, the retiring 
             Senator this year, Senator Sarbanes, senior, of course, to 
             me at that time, turned to me and said: I will give you my 
             3 minutes so you can have 5 minutes because you are on 
             that Committee on Armed Services, and there is nothing 
             more important to be covered today than the issues 
             relating to national defense. I will never forget that act 
             of courtesy by Senator Sarbanes.
               Senator Byrd delivered his remarks flawlessly. Gorbachev 
             listened very carefully. Gorbachev made a few notes on a 
             pad. He was followed, then, by Strom Thurmond, who 
             delivered one of his thunderous, heartfelt remarks, 
             beginning with how he stormed the shore on D-day and how 
             the Soviet Army was pressing on Germany from another 
             direction. It was a confluence of primarily those two 
             forces and Great Britain and, of course, their allies and 
             the free French who brought a conclusion to the war. 
             Gorbachev's father had been in the war. Strom reminisced, 
             jokingly saying that he hoped he had not hurt his father. 
             I recall Gorbachev very much was moved by that comment.
               That was the type of thing for which Senator Byrd was so 
             famous: putting together those delegations, going to those 
             places in the world around which the axle of history was 
             evolving at that time, or the spokes of history around 
             that axle. What a privilege it was to travel with this 
             great man.
               I think of him as a historian. This Senator does not 
             have the temerity, and I don't know of anyone who would 
             challenge Bob Byrd on the history of this great 
             institution. No man hath greater love for this Senate than 
             Robert Byrd. He has expressed that with a sense of 
             humility many times in speeches in the Senate.
               When he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a copy of 
             the Constitution--he almost knows it by heart--he always 
             opens that little book. He can, as quickly as anyone in 
             this Senate, find those passages that are relevant to the 
             debate at hand or the issues at hand. Those are things we 
             remember about him with such great respect.
               He is a humorist. He can be tough. He can be firm. But, 
             oh, can he bring a chuckle about in the hearts of all of 
             us. Sometimes in this Senate when things hit the high 
             point of stress, I have seen Bob Byrd take to the floor 
             with his very soft voice, dispel tension, dispel some of 
             the rancor, and inject a note of humor.
               Bob Byrd is also, it might surprise Members, an artist. 
             One painting he did many years ago, some of us through the 
             years have been privileged to get a copy of that painting. 
             He has an eye for art. He also has an eye for music. I do 
             recall the times when he played the fiddle, the music that 
             he loved and still loves. I think he composed a little bit 
             on the side from time to time.
               I can recount so many things where he is far more 
             capable than I. I have never considered myself a poet, but 
             Bob Byrd can recall from memory hundreds of poems and 
             recite them at times when it seems most appropriate.
               He is a family man, historian, humorist, artist, 
             musician, composer and poet. And then we think back to his 
             respect for the Bible, and second only to the Bible, his 
             respect and love for the U.S. Constitution.
               I went back and checked a little history. This Chamber 
             honored me the other night after I cast my 10,000th vote, 
             a very modest accomplishment in the face of Bob Byrd's 
             accomplishment, my 28 years. He has been here just short 
             of twice as long.
               Also, someone thoughtfully said that I was the second 
             longest serving Senator from Virginia. Lo and behold, who 
             was the longest serving Senator from Virginia? None other 
             than Bob Byrd's close friend of years past, Harry F. Byrd, 
             Sr. I repeat, senior, because when I came to the Senate, 
             Harry F. Byrd, Jr., was the Member of the Senate with whom 
             I was privileged to serve as his junior Senator. But it is 
             interesting, Harry F. Byrd, Sr., was born in Martinsburg, 
             Berkeley County, WV. There you have it. He was the longest 
             serving Senator and remains with that record at 32 years 
             and 8 months for the Commonwealth of Virginia. Now Bob 
             Byrd takes it not only for the State but for the whole of 
             the history of the Senate.
               There has to be something, I say most respectfully, in 
             the water down in West Virginia, or the lifestyle, the 
             hardiness, or the courage of the people that enabled these 
             two distinguished Virginians, Robert C. Byrd and Harry 
             Flood Byrd, Sr., to become the longest serving in their 
             respective States.
                                      Exhibit 1
                  [From the Charleston (WV) Gazette, June 12, 2006]
                The Pillar of the Senate: 10 Presidents Later, Byrd 
                               Longest-Serving Senator
                                 (By Paul J. Nyden)
               Sen. Robert C. Byrd becomes the longest-serving member 
             of the U.S. Senate today, having represented West 
             Virginians for 17,327 days in the chamber.
               Byrd began serving in the Senate more than 47 years ago, 
             on Jan. 3, 1959, after spending six years in the House of 
             Representatives and six years in the West Virginia 
             Legislature.
               He also has cast more votes by far than any member of 
             the Senate: 17,662 times, as of last Friday.
               ``I consider him to be the pillar of the Senate,'' says 
             Sen. Paul Sarbanes, D-Md. ``His commitment to the United 
             States Senate and its history, customs and procedures is 
             equaled only by his commitment to the state of West 
             Virginia, our nation and our Constitution.''
               Byrd's impact on fellow senators personally rivals his 
             institutional role, some of his colleagues said.
               ``Senator Byrd has been a very, very important figure in 
             my life,'' said Sen. John Warner, a Virginia Republican. 
             ``He is such a magnificent teacher of the history of the 
             Senate.''
               Warner recalls a conversation he had with Byrd when 
             Warner was new to the Senate. ``He said, `At one time, our 
             states were together. I don't want to put them back 
             together, but I want to work together as full and equal 
             partners,' '' Warner said.
               ``I enjoy the man,'' Warner said. ``He is wonderful.''
               Up to now, the Senate's longest-serving member had been 
             the late Strom Thurmond, R-S.C. The third- and fourth-
             longest-serving members are Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., and 
             Daniel K. Inouye, D-Hawaii, both of whom have been there 
             more than 43 years.
               ``Byrd epitomizes the role that the framers of our 
             Constitution envisioned for the legislative branch,'' 
             Sarbanes said.
               In fact, The Almanac of American Politics, a widely 
             consulted volume on federal politics, describes Byrd as 
             the politician who ``may come closer to the kind of 
             senator the Founding Fathers had in mind than any other.''
               Since President Bush took office, Byrd has been one of 
             the Senate's leading voices on challenging the war in 
             Iraq, preserving Social Security and protecting workers' 
             jobs and safety.
               Despite his strong positions, however, Byrd said he 
             regrets the increasing animosity in both legislative 
             bodies. He said he has always worked to be bipartisan.
               ``I thank the people of West Virginia for having 
             repeatedly expressed their faith in me,'' Byrd said. ``I 
             never lose sight of that. Every morning of every day of my 
             life, my first thought is, `What can I do today for West 
             Virginia?' ''
               Byrd's contribution to the state has been immense, said 
             Gov. Joe Manchin and members of West Virginia's 
             congressional delegation.
               ``I don't know of a person in West Virginia who has not 
             been touched, or benefited in a most positive way, by 
             Senator Byrd's service,'' Manchin said. ``I mean, 
             Democrats, Republicans, independents and people who don't 
             vote--they all benefit.''
               Byrd has long been known as a ``legend'' in West 
             Virginia, said Jay Rockefeller, Byrd's junior Democratic 
             colleague for the state. ``But now he has surpassed even 
             the great legends of the Senate to become the longest 
             serving senator in U.S. history.''
               He can take credit for ``highways, dams, bridges, 
             federal facilities and jobs, health centers and 
             educational institutions,'' Rockefeller said. ``And the 
             best part is, he's not finished.''
               ``What do you get when you multiply the power of the 
             beacon by the strength of a workhorse by the steadiness of 
             an anchor? Robert C. Byrd,'' said Rep. Nick J. Rahall, D-
             W.Va.
               Byrd's ``ability to deliver for our state'' is awe-
             inspiring, said David Hardesty, the president of West 
             Virginia University. ``His votes are guided by his 
             understanding of the Constitution and by his dedication to 
             the people of this state.''
               Manchin also emphasized Byrd's future.
               ``People also need to know that Senator Byrd has a lot 
             of years of service left in him,'' he said. ``When people 
             ask about what he has done, he says, `I want to talk about 
             people who can help me do what we still need to do.' ''
               Born in Wilkesboro, N.C., in 1917, Byrd grew up in a 
             coal mining family in Sophia, Raleigh County.
               Nearly 20 years later, he married Erma Ora James, who 
             passed away on March 25 of this year. Today, Mrs. Byrd 
             would have turned 89.

               Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, it is an extraordinary honor 
             to be able to speak a few words about my friend, the 
             senior Senator from the State of West Virginia, as he 
             makes history yet again.
               There are precious few opportunities in life to 
             recognize greatness in our midst, but today we have that 
             opportunity. We honor our friend not simply because he's 
             become the longest serving Senator in our history, but 
             also because there's no doubt that he's earned his 
             rightful place besides Henry Clay, Daniel Webster, John 
             Calhoun, and other giants in Senate history.
               Bob Byrd's life is a tribute to the power of the 
             American dream--rising from humble beginnings, this son of 
             the Appalachian coalfields reached the pinnacle of power 
             and accomplishment through decades of hard work and 
             unwavering dedication.
               His life is also a tribute to the power of love and 
             commitment. Bob Byrd's commitment and love for the Senate 
             and the country is total and complete, just as they are 
             for the people of West Virginia and his beloved Erma, with 
             whom he shared one of America's great love stories.
               Erma and Bob would have celebrated her birthday today--
             and we're saddened that she could not be here to share 
             this extraordinary moment. But we know she's looking down 
             from Heaven with a smile for the young boy who once shared 
             his chewing gum with her more than 70 years ago.
               This is a special day for me as well, because it's a 
             time to tell my friend how much he means to me, and how 
             much I believe his service means to our Nation.
               For longer than I've been in public life, I've known 
             Robert C. Byrd. I first came to know him during the famed 
             West Virginia Presidential primary of 1960.
               Bob was a new Senator and moving up through the ranks as 
             a protege of Senate Majority Leader Lyndon Johnson. My 
             brother Jack and Bob were colleagues in the Senate, but 
             Jack knew it was inevitable that Bob would be looking out 
             for LBJ in the Mountain State, and hoping to deny us the 
             victory we needed.
               Jack had won the Wisconsin primary, and the stakes were 
             high in West Virginia.
               It was a spirited campaign in which all of us in the 
             Kennedy family got to see the extraordinary qualities of 
             the people of West Virginia--kindness, compassion for 
             their fellow citizens, and perseverance even in the face 
             of enormous obstacles--the qualities that Bob Byrd knew 
             and loved. Jack campaigned extremely well in the State and 
             came to love the people too, and he never forgot the boost 
             they gave him during that hard-fought campaign.
               President Kennedy and Robert C. Byrd formed a powerful 
             partnership, and one of Jack's first official acts in 
             office was to authorize the shipment of emergency rations 
             to help the people of Appalachia recover from a disaster.
               They worked together to create the Appalachian Regional 
             Commission, which lifted thousands out of poverty, and 
             eliminated many of the barriers that had isolated the 
             region from the economic mainstream of the Nation. They 
             invested in the people, and it worked. President Kennedy 
             and Senator Robert C. Byrd understood that if you give 
             Americans opportunity and hope, there is no limit to what 
             they can accomplish.
               For me personally, it's impossible to imagine the Senate 
             without Senator Byrd. He defeated me for majority whip in 
             1971. We both thought we had the votes lined up to win, 
             and it was Bob who taught me how to count votes as he went 
             on to become an outstanding whip and later an outstanding 
             majority leader. My consolation prize was being set free 
             to focus on the legislative issues I care most about.
               Over the years in the Senate together, we've all come to 
             rely on Senator Byrd as the great defender of this 
             institution and the champion of the Constitution.
               He doesn't defend the Constitution simply when it's in 
             fashion to do so. He doesn't yield when political 
             convenience suggests that the legislative branch should 
             demur for the sake of comity or to accomplish a popular 
             goal.
               Bob Byrd understands that the Founders intended each 
             branch of government to have powers that could place them 
             in conflict, and that the powers Congress cedes to the 
             executive today may have dire consequences for the Nation 
             tomorrow.
               In this role, he is the guardian of the Senate and the 
             ideals that Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Madison, and 
             Hamilton fought to enshrine when they created our 
             government.
               I have many warm memories of Bob Byrd as leader, as 
             friend, and as scholar. One that comes to mind now is our 
             barnstorming trip through West Virginia during the 2004 
             Presidential campaign.
               We traveled by bus around the State from Charleston to 
             Mingo and Logan counties and wherever we stopped, you 
             could feel the love and respect that the people of West 
             Virginia had for Bob Byrd. At one stop, he even jumped up 
             onto the back of a flatbed truck to deliver a stemwinder. 
             I was committed to the campaign as well, but that was a 
             tactic I thought best be left to Bob.
               In the end we came up short in West Virginia on election 
             day, but I'll never forget the fun we had those last few 
             weeks of October, and I'm eternally grateful to Bob for 
             inviting me. I'll cherish the memory forever.
               Of all the remarkable attributes of Senator Byrd, few 
             have impressed more than his ability to memorize and 
             recite poetry. As a child, this was always one of my 
             greatest challenges at school and I'm awed by Bob's 
             extraordinary talent.
               His mind must hold hundreds of verses that he can recite 
             at a moment's notice. One of my favorites describes the 
             responsibilities we have as public servants to address the 
             causes of the problems that confront us, not just the 
             consequences of those problems.
               It's about whether it's better to build a fence around 
             the edge of a cliff, or keep an ambulance ready in the 
             valley below.
               I can't recite it from memory like he can, but this is 
             how it goes. It was written by Joseph Malins in 1895:

             'Twas a dangerous cliff, as they freely confessed,
             Though to walk near its crest was so pleasant;
             But over its terrible edge there had slipped
             A duke, and full many a peasant.

             The people said something would have to be done,
             But their projects did not at all tally.
             Some said ``Put a fence 'round the edge of the cliff,''
             Some, ``An ambulance down in the valley.''

             The lament of the crowd was profound and was loud,
             As the tears overflowed with their pity;
             But the cry for the ambulance carried the day
             As it spread through the neighbouring city.

             A collection was made, to accumulate aid,
             And the dwellers in highway and alley
             Gave dollars or cents--not to furnish a fence--
             But an ambulance down in the valley.

             ``For the cliff is all right if you're careful,'' they 
               said;
             ``And if folks ever slip and are dropping,
             It isn't the slipping that hurts them so much
             As the shock down below--when they're stopping.''

             So for years (we have heard), as these mishaps occurred
             Quick forth would the rescuers sally,
             To pick up the victims who fell from the cliff,
             With the ambulance down in the valley.

             Said one, in a plea, ``It's a marvel to me
             That you'd give so much greater attention
             To repairing results than to curing the cause;
             You had much better aim at prevention.

             For the mischief, of course, should be stopped at its 
               source;
             Come, neighbours and friends, let us rally.
             It is far better sense to rely on a fence
             Than an ambulance down in the valley.''

             ``He is wrong in his head,'' the majority said;
             ``He would end all our earnest endeavour.
             He's a man who would shirk this responsible work,
             But we will support it forever.

             Aren't we picking up all, just as fast as they fall,
             And giving them care liberally?
             A superfluous fence is of no consequence,
             If the ambulance works in the valley.''

             The story looks queer as we've written it here,
             But things oft occur that are stranger.
             More humane, we assert, than to succour the hurt
             Is the plan of removing the danger.

