[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 42 (Monday, March 17, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3791-S3792]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    SALUTING SENATOR ROBERT C. BYRD

  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, about 3 months ago, a remarkable 
discovery was made. In an abandoned storeroom in the subbasement of 
this Capitol, two Senate staffers discovered the long-lost, handwritten 
payroll records of the Senate from 1790 to 1870.
  The ledger contains a vast wealth of information about the birth and 
the history of this Senate. It also contains authentic signatures of 
John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and Aaron Burr. Historians say it is very 
likely the only document in the world signed by all three of those 
giants of American history.
  Three days after it was found, I was able to hold that ledger in my 
hands. Every page I turned revealed more legendary names: James Monroe, 
George Mason, Abraham Lincoln, Daniel Webster, Henry Clay, John 
Calhoun. It was a rare privilege to be able to hold such a tangible 
link to the giants of this Senate. For the last 16 years, I have had 
the privilege to be able to serve with--and learn from--a living link 
to those giants: the incomparable senior Senator from West Virginia, 
Robert C. Byrd.
  Today, we celebrate yet another milestone in Senator Byrd's 
extraordinary career. As of today, Senator Byrd has served in Congress 
for 50 years, 2 months, and 14 days. Since the beginning of our Nation, 
only two Members of Congress have served longer than Senator Byrd.
  For the last 44 years--more than half his life--Senator Byrd has 
served in this Senate--longer than all but one other Senator. I come to 
the floor today to congratulate Senator Byrd on reaching this historic 
milestone and to thank him for the many lessons he has taught me and 
for the kindnesses he has shown me over these many years. I also thank 
Erma Byrd, Senator Byrd's wife. I have heard Senator Byrd say often 
that he could not do this job were it not for her support and her love. 
I thank Mrs. Byrd for sharing so much of her husband with their State, 
and our Nation, for so long.
  At the beginning of our Nation, there was another couple who shared a 
great passion for democracy and public service. Their names were John 
and Abigail Adams. On July 3, 1776, the day the Declaration of 
Independence was signed, John Adams wrote to Abigail about the world-
changing events that had occurred that day in Independence Hall in 
Philadelphia. In that letter, John Adams wondered whether future 
generations would understand how much the signers of the Declaration 
had risked so that the Americans who would come after them could know 
freedom.
  Somewhere, I think, John and Abigail Adams must be smiling down on 
Senator Byrd. In these anxious days, when some argue that the United 
States must curtail some of our Constitutional rights, or rewrite the 
balance of powers in our Government, Robert Byrd reminds us that 
principled compromise is a worthy goal--but our basic constitutional 
principles themselves must never be compromised.
  Robert Carlyle Byrd seems as much a part of West Virginia as the 
Appalachian Mountains themselves. In fact, he was born, in 1917, in 
North Carolina. After his mother died of scarlet fever, his father gave 
him up before his first birthday. He was adopted by his aunt and uncle, 
who took him to West Virginia's coal country. His family had little 
money.
  After graduating from high school and working for a time as a butcher 
in a coal company store, he yearned for a political life. He began that 
political life in 1946, when he was elected to the West Virginia state 
legislature. Six years later, he was elected to the U.S. House of 
Representatives. And 6 years after that, he was elected to this Senate. 
Two years ago, he was elected to his eighth term in the Senate. Only 
one Senator--Strom Thurmond--ever served longer in the Senate. He is 
one of only a handful of Senators ever to cast 15,000 votes in this 
body.
  Over the years, Robert Byrd has served as majority leader, minority 
leader, President pro tempore and

[[Page S3792]]

President pro tem emeritus of the Senate, not to mention Democratic 
whip and chairman and ranking member of the Senate Committee on 
Appropriations. He is the preeminent historian of the Senate and the 
author of the definitive history of this institution. He is a legendary 
orator. His speeches cover everything from the great issues of the day 
to the framers of the Constitution and the need for civility in the 
Senate to the virtues of the King James Bible and even the greatness of 
dogs. He is a master of the Senate's rules and traditions. Two years 
ago, he offered to share his knowledge of those rules with newly 
elected Senators. Most of the new Senators took advantage of those 
priceless tutorials. So did a few Senators who had been around for a 
lot longer.
  All of his life, Robert Byrd has been driven by the desire to know 
and understand more. He was already serving in the Senate when he 
earned a law degree from American University in 1963, after a decade in 
night school. He received his bachelor's degree from Marshall 
University in 1994.
  Besides great constitutional issues, another development that always 
provokes eloquence from Senator Byrd is when one of his fellow Senators 
marks a personal milestone. I was deeply touched by his beautiful words 
to my family and me on the birth of my first grandchild nearly a year 
ago. I know those words were not easy ones for a man whose heart still 
breaks over the death of his own grandson 20 years ago. And my family 
and I treasure them.
  Last November, the New York Times ran a profile on Senator Byrd on 
the occasion of his 85th birthday. The article described how, during 
the debate on the homeland security bill, Senator Byrd would come to 
this floor every day and, for hours, voice his concerns about what he 
regarded as serious flaws in the bill.
  The reporter asked Senator Byrd: ``Why are you spending so much 
time--and irritating some of your fellow Senators--prolonging a battle 
you're sure to lose?'' Senator Byrd replied, ``To me, that question 
misses the point, with all due respect to you for asking it.'' ``To 
me,'' he said, ``the matter is there for a thousand years in the 
record. I stood for the Constitution. I stood for the institution. If 
it isn't heard today, there'll be some future member who will come 
through and will comb through these tomes.''
  To that, I will add a prediction of my own: Years from now, Americans 
will read the name ``Robert C. Byrd'' and they will read the words of 
this extraordinary Senator. And when they do, they will feel that same 
respect and gratitude I felt when I held that ledger in my hands and 
looked at the names of some of the giants of our past. Robert C. Byrd 
is a vital link to the patriots who created our democracy . . . I am 
honored to know him and serve with him, and to call him my teacher and 
friend.
  By the way, on December 2, 2009, Senator Byrd will become the 
longest-serving member in the history of Congress. I look forward to 
celebrating that day with him and to the many days I hope to be able to 
serve with him and learn from him between now and then.
  I yield the floor.

                          ____________________