[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 3 (Thursday, January 8, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Pages S203-S204]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     TRIBUTE TO SENATOR ROBERT BYRD

  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, I join Senators on both sides of the 
aisle in paying tribute to our dear colleague and dear friend from West 
Virginia on this historic occasion of his 50th anniversary in the 
Senate. On January 7, 1959, Robert C. Byrd was sworn in as a Senator 
for the people of his beloved West Virginia, and in the years since 
then, he is become truly one of the greatest Senators ever to serve in 
this Chamber.
  I have served with Bob for 46 of those years. I have immense respect 
for him, and I am proud to say that we have become close friends. I 
love Robert C. Byrd.
  It wasn't always this way. There was a time that Senator Byrd and I 
were rivals, each with eyes on the position of majority whip. I was 
elected to that position after the 1968 election, but as I have often 
said, Bob taught me how to count votes in 1970 when he defeated me for 
reelection. It turned out to be a blessing for both of us.
  Bob would go on to become one of the finest majority leaders in the 
history of the Senate, and the defeat freed me to concentrate on my 
legislative passions of health care, education, labor, and civil 
rights. In a very real sense Bob liberated me, and as our leader in 
many of those years he was especially helpful in accomplishing my 
goals.
  The Bob Byrd I have come to know is a patriot, a passionate defender 
of the Constitution and the special role of the Senate, and an eloquent 
historian of the Senate, who has brilliantly served the people of his 
State.
  I have so many wonderful memories of our relationship, but there are 
two recent ones I want to mention here.