             The best possible course is to safeguard the source
             By attending to things rationally.
             Yes, build up the fence and let us dispense
             With the ambulance down in the valley.

               That's the principle Bob Byrd has followed throughout 
             his brilliant career in the Senate. He's a Senator for the 
             ages, and it's an extraordinary honor and privilege to 
             know him, to serve with him, and to learn from him.

               Mr. DOMENICI. Mr. President, I will soon have been here 
             34 years. That is not very long compared to the man about 
             whom I rise to say a few words. I understand this was the 
             day. I was in my office and, having heard the eloquence 
             that was spoken today to my good friend, Senator Byrd, I 
             figured that I couldn't do him justice just coming down at 
             this very moment, as I am. But everybody knows why we 
             speak today when we attempt to honor him for his devotion 
             to his colleagues, to the institution, to the 
             Constitution, and to the United States of America.
               The distinguished Senator knows what each of us thinks 
             of him. He knows, better than we each do, what we think of 
             him. He could tell me what Pete Domenici thinks about Bob 
             Byrd, and probably be close to right. And vice versa. He 
             has occasionally spoken about what he thinks of me. I 
             don't think he takes it lightly. I think what he says he 
             means. He has been far too generous in what he has said. 
             But I will choose, among all the things, for just a 
             moment, to say what I think mostly about him, as I think 
             about his time here and revere it.
               First, there is something about learning to appreciate 
             what the Senate is as a place, as a house, as an 
             institution. Woe be it any man or woman who is elected to 
             this place and who serves for any length of time and 
             doesn't feel it, doesn't understand it, doesn't quite 
             grasp what a rare place this Senate is. It is hard to say 
             why it is. One could talk about the men and women who made 
             it like this. We could talk about the rules of the Senate 
             that made it like this. We could talk about the two or 
             three great qualities, the fact that you can offer 
             amendments freely--which has been known as one of those 
             real attributes of this place. You can come down here on 
             an afternoon while something is being debated on health, 
             and if you can get the floor you can offer an amendment 
             about Iraq. Somehow or another, you get the feel of the 
             place, the limitation on trying to get things done that 
             this threat to filibuster offers, and how that plays, and 
             the minority and majority and what it means in this place.
               You know at some point in time if you have ever had to 
             make a decision on the floor of the Senate that was 
             important just because it was important to the Senate, 
             then Robert Byrd would be there to stand up and 
             congratulate you. That is, if as chairman of the Budget 
             Committee I had to get up and say to the Senate: I want to 
             admonish you that if you do this or that you are 
             challenging the rules of the Senate--if I would look 
             around and expect some help, the walls would give me help. 
             And it would be Robert Byrd saying: Listen carefully, if 
             you are talking about the Senate.
               That is why I came here, because of all his qualities, I 
             think he will best be known as a man of the Senate, as a 
             man who understood the Senate--what made it great and 
             different, unique. He is noted for his great ability to 
             manifest so many great historic concepts, of modern times 
             and ancient times, and today debate them, deliver them, 
             state them from memory, and truly inform us what they 
             mean.
               His understanding of freedom is legendary, what American 
             freedom is. But today I chose to congratulate him for not 
             letting up, in all his years--never letting up on the 
             proposition that the Senate is a special place. He will go 
             down in history because he has regularly, habitually, 
             without hesitance informed us of what a special place the 
             Senate is by virtue of what we have been given, what was 
             bestowed upon us in the Constitution, how our Founding 
             Fathers have accredited this place, what its rules have 
             become through its leaders of the past, and how the halls 
             just reek with all of that past and just keep making it 
             the Senate.
               That is what he is; that is what he has done. He is the 
             Senate. The longer he is here, the more he is that. I 
             don't know how many years it took him to become it, to 
             know it, to relish it as he has passed it on to each of 
             us. Certainly, by the time I came in 1972, and I have been 
             here 33 going on 34 years, he already was there and was 
             preaching that to all of us. Some of us began to 
             understand it to where we could stand up and say: Hey, 
             don't forget, fellow Senators, this is the Senate. Let's 
             not do an injustice to it. Let's not violate it.
               I won't state names, but I remember very young Senators 
             who wouldn't think of talking that way. But 10 years 
             later, that is the way they talked, that is the way they 
             behaved. I venture to say each and every one who comes to 
             my mind, if you ask them where they got that feeling, that 
             rapture for this place, probably among the very few things 
             they would mention, they would mention Robert C. Byrd.
               Congratulations for all the times spent in breaking all 
             the records for the time, but most of all congratulations 
             from me, to a Senate man, a man who makes the Senate what 
             it is and likes to tell everybody else around what it is, 
             and in particular likes to make sure Senators grow up and 
             begin to relish it as he has, and never forgets what it 
             is.
               I yield the floor.

               The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Cornyn). The Senator from 
             Tennessee is recognized.

               Mr. ALEXANDER. Mr. President, I first came to the U.S. 
             Senate 40 years ago next year, not as a Senator but as a 
             legislative assistant. Senator Kennedy was here then in 
             his second term. Senator Byrd had been in the Congress 
             since 1953. I was working for Howard Baker, the first 
             Republican Senator to be elected from Tennessee.
               I noticed over the years how he and Senator Byrd became 
             good friends. The strength of that friendship was 
             demonstrated in 1980 when the Republicans gained control 
             of the Senate--which surprised virtually everyone, gaining 
             12 seats. Among the shocks that would occur is that Howard 
             Baker, who was then the Republican leader--he refused to 
             call himself the minority leader, but the Republican 
             leader--was to become majority leader and Robert Byrd, who 
             was the Democratic leader, would have to be the minority 
             leader.
               I remember two stories Senator Baker tells about that 
             incident which had a lot to do with shaping what happened 
             in the Senate shortly after that.
               Senator Baker went to see Senator Byrd, and as I have 
             been told, he said: Bob, I wonder if you would be willing 
             to keep your office. Well, that got him off to a good 
             start with Bob Byrd. I am sure that incident must have 
             caused the Senate to work much more smoothly over the next 
             few years. Senator Baker kept the minority leader's office 
             and expanded it, and Senator Byrd kept the majority 
             leader's office even though he was the minority leader.
               But the second thing that happened was this: The new 
             majority leader, Howard Baker, said to the stepping down 
             majority leader, Bob Byrd: ``Bob, I would like to make an 
             arrangement with you.'' Senator Byrd said to Senator 
             Baker: ``What is that, Howard?'' He said: ``I would like 
             to make an arrangement about surprises. I will not 
             surprise you if you won't surprise me.'' According to 
             Senator Baker, Senator Byrd replied: ``Let me think about 
             it.'' They got back together the next day, and Bob Byrd 
             gave Howard Baker his word: No surprises. According to 
             Senator Baker, that word was never broken during the 
             entire time Senator Baker was the majority leader and 
             Senator Byrd was the minority leader. I am sure the Senate 
             and this country benefited greatly because of the trust 
             those two men, who usually had very different opinions on 
             issues, had with one another.
               The other thing I would like to say about Senator Byrd 
             is this: I came to the U.S. Senate as a Senator many years 
             later, the same year the Presiding Officer came from 
             Texas. It was in 2003 when we were sworn in, and that was 
             exactly a half century after Bob Byrd came to the 
             Congress. Each of us in our class made what I believe we 
             still call maiden speeches--our first speech on the 
             subject that was most important to us. The subject that 
             was most important to me--and still is--is what it means 
             to be an American, concepts that unify our country. I find 
             it absolutely remarkable how our country, among all 
             others, has accumulated this magnificent diversity but has 
             found a way to bind it into a single country based on a 
             few fragile principles that are found in our founding 
             documents and by our common language and by our saga of 
             American history.
               There is no one in the Senate--even though many of us 
             try--no one in the Senate who understands and expresses 
             that better than Senator Robert C. Byrd. He understands 
             what it means to be an American. He votes that way. For 
             example, when the No Child Left Behind Act came up in the 
             Senate before I was elected to this body, the legislation 
             focused on reading and math. Senator Byrd insisted that 
             the Senate bill include a $100 million authorization for 
             the teaching of what he called traditional American 
             history. Our seniors in high school are scoring lower on 
             U.S. history than on any other subject. In other words, 
             our high school seniors don't score lowest on math or 
             science; they score lowest on U.S. history. Those are the 
             worst scores our seniors have. In focusing on the need to 
             do a better job of teaching history to young Americans, 
             Senator Byrd is making an effort to make sure we remember 
             where our country came from.
               When I made my maiden speech and then introduced a 
             modest bill to try to create summer academies for 
             outstanding teachers and students of American history in 
             2003, Senator Byrd came to the floor. Senator Byrd co-
             sponsored the bill, and then he showed the great 
             compliment to me of showing up at the hearing before the 
             Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee to 
             testify for the bill. As I said, it was my 1st year in the 
             Senate; it was his 50th year in Congress.
               So I congratulate him for his service. I congratulate 
             him for his relationship with other Senators, his word 
             being his bond, as it was in the example with Senator 
             Baker, and I admire his work in helping to remind us in 
             this body and all of us in this country of what it means 
             to be an American. That will be one of his lasting 
             legacies.
               Mr. President, I yield the floor.

               Mr. CHAMBLISS. Mr. President, I cannot be in the Chamber 
             on this somewhat historic day without recognizing the fact 
             that one of our colleagues today becomes the longest 
             serving Member of the U.S. Senate. Senator Bob Byrd is a 
             special Member of this body and has been a good friend to 
             all 99 current Members, as well as all the previous 
             Members of the Senate who have had the pleasure of serving 
             with him.
               I will never forget the first week I was here making my 
             rounds of the other Senators I did not know. When I came 
             to Senator Byrd, he, of course, knew immediately who I was 
             and engaged me in a conversation about some facts 
             regarding my service in the House and some other issues 
             that were personal that let me know how much he cared 
             about the Senate by taking the time to research the 
             background of individuals who become Members of the 
             Senate.
               I will always cherish the fact that during that 
             conversation and in subsequent conversations I have had 
             with him, he shared with me the fact that his favorite 
             Member of the Senate has always been Senator Richard B. 
             Russell of my home State. Senator Russell served in this 
             body for 34 years, and I happen to hold the seat of 
             Senator Russell. I have an office in the Senate Russell 
             Building. So I have a number of ties to Senator Russell, 
             and I also have such great respect and admiration for him. 
             To hear Senator Byrd talk in such glowing terms about a 
             man from my State for whom I have such respect gave me a 
             warm feeling about this man with whom I was about to 
             engage in service in the Senate.
               He is a remarkable man. He is a man who, without 
             question, believes in the Constitution of the United 
             States and thinks we ought to be more bold in our 
             adherence to that Constitution.
               In that respect, again, in that same first week I was 
             here, I received in my office mail a copy of the U.S. 
             Constitution from Senator Byrd, along with a letter from 
             him saying that as a Member of the Senate, I should always 
             remember that this has been our guiding light and has 
             served us well during every single day that our country 
             has been free and democratic.
               As we help share and celebrate with him on this historic 
             day, I extend my congratulations to him on his service to 
             our country and his service in the Senate.
               I yield the floor.

               Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, before the distinguished 
             Senator departs, I thank him for his kind remarks and 
             thank him for his service on the Armed Services Committee.
               He mentioned Richard Russell. Indeed, he had many years 
             of service on the Armed Services Committee. I know he 
             would be very proud of what Senator Chambliss has done to 
             carry on the traditions which he instituted.
               I earlier shared my respect for Robert Byrd and that 
             great class of Senators with whom he worked in this 
             institution, among them Harry F. Byrd, Sr., Richard B. 
             Russell, and John Stennis. They were quite a team, and we 
             have all learned from them. I must say, Senator Chambliss 
             carries on those traditions with his great State.

               Mr. LEVIN. Mr. President, I congratulate my good friend, 
             Robert C. Byrd, on becoming the longest serving Senator in 
             American history. Senator Byrd is an institution within 
             this institution that we all dearly love. For more than 47 
             years in the Senate, he has served America and his beloved 
             West Virginia with firm purpose, confident that his work 
             is to do their work. He has done it extraordinarily well.
               Senator Byrd's place in history was assured long before 
             this milestone. He is distinguished more by his love for 
             the Senate than by the length of his service. Senator Byrd 
             knows the history and rules of the Senate better than any 
             of us serving today--perhaps better than anyone who has 
             ever served this body. He has defended the traditions and 
             prerogatives of the Senate as strongly as any Senator ever 
             has. Senator Byrd reveres our Constitution, a copy of 
             which he always carries in his pocket, and is as firmly 
             committed to our Constitution as any American ever has 
             been.
               To just give one example, I saw that commitment in our 
             work together against the line-item veto, which Congress 
             passed and President Clinton signed into law in 1996. In 
             the floor consideration of that bill, Senator Byrd 
             illuminated the debate, as he so often does, by reaching 
             back into history. He quoted the 18th century English 
             jurist, Sir William Blackstone, who wrote:

               In all tyrannical governments, the supreme magistery, or 
             the right of both making and enforcing the laws, is vested 
             in one and the same man, or one and the same body of men. 
             And wherever these two powers are united together, there 
             can be no public liberty.

               After the bill became law, despite that opposition, I 
             joined Senator Byrd and Senator Moynihan in filing an 
             amicus brief at the Supreme Court, arguing that the line-
             item veto was an unconstitutional surrender of legislative 
             power to the executive branch. In June 1998, the Supreme 
             Court agreed in a 6 to 3 decision. Senator Byrd came to 
             the Senate floor, and he declared that this is a great day 
             for the United States of America, a great day for the 
             Constitution of the United States. Moreover, he said that 
             today we feel that the liberties of the American people 
             have been assured. God save this honorable Court.
               Well, we are honored to have this giant in the Senate--a 
             true living legend--among us and guiding us in our daily 
             work.
               The determination with which Senator Byrd approaches his 
             work in Washington is borne of his devotion to the people 
             of West Virginia.
               Through his arduous work he has brought needed 
             infrastructure to an area that has lacked for economic 
             development. He has fought, first and foremost, for the 
             working people and particularly the coal miners of West 
             Virginia. Just last week--I guess the week before now--the 
             Senate passed the mine safety bill that he championed 
             along with his colleague, Senator Rockefeller. West 
             Virginia has had no finer advocate in its history than 
             Robert Byrd, a fact the State recognized when it selected 
             him ``West Virginian of the 20th century.''
               In addition to his service in the Senate, Senator Byrd 
             has lived, and hopefully will continue to live for many 
             years, an amazing and an amazingly full life. He is a man 
             of great abilities and many passions. He plays the fiddle; 
             he reads the classics; he is a master orator; he has 
             worked as a butcher and welder; he is a writer and 
             historian; he has lived in a shack with no electricity and 
             now keeps the company of Presidents and of Kings.
               He has known true and deep love with his cherished wife 
             Erma whose birthday they would have celebrated today. His 
             life and his love for the Senate and for the Constitution 
             is exceeded only by his love for Erma.
               When I was elected to the Senate in 1978, Robert Byrd 
             was majority leader. The first vote I cast was on a Robert 
             Byrd motion. And since that day, I have learned more about 
             this institution from Robert Byrd than I have from anyone 
             or from anywhere else. The greatest tribute we can pay to 
             Robert Byrd is to stand firm for Senate procedures which 
             have made the Senate the most notable place in the world 
             of democratic institutions where the protection of 
             minority rights to debate and to amend legislation are the 
             most protected. There is no other place like the Senate in 
             the world. It is here where the right to debate is given a 
             privileged position, a protected position so that minority 
             views can be aired fully and so that, hopefully, consensus 
             can be arrived at rather than just simply adopted by 
             prompt majority votes.
               So that is the tribute we can all pay to Robert Byrd: to 
             defend this institution, to stand for its procedures, and 
             to carry, as he does, at least in our hearts, the 
             Constitution, as he carries the Constitution on his body.
               Congratulations to Senator Byrd on this historic 
             milestone in his lifetime of service to our Nation and his 
             now record length of service to the Senate of the United 
             States.

