[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 134 (Thursday, December 7, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11452-S11453]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                               CHRISTMAS

  Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, Sir Walter Scott, in his poem ``Marmion,'' 
said these words:

     Heap on more wood!--the wind is chill;
     But let it whistle as it will,
     We'll keep our Christmas merry still.

  The Senate will shortly adjourn for the remainder of the year. We 
will return home to our families and friends and begin to think of 
putting up Christmas decorations and shopping for those special 
presents that we will give to our loved ones. We will leave much work 
unfinished, postponed until the new Congress convenes next January. 
That I regret.
  Continuing resolutions allow the basic work of Government to proceed, 
but they do not offer clear guidance to Government offices and 
programs, and they postpone any new starts or major changes to programs 
until the regular authorizing and appropriation bills are acted upon. 
That is unfortunate. However, we may be grateful this Christmas that we 
live in a nation in which changes in Government may take place in a 
peaceful fashion in open elections. We may also be grateful that we 
live in a nation in which the voice of the people can be expressed 
freely, eloquently, and peacefully. Vox populi, vox diae. This 
Christmas, we might alter our prayers for those around the world who do 
not enjoy these same great blessings.
  Christmastime is a time of peace and celebrating, as Christians do, 
the birth of Jesus, whose world-transforming message preached peace, 
tolerance, kindness, and love for all people. I am not quite sure where 
the message to shop, spend, and wrap presents came from, for it is 
surely not in the Bible, nor in the teachings of Jesus. These days, it 
takes effort to carve out enough time and energy from the ceaseless 
march of consumerism to find the true spirit of Christmas. But, 
thankfully, it is still present amid all the bright lights and cheery 
background music. One can see it in the piles of canned goods donated 
to food banks. One can see it in the response to the ``angel trees'' 
that let people answer the Christmas wishes of children in their 
communities. One can hear it in the Christmas choirs that put on 
magnificent performances. ``At Christmas play and make good cheer, for 
Christmas comes but once a year.'' So wrote Thomas Tusser, who lived 
from 1524 to 1580, demonstrating that some good things have changed 
very little over the years.
  For the birth of Jesus, the angels sang, and for Him in this cold 
season, churches across the Nation will be filled with joyous music. 
The churches of West Virginia are always filled with great music, but 
at Christmastime the choirs are especially inspired. There are few 
things more uplifting than coming out of an evening church service, 
buoyed up by sweet traditional music, and seeing the stars of heaven 
sparkling like diamonds across the velvet dark sky. All of the carols 
that we learned as children in church, or around the family piano, sing 
in our heads, don't they? The three kings following the ``yonder 
star,'' the stars shining brightly on that holy night, the manger in 
Bethlehem, and the holy mother and child on that silent night. Each 
year, these loving memories surface from the deep well of our 
childhood, each time bringing with them fond memories of happy days and 
family members no longer with us but still very dear to our hearts.
  This year, many families will look to the stars to know that far 
across the globe their loved ones also gaze up at the same stars to 
recall home and to recall the same old Christmas story. In Afghanistan, 
in Iraq, in Korea and Kosovo, in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and elsewhere 
around the globe, many thousands of U.S. troops will be spending this 
Christmas season in a decidedly unpeaceful setting, proudly and bravely 
wearing the uniforms of this Nation. The National Guard units of West 
Virginia will have done and will continue to do their part, serving 
repeated deployments--I say again, serving repeated deployments--
overseas. Many of them will not be able to spend Christmas with their 
families. For our troops especially, we pray for peace, that they might 
be soon returned to the loving arms of their families. And to the 
families of our service men and women, we offer words, hopefully, of 
comfort, assuring them that none of us can forget that during this 
holiday season their loved ones are far from home--far from home and 
far from safety. Our prayers and our wishes are with them always.

[[Page S11453]]

     My soul, there is a country
     Far beyond the stars,
     Where stands a winged sentry
     All skillful in the wars:
     There above noise and danger,
     Sweet Peace is crown'd with smiles,
     And One born in a manger
     Commands the beauteous files.

