[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 99 (Tuesday, June 29, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H4944-H4949]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
EXPRESSING THE CONDOLENCES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ON THE DEATH
OF THE HONORABLE ROBERT C. BYRD, A SENATOR FROM THE STATE OF WEST
VIRGINIA
Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I offer a privileged resolution and ask for
its immediate consideration.
The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:
H. Res. 1484
Resolved, That the House has heard with profound sorrow of
the death of the Honorable Robert C. Byrd, a Senator from the
State of West Virginia.
Resolved, That a committee of such Members of the House as
the Speaker may designate, together with such Members of the
Senate as may be joined, be appointed to attend the funeral.
Resolved, That the Clerk communicate these resolutions to
the Senate and transmit a copy thereof to the family of the
deceased.
Resolved, That when the House adjourns today, it adjourn as
a further mark of respect to the memory of the deceased
Senator.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from West Virginia is
recognized for 1 hour.
Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the
gentlewoman from West Virginia (Mrs. Capito).
[[Page H4945]]
General Leave
Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous material on this resolution.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from West Virginia?
There was no objection.
Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to yield 1 minute to the
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Pelosi), the Speaker of the House.
Ms. PELOSI. I am honored to join you, Chairman Rahall and
Congresswoman Capito, in singing the praises of a great man, Senator
Byrd. I rise today to remember the extraordinary life and legacy of
Senator Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia, a man who loved his State,
loved this country, and was a such important part of this Congress.
Throughout his remarkable career, he worked for all Americans, and he
never stopped fighting for the people of West Virginia. While we are
here, we all take pride in bearing witness to history. Senator Byrd
shaped it, and in shaping history, he built a better future for all
Americans.
His story was the true embodiment of the American dream. An orphan at
a young age, Senator Byrd refused to allow his circumstances to limit
the reach of his potential or his ability.
{time} 1550
A son of West Virginia's coal country, he was the first in his family
to be educated above the second grade. He worked as a butcher and a
welder and entered office to serve his community and his neighbors. In
doing so, he would ultimately make America a better place for every
American.
Though many note his mastery of the Senate, I note that Robert Byrd's
service began in the Congress here in the House of Representatives in
1953. His service in the House is a source of pride to all of us,
though Senator Byrd remarked that he was happy to leave behind the
limitations on speaking time that apply on the House floor. In fact, I
checked the Congressional Record myself on that. In the year that
Senator Byrd first came to Congress, I found that in one single floor
speech he managed to quote the ``Book of Ecclesiastes,'' Shakespeare's
``The Merchant of Venice,'' Daniel Webster, and Rudyard Kipling, all
while discussing trade policy. That was a sign of the great oratory
that would come over the next 57 years. In that time, Senator Byrd
would become Congress's foremost scholar on the institutions of our
democracy. He always spoke truth to power. He served as a voice of
reason. He was always a gentleman, charming any friend or foe.
Today, the entire Nation mourns the loss of this great champion,
leader, and public servant. For more than 57 years, Congress has
benefited from his wisdom and passion. For generations to come, Robert
C. Byrd's name will remain etched in history books for his
accomplishments and for his courage.
Senator Byrd has gone home to be with his beloved Erma. We hope it is
a comfort to the Byrd family that so many join them in grieving their
loss at this sad time.
Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished
majority leader of the House of Representatives, the gentleman from
Maryland (Mr. Hoyer).
Mr. HOYER. I thank the distinguished Member from West Virginia, the
chairman of our Natural Resources Committee, Nick Joe Rahall, of whom
Robert Byrd was very proud.
I also am pleased to recognize the Speaker pro tempore, Alan
Mollohan, of whom Robert Byrd was very proud, and who he considered a
partner. I thank Congresswoman Capito for allowing me to speak--in
fact, out of order--on the passing of the distinguished American who
was larger than life in so many respects.
Today, we honor the life of Senator Robert Byrd. History will reflect
him as the longest-serving Member Congress has ever seen. But, of
course, if it were only longevity that we were honoring, it would
simply be the hand of fate that allowed that to happen. But what we
really honor is that Robert C. Byrd used his longevity to such
extraordinary benefit of the people he served in the State of West
Virginia, the people of this Nation, and the legislative branch of
government. I doubt that there have been any peers to Robert C. Byrd in
standing on the floor of the United States Senate or of the House of
Representatives or in any forum in which he was temporarily present,
that any more strong advocacy of the equality and separateness of the
legislative branch was made clear.