               Mr. ISAKSON. Mr. President, I am pleased to come to the 
             floor today to pay my personal tribute and the tribute of 
             all Georgians to the service of Robert Byrd in the U.S. 
             Senate. Today, in his 47th year of service, he is the 
             longest serving U.S. Senator in history.
               I am distinctly honored to be in the Senate and to have 
             been elected here, and there are many reasons why I am 
             honored. But one of the most wonderful experiences since 
             my election has been the chance to come to know Robert 
             Byrd. He, obviously, is a legend. He, obviously, is a 
             great orator. But he is also a wonderful human being.
               On Fridays it is my occasion to preside over the U.S. 
             Senate for 3 hours. As the other Members of the Senate 
             know, on Friday mornings we are not always in business. 
             Therefore, Friday is the day where a lot of Members come 
             to make speeches about issues of importance to them and 
             their constituents.
               On occasion, I have had the chance to hear Robert Byrd 
             make one of his famous Friday morning speeches, probably 
             the most enjoyable of which took place three Fridays ago 
             when I was presiding over the Senate. Senator Byrd arrived 
             in the Chamber, asked for recognition, and then spoke, 
             basically without notes, for 48 minutes. I remember 
             counting the minutes. I did not want it to be over because 
             he gave his famous Mother's Day speech. He paid tribute to 
             his mom and all moms in the United States of America.
               Robert Byrd is a wonderful, unique institution, a man of 
             great honor, great intellect, and great capacity.
               One of my other great experiences since coming to the 
             Senate has been to work with him on the bill we recently 
             passed and is now on the President's desk, the mine safety 
             bill. As chairman of the Subcommittee on Occupational 
             Safety, it fell to my lot to deal with the tragedies of 
             the Sago mine disaster and subsequent disasters that took 
             place in Kentucky.
               Obviously, the Sago mine is in West Virginia, and I 
             traveled to West Virginia and met with those mine 
             families. But I also met with Robert Byrd on numerous 
             occasions, talking about what we as the U.S. Senate could 
             do to try to see to it that we reacted to where there 
             might be shortcomings in the mine safety laws and to help 
             institutionalize better practices not only in our 
             inspections but in the operations of those mines.
               With all the energy of a teenager, love and compassion 
             for those widows, and with great effort on his own part, 
             Senator Byrd worked closely with us over the last 6 months 
             since that disaster, and a couple weeks ago we passed in 
             this body--and the House passed 2 days later--the mine 
             safety bill.
               Today, mining is a safer profession because of Robert 
             Byrd and his compassionate love for the people of West 
             Virginia and the coal miners who work there.
               I could go on and on telling personal stories, but I 
             will not do that. I simply close by saying, of all the 
             great distinctions and honors I have had to serve in this 
             body, none is greater than to get to know the great man of 
             great capacity and great compassion, the honorable Robert 
             Byrd from the State of West Virginia--now the longest 
             serving Senator in the history of the U.S. Senate.
               (At the request of Mr. Reid, the following statement was 
             ordered to be printed in the Record).

               Mr. ROCKEFELLER. Mr. President, on January 3, 1959, 
             Robert Carlyle Byrd entered his first term as West 
             Virginia's junior Senator. Today, June 12, 2006, after 
             serving 17,327 days representing West Virginians, Robert 
             C. Byrd is now the longest serving U.S. Senator in our 
             Nation's great history. He has surpassed giants and 
             legends of the Senate to be in a class by himself. 
             Although his 47-plus years and 17,666 votes are what we 
             celebrate today, we also know that he is just as much West 
             Virginia's future as he has been part of its past.
               During his tenure, Senator Byrd has brought over $1 
             billion to West Virginia's highways, dams, educational 
             institutions, and more--earning him the moniker of West 
             Virginia's billion-dollar industry. Senator Byrd has also 
             created a number of other health care and educational 
             opportunities across the State such as the Robert C. Byrd 
             Center for Rural Health, based at Marshall University; the 
             Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center at West Virginia 
             University; and the Scholastic Recognition Award for West 
             Virginia's public and private school valedictorians. 
             Senator Byrd's projects are so numerous it would take me 
             hours to name them all; however, the improvements he has 
             brought to West Virginia are immeasurable. And West 
             Virginia's future is much brighter as a result of his 
             years of service and his continued desire to work for our 
             State.
               His dedication to the people of West Virginia is 
             unmatched, and in the years to come, we all look to 
             Senator Byrd to continue to fight for a State that would 
             have much less without him. Today he is working to secure 
             a Federal prison in McDowell County, continuing to improve 
             our State's highways, updating the safety laws for our 
             miners, protecting the checks and balances in our 
             government structure, securing our borders, and creating 
             opportunities for the youth of West Virginia.
               Sadly, this year, Senator Byrd lost a pillar of strength 
             and the most beloved person in his life--his wife Erma Ora 
             Byrd. When Senator Byrd earned his law degree while 
             serving in Congress, Erma and his children sacrificed time 
             with him for the betterment of our Nation. Erma served as 
             a spiritual companion and as an emotional support for him. 
             When elected as majority leader, many said that his life 
             was the Senate, but those who know him know that the love 
             of his life and his eternal companion truly was Erma. Her 
             values and strengths are those of all West Virginians. She 
             was a coal miner's daughter and a daughter of Appalachia. 
             She provided Senator Byrd with everything he needed 
             throughout his life, and provided unfailing support during 
             his lifetime of public service.
               Senator Byrd's love for West Virginia and its people is 
             extraordinary. Throughout his unprecedented public service 
             in the West Virginia House of Delegates, the U.S. House of 
             Representatives, and the U.S. Senate, Robert C. Byrd has 
             never lost an election--a tribute to his resounding 
             support in our State of West Virginia and something very 
             few of his colleagues can say. One reason for this perfect 
             record is that he never fails to work for the future of 
             our State--he is on the cutting edge of West Virginia's 
             needs, and he is fast to respond to new problems, such as 
             border security, and homeland security, with new 
             solutions.
               Senator Byrd's contributions to this country extend far 
             past West Virginia's mountains. He has served as a leader 
             on the Senate Appropriations Committee, worked to create a 
             Federal compensation system for black lung victims, worked 
             to secure passage of the Panama Canal treaties, led the 
             effort to pass legislation keeping the Social Security 
             system solvent, worked to ratify the INF treaty with the 
             Soviet Union, went to court to block the recently passed 
             line-item veto, among many other historic pieces of 
             legislation, treaties, nominations, and resolutions. Most 
             recently, Senator Byrd has worked tirelessly to help pass 
             the MINER Act in light of the tragedies at the Sago and 
             Alma mines.
               In addition to his stellar legislative record, Senator 
             Byrd has been a proven leader in the Senate, holding more 
             leadership positions in the Senate than any other Senator 
             of any party in Senate history. He has held leadership 
             positions including secretary of the Democratic 
             Conference, chairman of the Senate Appropriations 
             Committee, Senate Democratic whip, Democratic leader, 
             majority leader, and minority leader. On two occasions 
             Senator Robert C. Byrd has served as President pro tempore 
             of the Senate, demonstrating the tremendous amount of 
             respect that the Senator has from his colleagues and 
             placing him in direct line of succession to the 
             Presidency.
               Throughout his career, Senator Robert C. Byrd has 
             remained a dedicated husband, father, grandfather, great-
             grandfather, and friend. A man of deep faith, his 
             dedication to our country and our State is exceeded only 
             by his dedication to his family. I ask my colleagues to 
             join me in congratulating Senator Robert C. Byrd for the 
             incredible amount of time and effort he has given to our 
             Nation and to the State of West Virginia. I know my 
             colleagues join me in hoping that he will continue to 
             serve West Virginia for many more years to come.

               Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I want to add my voice in 
             tribute and recognition of the continuing service of our 
             distinguished colleague, the senior Senator from West 
             Virginia, Senator Robert C. Byrd. Today he becomes the 
             real dean of the Senate, the longest serving of all the 
             1,885 men and women who have served in this body.
               It will not surprise any of my colleagues that others 
             will make more of this remarkable milestone than the 
             Senator from West Virginia himself. For him, Day 17,327 is 
             just another day serving the people of West Virginia and 
             the United States here in the Senate. But for the rest of 
             us, this milestone recognizes not simply the length of 
             Senator Byrd's tenure, but what he has done with that 
             tenure.
               The Senator from West Virginia brings a sense of history 
             and perspective to the politics of the moment. He is as 
             determined as anyone here to achieve his political goals, 
             but his emphasis on the institution's history and 
             prerogatives helps us place the immediate in a larger 
             context. In that sense, he is not just a Senator, not just 
             a colleague, but he is a teacher for the many Senators who 
             have walked on this floor for the first time since he came 
             here so long ago.
               The Senator from West Virginia is truly an original. I 
             ask my colleagues: do you know anyone else who feels 
             equally comfortable giving a discourse on the Roman Senate 
             and appearing on the tv show ``Hee Haw''?
               Many Senators, for example, receive academic degrees 
             during their service in this body. Most, however, are 
             honorary degrees. The Senator from West Virginia received 
             a law degree from American University in 1963, but he 
             earned it after taking night classes for a decade.
               Senators have written books during their service in this 
             body. The Senator from West Virginia, however, has written 
             books about this body. He is widely known as the author of 
             a four-volume work on the history of the U.S. Senate, 
             published in 1987 for the Senate's bicentennial. Those are 
             not simply history books. The project began as a series of 
             speeches about this institution and its history, delivered 
             right here on this Senate floor--a book about Senate 
             history arising while participating in that history.
               They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Inside the 
             front cover of volume two of his work on the Senate is a 
             photograph of the Senator from West Virginia and his wife, 
             whom he has so often simply called ``my dear Erma,'' 
             standing on a staircase in the Senate. We all mourned Erma 
             Byrd's passing just a few months ago and today would have 
             been her birthday. That photograph was on the occasion of 
             their 50th anniversary in 1987. I do not doubt that in his 
             left breast pocket was that familiar copy of the U.S. 
             Constitution which, I might add, was celebrating its own 
             bicentennial that same year. How fitting that one 
             photograph would capture these loves of his life, the 
             institutions to which he was so committed: his marriage, 
             the Constitution, and the Senate.
               So much more could be said, but I just want to pay 
             tribute and honor to my colleague of nearly 30 years, a 
             man of character and integrity, a caring man passionately 
             devoted to his faith, his family, and his country, a good 
             man, a great Senator.

               Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, I rise today to honor the 
             Senate's most enduring figure, Senator Robert Byrd of West 
             Virginia. Today marks the day that Senator Byrd becomes 
             the longest serving Member in the history of the U.S. 
             Senate, with almost 50 years of senatorial experience. I 
             extend to Senator Byrd my congratulations on this 
             momentous occasion.
               Born in 1917, Senator Byrd had a hardscrabble childhood. 
             After the death of his parents when Senator Byrd was just 
             1 year old, he was raised by his aunt and uncle in various 
             communities in West Virginia. He graduated at the top of 
             his high school class in the 1930s, in the midst of the 
             Great Depression. Taking work wherever he was able to find 
             it, Senator Byrd pumped gas, sold produce, and cut meat. 
             These jobs grounded Senator Byrd in the realities of the 
             working world. During World War II, he became a welder and 
             worked on the Liberty and Victory ships.
               After the war, Senator Byrd began his political life 
             with a successful run for the West Virginia House of 
             Delegates. After serving two terms, Senator Byrd was 
             elected to the West Virginia Senate, then to the U.S. 
             House of Representatives. Finally, in 1958, Senator Byrd 
             was elected to the U.S. Senate. He has subsequently been 
             reelected by large margins again and again. In numerous 
             elections, he has carried all 55 counties in West Virginia 
             and in 2000 carried nearly every precinct in the State, an 
             unheard of achievement. Additionally, Senator Byrd has 
             held more positions in the Senate leadership than any 
             other Senator in the history of the institution, including 
             12 years as Democratic leader.
               While outside of the Senate Chamber, Senator Byrd became 
             the first Member to initiate and complete the courses 
             needed for a law degree while simultaneously serving in 
             Congress by taking night classes from American University 
             over the course of 10 years. In May 2001, Senator Byrd was 
             named ``West Virginian of the 20th Century'' by Governor 
             Bob Wise and both houses of the West Virginia Legislature. 
             He is also blessed with two daughters, six grandchildren, 
             and six great-grandchildren.
               I am pleased to recognize my colleague, Senator Byrd, on 
             this historic day. The work he has done throughout his 
             life has bestowed countless benefits to the people of West 
             Virginia and to the Nation. It is a pleasure to work with 
             such a creative and dedicated lawmaker, and I once again 
             congratulate Senator Byrd on reaching this milestone.

               Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, I rise today to 
             congratulate my longtime friend and colleague, Senator 
             Robert C. Byrd, on his landmark accomplishment of becoming 
             the longest serving Member of the U.S. Senate. Today is 
             Senator Byrd's 17,327th day in office--in his 47th year of 
             service. And he is still going strong--gearing up for his 
             race for a ninth term this fall.
               Senator Byrd's life shows the power of America's unique 
             opportunity structure. His mother died when he was a baby. 
             He was raised by his aunt and by his uncle, who was a coal 
             miner, during the Great Depression. In his early life, he 
             worked pumping gas, cutting meat, and even welding war 
             ships in various ports--including in my own hometown of 
             Baltimore. Yet Senator Byrd never forgot his roots, and he 
             never forgot those miners. In fact, his new mine safety 
             legislation--the MINER Act--just passed the Senate last 
             week. Like me, he stands up for the little guy.
               Senator Byrd and I have a long history together. When I 
             first came to the Senate in 1986, one of the people who 
             was most welcoming to me was Senator Byrd. I reached out 
             to him. I told him I not only wanted to be a fighter--I 
             wanted to be an effective player. I wanted to be there not 
             only to change the law books. I wanted to be sure there 
             was money in the Federal checkbook for my State and for 
             the national priorities that would help ordinary families. 
             Robert Byrd said to me, ``You should come on my 
             Appropriations Committee.''
               Senator Byrd helped me become the first woman on the 
             Appropriations Committee and one of the first freshman 
             Members of the Senate on the Appropriations Committee. 
             With Senator Byrd as the ranking member of the 
             Appropriations Committee and me as a member, we have been 
             working together ever since to build coalitions to get 
             things done.
               Senator Byrd's home State of West Virginia is right next 
             door to Maryland. We share a common border--with Allegany, 
             Garrett, and parts of Washington Counties just across the 
             State line in Western Maryland. But we share more than a 
             common border. We share a common set of values--rooted in 
             faith, family commitment and patriotism.
               Senator Byrd is no stranger to breaking records. He has 
             done this before. He has already cast more votes and held 
             more leadership positions--including serving as minority 
             leader for 6 years and serving two stints as President pro 
             tempore--than any other U.S. Senator in history. Today's 
             record is further evidence of Senator Byrd's unwavering 
             dedication to his State. When asked about this 
             accomplishment, Senator Byrd told the press:

               Records are fine. But what's important is what I do for 
             the people of West Virginia. They are the ones who sent me 
             here 48 years ago.