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  The first has to do with the Iraq war. When President Bush set us on 
this course, few had the courage and strength to question, let alone 
oppose, this rush to war, but Bob Byrd stood strong against it. Facing 
enormous pressure, he led the opposition. He was in the minority--a 
lonely minority--but he was unbowed. He was right, and I am sure that 
history will judge his courageous leadership well.
  The second memory is of a campaign trip I took to West Virginia in 
the fall of 2004 to support our candidate John Kerry. We crisscrossed 
the State from Charleston to Mingo County, and what I saw everywhere 
was the extraordinary love and affection the people of West Virginia 
have for Bob and that he has for them. It was an amazing and touching 
thing to sense the deep bond between this great man and the people he 
has so ably represented in Washington for so long. It is an experience 
I will never forget.
  Now, as we reflect on his unparalleled career in the Senate on this 
special 50th anniversary, I congratulate our friend. I thank him for 
all he has done so well for so many for so long. On this golden 
anniversary of his arrival in the Senate, I think of the famous lines 
of A. E. Housman about the ``golden friends'' the poet had. Bob Byrd is 
our golden friend, and we are all deeply honored to have the privilege 
of serving with him.
  Mr. DORGAN. Mr. President, I would like to add my congratulations to 
Senator Robert C. Byrd for his historic achievement today. Senator Byrd 
arrived in the Senate 50 years ago. For decades, he has defended the 
Constitution and the principles upon which it stands. Senator Byrd is 
truly a statesman, a patriot, a proud son of West Virginia, and an 
important voice in the history of this country.
  The people of West Virginia definitely know that they have a champion 
who will stand up for them. Senator Byrd has never forgotten the hard 
life that he had as a boy growing up in poverty in the southern West 
Virginia coalfields. He has always remained true to his faith and his 
family and has worked to build a better future for West Virginia and 
the Nation.
  In the history of our great Nation, Senator Byrd has served longer 
than all but one Member of Congress and has been a committed public 
servant. Senator Byrd first came to Washington in 1953 as a Congressman 
and served three terms in the House before being elected to the Senate. 
Senator Byrd quickly learned the rules and procedures that make the 
Senate run. He used these to his advantage while serving as the Senate 
majority leader and in other key leadership positions. On June 11, 
2006, Senator Byrd became the longest serving U.S. Senator in history, 
and in November 2006, he was elected to an unprecedented ninth full 
term.
  During his tenure, his colleagues have elected him to more leadership 
positions than any other Senator in history. This includes Senate 
majority whip, chairman of the Democratic Conference, Senate minority 
leader, and Senate majority leader. Currently, Byrd is the President 
pro tempore. Throughout his career, Senator Byrd has cast more than 
18,100 roll call votes in five decades of service in the Senate.
  Senator Byrd is also the longest serving member of the esteemed 
Appropriations Committee. He has served as its chairman or ranking 
member since 1989. After many distinguished years of service, he has 
stepped down from his leadership position but will remain an important 
voice on this committee. I have enjoyed serving with him on the 
Appropriations Committee and have learned a tremendous amount under his 
leadership.
  There are other sides to Senator Byrd that have contributed to his 
life's accomplishments, his achievements as a musician and author. 
Senator Byrd learned to play the fiddle at a young age and carried it 
with him everywhere he went. His skill with the instrument led to 
performances at the Kennedy Center and on a national television 
appearance on ``Hee Haw.'' He even recorded his own album, ``Mountain 
Fiddler.'' He is also the author of a magisterial four volume set about 
this body entitled ``The Senate, 1789-1989'' and other works.
  No tribute to Senator Byrd would be complete without mentioning his 
life's love, Erma Ora James. For nearly 69 years, the Byrds were 
inseparable, traveling throughout their native West Virginia and 
crossing the globe together. Sadly, Mrs. Byrd passed away on March 25, 
2006, but Senator Byrd speaks lovingly of her and their life together 
each day.
  The times have changed considerably since Senator Byrd was first 
elected to the West Virginia House of Delegates and eventually the U.S. 
Senate. We have seen a man walk on the Moon. We have mapped the human 
genome, and we have seen unbelievable technological advances that have 
changed the way we live, work and communicate. But through it all, the 
one constant is Senator Byrd's steadfast championing of our 
Constitution and the people of West Virginia. I join my colleagues in 
offering my hardy congratulations to him on this important day.
  Mr. INOUYE. Mr. President, today marks the 50th anniversary of 
Senator Robert Byrd's service to this most American of institutions: 
the United States Senate.
  ``Service to the Senate''--I have chosen these words intentionally, 
and with care. To serve in this hallowed chamber is to meld service to 
home and community with service to the Nation as a whole. It is a 
distinction that we are all privileged to share.
  But through his five decades in this Chamber, Robert Byrd's service 
has transcended the ordinary to rise to the absolute allegiance our 
country has only rarely received over her long history.
  Senator Byrd was born and raised in humble circumstances. The loss of 
his mother at the age of 1 left him a virtual orphan, and he grew up in 
West Virginia's coal country. The Great Depression postponed the young 
Robert Byrd's education, but it did nothing to hold back his lively and 
agile mind or his passion to seize on America's promise of equal 
opportunity. In 1946, he entered West Virginia's House of Delegates, 
and sought progressively higher offices. Finally, in 1958, he arrived 
in the Senate and found his ``home.''
  It is said that education opens doors, but in Senator Byrd's case, we 
learn that the doors it opens may not be the ones that we expect. For 
him, he was already a Member of the House of Representatives when he 
began work to earn his J.D. Ten years of night school finally earned 
him the degree as a sitting Senator.
  So what doors did his studies open? After all, he was already one of 
the Nation's highest officials.
  Education, a love of history, the discipline of rigorous study, the 
independence of thought. If you think about it, these are the very 
qualities that our American democracy most depends on. And by 
cultivating them, Senator Byrd grew in his capacity to serve his home, 
serve his Nation, and to serve the Senate.
  Mr. Byrd served as the Senate majority leader from 1977 to 1981, and 
many believe it is in recognition of that time that I continue to call 
him ``Mr. Leader.'' But I would like to take this opportunity to set 
the record straight.
  Mr. Leader. My dear friend. Protocol dictates that anyone who served 
as majority leader should retain the title for life. Even in the 
absence of protocol, however, my heart would demand that I rise and 
salute you as leader of this institution. Congratulations on this 
milestone, Mr. Leader. We have worked together for many years, and it 
will be a distinct honor to continue working with you on the 
Appropriations Committee and in the Senate.

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