[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 29 (Thursday, February 15, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2005-S2006]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SENATOR KENNEDY

  Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, President John F. Kennedy was fond of 
quoting the Biblical passage of the New Testament:

       For unto whomsoever much is given of him shall be much 
     required.

  That was quoted from the 12th chapter of the Gospel of St. Luke, 
verse 48, the King James version.
  When I think of that passage, I think of the life, the career, and 
the accomplishments thus far of my dear friend, my dear friend and 
colleague, Senator Ted Kennedy, who will turn 75 years old--Oh, to be 
75 again--he will turn 75 years old, on February 22. The Senate will be 
out of session on February 22.
  When Ted Kennedy came to the Senate in 1962, I would already have 
been here 4 years. So when he, Ted Kennedy, came to the Senate in 1962, 
much had already been given to Senator Ted Kennedy. He had been born 
into a wealthy and remarkably, remarkably talented family. His father, 
a financial genius, had been an Ambassador to England--think of that, 
Ambassador to England--and the very first Commissioner of the 
Securities and Exchange Commission.

  One of his brothers, one of Ted Kennedy's brothers, had been a 
Senator--I can see him now, as it were--and was then President of the 
United States, but had been a Senator. Another brother was the Attorney 
General of the United States, and would eventually join Ted in the 
Senate in 1965.
  As for Senator Edward ``Ted'' Kennedy, himself, he had attended two 
of our country's premier educational institutions, Harvard College, 
and, yes, the University of Virginia. And he, Ted Kennedy, had already 
accumulated a lifetime of political experience by the tender age of 30 
when he came to this Senate. How remarkable--just burst upon the 
landscape. I remember. Therefore, as the Scripture tells us, we had a 
right to expect much from Ted Kennedy when he came to the Senate. We 
had a right to expect much. What about our expectations? He delivered. 
He delivered.
  In the Senate, Ted Kennedy became the heart and the conscience, yes, 
of American liberalism. And he has been one of the most effective--I 
know. I have been here. I have watched him. I did not particularly like 
him at the beginning. He did not like me. Each of us knew that. We did 
not care who else knew it. It did not matter.
  In the Senate, Senator Kennedy became the heart and the conscience of 
American liberalism. He has been one of the most effective national 
legislators--read the Record; read the history of the Senate--he has 
been one of the most effective national legislators of the 20th 
century. And as one who knows something about American history and the 
history of the Senate, he has been one of the most effective national 
legislators of all time in the Senate. I have not lived all time, but I 
know something about all time. I know something about the Senate and 
know something about the history of the Senate.
  Ted Kennedy has been one of the most effective national legislators 
of the 20th century or of all time as far as this Republic stands. His 
imprint is on nearly every piece of progressive legislation crafted 
during the past 45 years. I will read that again. I want to make sure I 
believe that myself. His imprint is on nearly every piece of 
progressive legislation crafted during the past 45 years: the 
Occupational Safety and Health Act, OSHA; the Voting Rights Act; the 
Age Discrimination Act; the Freedom of Information Act; the Americans 
with Disabilities Act; health care reform; increases in the Federal 
minimum wage. These are but a few of his, Ted Kennedy's, legislative 
monuments. Additionally, he has been among those few at the very 
forefront of promoting women's rights and women's equality.
  He, Edward M. Kennedy, Ted Kennedy, is the Senate's Mr. Health Care. 
He is the Senate's Mr. Civil Rights, to a great extent. He is the 
Senate's Mr. Human Rights. As his Senate record reveals, Senator 
Kennedy is a man--a Senator--of remarkable compassion, who has labored 
mightily on behalf of his fellow citizens.
  Although born to a life of privilege, Ted Kennedy has dedicated his 
life--if

[[Page S2006]]

I ever saw a dedication to public service--dedicated his life to public 
service.
  Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Ted Kennedy, has spent more than half of 
his life in the Senate. I have done that, too. I was just contemplating 
and figuring in my head. Yes, that is a long time. He has spent more 
than half of his life in the Senate, yes. Yes, I have spent more than 
half of mine, but I am not the subject of this.
  He, Ted Kennedy, is now second in seniority in the Senate. He, Ted 
Kennedy, is the third longest serving Senator in the history of the 
United States of America.
  As I wish my dear friend Ted Kennedy the happiest of birthdays, 
perhaps I should point out that our relationship--his and mine--did not 
begin--I think I have already hinted at that--on the friendliest of 
terms. I first encountered Ted Kennedy during the bitter and famous 
1960 West Virginia Democratic primary. Ted Kennedy was in the State 
helping his brother John F. Kennedy, who was running for President. I, 
Robert C. Byrd, was supporting the other guy.
  In 1971, he, Ted Kennedy, was running for reelection to his position 
as the Senate Democratic whip. Again, I supported the other guy--me.
  In 1976, I was running for the position of Senate majority leader. 
This time, he, Ted Kennedy, was supporting the other guy.
  This hardly seemed the beginning of a beautiful relationship, but it 
was.
  During our service together in the Senate, I came to admire Ted 
Kennedy--yes, I came to admire him--as a dedicated Senator of 
incredible tenacity and admirable legislative skills. I found him to be 
an indefatigable worker who could accomplish, yes, what seemed to be 
legislative miracles. Sometimes they were.
  I, personally, will always be grateful for the support, the 
unstinting support, that Senator Ted Kennedy gave to me during the 
years that it was my privilege to serve, yes, serve as the Senate 
Democratic leader. And I was. I was the leader, the Senate Democratic 
leader. When times got tough, as they sometimes do for a Senate leader, 
I knew that I could always count--I could always count; yes, even 
without asking him, I knew where he stood--I could always count on him. 
It may have been a needed vote. It may have been his assistance in 
building support for a legislative proposal. Whatever was needed, he, 
Edward M. Kennedy, Ted, was there. He was there, he was always there 
for me, and I am grateful. As a result, our friendship has developed 
and strengthened.

  Today I am proud to call Ted Kennedy one of my best and dearest 
friends. I have to say he is my best and dearest friend. I will always 
value his friendship. I especially appreciate the way he has extended 
that friendship not only to me but also to all the people of West 
Virginia. And he did much of that before he became a friend of mine.
  I close this brief statement about admiration for Ted Kennedy with 
these words:

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

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

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

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

  Senator Ted Kennedy is a public servant. He is a dedicated 
legislator. He is a great Senator of our times who endeavors to live 
for his fellow man.
  Happy birthday, Ted Kennedy. God bless you. Because of you, we are a 
better country.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Montana.

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