               It is this dedication that keeps the people of West 
             Virginia voting for Senator Byrd. I like to say that I am 
             the ``Senator from Maryland and for Maryland,'' and it is 
             this kind of shared value that makes me feel so close to 
             Senator Byrd.
               So today--June 12, 2006--we congratulate Senator Robert 
             C. Byrd for his historic contributions to his State and to 
             our Nation.

               Mrs. CLINTON. Mr. President, I rise today to honor a 
             longtime friend and colleague, the esteemed senior Senator 
             from West Virginia, Senator Robert Byrd. This is a 
             historic day in his career and a historic day in the 
             history of the Senate. Today Senator Byrd adds to his many 
             accomplishments and honors the distinction of becoming the 
             longest serving Member in Senate history.
               Senator Byrd's years of service to this country are an 
             inspiration to all of us. His lifelong devotion to the 
             institution of the Senate sets an example that we can only 
             try to emulate. For almost half a century, he has been a 
             tireless advocate for the people of West Virginia and the 
             Nation. He believes that government can improve the lives 
             of the citizens that it serves, and that we can all be 
             advocates for justice. We are better Senators and better 
             citizens when we attempt to live up to the legacy that he 
             has established.
               I first worked with Senator Byrd during the early days 
             of my husband's administration. At the time, he had 
             already served in the Senate for 34 years. I remember him 
             being stately and silver-haired when we met. He was 
             already the unofficial historian of the Senate, famous for 
             standing in the well of the Chamber and dazzling his 
             colleagues with quotations from the classics. I also 
             learned then that he was a strict disciplinarian when it 
             came to procedural rules and decorum, a quality that he 
             retains to this day.
               It is his devotion to the institution of the Senate that 
             has made him a mentor to so many of us, and I am honored 
             to include myself among the ranks of those whom he has 
             counseled.
               When I was elected to the Senate, it took me only a 
             minute to conclude that I should start my preparation by 
             going to see the great sage and historian of the Senate, 
             Senator Byrd.
               To this day I still very fondly remember the visit that 
             I paid to Senator Byrd's office in the Capitol in late 
             November 2000. I will be forever indebted to him for the 
             guidance that he provided when I first came to the Senate.
               Of course, I am not the only recipient of his kind 
             advice and guidance. In fact, Senator Byrd has codified 
             his vast knowledge of the history of the Senate into a 
             multi-volume book. The four volumes published in 1989, 
             1991, 1993 and finally in 1995 were a labor of love for 
             Senator Byrd. They will continue to be a resource and a 
             treasure for many generations to come.
               And let me tell you what Senator Robert Byrd did for the 
             people of New York in the aftermath of the attack on lower 
             Manhattan in 2001.
               After that terrible day, the White House sent up a 
             supplemental spending bill to finance the war, and there 
             was not a single penny in it for New York. I told the 
             President of the United States in the Oval Office that we 
             were going to need at least $20 billion to rebuild Ground 
             Zero.
               And thanks to the leadership and dedication of Senator 
             Byrd, who chaired the Appropriations Committee at that 
             time, we got that funding for New York. Thanks to his 
             commitment, our firefighters, police officers, first 
             responders, and volunteers who came to the rescue that day 
             will have some help as they continue to cope with the 
             health effects of exposure to the site.
               Because of Senator Byrd's efforts, where once a pile of 
             rubble stood, one day a tower will stand.
               Because of Senator Byrd, our businesses and homeowners 
             who lost everything are on the road to recovery.
               As Senator Byrd has himself said, New York gained a 
             third Senator on that day, and we are unquestionably 
             better off for it.
               Robert Byrd was born in North Wilkesboro, NC, and raised 
             in West Virginia by his aunt and uncle. He is an avid 
             fiddler, steeped in the rich musical traditions of the 
             Appalachian folk life. He grew up in the coal mining 
             community that he proudly defends today. As a member of 
             the HELP Committee, I continue to be impressed by his 
             vigilance on behalf of the coal miners of West Virginia 
             and elsewhere in the Nation.
               He was first elected to this Senate in 1958. He became a 
             member of the Senate leadership in 1967, when he was 
             selected to be secretary of the Democratic Conference. He 
             was chosen to be Senate Democratic whip in 1971 and 
             Democratic leader in 1977. He has held more leadership 
             positions in the Senate than any other Member in Senate 
             history.
               Through all of his years of Senate service, there was 
             one person who was always by his side, as his partner, 
             friend, and as he said on many occasions, his teacher.
               Erma Ora James was born in Floyd County, VA, and moved 
             from there to the coal mines of West Virginia with her 
             family. It was there that she met Robert Byrd at Mark 
             Twain High School over 70 years ago. He first tried to woo 
             her with gifts of bubble gum that he took from a classmate 
             and stored up for her. And apparently it worked, because 
             they became high school sweethearts and were married on 
             May 29, 1937. Over the years, their family grew to include 
             two daughters, six grandchildren and six great-
             grandchildren.
               It is a tradition of Senator Byrd's to go to the floor 
             of the Senate each Mother's Day and pay tribute to the 
             Nation's mothers. When he does that he has often mentioned 
             Erma and the joy that they shared together for so many 
             years.
               They had been married nearly 69 years when she passed 
             away 3 months ago on March 15, 2006, after a long illness. 
             Theirs has been called one of the great American love 
             stories.
               As his 63d wedding anniversary approached he went to the 
             Senate floor and said of her:

               I have to frankly say that what little I have amounted 
             to, if it is anything much, I owe for the most part to 
             [Erma].

               I know that today, as his colleagues who respect and 
             admire him so very much come to the floor to praise his 
             service in the Senate, Erma is looking down on us as well.
               It is truly an honor to serve in the Senate with Senator 
             Byrd. I wish him all the best on this day and I look 
             forward to continuing our work together on behalf of the 
             American people.
                                                 Tuesday, June 13, 2006
               Mr. SMITH. Mr. President, I would like to join all 
             Senators, Democrats who yesterday spoke of Senator Byrd, I 
             know many Republicans did as well. I, not being in town, 
             wanted to take an occasion to salute Senator Byrd for a 
             remarkable career in the Senate. I was touched recently by 
             the recognition given to his wife, who recently passed 
             away, in which Senator Byrd essentially said that this 
             would be a bittersweet day for him in that he now is the 
             recordholder for service in the Senate because Erma would 
             not be here to share it with him. I know how much Senator 
             Byrd values the Senate, but I think that comment of his, 
             that reflection, was evidence that he values his marriage 
             and family even more.
               As a Republican Senator, I salute Senator Byrd for his 
             remarkably long and distinguished career.

               The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Oklahoma.

               Mr. COBURN. Mr. President, I want to congratulate 
             Senator Byrd as well. What a wonderful gentleman. What a 
             gentle spirit, but what a firm voice. We value your 
             service and we appreciate what you can teach us and what 
             you have taught us.

               Mr. REED. Mr. President, on Monday, Senator Robert Byrd 
             of West Virginia reached an extraordinary milestone: 
             17,327 days in the U.S. Senate, almost 48 years. He has 
             cast over 17,000 roll call votes. His congressional career 
             has spanned the tenure of 10 Presidents, beginning with 
             President Dwight David Eisenhower. In West Virginia, he 
             has run 14 times and never lost.
               He has served nearly 60 years in both the House and the 
             Senate and other public service. This year he is running 
             for his unprecedented ninth term as a U.S. Senator from 
             West Virginia. Suffice it to say, he is the longest 
             serving Senator in the history of West Virginia, as he is 
             in the history of the United States. He is the only person 
             in West Virginia to carry every county in the State, all 
             55. He has run unopposed for the Senate because of the 
             regard, the respect, and, indeed, the affection of the 
             people of West Virginia.
               He is 88 years old. He is not slowing down, he has never 
             slowed down, and he will keep it up. As a Member of the 
             Senate, he has been a leader--Democratic whip, majority 
             and minority leader, chairman of the Appropriations 
             Committee, and President pro tempore of the Senate on two 
             occasions.
               In everything he has done, he has been a champion of the 
             Constitution and the people of West Virginia. He secured 
             billions of dollars in funding for his home State, and he 
             has been a leader on mine safety and other issues that are 
             so closely tied to his constituents.
               In May 2001, Senator Byrd was given the award that 
             everyone recognizes is his due. Governor Bob Wise and both 
             houses of the West Virginia General Assembly named him 
             ``West Virginian of the 20th Century,'' and he is striving 
             now for the 21st century.
               He is an individual who is a self-made man, starting off 
             in war industries in a shipyard, and earning his law 
             degree cum laude from American University while a Member 
             of the U.S. Congress. He is also someone who recognizes 
             the need for education of others. He created the Robert C. 
             Byrd National Honors Scholarship. This scholarship 
             provides opportunities for young Americans to pursue 
             education as he has pursued his education.
               He is a historian--a historian of this Senate and the 
             Roman Senate. In fact, his 3,000-page ``History of the 
             United States Senate'' is the premier history of this 
             august body. He is a defender, a supporter, and, in some 
             cases, the living embodiment of the U.S. Constitution. He 
             carries it with him everywhere and at all times. He is 
             someone who not only talks about the Constitution, but on 
             the floor of this Senate and in this country defends it 
             each day.
               He is an individual of great prominence. He is an 
             individual of great humanity.
               There is only one fact, I think, that is dimming this 
             very special occasion for the Senator, and that is, it is 
             not being shared by his beloved wife Erma Ora Byrd. But 
             she is looking on this day with the same satisfaction, the 
             same sense of accomplishment.
               It is only fitting to close with a quote from Senator 
             Byrd because I can in no way match his oratorical skills. 
             In September 1998, he addressed the history of the Senate 
             and he said:

               Clio being my favorite muse, let me begin this evening 
             with a look backward over the well-traveled roads of 
             history. History always turns our faces backward, and this 
             is as it should be, so that we might be better informed 
             and prepare to exercise wisdom in dealing with future 
             events.

               His grasp of the past has given him a wise and 
             insightful view of the future. He has always encouraged us 
             to learn our history and then practice our history to 
             shape the future of this country in this Hall of the 
             Senate.
               He has stood tall on so many occasions, but most notably 
             I think was in October 2002. With an iron will and 
             articulate voice, he questioned the policy of this 
             government as we entered this fight in Iraq.
               History, I think, will record his wisdom, his decency, 
             and his contribution to the country. Although I am a day 
             late, I hope I am not a dollar short.
               Congratulations to Senator Byrd on his model 
             accomplishment.

               Mr. NELSON of Florida. Mr. President, I join our 
             colleagues in the accolades and commendation for our 
             colleague, the senior Senator from West Virginia. I 
             believe there is no other Senator who commands the respect 
             and the admiration and the love of fellow Senators as does 
             Senator Byrd.
               My first encounter with Senator Byrd I will never 
             forget. Right over there at that desk, 5\1/2\ years ago, I 
             rose to make my maiden speech in the Senate. In the course 
             of that speech to a fairly empty Chamber of the Senate, I 
             happened to mention that it was my maiden speech. In a few 
             moments, suddenly the doors of the Senate flung open and 
             in strode Senator Byrd. He sat down at his desk and 
             listened very politely and patiently as I continued my 
             first oration in this tremendous, most deliberative body. 
             As I finished, Senator Byrd stood and said, ``Would the 
             Senator from Florida yield?'' I said, of course, ``I yield 
             to the distinguished Senator from West Virginia.'' He 
             proceeded to give a history of the Senate about maiden 
             speeches. He told how, in the old days, when word would 
             get out that a new Senator was going to give his first 
             speech, all of the other Senators would gather around 
             because they wanted to hear what the new Senator was 
             saying. Of course, you can imagine what an impression this 
             made on this new Senator 5\1/2\ years ago by not only the 
             conscience of the Senate but the historian of the Senate, 
             the keeper of the rules of the Senate, the distinguished 
             Senator from West Virginia. And, of course, he passed a 
             milestone yesterday. All of us are proud for him, and we 
             are exceptionally proud for this institution, that it 
             would have a Senator such as the distinguished senior 
             Senator from West Virginia.
               I want the Senate to know that this Senator is very 
             privileged that he has had the opportunity not only to 
             call him a friend and colleague but that this Senator has 
             had the opportunity to sit at his knee and try to soak up 
             the wisdom of the years, the exceptional historical 
             knowledge of this institution and the extraordinary 
             knowledge of the history of planet Earth that the Senator 
             brings to this Chamber.

               Mr. LAUTENBERG. Mr. President, I rise to talk about a 
             significant event that took place yesterday in the U.S. 
             Senate, and that is the fact that we have now a new 
             longest serving U.S. Senator in the history of our 
             country. Senator Byrd nears the end of his eighth term 
             here in the Senate but holds more than just another 
             significant record. His contribution to our country has 
             been almost beyond compare. He already holds Senate 
             records for the most leadership positions held and for the 
             most roll call votes cast, over 17,600 and still counting.
               Starting in 1946, Senator Byrd has run in 14 elections 
             for the West Virginia House of Delegates, the State 
             senate, the U.S. House of Representatives, and the U.S. 
             Senate. He inspires the envy of all of us because he has 
             won all of these races, and I have no doubt that voters in 
             West Virginia will reelect him to a ninth Senate term this 
             fall. That is going to enable him in December 2009 to pass 
             the record that Carl Hayden has as the longest serving 
             Member of Congress in U.S. history. But Bob Byrd is not 
             here merely to set and break records. He is here to serve 
             the people of West Virginia and all Americans, and he has 
             done so admirably.
               Senator Byrd is a testament to the values of hard work 
             and perseverance. Almost from the start, he has had a hard 
             life, but he has triumphed. His mother died from the 1918 
             flu pandemic, when Senator Byrd was just an infant. His 
             aunt and uncle raised him in the hardscrabble coalfields 
             of West Virginia during the Great Depression. He was the 
             valedictorian of his high school class, but he couldn't 
             afford to go to college. After high school, Senator Byrd 
             went to work. He pumped gas, sold produce, became a meat 
             cutter and welder. During World War II, he helped to build 
             Liberty and Victory ships in the Baltimore and Tampa 
             shipyards.
               Following the war, he began his career as an elected 
             official, winning a seat in the House of Delegates in West 
             Virginia. In 1952, he was elected to the first of three 
             terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. In 1958, he 
             was elected to the U.S. Senate. In his races since then, 
             he has carried all 55 of West Virginia's counties. In the 
             year 2000, he won all but 7 of West Virginia's 1,970 
             precincts. What a record. It is hard to find one that 
             compares in any way to the allegiance that he has had from 
             the constituents in West Virginia who not only send him 
             back here but love him as their representative at the same 
             time.
               It just wasn't winning elections. Senator Byrd could 
             have rested on his laurels, but that is not his style. His 
             life and career have been a relentless pursuit of self-
             improvement. In 1963, after 10 years of taking classes at 
             night, Senator Byrd earned his law degree cum laude from 
             American University. He didn't have to do that because he 
             wasn't going to become a lawyer, but he thought it would 
             make him a better person and a better Senator.
               Senator Byrd is a great example to all of us, but he is 
             especially interesting for America's young people for 
             three reasons. First, he is truly a self-made man. Nothing 
             has been handed to him. He has earned it all. He knows 
             what it is like to be poor, and he knows what it is like 
             to do hard manual labor. That is why he has always been 
             the working man's champion.
               Second, he is always striving to learn more and do more. 
             No other Senator can match his extensive knowledge on so 
             many subjects or can recite so many passages from the 
             Bible or from Roman history or from Shakespeare and other 
             playwrights and poets. Senator Byrd isn't content merely 
             to memorize what others have written. He literally wrote 
             the book on the history of the U.S. Senate. No one can 
             match his knowledge of Senate rules, precedents, and 
             parliamentary procedure.
               Finally, Senator Byrd is a shining example to all of us 
             because of his steadfast commitment to principle, 
             especially with regard to the role of a U.S. Senator. He 
             has never wavered in his defense of our institution. All 
             Americans are deeply indebted to him for that dedication 
             and loyalty. At a time when the current administration is 
             intent on usurping powers that the Founding Fathers 
             reserved for Congress, we need Senator Byrd more than 
             ever, his reminders to all of us about what is appropriate 
             in terms of obeying the rules and the procedures we have 
             adopted, but more importantly, the honor that this 
             institution has developed over more than 200 years.
               Senator Byrd has demonstrated that fearlessly standing 
             on principle, even when it is unpopular, is the key to a 
             successful political career and in life generally. His 
             concern for his State and his constituents, and his 
             ability to deliver for them, are legendary. But above all, 
             Senator Byrd has stood up for the Constitution. He is what 
             we refer to as a Senator's Senator. We are truly fortunate 
             to have him here, and we are truly privileged to serve 
             with him. He is also a wonderful colleague. He never 
             forgets a birthday or other important occasion, never 
             fails to remind us of the beauty of the seasons.
               Yesterday his service here in the Senate reached 17,327 
             days, a record for which he can be appropriately proud. I 
             know that day was bittersweet because it also marked the 
             birthday of his beloved wife, Erma Ora James, his high 
             school sweetheart, and a coal miner's daughter. We were 
             all so sad when Erma passed away this past March, just 2 
             months shy of their 69th wedding anniversary. Their love 
             for each other, their respect for each other, was an 
             inspiration to every one of us.
               Senator Byrd's record-setting day yesterday was tinged 
             with some sorrow and reflection, but I hope he can take 
             comfort in knowing that so many people here in the Senate 
             and all across America hold him in such high regard.
               I would like to borrow a page from Senator Byrd by 
             quoting Shakespeare, who in ``Twelfth Night'' wrote:

               Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some 
             have greatness thrust upon them.

               Senator Byrd has achieved greatness in the U.S. Senate. 
             He achieved it through his tireless service to the people 
             of West Virginia and his fearless defense of the 
             Constitution of the United States of America. The Senate 
             and the Nation are far better for his efforts. We wish him 
             well, a continued ability to serve, and look forward to 
             hearing from him when he talks about subjects that are so 
             familiar to him and yet are so far removed from the 
             typical daily thought that we run into.
               Senator Byrd, when I first came here, invited me into 
             his office. He delivered a treatise on the former rulers 
             of Great Britain, the Kings of England. From memory, he 
             recalled the length of their terms, how they died, and who 
             succeeded each and every one of them. I sat there feeling 
             like I was back in the university or even earlier than 
             that, because he has this incredible memory of so many 
             things, and he can relate them wonderfully.
               I come out of the computer business. Until I got here 
             and got to know Bob Byrd, I didn't realize that there was 
             someone who has the knowledge, the database, the 
             information that is very difficult to find in other than 
             very large capacity computers.

               Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I do want to talk for a 
             minute about Senator Byrd and recognize he has set a 
             record in the Senate, as many of my colleagues have noted 
             on the floor.
               He marked his 17,327th day in office yesterday and 
             became the longest serving Senator in history. That is 
             truly a remarkable accomplishment, and I personally have 
             many fond memories of working with Senator Byrd and look 
             forward to many more.
               I remember well when I came here as a freshman Senator 
             13\1/2\ years ago. Senator Byrd at the time brought in all 
             of us freshmen Senators to sit across from him in his very 
             important office and looked down at us and told us that we 
             would be presiding, as is the Presiding Officer today, and 
             told us about our responsibilities and made it very clear 
             he would be watching from his office, and if we were 
             reading any other material or talking to anyone it would 
             be noted.
               I certainly did remember that during the many hours I 
             spent in the Presiding Officer's chair because I knew he 
             was watching. But I think it was a simple reminder to all 
             of us as to the importance of the office we hold here and 
             the respect we have to have for our colleagues.
               I remember as well that he invited me to lunch several 
             months later with the Senator from Oregon, Mr. Hatfield, a 
             Republican, to sit down and talk with me about the 
             responsibilities I had as a Senator. And I was so 
             impressed sitting in the room with Senator Byrd and 
             Senator Hatfield, never in my life expecting to have that 
             kind of opportunity. And at that meeting they impressed 
             upon me the importance of working across the aisle and 
             respect for the minority and how important everybody's 
             voice is here. It was an important lesson and one I think 
             we all should be reminded of more often.
               But just that simple act of inviting me to lunch with 
             two incredible leaders in the Senate is a memory I hold 
             dear, and I thank my colleague for doing that.
               But, frankly, I think what I most will remember Senator 
             Byrd for--and is a good reminder to all of us, too--is 
             several years ago when my husband came out here to 
             Washington, DC--he lives in Washington State. I go home 
             every weekend. But he came out here because it was our 
             wedding anniversary, and instead of me having to fly home, 
             he flew out here. He was coming up the steps of the 
             Capitol, and I met him as Senator Byrd was walking out to 
             his car.
               Senator Byrd saw my husband, and he said: Welcome. Nice 
             to have you here at this end of the country. What brings 
             you here?
               And my husband said: Well, it is our wedding 
             anniversary.
               And Senator Byrd, who, as we well know, lost his beloved 
             wife just a few short weeks ago, was about to celebrate I 
             think it was his 67th wedding anniversary. He looked at my 
             husband and said: Which anniversary is this?
               And my husband said: It is our 32d.
               Senator Byrd paused and said: Well, it is a good start.
               I think the message of that is important for all of us 
             in our everyday lives, in our responsibilities as spouses, 
             and as Senators, to remember it is a good start every day, 
             and you can't rest on your laurels and think back: Well, 
             we have done this for 32 years. The next 32 will be easy. 
             Every day you have to come out and work hard at whatever 
             role you are in at the time.
               I certainly say to my good friend, Senator Byrd, how 
             much I respect and admire him. And today, as he marks his 
             17,328th day in office, I say to him: It is a good start.

               Mr. KOHL. Mr. President, I rise to pay tribute to 
             Senator Byrd, a man I am honored to call colleague and 
             friend.
               Senator Byrd is a hero and a patriot--as noble and 
             eloquent as the great Senators--from Cicero to Richard B. 
             Russell--of whom he has taught us all so much. He is a 
             living example of the great opportunity in America. He is 
             a living tribute to the preeminence of our constitutional 
             democracy.
               Senator Byrd lives to serve the people of West Virginia 
             who sent him here, just as he would die to protect the 
             Constitution that guides his every step. It is his duty 
             and joy to use his prodigious legislative skill for West 
             Virginia, and it is West Virginians' great fortune to be 
             represented by a man who knows and does his job so well.
               Several years ago, Senator Byrd turned one of my worst 
             days in the Senate into one of my best. It was the end of 
             session, late in the evening, and I had lost a fierce 
             battle over dairy policy. Most Senators were wandering out 
             to make their planes, and Senator Byrd stood up. In 
             ringing tones, he made a short speech about the battle I 
             just lost. In part, he said: ``He has stood up for the 
             people of Wisconsin. That is what I like about him. He 
             stands for principle. He stands for his people.''
               No kinder words have been spoken about me in this 
             Chamber--no accolade of which I am more proud. Senator 
             Byrd, you too stand for principle. You stand for your 
             people. And that's what I like about you.
               I am not an orator like Senator Byrd, and I certainly 
             don't have the words to say what his friendship has meant 
             to me and what his stewardship has meant to this country. 
             Let me instead borrow the words of Henry Wadsworth 
             Longfellow, a poet Senator Byrd quotes often here on the 
             floor and often from memory. I'm sure he knows this one, 
             too:

             Lives of great men all remind us
             We can make our lives sublime,
             And, departing, leave behind us
             Footprints on the sands of time

               Senator Byrd is a great man. His dedication to duty, his 
             love of country, and his devotion to his family are 
             examples to us all. He leaves footprints in the very soil 
             of this Nation that have and will continue to shape--for 
             the better--who we are. I am grateful for his friendship 
             and honored to serve with him.

               Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I rise to add my voice to the 
             chorus of praise for an extraordinary Member of this 
             institution--my dear friend from West Virginia, Senator 
             Robert Byrd.
               What a pleasure it has been to serve with Senator Byrd.
               I am constantly inspired by his grace--his brilliance--
             and his unmatched work ethic.
               We honor Senator Byrd for reaching the milestone of 
             longest serving Senator in history--8 terms--nearly 48 
             years--and 17,666 votes.
               These are stunning numbers, but this legend is much more 
             than the Cal Ripken, Jr., of the Senate.
               Longevity is only part of the story. We know him best 
             for his intellect, his devotion to the people of West 
             Virginia, and his reverence for the institution of the 
             Senate; for keeping a copy of the Constitution in his 
             breast pocket--next to his heart--at all times, not for 
             symbolism but for constant counsel, for having served 
             beside numerous Presidents--both Democrat and Republican; 
             for standing with them when their cause is just--yet never 
             backing down from a fight with any President when he 
             believes important principles are at stake, particularly 
             when our role as a co-equal branch of government is 
             threatened.
               And that is what I admire most about Senator Byrd: He 
             always stands on principle and fights for what he 
             believes, no matter what the odds.
               What an inspiration this has been to me and to so many 
             of us.
               What an inspiration--his love of this country, his 
             integrity, his absolute dedication to honest and 
             principled government.
               And what an inspiration--his 68-year partnership with 
             his wife Erma--whom I know he misses dearly--and whom I 
             know is looking down on him today with tremendous pride 
             and love.
               And it is for these reasons--far more than for his 
             longevity--that we honor him today.
               But anyone who knows Senator Byrd realizes that these 
             words of praise are not sought because, despite his well-
             earned title of Senate Historian--Senator Byrd is not one 
             to dwell on the past. He is a forward thinker.
               For him, this special day is really just another day at 
             the office.
               Because as Robert Byrd knows best of all--there are 
             crucial issues to debate. Problems to solve. And many more 
             votes to be cast.

               Mr. OBAMA. Mr. President, I rise today to honor my 
             friend and colleague Robert Byrd, who yesterday officially 
             became the longest serving Member in the history of the 
             Senate.
               As of June 12, 2006, Senator Byrd had officially served 
             West Virginia in the Senate for 17,327 days. That is an 
             astounding 47\1/2\ years since he took office on January 
             3, 1959. It was a time when a postage stamp cost $0.04, 
             gasoline was $0.25 per gallon, and you could buy a brand 
             new Ford car for a little over $2,100.
               Senator Byrd has served through 10 Presidencies, 
             statehood for Alaska and Hawaii, wartime and peacetime, 
             surplus and deficit, the dawn of space travel and the 
             advent of the Information Age. And, as I stand here today, 
             I have to chuckle at the fact that when I was just 
             beginning the first grade, Senator Byrd was already 
             serving his second term in the Senate.
               However, the indelible mark he has left on this 
             institution has more to do with the quality of his service 
             than the length of his service. Senator Byrd has a deep 
             love for his beloved home State of West Virginia, for the 
             institution of the U.S. Senate, and for our country. 
             Always ready with a copy of the Constitution in his 
             pocket, Senator Byrd understands just how sacred this 
             document truly is, and he fights every day to protect it.
               He literally wrote the book on the rules and traditions 
             of the Senate, and he teaches by example, offering the 
             kind of eloquent, principled debate that has historically 
             filled this Chamber. His speeches are honest and 
             heartfelt, with a Shakespearean rhythm, peppered with 
             stories from his boyhood in the coalfields of Appalachia. 
             He is never shy about scolding colleagues when they put 
             politics before principles or when they violate the 
             practices of this great institution.
               And yet he also exemplifies the cordial tradition of the 
             Senate, disagreeing without being disagreeable, and always 
             willing to offer a handshake to a political opponent at 
             the end of a hard-fought debate. He is a man of integrity, 
             who has demonstrated that an honest search for truth can 
             lead to a principled change of heart and a desire to seek 
             justice for all.
               I know this remarkable accomplishment is a bittersweet 
             one, since Senator Byrd is not able to share it with his 
             beloved wife Erma, who passed away in March. Yesterday, 
             the day on which Senator Byrd set this record, was also 
             Erma's birthday. It is fitting that he marks this 
             milestone on the same day he celebrates Erma's life, 
             because he has often credited Erma's unconditional love 
             and support with sustaining him through his years of 
             service.
               When asked last week about achieving this milestone, 
             Senator Byrd replied that ``records are fine, but what's 
             important is what I do for the people of West Virginia.'' 
             That humble devotion to the people he serves is what 
             brought Robert Byrd to the Senate more than 47 years ago, 
             and it is what continues to drive him each and every day.
               After I was sworn in last January, one of the first 
             Senators I met with was Senator Byrd. We sat down in his 
             hideaway on the first floor of the Capitol. After we posed 
             for a few photographs, I inquired after his wife, who I 
             had heard had taken a turn for the worse, and asked about 
             some of the figures in the many photos that lined the 
             walls. Eventually I asked him what advice he would give me 
             as a new Member of the Senate.
               ``Learn the rules,'' Senator Byrd said. ``Not just the 
             rules but the precedents as well.'' He pointed to a series 
             of thick binders behind him, each one affixed with a hand-
             written label. ``Not many people bother to learn them 
             these days. Everything is so rushed, so many demands on a 
             Senator's time. But these rules unlock the power of the 
             Senate. They're the keys to the kingdom.''
               We spoke about the Senate's past, the Presidents he had 
             known, the bills he had managed. He told me too many 
             Senators today became quickly fixated on reaching the 
             White House, not understanding that in the constitutional 
             design it was the Senate that was supreme, the heart and 
             soul of the Republic.
               ``So few people read the Constitution today,'' Senator 
             Byrd said, pulling out a pocket copy from his breast 
             pocket. ``I've always said this document and the Holy 
             Bible, they've been all the guidance I need.''
               On many occasions over the past year and a half, I have 
             remembered these wise words as I have performed my duties 
             in the Senate.
               I am proud to call Robert Byrd a colleague, a friend, 
             and a mentor. I congratulate him on this remarkable 
             achievement and wish him all the best for many more years 
             of service to our country.