  Henry Vaughn in 1650 wrote those words in his poem titled ``Peace.''
  Mr. President, I wish everyone in our Nation and everyone in our 
Nation's service around the globe a beautiful and peaceful Christmas 
season. Wherever the demands of the Nation may send you, in your hearts 
and in your memories you can hear the music and relive the family 
traditions that make Christmas so very, very special.
  As this year closes and a new year dawns, we are filled with kind 
thoughts and bold resolutions. For some, it would be a time also filled 
with a certain buyer's remorse, as the Christmas bills come due. For 
others, New Year's resolutions will lead them into gymnasiums in fresh 
attempts to exercise and work off rich Christmas cookies and cakes. I 
applaud everyone with such determination. Each new year is a new chance 
to address our pressing individual issues, be they health related or 
economic.
  The new Congress must also be filled with resolve--resolve to respond 
to the clear messages sent by the people of the United States. We will 
have much work to do if we are to successfully deal with the situation 
in the Middle East, the mounting national deficit at home, the rising 
costs of health care, and myriad other problems. Our resolve must last 
longer than most introductory gymnasium memberships if we are to set 
our national house in order.
  In January, Lord willing, I will begin my ninth term as a United 
States Senator from the beautiful State of West Virginia, whose motto 
is ``Mountaineers are always free.'' I have been here long enough to 
know that we have done it before, and we can do it again. I again thank 
the people of West Virginia for their votes of confidence in me, Robert 
C. Byrd, to continue in their service.
  Mr. President, I close with a favorite poem of mine by James Henry 
Leigh Hunt, who lived from 1784 to 1859. This is a poem familiar to all 
of us, to me from my very earliest days in a little two-room 
schoolhouse. This favorite poem of mine by James Henry Leigh Hunt is 
entitled ``Abou Ben Adhem.'' During the Christmas season, and 
especially as we brave the crowds and the traffic at the shopping malls 
and in the grocery stores, it is good to remember that the true message 
of the season is to love the Lord and to love our fellow men.
  ``Abou Ben Adhem'':

     Abou Ben Adhem (may his tribe increase!)
     Awoke one night from a deep dream of peace,
     And saw, within the moonlight in his room,
     Making it rich, and like a lily in bloom,
     An Angel writing in a book of gold:

     Exceeding peace had made Ben Adhem bold,
     And to the Presence in the room he said,
     ``What writest thou?'' The Vision raised its head,
     And with a look made of all sweet accord
     Answered, ``The names of those who love the Lord.''

     ``And is mine one?'' said Abou. ``Nay, not so,''
     Replied the Angel. Abou spoke more low,
     But cheerily still; and said, ``I pray thee, then,
     Write me as one who loves his fellow men.''

     The Angel wrote, and vanished. The next night
     It came again with a great wakening light,
     And showed the names whom love of God had blessed,
     And, lo! Ben Adhem's name led all the rest!

  Mr. President, I wish you and I wish all Senators and all peoples 
everywhere a very merry and peaceful and pleasant and memorable 
Christmas.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Ohio.
  Mr. DeWINE. Mr. President, I say to my neighbor in West Virginia, my 
friend and my colleague, first of all, that the poem he just recited is 
one that my wife Frances and I learned in the seventh grade in Yellow 
Springs. The Senator reciting it brings back very good memories, not 
only of the poem but of being in the seventh grade with my friends.
  There will be many things about this Senate that I will miss, and 
certainly one that I will miss is having the opportunity to sit here 
and to listen to my colleague from West Virginia as he speaks. It is a 
great privilege. It is a great thrill.
  I must tell him, however, that there is C-SPAN in Cedarville, OH. I 
suspect the library does get the Congressional Record at Cedarville 
College and other places, so I will have the opportunity to listen to 
him and read what he has to say. He is a great treasure of this Senate.
  I might also tell my colleague, as I told him personally yesterday, 
that I will carry around with me and keep with me and prize the small 
Constitution that I know is in his pocket right now that he gave me. I 
deeply appreciate that. And I know he gave one to the Presiding Officer 
as well.
  One of the first things I did when I came to the Senate in January of 
1995 was walk across the hall to see Senator Byrd. Senator Byrd was 
kind enough to give me his ``History of the Senate.'' I have cherished 
that, have read it. That will be going back with Frances and myself to 
Ohio. If I do, I say to my colleague from West Virginia, do what I hope 
to do--do a little teaching at the college level--I am sure those books 
will certainly come in very handy.
  I thank my colleague for his friendship and for his great service now 
beginning this January his ninth term in the Senate.
  One final note. I will tell my colleague, and I don't know if I have 
told him this, but my son and my daughter-in-law and our new 
granddaughter now live in West Virginia, so they are constituents of my 
colleague.
  Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, will the distinguished Senator yield?
  Mr. DeWINE. I am pleased to yield.
  Mr. BYRD. I thank this friend of West Virginia, this friend of mine. 
I shall always remember as long as I live--however long that may be--I 
shall carry in my heart a very warm feeling for him. He is our 
neighbor. He represents the people of Ohio, our neighbor to the west of 
the West Virginia hills. I thank him for his friendship and for his 
services to his people. His people are my people. I wish him well in 
the days and years ahead wherever he may serve. May God always bless 
you, my friend, and may He always keep you in the palm of His hand.
  Mr. DeWINE. I thank my colleague for his very generous and kind 
comments. One final comment to say that it was his great leadership, 
along with the great leadership of Senator McCain and others, which 
allowed us--group is the word I would prefer--a group of 14 Senators to 
make an agreement that I think was in the best interests of the Senate, 
and it has proved to be in the best interests of the Senate, in regard 
to our judges and how we confirm them. It has worked so far. My wish 
for you and my other colleagues as you go on is that you will continue 
to keep that agreement and it will continue to work. That is my wish.
  Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, I thank the able Senator. I shall do my best 
to help fulfill his confidence and wishes.

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