Robert C. Byrd was a giant. He was a giant in terms of character. He
grew during the course of his lifetime, which is a mark of a great man.
All of us are, to some degree, captives of the environment in which we
are raised and in which we live. Robert C. Byrd is no different. But
Robert C. Byrd grew. He grew intellectually. He grew culturally. But he
did not, in growing, leave his base. He did not forget the values that
he learned in West Virginia--the values of courtesy; of kindness; of
caring; of helping; of making sure that the people who were not famous,
who did not have power, who did not have positions of note were never,
never forgotten.
Mr. Speaker, I remember an incident that I'm sure was not unique to
me. Early on in my career I went over on an appropriation matter--like
you, Mr. Speaker, as a member of the Appropriations Committee. Senator
Byrd invited me in. He was then majority leader. He invited me into his
office. We sat down. And for the next 45 minutes--which, as a junior
Member of the House, I found extraordinary--he regaled me on the
history of the Senate and the books he had written. I was mesmerized in
the presence of this giant of the legislative body.
At the end, as I'm sure he did to so many of us, he gave me a
rectangular painting of a covered bridge in West Virginia. Mr. Obey is
going to speak at some point in time--and Mr. Obey has a similar
painting hanging in his office. Now it's not the original because Bob
Byrd gave it to so many of us. But I looked at that and I thought to
myself, What a kind gesture. How impressed I was, this young Member of
Congress being accorded this kind of respect from this giant in the
United States Senate.
Robert C. Byrd will be dearly missed by us all, and he will be missed
most of all when very difficult issues confront the legislative body
and there is a clamor that the legislature agree with the executive,
for whatever reasons; a clamor that all too often emanates from fear of
this, that, or the other, and that fear would ignore the constitutional
role played by the Congress of the United States. It is then that we
will miss Senator Byrd's clarity of intellect, of conscience, of
commitment to the Constitution of the United States of America, as well
to the rules of the United States Senate. He was a passionate advocate
for people, for principle, for the Constitution, and for our country.
Senator Byrd, we will miss you. But we will remember fondly your
contribution and be ever thankful that we had the opportunity to serve
with you.
Some of you remember my dog Charlotte. My dog Charlotte was with me
for 15\1/2\ years. Some of you will recall for 10 of those years
Charlotte came to work with me every day. Charlotte was an English
Springer Spaniel. I planted a tree in my yard--it's a dogwood tree--and
there's a stone and a bronze plaque for Charlotte. Charlotte was one of
the loves of my life. I lived alone with her for 10\1/2\ years after
Judy passed away.
The first call I got the day after Charlotte passed was from Robert
C. Byrd saying how sorry he was that I had lost Charlotte. That was an
indication of his humanity, of his caring for others.
Yes, he was a great man. But he was a man who understood the pain,
the aspirations, and the hopes of all with whom he came in contact.
Thank you, Robert C. Byrd, our good and faithful servant.
Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the
gentleman from California (Mr. Lewis).
Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I very much appreciate the
gentlelady's yielding.
Robert Byrd, a colleague and associate on the Appropriations
Committee, this incredible, incredible leader in our committee, has
made such a difference over the years. Beyond that, I quickly developed
great respect for
[[Page H4946]]
his support of the legislative role relative to our constitutional
responsibility. And over the decades he has fought administration after
administration, Democrat and Republican alike, whose bureaucrats want
to take away authority from the legislative branch. His voice was heard
consistently reflecting the priorities of this institution. And for
that I will never forget him.
{time} 1600
As you have just heard from our leader, in recent years, Senator Byrd
and I developed a different kind of friendship because of our love for
our dogs. Indeed, it was a reflection of this man, the wonderful human
side of this man, that has been the experience for me. We will--Arlene,
my dog Bruin, and I--miss Senator Byrd.
Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, it's my honor to yield such time as he may
consume to the distinguished chairman of our House Appropriations
Committee, the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Obey).
Mr. OBEY. I thank the gentleman for the time.
Mr. Speaker, for most of the last 15 years, Senator Robert Byrd led
the Senate Democrats on the Appropriations Committee. And for roughly
that same amount of time, I had the same privilege on the House side,
and I got to know him extremely well. I loved Robert Byrd. For one
thing, he and I shared a love of bluegrass music. I daresay he was the
finest fiddler in the history of the Congress, but that's not the real
reason that I hold him in such high esteem.