               Mr. LIEBERMAN. Mr. President, I rise to pay tribute to 
             my friend and colleague, Senator Robert C. Byrd, who 
             today, on his 17,328th day in office, becomes the longest 
             serving Member of the Senate.
               As I thought about Senator Byrd's remarkable career, I 
             wondered: What can I say that would properly honor his 
             long labors in service to this Senate and this Nation?
               I decided to look back in history, the history that 
             Senator Byrd has quoted time and again, and seek the 
             advice of other Senators known for their oratory. And 
             while many great speakers have blessed the U.S. Senate 
             over its history, including Senator Byrd, I found wisdom 
             in the advice of the great Roman Senator and orator, Cato 
             the Elder.
               He said: ``Rem tene; verba sequentur.'' ``Grasp the 
             subject, the words will follow.''
               So I sat back and thought about Senator Byrd, both over 
             his long career that I have read about, and the 18 years I 
             have been privileged to work with him as a colleague.
               A lot of thoughts came to mind.
               Warm. Courteous. Kind.
               Hardworking. Humble. Humorous.
               Both well read and an accomplished author well worth 
             reading.
               But none of these were quite right. I still hadn't 
             grasped the subject.
               Then an image hit me, the image of Senator Byrd reaching 
             into his coat pocket for that copy of the Constitution he 
             always keeps by his heart.
               That was it. I knew I had grasped my subject.
               Time after time, Senator Byrd has taken this floor to 
             remind us we have duties beyond our parties, beyond our 
             passions, beyond our personal philosophies.
               Our overwhelming duty is to our Nation's Constitution 
             and the unique responsibilities it assigns each House of 
             the legislative branch.
               In particular, Senator Byrd constantly reminds us that 
             our duty as Senators is to be the more deliberative of the 
             two legislative bodies as the Framers envisioned this 
             Chamber to be. Federalist No. 62 says the Senate should be 
             a body that does not ``yield to the impulse of sudden and 
             violent passions'' or be ``seduced into pernicious 
             resolutions.''
               So I thought about the history of this Senate. And I 
             would like to reflect on the very first Senator, William 
             Maclay of Pennsylvania, because his spirit is alive today 
             in Senator Byrd. Senator Maclay became known among his 
             colleagues as a stickler for following the Constitution, 
             which sometimes put him at odds with those same 
             colleagues. He also kept a meticulous diary of the 
             proceedings of that first Senate.
               One of the earliest debates in the first Senate was over 
             what to call George Washington. It is hard to imagine now, 
             but there were many back then who thought that ``President 
             of the United States'' was not a fitting title, that 
             something grander was needed.
               A title committee was appointed in the Senate to 
             consider titles such as, Your Elective Highness, and His 
             Highness, the President of the United States and Protector 
             of the Rights of the Same.
               And those were some of the more modest proposals. The 
             Senate also thought about giving special, nobility-style 
             titles to members of the executive branch.
               Senator Maclay found this absurd and in violation of the 
             Constitution. He waited for someone else to speak out. But 
             when no one else did, the very first Senator of the very 
             first Senate rose and said:

               Mr. President, the Constitution of the United States has 
             designated our chief magistrate by the appellation of 
             President of the United States of America. This is his 
             title of office. We cannot alter, add to, or diminish it 
             without infringing on the Constitution. As to grades of 
             order or nobility, nothing of the kind can be established 
             by Congress.

               In his diary, Maclay was even more biting about attempts 
             to establish lofty titles because he thought they violated 
             both the letter and the spirit of the Constitution.
               He wrote:

               Never will I consent to straining the Constitution, nor 
             will I consent to the exercise of doubtful power. We come 
             here the servants, not the lords, of our constituents.

               Now does that sound like anybody we know?
               Looking toward the future, Senator Maclay went on to 
             write:

               The new government, instead of being a powerful machine 
             whose authority would support any measure, needs help . . 
             . and must be supported by the ablest names and most 
             shining characters which we can select.

               I believe everyone here agrees that Senator Byrd 
             embodies the ``shining character'' and dedication to the 
             Constitution that the first Senator of the first Senate 
             thought would be crucial to the new Nation's success.
               I also believe Senator Byrd has done so by following the 
             advice of that ancient Roman Senator who he has quoted so 
             often, Cato the Elder. Senator Byrd has truly grasped his 
             subject--the Constitution--and the words have followed for 
             nearly half a century.
               I hope his words will continue to enlighten this Senate 
             and this Nation for years to come.
               Senator Byrd, thank you.

               Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, the Book of Proverbs says: 
             ``The silver-haired head is a crown of glory.''
               Today, the crown of glory rests upon the silver-haired 
             head of our dear friend and colleague, Robert C. Byrd, for 
             yesterday he became the longest serving Senator in the 
             history of the Senate.
               Senator Byrd has served in the Senate since January 3, 
             1959. That is longer than there have been 50 States in the 
             Union. That was before Charles de Gaulle was President of 
             France. That was before NASA had astronauts.
               Senator Byrd has served as Senator during the terms of 
             10 Presidents, 9 majority leaders, and 8 Speakers of the 
             House of Representatives.
               For 12 years, Senator Byrd served as the leader of 
             Senate Democrats. He served as majority leader, minority 
             leader, and then majority leader again.
               Senator Byrd has served as the Senate's historian, elder 
             statesman, and conscience.
               Senator Byrd has zealously defended the power of the 
             purse. Senator Byrd has zealously defended the Senate. And 
             Senator Byrd has zealously defended the Constitution of 
             the United States.
               But notwithstanding his having held the high rank of 
             Senator for longer than any human being, Senator Byrd has 
             never forgotten whence he came.
               Senator Robert C. Byrd grew up in the bituminous 
             coalfields of West Virginia, graduated from high school in 
             the depths of the Great Depression, and worked pumping 
             gas, selling produce, cutting meat, and welding ships. 
             Even though Senator Byrd reached the zenith of power, 
             Senator Byrd has always remained a man of the people.
               Senator Robert C. Byrd is an assiduous pursuer of 
             knowledge, a tenacious friend, and a man of deep, abiding 
             faith.
               Now Senator Byrd surpasses in length of service the 
             likes of Strom Thurmond, Carl Hayden, John Stennis, 
             Russell Long, and Richard Russell. And now Senator Byrd 
             stands in quality of service with the likes of Daniel 
             Webster, John Calhoun, Henry Clay, Robert La Follette, and 
             Robert Wagner.
               I thank Almighty God that for more than 47 years, 
             Americans have been able to call him ``Senator.'' I thank 
             God that for more than 27 of those years, I have been 
             blessed to serve here with him. And I thank God that for 
             more than 27 years, I have been blessed to call him 
             ``friend.''
                                               Wednesday, June 14, 2006
               Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I want to take a minute or two, 
             if I can, to join my other colleagues who over the last 
             several days have paid tribute to our colleague from West 
             Virginia, my seatmate, Senator Robert Byrd, who, on 
             Monday, celebrated the unique landmark of serving longer 
             than any other person in the history of this remarkable 
             institution.
               I said to Senator Byrd, my colleague and seatmate, 
             yesterday, his longevity is impressive but his record as a 
             U.S. Senator is really what excels. While serving for 47 
             years in this institution is certainly remarkable, what he 
             has done during those 47 years is what is truly 
             remarkable. His contribution to the public discourse and 
             debate of our country throughout that time has been truly 
             exemplary.
               I noted the other day, in fact, that when Senator Byrd 
             was first elected to the House, there was a wonderful 
             picture taken that appeared with Senator Byrd and several 
             other Members of newly minted Congressmen who had been 
             elected in 1952 at the White House with Dwight Eisenhower. 
             In that group of pictures was also a newly minted 
             Congressman from Connecticut by the name of Thomas Dodd, 
             my father.
               Senator Byrd and my father were elected to the House 
             together in 1952, and came to this body together in 1959. 
             So during these many years of public service, Robert C. 
             Byrd has had to serve with two Dodds in the U.S. Congress, 
             my father and myself. I sit next to Senator Byrd by 
             choice. I have been his seatmate for almost 15 or 16 years 
             now, and do so because I have enjoyed his company, his 
             wisdom, and listening to his contributions to the debate 
             and his knowledge of the Senate and its procedures.
               I know we have a new group of pages who have arrived to 
             serve in our Nation's Capital here in the U.S. Senate in 
             the last few days. As someone who sat on the steps of the 
             Democratic side back in the early 1960s as a page, I say 
             to the pages, I would strongly urge you to listen to 
             Robert C. Byrd. If you want to have truly a great lesson 
             during your tenure here as pages, then listen to the 
             remarkable Senator from West Virginia, and you will learn 
             more in the short period of time you are here than almost 
             anything else I could advise you to do, except to read his 
             two-volume history of the U.S. Senate, which you may not 
             have time to do during your 2 or 3 weeks here as pages.
               Senator Byrd, of course, has had significant 
             accomplishments. And I think of the time when I served as 
             a page, an unpaid page, back many years ago, and the 
             giants of the Senate in those days; certainly people such 
             as Lyndon Johnson, Mike Mansfield, Richard Russell, 
             Everett Dirksen, Margaret Chase Smith, Hubert Humphrey, 
             John Sherman Cooper, Stuart Symington--and so many others 
             who served during those years who were truly giants in 
             many ways.
               They were Senators in the very fullest sense of the 
             word. They represented an institutional spirit that in 
             many ways is lacking today, and I regret that deeply. But 
             it was critical to the success of our democratic republic 
             how they related one to the other. It is a spirit of 
             independence and understanding that all Senators are equal 
             in this body, regardless of the positions they hold in the 
             institution. All 100 of us are equal Members representing 
             our respective States and constituencies. It is a spirit 
             that allows us to debate--sometimes very vigorously--our 
             differences, while still obliging us to seek common ground 
             for the common good of our country.
               Robert Byrd certainly epitomizes that spirit--a vigorous 
             debater but also someone who recognizes it is vitally 
             important to reach common goals for the common good. It is 
             a spirit that refuses to submit to the encroachments of 
             any other institution or office in the land, including 
             that of the Executive.
               I cannot count the times that Robert C. Byrd would 
             correct someone who said: I served under a President here. 
             I served under seven Presidents. Robert Byrd will quickly 
             tell you: You do not serve under any President. You serve 
             with Presidents. You are a member of a co-equal branch of 
             the U.S. Government as embodied in the Constitution of the 
             United States.
               And how right he is. As Senators understand, Robert Byrd 
             understands implicitly that the Senate is a co-equal, 
             powerful branch of government, that our Founders wanted it 
             to be of equal weight in the deliberations of our country.
               I carry with me a copy of the U.S. Constitution. I have 
             had this for many, many years, and it was given to me by 
             my seatmate, Robert C. Byrd. It is getting rather worn, 
             but his inscription inside is something I will cherish for 
             the rest of my days and life. One of the reasons I care so 
             deeply about this particular copy is of course it was 
             given to me by him and inscribed by him.
               I think it is only fitting that someone who cares so 
             much about that document and this institution is now the 
             Senate's longest serving Member.
               In his close to five decades of Senate service, Senator 
             Byrd has had an enormous impact on his State and on our 
             country. He, more than any other Member that I can think 
             of in the last half century, has worked to preserve the 
             delicate system of checks and balances conceived by the 
             Founders of our great Republic. That work is typified by 
             his opposition to the line-item veto and his insistence on 
             preserving the prerogatives of this institution in 
             relation to the other branches of government.
               But more than that, he has also helped to bring good 
             jobs, better schools, and decent health care not only to 
             the constituents of West Virginia but also to millions of 
             people across this country because of his leadership.
               He has never forgotten the good, hard-working people who 
             sent him here from his beloved West Virginia or why they 
             did so; that is, to make our Nation a stronger, more 
             prosperous, and more hopeful Nation for all of its 
             citizens.
               Senator Byrd has had the courage and strength of 
             character to admit past errors--something that too few of 
             us do in this Chamber--and to seek genuine understanding 
             for the good of our country.
               In his history of the U.S. Senate, Senator Byrd has 
             written that:

               After 200 years, the Senate is still the anchor of the 
             Republic, is still the morning and evening star in the 
             American constitutional constellation.

               More than any other U.S. Senator in this body, I believe 
             Senator Byrd has helped to ensure that this U.S. Senate 
             retains that unique distinction.
               So I am pleased to join with my other colleagues in 
             wishing him well. I know more than anything else he would 
             have loved to have his beloved Erma here with him in these 
             days to celebrate this achievement. Of course, he lost 
             Erma just a few months ago. But I am certain, as all of us 
             are, that she is watching, with a great big smile, as she 
             celebrates with all of us the distinction that our 
             colleague from West Virginia has achieved this past 
             Monday--47-plus years in the U.S. Senate.
               Mr. President, I yield the floor.

               Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, the distinguished senior 
             Senator from West Virginia, our friend Robert Byrd, has 
             achieved yet another historic milestone. He is now the 
             longest serving Senator in the history of the Senate. But 
             what is most remarkable about Senator Byrd is not his 
             longevity, but his unique stature and accomplishment 
             within this body.
               Senator Byrd is renowned for his unmatched knowledge of 
             the Senate's history. So he remembers very well that our 
             former colleague, Philip Hart of Michigan, was known as 
             the ``conscience of the Senate.'' Well, I believe that 
             history will remember the senior Senator from West 
             Virginia as the soul of the Senate.
               No individual in my memory has been a more tenacious 
             champion of the traditions, prerogatives, and rules of 
             this body. No individual has had greater reverence for the 
             Constitution, and for the Founders' vision of an 
             assertive, independent, co-equal legislative branch. As 
             the ``Almanac of Americans'' says in its profile of 
             Senator Byrd, and I quote, he ``may come closer to the 
             kind of Senator that the Founding Fathers had in mind than 
             any other.'' By the way, if anyone here on the Senate 
             floor needs to look something up in the Constitution, we 
             know where to turn; Senator Byrd always carries a copy in 
             his left breast pocket, directly over his heart.
               I have always had a special affinity for Senator Byrd, 
             because we are both the sons of coal miners, both raised 
             in humble circumstances. Reading about the Senator's early 
             years, lifting himself out of poverty as a welder and meat 
             cutter before running for the West Virginia Legislature in 
             1946, I am reminded of Thomas Edison's remark that 
             ``opportunity is missed by most people because it is 
             dressed in overalls and looks like work.'' Well, Robert 
             Byrd made his own opportunities with relentless work, 
             self-education, and striving. And that incredible work 
             ethic continues right up to this day.
               One product of that work ethic, and of Senator Byrd's 
             always impressive erudition, is his history of this body. 
             It is recognized as the definitive history of the Senate 
             during its first 200 years, and widely praised for its 
             graceful writing. On this score, Senator Byrd has much in 
             common with Winston Churchill. Both were prolific writers. 
             And both were major players in the events that they 
             chronicled.
               On a personal note, let me just say that I have always 
             valued Senator Byrd's friendship, wisdom, and advice. And 
             I will always appreciate the way he tutored me in the ways 
             of the Senate when I first came to this body in 1984.
               So I join with my colleagues from both sides of the 
             aisle in saluting our friend. Senator Byrd is the longest 
             serving Member of this body. But there are still many 
             chapters yet to be written in the career of this great 
             Senator. As the late Senator Paul Wellstone used to say, 
             ``The future belongs to those with passion.'' By that 
             standard, Senator Byrd is very much a man of the future.
               I say to my friend, it has been an honor to serve with 
             him.

