[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 74 (Monday, June 12, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5689-S5701]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            MORNING BUSINESS

  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 United States 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. We thought that Arthur Vandenberg would be the appropriate one 
for us. 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 United States 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 21.5 percent of the 
total number. Over a 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.

[[Page S5690]]

  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 meat cutter 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

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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 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 the Appropriations 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 only 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

[[Page S5692]]

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 engage 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 like were 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, 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,

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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 so many ways: 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 that had 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

[[Page S5694]]

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 to reminisce 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 
were 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.
  How 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 other ones 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--and maybe 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 time 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.

[[Page S5695]]

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, humorous, artist, musician, composer, 
poet, and then we think back always to his respect for the Bible, and 
second only to the Bible, his respect and love for the United States 
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 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 
     Constittion 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 coal fields 
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

[[Page S5696]]

came 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 the 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, to his pleas, ``It's 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 ad-

[[Page S5697]]

monish 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 the 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 benefitted 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 
cosponsored 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 first 
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 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

[[Page S5698]]

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 class of 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:

       This is a great day for the United States of America, a 
     great day for the Constitution of the United States. 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 born 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 lead 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 marks the 48th year of 
his service, and now, today, he is the longest serving U.S. Senator in 
history.
  I am distinctly honored to be in 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 because I did

[[Page S5699]]

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 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 three 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 
1,855 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:

[[Page S5700]]

do you know anyone else who feels equally comfortable, giving a 
discourse on the Roman Senate and appearing on the television 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 Gov, Bob Wise 
and both houses of the West Virginia Legisature. He is also blessed 
with two daughters, six grandchildren, and five-great granddaughters.
  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--that is 48 
years. 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 uncle, 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 I 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 Allegheny, Garret, 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

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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 who 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 of 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.
  On his 63rd wedding anniversary he went to the Senate floor and said 
of her, ``I have to frankly say that what little I have amounted, 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.

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