[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 101 (Thursday, June 21, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Page S8222]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
TRIBUTE TO SENATOR ROBERT C. BYRD
Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I want to join Senator Reid, and all of my
colleagues, in congratulating Senator Robert Byrd on reaching yet
another historic milestone in his lifetime of public service.
To have the privilege of casting even one vote in the U.S. Senate is
an honor. To cast 18,000 votes in this Senate is a legend.
It is a feat that has never been achieved before, and very likely
never will be again.
His 18,000 votes in this Senate are more than a singular statistic.
They are yet another measure of Robert C. Byrd's lifetime of devotion
to his state, our Nation, this institution, and to the U.S.
Constitution.
Senator Byrd is, of course, a great student of history--and the
author of the definitive work on the history of the U.S. Senate. In
fact, one could say that Robert C. Byrd is Senate history.
Think about this: In addition to being the only Senator ever to cast
18,000 votes, Senator Byrd is also the first U.S. Senator ever to cast
15,000 votes.
Senator Byrd has served with--not under, with--11 Presidents.
He has served as majority leader and held more leadership positions
than any Senator in history.
To help put the length of his service in perspective, consider a few
facts: When Senator Byrd cast his first vote in the Senate--on January
8, 1959 his colleagues included Senators John Kennedy and Lyndon
Johnson. Vice President Richard Nixon was the presiding officer. Hawaii
was not yet a state. And a state-of-the-art computer would have taken
up half of the space of this Chamber and had roughly the same amount of
computing power as a Palm Pilot.
Today, Senator Byrd is a hero among bloggers and so many others
because of his unyielding dedication to our Constitution and his
obvious love of our Nation and the principles for which it stands.
He is the unrivaled expert on Senate rules.
He has been a candidate for election 12 times--9 times as a candidate
for the U.S. Senate and 3 times as a candidate for the U.S. House. He
won every time.
And he has become perhaps the most popular political figure in West
Virginia history. He was named West Virginian of the Century by the
residents of his home State.
It is an honor to serve with this giant of Senate history, and to
share with him this milestone. Again, I commend him and congratulate
him.
Mr. ROCKEFELLER. Mr. President. I stand today to honor my dear friend
and colleague, Senator Robert C. Byrd.
Few of us can truly hold claim to the title of living legend--but
Robert C. Byrd can. This afternoon he cast his 18,000th vote. A
remarkable record that reflects his years of dedicated, passionate and
heartfelt service to the people of West Virginia and the Republic he so
loves.
Eighteen thousand is an impressive number. But what is more
impressive is the change that those votes had on America. He voted to
strengthen Social Security for all Americans. He voted to turn the
dream of college education into a reality for all students. He voted to
ensure that those who put in an honest day's work receive an honest
day's wage. He voted to protect the health and safety of coal miners.
And, he voted to ensure that those who serve in uniform would get the
benefits they deserve. Quite frankly, his voting record, and its impact
on the fabric of our country, is immeasurable.
Along the way, his votes and his voice became the conscience of the
Senate. Reminding us all that change is never easy, and that following
the rules matters. That we can disagree with each other, even an
administration, but we can ill afford to be disagreeable with each
other.
It is impossible to picture the history of the last 50 years without
thinking of Robert C. Byrd's impact and influence on all of our lives.
I am incredibly honored to serve every day with my dear friend and
colleague--he is an inspiration to us all.
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