               Ms. LANDRIEU. Mr. President, I rise to pay tribute to a 
             man who may be the most important friend that the people 
             of West Virginia have ever sent to Washington or ever will 
             send to Washington. He is the senior Senator of West 
             Virginia, and today he becomes America's senior Senator.
               The Senate is housed in this beautiful Chamber of marble 
             columns and intricate architecture. But the Senate is not 
             a building; it is not a seal or a symbol or an idea. The 
             Senate is a group of 100 men and women who are chosen by 
             the people to craft the laws that define and govern the 
             American people.
               While the Senate is not a building, it does have 
             individuals who serve as pillars upon which the rest of us 
             place our trust and reliance. Today, we salute one such 
             pillar. The senior Senator from West Virginia enters the 
             record books as the longest serving Senator.
               Note, I say that he enters the record books, not the 
             history books. I say that because I expect the senior 
             Senator from West Virginia to be making history on this 
             floor for many years to come.
               In an earlier time, we would have called Robert Byrd a 
             renaissance man in the mold of such American luminaries as 
             Jefferson or Franklin. Consider that he is a poet, an 
             accomplished musician, an author, the foremost historian 
             of this Chamber, a parliamentary expert, an intensely 
             devout Christian, an unrivaled legislator, a scholar of 
             our Constitution, and earned a J.D. while a Member of this 
             Chamber.
               Yet all of these accomplishments as an individual are 
             dwarfed by what he has done and will continue to do for 
             the people of West Virginia. He has brought new industries 
             like biotechnology, biometrics and other high-tech, high-
             skilled work to West Virginia. He has fought for dams, 
             roadways, hospitals, and highways. It is hard to imagine 
             that one man might have such a transformative impact on a 
             State. Yet friend and foe alike would concede this point 
             to Robert Byrd.
               I say today that Senator Byrd becomes America's senior 
             Senator. In many ways, he always has been. No man or woman 
             more rigorously defends the role of this Chamber in our 
             governmental structure, and no man or woman fights more 
             ardently to preserve that beautiful document he carries in 
             his breast pocket--the U.S. Constitution. One of the first 
             things I did when I was sworn in as a Member of this body 
             was to take the whole Landrieu family to see Senator Byrd 
             and have him give us a talk on the Constitution and the 
             role of the Senate.
               For the last 6 years, it has been my pleasure to serve 
             under Senator Byrd's leadership on the Senate 
             Appropriations Committee. In that capacity, he has proven 
             repeatedly that he is a friend to the people of Louisiana 
             and understands the tragedy that has befallen them. I 
             thank him for that help and friendship.
               Of course, I would be remiss if I didn't mention that 
             today is a bittersweet anniversary, for it is also Erma's 
             birthday. A woman whose life, and now memory, Senator Byrd 
             so obviously cherished.
               So, Mr. President, I thank America's senior Senator for 
             his service to this country and for his friendship.
               I conclude my remarks, as he so often does, with a verse 
             of poetry--one of the Senator's favorites--the final verse 
             of ``The Building of the Ship'' by Longfellow:

             Thou, too, sail on, O Ship of State!
             Sail on, O UNION, strong and great!
             Humanity with all its fears,
             With all the hopes of future years,
             Is hanging breathless on thy fate!
             We know what Master laid thy keel,
             What Workmen wrought thy ribs of steel,
             Who made each mast, and sail, and rope,
             What anvils rang, what hammers beat,
             In what a forge and what a heat
             Were shaped the anchors of thy hope!
             Fear not each sudden sound and shock,
             'Tis of the wave and not the rock;
             'Tis but the flapping of the sail,
             And not a rent made by the gale!
             In spite of rock and tempest's roar,
             In spite of false lights on the shore,
             Sail on, nor fear to breast the sea
             Our hearts, our hopes, are all with thee,
             Our hearts, our hopes, our prayers, our tears,
             Our faith triumphant o'er our fears,
             Are all with thee,--are all with thee!
             AUTHORIZATION TO SUBMIT TRIBUTES TO SENATOR ROBERT C. BYRD 
                             AND FORMER SENATOR BOB DOLE
               Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent 
             that Senators be permitted to submit tributes to Senator 
             Byrd and former Senator Dole for the Record until Friday, 
             June 16, and that each be printed as a Senate document.

               The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so 
             ordered.
                                                Thursday, June 15, 2006
               Mr. SARBANES. Mr. President, earlier in the week, on 
             Monday to be exact, Senator Robert C. Byrd, our very 
             distinguished colleague, became the longest serving 
             Senator in the history of the U.S. Senate. It is obviously 
             a moment to celebrate and recognize his accomplishments in 
             the service of the Nation. Our celebration is tempered 
             only by the fact that his beloved wife Erma, with whom he 
             spent nearly 69 years of marriage, passed away recently.
               I want to join my colleagues who, in the course of this 
             week, have paid tribute to the senior Senator from West 
             Virginia. Senator Byrd this year completes his eighth 
             Senate term, having first been elected to the Senate in 
             1958. Prior to that, he served 6 years in the U.S. House 
             of Representatives and, before that, 6 years in the West 
             Virginia Legislature.
               In his now almost 48 years in the U.S. Senate, he has 
             held an extraordinary range of committee and subcommittee 
             assignments and has served in leadership positions as 
             secretary of the majority conference, majority whip, 
             minority leader, majority leader, and President pro 
             tempore. His vote has been recorded on nearly 99 percent 
             of all Senate roll calls since 1959. Indeed, he has cast 
             far more votes than any other Senator in our Nation's 
             history.
               It is not for his longevity, however, that we honor our 
             colleague, the senior Senator from West Virginia. It is, 
             rather, the manner in which he has faithfully carried out 
             his responsibilities as a U.S. Senator and his abiding 
             dedication to the Constitution of the United States and 
             the system of government it created. No Member of the U.S. 
             Congress understands better than Senator Byrd the 
             Constitution's role in framing our lives as Americans. As 
             he has written:

               Only the Constitution's genius affords our people the 
             powers and prerogatives that truly keep us a free nation, 
             most centrally through maintenance of the checks and 
             balances and separation of powers.

               Over many years, while vigorously and effectively 
             representing the people of West Virginia, Senator Byrd has 
             made the study, exposition, and defense of the 
             Constitution his life's work. In so doing, he has spoken 
             not only for West Virginians but for us all. If, as 
             Senator Byrd has said, the Senate functions as the central 
             pillar of our constitutional system, then I would say that 
             Senator Byrd himself is the central pillar of the Senate. 
             His commitment to the Senate and its history, its custom, 
             and procedures is equaled only by his commitment to the 
             State of West Virginia, our Nation, and our Constitution.
               No one is more keenly attuned to the Senate's role in 
             assuring the proper functioning of our constitutional 
             system. He has studied the Senate's origins in Roman and 
             British history. He has, as he puts it, ``ponder[ed] the 
             lives of the framers and founders and set down a four-
             volume history of the Senate.'' And he has read the 
             journals and other writings of the early Members of this 
             body. He has mastered the Senate rules to a degree that 
             few, if any, have ever attained. Even in the most 
             contentious debates, Senator Robert C. Byrd remains a 
             steady voice for courtesy and civility. Indeed, his is the 
             voice of courtesy and civility.
               Senator Byrd begins his autobiography, ``Child of the 
             Appalachian Coalfields,'' with an observation by William 
             James: ``The best use of life is to invest it in something 
             which will outlast life.''
               This certainly is what he has done.
               It was not foreordained that he would some day be a U.S. 
             Senator from West Virginia. Born in North Carolina, he 
             lost his mother in the great influenza epidemic of 1918, 
             when he was a year old, whereupon he was adopted by an 
             aunt and her husband and moved with them to West Virginia. 
             His adopted father was a coal miner, and he grew up in 
             company towns. He was an excellent student, valedictorian 
             of his high school class, ``a self-styled sort of 
             somebody,'' one high school teacher later said, but his 
             prospects were few. As another teacher observed:

               Knowing the background and how hard it would be to move 
             out from that background, I picture him as being an office 
             man or a scrip clerk at one of the mines.

               In those years of the Great Depression, there was 
             obviously no money for college. Robert Byrd took what jobs 
             he could get: shop clerk, butcher, a welder in a Baltimore 
             shipyard during World War II. We were honored to have had 
             him in our State.
               In 1946 he was elected to the first of three terms in 
             the State legislature. Of the decision to run for office 
             he has said:

               I grew up in a state where we didn't have much hope. I 
             wanted to help my people and give them hope . . .

               He did not abandon his hopes of continuing his 
             education. Upon his election to the U.S. House of 
             Representatives in 1952, he enrolled in law school. When 
             he learned that he would be denied a law degree because he 
             had never received a college degree in the law school in 
             which he had enrolled, he transferred to the Washington 
             College of Law at American University where he went to 
             night classes for 10 years and received his law degree cum 
             laude in 1963--a remarkable achievement. By that time he 
             had been a Senator from West Virginia for 5 years. Robert 
             Byrd is the only person ever to have served in either 
             House of Congress to begin and complete a law degree while 
             serving.
               Twenty years later, the College of Law at American 
             University honored him as the First Distinguished Fellow 
             of the honor society established by the late dean of the 
             college, a most fitting tribute. Eleven years later, in 
             1994, he received his bachelor's degree in political 
             science from Marshall University in recognition of the 
             credits accumulated there and other places over a period 
             of many years.
               Of the many awards he has received in the course of his 
             long and distinguished career, Senator Byrd has said that 
             none means more to him than the tribute from the Governor 
             and legislature of his State in naming him ``West 
             Virginian of the 20th Century.''
               As his colleague here in the Senate for the past 30 
             years and as one who has the deepest respect and 
             admiration for him and cherishes his counsel and 
             friendship, I submit that he will be remembered not only 
             for his service to his State but for the courage and 
             dedication and tenacity he has shown and continues to show 
             every day in the service of our Nation. It is a privilege 
             to be his colleague here in the U.S. Senate.
               I yield the floor.

               Mr. AKAKA. Mr. President, it is indeed a privilege and 
             honor for me to join my colleagues in commemorating and 
             honoring my friend and colleague, Senator Robert C. Byrd, 
             on the occasion of his becoming the longest serving 
             Senator in the history of our country, passing the old 
             mark of 17,326 days on June 12, 2006. The fact that West 
             Virginians have returned him to the Page 
             S5940 deg. Senate in eight prior elections speaks volumes 
             of the love and affection and respect they feel for him as 
             their Senator who serves them most effectively.
               When I first came to the Senate in 1990 from the other 
             side of the Capitol, Senator Byrd was one of the first 
             Senators I met with to get advice and counsel, which he 
             generously shared with me. Of course, he gave me a copy of 
             a pocket edition of the Constitution, the document upon 
             which our country is based and one that is ever-present in 
             his pocket. Over the years, he has been most generous with 
             his friendships, and indeed I feel a sense of kinship and 
             aloha with him. In Hawaii, this feeling of kinship is 
             often referred to as being part of the ohana, or family, 
             and used with love and endearment.
               With stewards like Senator Robert C. Byrd, we can rest 
             assured that our country is in good hands. I look forward 
             to his continuing friendship and serving with him for many 
             years to come.
                                                  Friday, June 16, 2006
               Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I take this opportunity to 
             congratulate my friend, the distinguished Senator from 
             West Virginia, who has achieved the distinction of being 
             the longest serving Senator in the history of the Senate. 
             Even though this is definitely a noteworthy achievement, 
             what has set Senator Byrd apart from all others who have 
             served as Senators is the dedication he has shown to the 
             duties of his office, his respect for the traditions of 
             the Senate, and his leadership of this body during his 
             service in the Senate.
               As President pro tempore, majority leader, and chairman 
             of the Appropriations Committee, he has succeeded in 
             protecting and enforcing the rules of the Senate, first 
             written by Thomas Jefferson during his service as Vice 
             President and the Presiding Officer of the Senate, and he 
             used his leadership skills to successfully lead the Senate 
             in changing the rules when a consensus for modernizing the 
             rules permitted. His insights into the needs of his 
             constituents and his devotion to their well-being have 
             been admirable.
               Perhaps his greatest contribution to our understanding 
             of the Senate was his authorship of the ``Addresses on the 
             History of the United States Senate,'' the most 
             comprehensive account of the role the Senate has played 
             over the years.
               I commend the Senator from West Virginia for his 
             illustrious and record-breaking career in the Senate, and 
             I wish for him many more years of service in this body.

               Mr. BIDEN. Mr President, I am sorry that I was not 
             present on the floor on Monday when my colleagues paid 
             tribute to my friend, Robert C. Byrd, but I would like to 
             add my voice to the chorus speaking on his unsurpassed 
             contributions to the U.S. Senate and to America.
               I say without hesitation Senator Byrd is one of the most 
             remarkable men I have ever had the privilege to work with. 
             Although I have been here for 33 years, he is the only 
             Member whom I have looked up to as my senior--my senior in 
             every way.
               When my days are finished in this Chamber, my children, 
             my grandchildren, and my great-grandchildren will know 
             that I served with the greatest servant of the U.S. Senate 
             of all who have served.
               Once someone said of another West Virginian, Stonewall 
             Jackson, that ``his character and will make him a 
             stonewall and more of a stonewall than any man I've ever 
             known.''
               I say the same of Robert Byrd. When he walks on the 
             floor, Constitution in his pocket, and he looks around, 
             raises his voice, and points his finger, he is our 
             stonewall. He is the unshakable rock of this institution. 
             He is our foundation. He is the protector of this body.
               I am absolutely certain that the Senator's service, 
             knowledge, and contributions to the Senate will never be 
             surpassed. This country gentleman has no peer. No one has 
             given as much to this institution or loved it as much as 
             the senior Senator from West Virginia.
               The Senate is what it is because of Robert Byrd. And he 
             is our wise senior, not because of the records but because 
             he is a man of his conviction. He has told the truth on 
             every issue that confronts our country. He is our rock of 
             integrity.
               When I was elected at age 29, and 6 weeks later, before 
             I was sworn in, my wife and daughter were killed in a 
             terrible car accident, Senator Byrd came to the funeral 
             home. He waited in a long line to pay his respects. It was 
             an act of kindness that I have never forgotten.
               I know how bittersweet this honor is for him, as his 
             lifemate, Erma, would have been 89 years old this week. We 
             all admire the love and devotion the two of them had for 
             each other, in health and in sickness. We know his first 
             love was not in the Chamber; it was at home. We also know 
             how proud she would be of him this week.
               One of America's favorite West Virginians, who also set 
             a lot of records in his day, is Mr. Clutch, Jerry West. He 
             once said: ``You can't get much done in life if you only 
             work on the days when you feel good.''
               Senator Byrd has worked 17,331 days--days that have been 
             good and bad. In all that time, he has made the most out 
             of every one of them and gotten more done than anyone will 
             ever know. It has been an honor serving with him for 
             12,209 of those days. I look forward to many more days and 
             years together.

