[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 2 (Thursday, January 9, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E89]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO U.S. SENATOR ROBERT C. BYRD OF WEST VIRGINIA ON A 
         HALF-CENTURY OF SERVICE TO THE NATION AND TO HIS STATE

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                         HON. NICK J. RAHALL II

                            of west virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, January 9, 1997

  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, 50 years ago yesterday, January 8, 1997, the 
senior Senator from West Virginia, Robert C. Byrd, began his service in 
the U.S. House of Representatives where he served for 11 years, moving 
to the Senate in 1958 where he has served for the past 39 years.
  As we all know, Senator Byrd celebrated having cast his 14,000th vote 
in the U.S. Senate last year, at which time he had a 98.7 percent 
voting average.
  Senator Robert C. Byrd is the nationally recognized historian in 
residence in the Senate--the uncontested expert on the Senate as an 
institution, and the leading, nationally recognized expert on 
parliamentary procedures.
  West Virginia's citizens recognize Senator Byrd and applaud his 
achievements as a researcher, lecturer, writer, and parliamentary 
magician. That is all well and good, they say. It makes them very 
proud.
  But what makes Senator Byrd's people in West Virginia most proud is 
that he is also one of them--that he is someone they can go to, take 
their troubles, trials and tribulations to, and know that he will hear 
them and he will intervene on their behalf at every opportunity to make 
things better. West Virginians know that Senator Byrd's every waking 
moment of service in the U.S. Senate is in their service--their best 
interests, their well being--and they know this without one single iota 
of doubt.
  Residents of West Virginia can name with pride the many 
accomplishments of Senator Byrd--those noted above first of all. But, 
in addition, West Virginians can tell you that during his Senate tenure 
he has served as secretary of the Senate Democratic Conference, Senate 
majority whip, Senate majority leader, Senate minority leader, and 
President pro tempore.
  Further, Senator Byrd has served his State and his country throughout 
an integral part of the high drama and history of the second half of 
the 20th century--including the cold war, Vietnam, Watergate, Iran-
Contra, the collapse of the Soviet Union, and the gulf war. He has 
served under nine Presidents, one of whom was assassinated, the other 
forced to resign the highest office in the land.
  Senator Byrd is widely recognized for having achieved many milestones 
during his career, among them being only one of three U.S. Senators in 
history to have been elected to seven 6-year terms; being the first 
sitting Member of either House of Congress to begin and complete the 
study of law and obtain a law degree while serving in the Congress; 
being the first person in the history of West Virginia ever to serve in 
both chambers of his State Legislature and both Houses of the U.S. 
Congress; obtaining the greatest number, the greatest percentage, and 
the greatest margin of votes cast in statewide, contested elections in 
his State; being the first U.S. Senator in West Virginia to win a 
Senate seat without opposition in a general election; and having served 
longer in the U.S. Senate than anyone else in West Virginia history.
  Mr. Speaker, these are remarkable achievements for one man, and we 
honor Senator Byrd for them.
  His greatest feat, in my estimation, is that he has brought dignity 
and civility to the U.S. Senate every day of his life, throughout his 
tenure there.
  Senator Robert C. Byrd is a gentle but firm leader, who has the 
ability to share, in his writing and vocally, his deep and abiding 
reverence for the Senate as an institution. He constantly lectures, 
through his weekly history lessons, on the importance of knowing and 
observing, and above all else, respecting, the traditions of the 
Senate, its rules of engagement and the parliamentary procedures that 
govern it as an institution.
  And so it is with great personal honor that I rise on the occasion of 
his 50th anniversary year of U.S. Senate service, to pay tribute to the 
well cherished and beloved senior Senator from West Virginia Robert C. 
Byrd, and to wish God's blessings upon himself personally, and upon the 
important work he will do in the coming years on behalf of his 
institution, his countrymen nationwide, and his especial work on behalf 
of his fellow West Virginians.

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