[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 16 (Monday, February 25, 2002)]
[Senate]
[Pages S991-S993]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 HAPPY BIRTHDAY SENATOR EDWARD KENNEDY

  Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, on February 22, 1962, the youngest of Joseph 
and Rose Kennedy's nine children, Edward, was standing in front of the 
Berlin Wall listening to a speech by his brother, Attorney General 
Robert Kennedy. It was Edward Kennedy's birthday. He was turning 30 
years of age. Later that year, he ran for the Senate. On November 6, 
1962, he was elected to that very historic Senate seat--a seat that had 
been held not only by his brother, but also by John Quincy Adams, by 
Charles Sumner, by Henry Cabot Lodge, and by the great Daniel Webster.
  Now, I relate that story not only to bring notice to this milestone 
year in the career of Senator Ted Kennedy, but also to bring notice 
that February 22, 2002, was a very special day in the life of the 
senior--perhaps I should now say the ``very'' senior--Senator from 
Massachusetts. This year marks 40 years since Edward Kennedy won the 
election to begin his distinguished career as a United States Senator, 
while last Friday marked the 70th anniversary of his birth. Oh, to be 
70 again. It makes me pause, to be 70 again. I still cannot believe 
this young, 28-year-old fellow who was running around West Virginia 
campaigning for his brother during the crucial 1960 West Virginia 
primary is now 70 years old.

  The Psalmist says:

       The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if 
     by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their 
     strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we 
     fly away.

  Seventy years.
  Yes, there he was, 28 years old, chubby cheeks, black hair, running 
around West Virginia campaigning for his brother. But he is 70 years 
old, and I want to wish him the happiest of birthdays.
  I also wish to congratulate him for his very remarkable service in 
the Senate. Forty years in the Senate means that Senator Kennedy is 
third in seniority in the Senate. It means he has spent more than half 
of his life in the Senate. He is the fifth longest serving Senator in 
U.S. history. He has seen a Senate career marked by quality as well as 
length of service. Millions of Americans are healthier today because of 
his efforts for health reform. Many more Americans are better off 
because of his efforts to increase the minimum wage.
  Ted Kennedy has dedicated his life to public service. He is a man of 
remarkable compassion and tenacity. He loves his country, and he has 
labored mightily on behalf of his fellow citizens.

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  For four decades now he has served in this Senate and provided a 
powerful voice for the protection and the promotion of workers' rights, 
for the protection of our environment, and for his stronger social 
safety net for America's disadvantaged people.
  For four decades he has provided a strong, eloquent voice for the 
poor, the oppressed, the downtrodden, the dispossessed.
  For these and a host of other reasons, history will be good to 
Senator Kennedy. He has endured great tragedy in his own life; yet he 
has dedicated himself toward improving the lives of others.
  I consider myself to be privileged to serve with Senator Kennedy and 
to have him as my friend. I wish for him many more years of service.

       ``How far away is the temple of fame?''
       Said a youth at the dawn of the day.
       He toiled and strove for a deathless name;
       The hours went by and the evening came,
       Leaving him old and feeble and lame,
       To plod on his cheerless way.

       ``How far away is the temple of good?''
       Said another youth at the dawn of the day.
       He toiled in the spirit of brotherhood,
       To help and succor as best he could
       The poor and unfortunate multitude,
       In its hard and cheerless way.

       He was careless alike of praise or blame,
       But after his work was done,
       An angel of glory from heaven came
       To write on high his immortal name,
       And to proclaim the truth that the temple of fame
       And the temple of good are one.

       For this is the lesson that history
       Has taught since the world began;
       That those whose memories never die,
       But shine like stars in the human sky,
       And brighter glow as the years go by,
       Are the men who live for man.