               Mr. COLEMAN. Mr. President, I join my colleagues in 
             paying tribute to one of our most distinguished Members, 
             the senior Senator from West Virginia, Mr. Byrd.
               As he passes the milestone of becoming the Senate's 
             longest serving Member, I would remind him of a statement 
             by Yogi Berra when they asked him about one of his many 
             records. He said, ``I knew that one would stand until it 
             was broken.'' Perhaps when medical science allows us to 
             live to be 150 years old his record may be broken, but 
             until then, I think he is safe.
               Knowing the Senator's affection for the simple truth, I 
             just want to make three points in recognizing this 
             achievement which he embodies to an extraordinary degree.
               The first is: Your life is what you make it.
               Our former colleague, Senator Dave Durenberger told me 
             the story of a Friday afternoon in the Senate in 1987 when 
             he was standing in for Senator Dole for the procedural 
             ``wrap up'' with Senator Byrd. The Twins were in the World 
             Series at the time and on the Record, Senator Durenberger 
             asked Senator Byrd if he wanted to come to Minnesota to 
             see one of the games.
               Senator Byrd said he has not seen a professional 
             baseball game, or football game, or Hollywood movie for 
             more than a decade. But he said he had not been idle. He 
             shared that he had read the Bible cover to cover many 
             times, had read all the plays of Shakespeare, all the 
             Lives of Plutarch and the entire Oxford Unabridged 
             Dictionary.
               Many of us wonder what we might accomplish without the 
             many distractions of modern life. We should look to 
             Senator Byrd for the answer.
               The second point I would like to make is: People change.
               When we look at Robert Byrd's upbringing and the person 
             he has become, it underlies a basic truth which has been 
             made clear by all the great hearts and minds of history. 
             Life is not what happens to you: life is what you choose 
             to do with what happens to you.
               Change and growth are always possible in people's lives, 
             if they have the courage to change and discipline to grow.
               And my third point is: This Senate is unique.
               For the sake of the 100 of us who temporarily occupy 
             these seats, Senator Byrd has embodied the truth that the 
             Senate is unique in human history and its value must be 
             preserved.
               The genius of our Founders was their understanding of 
             the heights and depths of human endeavor and their ability 
             to translate those thoughts into practical institutions 
             which maximized the heights and minimized the depths.
               They knew that the philosophy of democracy must honor 
             both the principle of majority rule and the protection of 
             minority rights. And so in article I of the Constitution 
             they created a House to operate mostly by majority rule 
             and a Senate mostly to protect minority rights. The 
             balance they struck has given a dynamic quality to the 
             Congress that serves our Nation well on every conceivable 
             issue.
               I have often gone up to Senator Byrd on this floor and 
             told him that he has given me something I could not get 
             from any other source: a proper appreciation for the 
             living history of the Senate that leads to reverence for 
             this institution.
               Robert Byrd and his service in the Senate is a great 
             American story. It tells anyone who will listen how a 
             person from humble origin can rise to leadership and then 
             strive his whole life to keep the way open for those who 
             would come up behind him.
               We know that great ideas are just a generation from 
             extinction. I am grateful to have had the chance to see 
             many of those great ideas embodied and standing on this 
             floor in the person of Senator Robert C. Byrd.
               My tribute to him will be to try to learn and live out 
             the lessons he has lovingly and forcefully tried to teach 
             us all in this Chamber.

               Mr. MARTINEZ. Mr. President, I rise today to offer a 
             tribute to my colleague Senator Robert Byrd. Few men in 
             our Nation's history have had such a large hand in shaping 
             the U.S. Senate and the destiny of our country as Robert 
             Byrd. No one in our country's history has served in the 
             Senate longer or with more distinction.
               Senator Byrd's Senate career truly is a remarkable 
             American success story. Only in America could a young man 
             from the coalfields of Appalachia use hard work, 
             intelligence, and determination to one day become the 
             longest serving Senator in U.S. history.
               He has often been called the Senate's historian. I have 
             often been amazed at Senator Byrd's prolific ability to 
             weave the great authors and poets of the past into modern 
             relevant lessons for today's society. Cicero, Shakespeare, 
             Tacitus, Aquinas, Jefferson, and Washington are not simply 
             names memorized from a textbook for Senator Byrd. They are 
             living characters with indelible truths that we should all 
             spend more time studying and give more time to in quiet 
             reflection. Senator Byrd reminds us all of the importance 
             of the august traditions of the Senate and why this is the 
             world's greatest deliberative body.
               You will never find Senator Byrd without his copy of the 
             Constitution. I dare say there are few individuals here in 
             this body with a greater love or commitment to those noble 
             ideas our Founding Fathers fought and died defending.
               But above all, I have been most impressed with his love 
             and dedication to his family.
               Senator Byrd and his beloved wife, Erma, were an amazing 
             example for what we should all strive for in a loving 
             marriage. For nearly 69 years Robert and Erma were 
             together side by side, living and loving together. I would 
             like to share some touching words that Senator Byrd gave 
             in testament to his great wife--his greatest treasure:

               She met with kings and shahs, princes and princesses, 
             Governors and Senators, Presidents. She entertained the 
             high and the mighty, the powerful and the wealthy of this 
             Nation in a foreign land because it was important to her 
             husband who served as the majority leader of this Senate 
             and various other Senatorial offices. She did it all with 
             an innate, inherent graciousness, incredible patience, and 
             a soft, warm smile. She was a remarkable lady of great 
             wisdom, but most of all, great gentleness, yet she could 
             be tough when she saw injustice or unfairness.

               I think America could use more devotion like that.
               In closing, I congratulate Senator Byrd on his amazing 
             accomplishments and to his 17,331 days in service to his 
             country in the U.S. Senate. When the history books record 
             his deeds and actions, he will truly be remembered in the 
             pantheon of legends that have forever left their mark on 
             our great Nation.

               Mr. ENZI. Mr. President, just a few days ago Senator 
             Robert C. Byrd set a very remarkable record. He is now the 
             longest serving Senator in the history of the Senate. The 
             Senate, the legislative body that means so much to him, 
             now honors him for his achievement and for the remarkable 
             record of service that he has given to the United States. 
             I appreciate having the opportunity to be a part of our 
             recognition of our colleague and his commitment to public 
             service and the people of his home State of West Virginia.
               For almost 48 years now, Robert C. Byrd has carried the 
             title of U.S. Senator. I think it is fair to say that no 
             one has done so with a greater awareness of what it means 
             to be a Senator and of the institution the Senate 
             represents. He is truly our institutional memory and he is 
             the master of the Senate's rules and procedures. No one 
             knows better than he the precedents and prerogatives of 
             the Senate, and no one is a better protector, promoter and 
             defender of them than he is.
               It is not just for the length of his service that 
             Senator Byrd is being honored, however. It isn't so much 
             the years he has served but the service he has provided to 
             the people of the United States and his State of West 
             Virginia that has earned him the accolades he has received 
             and will continue to receive from his colleagues and his 
             constituents.
               Our celebration of this moment and all he has achieved 
             is softened by the loss of his beloved wife Erma, his 
             greatest friend and supporter, his companion through life 
             and almost 69 years of marriage, who passed away recently. 
             I am sure she is looking down on us all, proud and 
             thrilled to see Senator Byrd's continued efforts to 
             address the issues of importance to his beloved friends of 
             West Virginia and to note his recognition for being their 
             champion for so many years.
               During my service in the Senate I have appreciated 
             working with Senator Byrd on a variety of issues, most 
             recently the miner safety act. We were both there at the 
             President's side as he took up his pen and signed the bill 
             into law. As he did, he noted Senator Byrd's presence 
             because he knew the bill was the result of Senator Byrd's 
             heartfelt concern for the miners of his State, for their 
             safety, and the security of their families.
               I have no doubt that if we were to look up the words 
             ``constituent service'' in any book it would immediately 
             refer us to Senator Byrd's work in the Senate. He has been 
             an active and effective advocate for the people of West 
             Virginia and he has worked tirelessly and diligently to 
             address their needs in the Congress.
               Looking back, Senator Byrd's life reads like a Hollywood 
             movie script. He graduated first in his high school class 
             and married his high school sweetheart. He then spent 12 
             years saving the money he needed to start college.
               Through the years that followed, he held a variety of 
             jobs that gave him an understanding of the needs of the 
             working people of his State. He also developed his talent 
             for the fiddle, and soon became known for that as well. 
             Before long he was a member of the State legislature and, 
             not too long thereafter, he came to the Senate.
               Here in the Senate, no one has shown a greater 
             understanding of the history and meaning of the U.S. 
             Constitution and the role it plays in shaping our values 
             and our way of life as Americans. We both have a habit of 
             carrying a copy in our pocket to remind us of our job here 
             in the Senate and our responsibility as Senators to adhere 
             to the provisions of the Constitution and all it says and 
             requires us to do.
               Whenever I think of Senator Byrd, the first thing that 
             comes to mind is his incredible knowledge and 
             understanding of world history and the American 
             experience. He also has a profound and substantive mastery 
             of the legacy of the written word. Whenever he takes to 
             the floor to present his views on an issue he always has a 
             ready reference to the precedents of the past, or the 
             words of some great author who had written something 
             appropriate to the moment.
               Now, Senator Byrd, the great student of the history of 
             our Nation and so much more, is himself a part of the 
             great story of America and the traditions of the Senate. 
             Every day he joins us here to deliberate on the issues 
             before the Senate, he writes another chapter of his own 
             life's story, a story that will be forever told and retold 
             back in his home State, in the mountains and valleys of 
             West Virginia, by the people who live there who will 
             forever remember him and his legacy as their Senator--a 
             legacy that will never be forgotten.
                                                  Monday, June 19, 2006
               Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, the Senate has just marked 
             another milestone with the extraordinary service of the 
             senior Senator from West Virginia. I consider him a mentor 
             and a friend. I have had the privilege of serving with 
             Senator Byrd on the Judiciary Committee and I currently 
             serve with him on the Appropriations Committee. I know 
             firsthand his work as the Senate majority leader, the 
             Senate Democratic leader, and as our President pro 
             tempore.
               He understands the role of the Senate and the need for 
             it to act as a check and a balance on the President. In 
             recent years, he has been discovered by a new generation 
             of Americans as a true Senator.
               By his work and his example he teaches each of us every 
             day what the Senate should be and must be if the 
             constitutional design of the Founders is to serve and 
             preserve our rights and liberties.
               One of the great privileges of serving in the Senate is 
             to serve with the senior Senator from West Virginia. One 
             of the great pleasures is to hear him speak on this floor. 
             His continuing contributions to the Senate and the Nation 
             are too numerous to recount but I would like to mention 
             one of the many outstanding moments.
               Senator Byrd has preserved the Constitution from 
             numerous assaults. He takes seriously the Senate oath to 
             ``support and defend'' the Constitution. He has protected 
             it from a number of ill-conceived and politically-
             motivated amendments, including the so-called balanced 
             budget amendment and the line-item veto. The last time the 
             Senate considered amending the Constitution to cut back on 
             our individual liberties and limit the first amendment, 
             that guarantee in the Bill of Rights of our freedom of 
             religion and speech, it was in no small way thanks to 
             Senator Byrd that the Constitution and the rights of 
             Americans were preserved.
               On March 29, 2000, he gave an extraordinary speech. I 
             was a manager on the matter and was fortunate to be 
             present. I noted at the time that ``periodically, we hear 
             greatness in speeches,'' and observed that this was a case 
             where the Senate had heard greatness. It is a speech that 
             students of the Constitution and of constitutional history 
             should study.
               In the days ahead, we will again be challenged to amend 
             our Bill of Rights for the first time in over 200 years. I 
             can think of no one I would rather stand with and fight 
             for the Constitution than the senior Senator from West 
             Virginia. Every day he walks on the floor of this Senate 
             carrying the Constitution because he knows that the 
             liberties of the American people are not to be sacrificed 
             for passing political favor. He is a fierce advocate for 
             the Nation, the Constitution, the Senate, but first and 
             foremost, for the people of the State of West Virginia 
             whom he represents so ably.
               I have said that I sit in the white hair row. It is a 
             row that I picked. Because of my seniority, I can sit just 
             about anywhere I want, but I sit in this row to sit near 
             Senator Byrd.
               Senator Byrd is a Senator's Senator, but he is also a 
             Senator who respects and preserves the Constitution. We 
             are supposed to be the conscience of the Nation. There are 
             only 100 of us to represent 219 million Americans. Thank 
             goodness one of those 100 is Robert C. Byrd of West 
             Virginia.
                     Proceedings in the House of Representatives
                                                  Monday, June 12, 2006
               Mr. MOLLOHAN. Mr. Speaker, this is a landmark day in the 
             history of the U.S. Congress.
               On this day, the man who leads our West Virginia 
             delegation with such energy, integrity, and effectiveness 
             becomes the longest serving Member in the history of the 
             U.S. Senate. It is a great honor for me to join my 
             colleagues in saluting this latest record achievement of 
             our senior Senator, the Honorable Robert C. Byrd.
               The distinguished career of Senator Byrd is well-known 
             to those of us who are so fortunate to serve with him and 
             to learn from him. He is a master of the legislative 
             process, a strong defender of our Democratic institutions, 
             a great intellect on policy issues, a constant voice of 
             clarity and of reason.
               And, most important of all, he is an unwavering champion 
             of the people he was elected to serve: the citizens of 
             West Virginia. He never fails to give his very best to 
             them. It is this lifetime of faithful service that has 
             created such an amazing bond between Senator Byrd and the 
             people of the Mountain State--a bond built on trust, 
             respect and a deep gratitude for all that he accomplishes 
             on our behalf.
               So on this day--his 17,327th as the Senator from West 
             Virginia--I call upon my colleagues to salute Senator 
             Robert C. Byrd on this extraordinary milestone. We are 
             honored, indeed, to serve alongside such a gifted and 
             accomplished leader.

               Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, what do you get when you 
             multiply the power of the beacon by the strength of a 
             workhorse by the steadiness of an anchor? Robert C. Byrd. 
             We can celebrate his length of service today but we will 
             always prosper more from his daily leadership for West 
             Virginia over these past years.
               We celebrate that definition of Senator Byrd today as he 
             becomes the longest serving Senator in the history of the 
             Republic.
               Today, June 12, 2006, marks a record 17,327th day Robert 
             C. Byrd has served in the U.S. Senate. While we desire to 
             mark this milestone and unrivaled achievement with 
             celebration, I suspect the senior Senator from West 
             Virginia will spend this day as he has every day for the 
             past nearly 48 years--by going to work to improve and 
             enrich the lives of the people of West Virginia and 
             ardently defending the Constitution of the United States.
               In total, Senator Byrd has served this Nation nearly 54 
             years in the U.S. Capitol. Senator Byrd served three terms 
             in this body before being elected to the Senate. Here on 
             the House side in Statuary Hall, the old House Chamber, 
             overlooking all, stands sentinel, Clio, the Muse of 
             History, in a winged chariot, a symbol of the passing of 
             time. The statue is there to witness and record the 
             history of the Republic for future generations.
               Time does tell all, Mr. Speaker. That is why today is so 
             significant. Time trumpets talent, but talent ultimately 
             triumphs over time. Senator Byrd's time here is a direct 
             measurement of his talent, witnessed by the wisdom of the 
             people of West Virginia who have returned him to serve 
             again time after time. Democracies breed talent. The time 
             of tenure validates talent.
               I send words of congratulations and comfort to my 
             Senator on this day, as I know it marks above all the 
             birthday of his lovely and beloved Erma, who recently left 
             us to rest eternally with our Lord in Heaven.
               It remains one of my life's great privileges to serve 
             with a man I consider a mentor and friend. I have never 
             seen a greater example of a public servant and I have 
             attempted to emulate my service after his.
               Senator Byrd has been an architect of advancement for 
             our State; the influence of his steady leadership over the 
             past five decades can be seen from the hills to the 
             valleys, from our towns and villages to our cities.
               And it is with great excitement that I look forward to 
             the continued service of West Virginia's senior Senator. 
             For that is the brilliance of Robert C. Byrd--always with 
             his stern gaze firmly fixed on the future, a better, more 
             prosperous, more secure future for West Virginia and all 
             America.
               As a beacon you will continue to shine your light of 
             advancement and progress across our entire State and 
             Nation; as a workhorse you will continue to spend each day 
             of your service dedicated to providing your people 
             opportunities for prosperity; as an anchor you will 
             continue to steady our land while giving generations of 
             West Virginians and Americans hope, faith, and prosperity.
               To my friend, I congratulate you on all you have 
             achieved for your beloved West Virginia and all that you 
             will achieve in the future for our Nation.