  Mr. President, I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Connecticut.
  Mr. DODD. Mr. President, before the distinguished leader leaves the 
Chamber, I know at the appropriate time the Senator from Massachusetts 
will want to respond to the wonderful comments of our colleague from 
West Virginia.
  I know the Senator from Massachusetts has received a lot of well-
deserved recognition over the last number of days, having achieved the 
milestone of his 70th birthday. He will not receive any more gracious, 
more thoughtful a gift than the one he has just received from his 
friend from West Virginia, the person with whom he has served over 
these 40 years and with whom he has been a partner on so many of the 
issues about which the Senator from West Virginia has talked.
  When the annals of the latter part of the 20th century are written, 
there will be those in coming generations--as I have been privileged to 
do most recently with my colleague from Kentucky to fill out the 
portals in the reception room--going back in our history and 
identifying those who served with unique distinction this wonderful 
body over the plus-200 years of its existence.
  I cannot say with any certainty what future generations will do, but 
I am quite certain that when they are debating and discussing what 
names, what profiles ought to inhabit those eternal spots on the 
reception room wall the name of the Senator from West Virginia and the 
name of the Senator from Massachusetts will be on those lists.
  My commendations to both Senators for their wonderful friendship 
which has been an example of people who had some differences when they 
began their careers. In fact, at times they disagreed on issues and 
many more times they worked together. This country is a richer and 
better place because of their service.
  I will have more remarks tomorrow about the service of our wonderful 
friend from Massachusetts. I commend the Senator for his comments.
  Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, I thank the distinguished Senator.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Kentucky.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, let me add to the comments of my friend 
from Connecticut. It is interesting that the Senator from Connecticut 
mentioned the portraits outside the Senate and those who have been 
selected to have their likenesses there because of their great 
contributions to the Senate.
  I remember actually introducing the Senator from West Virginia at an 
event in my State in which I made that very point: That in the future, 
when they are determining which great Senators of the current period to 
add, the Senator from West Virginia will certainly be among them. In my 
view, he is the greatest orator in the Senate today and certainly in my 
18 years here, I have had a chance to listen to them all.
  The Senator from West Virginia is without peer in this body. To 
listen to his skills applied to our friend and colleague from 
Massachusetts is a treat on a Monday afternoon, and I thank him for his 
contribution.
  Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, if I may regain the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Carper). The Senator from West Virginia.
  Mr. BYRD. I thank both of my colleagues for their thoughtful remarks.
  May I say to my friend from Connecticut, the Senator from 
Massachusetts, Mr. Kennedy, and I had our differences in the early days 
of our careers. I came to find in Ted Kennedy one of the strongest 
supporters when I became the Democratic leader of the Senate in 1977. 
He was always one who stood alongside me and my work as the leader. I 
could count on his support. We did not always vote alike, but he was 
very supportive, and I treasured that support.
  As time went on, Ted Kennedy, with whom I did not see eye to eye in 
the early days, became one of my most loyal and dedicated friends in 
the Senate. I am not saying we socialized together. I do not socialize 
with very many people, if any, outside my own family, but as a friend 
he proved himself to me one of the staunchest.
  I remember that on my 80th birthday--Senator Kennedy just celebrated 
his 70th--I was in West Virginia. I was dining on that birthday at the 
Governor's mansion with a Republican Governor whom I had served in the 
State legislature in 1947. This was his second time to be Governor. He 
was the youngest Governor of the State in the early 1950s, and then he 
was the oldest Governor of the State up until a little under 2 years 
ago. He was having me over at the mansion for lunch on that day with 
him. I received a call from my chief of staff, Barbara Videnieks, 
saying: Senator, guess who is here. Senator Kennedy is in your office.
  I was in West Virginia, and he was in my office. She said: You know 
what. He has 80 red roses.
  He brought 80 red roses to my office on that day. I thought that was 
a unique moment in my life, unique perhaps in most lives, to have a 
friend come by and bring 80 roses. It is unique to become 80 years old, 
for one thing, but he was in my office with 80 roses.
  Not only that but a couple of years ago, on my 63rd wedding 
anniversary, I was at the Greenbrier in West Virginia with my wife 
Erma, and 63 red roses arrived to my room at the Greenbrier. Ted 
Kennedy sent the roses. That is a very remarkable display of friendship 
in anybody's life. Not many people live to be married 63 years, but to 
live to be married 63 years and then have a friend send 63 red roses is 
worthy of comment.
  So that is the way it was--as Walter Cronkite used to say--on my 
birthday, and then again on my wife's and my wedding anniversary. So I 
am grateful for the friendship of Ted Kennedy.
  This earthly span of ours, even though the psalmist promised us 70 
years, is quite short after all.

       The gay will laugh when thou art gone, the solemn brood of 
     care plod on, and each one as before will chase his favorite 
     phantom.

  I believe those words are in William Cullen Bryant's ``Thanatopsis.''
  That is about the way it is. So I take immense pleasure today in 
coming to this Chamber and congratulating Ted Kennedy on his birthday 
and expressing my very best wishes to him and his lovely wife and to 
her father who contacts me almost every time I make a speech. Judge 
Reggie calls my office and says he has been listening to my speeches. I 
believe he must have heard these remarks today.
  Let me thank again my friend Chris Dodd and my friend Mitch 
McConnell--one Democrat and one Republican--for their friendship as 
well. I shall always treasure it. Senator Dodd is my seatmate, and very 
often he stops by my door and bids me good afternoon and offers some 
well chosen words and comfort and cheer. I prize him as a treasured 
friend. He is the chairman of the Rules Committee on which I serve with 
Mitch McConnell, and I am all the richer for it.
  I also thank Senator McConnell. He had me down in Kentucky. I say 
down because it is south of West Virginia on

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the map. He had me visit Kentucky a couple of years ago, a major 
university there, and had me speak to a fine group of young people. He 
treated me royally while I was there.
  I thank both Senator McConnell and Senator Dodd for their service to 
the Senate and to their country, and I thank them for their friendship.
  I yield the floor.
  Mr. DODD. I 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. DODD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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