He began as a product of a segregated background, but through sheer
intense pursuit of knowledge, understanding, and wisdom, he became a
person who is a powerful representative for the cause of equal
opportunity for everyone. I can think of no one in the history of the
Senate who demonstrated a greater capacity for personal growth than did
Robert Byrd. He was truly unmatched in his recognition of our
obligation to the Constitution and to the institution of the Congress
itself.
And the greatest thing about him, in addition to his dedication, was,
simply put, he had guts; and he wasn't afraid to demonstrate that on
many occasions when the Nation needed to see it demonstrated. He made
the point that he never served under any President. He served with
many, honorably and with distinction. They really don't make them like
him anymore.
Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I rise today to thank my colleague from West Virginia's Third
Congressional District (Mr. Rahall) for offering this resolution,
honoring the passing of our senior Senator, Senator Robert C. Byrd. I
want to thank the Speaker, my other colleague from West Virginia, for
his dedication and friendship to Senator Byrd through many more years
than I have served here in this Congress. As the three of us know, this
is a difficult time for all West Virginians and the United States
Senate.
As my colleagues know, Senator Byrd was an institution not only in
West Virginia but also in the United States Senate. Coming from very
modest beginnings, the young man from rural Raleigh County, West
Virginia, rose from the mountains of Appalachia to become a lion in the
greatest deliberative body on Earth, the United States Senate. His path
to success is truly emblematic of the American Dream.
Few can travel through our great State of West Virginia without
recognizing the effect Senator Byrd had on our State. While he is well
recognized for the many roads and buildings that are named in his
honor, it is the leadership he displayed in bringing our delegation
together when it mattered most for West Virginia that is truly a
testament to the effect he has had on our State.
During my tenure--which for him was recent, 10 years--he rallied our
delegation to save the 130th Air National Guard unit from being cut,
and he began working with all of us towards a consensus on mine safety
legislation after the tragic Sago mine incident. He was an able leader
and led us all as leaders for West Virginia.
Senator Byrd was also a wonderful ambassador for Appalachia. West
Virginians are very proud of our heritage and our strong work ethic
throughout our lives, and Senator Byrd continued to share Appalachian
culture--we just heard from Mr. Obey on that--with his colleagues in
Washington. Whether it was displaying his musical talents on the fiddle
or his dedication to both American and world history or the process of
the United States Senate or the protection of our Constitution, Senator
Byrd was truly a man of many talents.
I will fondly remember, as I was attending a meeting in Charleston,
West Virginia, probably 12 years ago--I knew about his fiddling, but I
didn't know about his love of music and his vocal ability--when he
joined Kathy Mattea in singing a duet of Amazing Grace. It was a great
moment for me, but for him, he was celebrating his three loves: his
music, his love of education, and his faith in God.
I also remember--and the other members of the delegation will
remember this, too--we were in his office, and he served us lunch in
his office. And when it came time for dessert, he asked all of us if we
wanted dessert. And since we were all watching our waistlines, we sort
of waived off dessert and said, No, we really don't need dessert. It's
lunch. I think we are going to pass on dessert.
No, no. We must have dessert. We must have apple pie and ice cream.
And then he proudly told us how he had maintained the same weight for
the last 57 years in the United States Congress. I think that's a feat
to be celebrated, quite frankly.
He also talked a lot about--and we heard this, too--the love of his
dogs. I remember when his beloved Billy died. He was crushed, and he
wasn't afraid or ashamed or embarrassed to express the love and the
compassion that he had and the companionship he felt with his dog. And
I think that's a common bond that a lot of people here in the United
States, but also in West Virginia, share.
So with Senator Byrd's passing, West Virginia has truly lost a
favorite son. The United States Senate has lost an icon. And as any
Senator will tell you, Senator Byrd served as a tremendous mentor in
passing on Senate procedure to newly elected Senators. In many ways,
Senator Byrd was an institution within the institution of the Senate,
and the Senate will not be the same without him.
I will miss Senator Byrd's passion and ardent defense of our Nation's
Constitution. He was certainly one of a kind, and I feel privileged to
have served with him. I will never forget the advice that he gave me
when I first sought his counsel when I first went in, in my first year
serving in this body. And he said, ``Shelley, you need to be a
workhorse, not a show horse.'' Senator Byrd will always be remembered
for his hard work as a workhorse and also for his dedication to
representing our great State of West Virginia.
I wish to extend to Senator Byrd's family my deepest sympathies and
know that he is at peace and at home with his beloved Erma.
So I would again thank Mr. Rahall for presenting this. Senator Byrd
will certainly be missed. And I want to pay tribute to his tremendous
service, sacrifice, strength, honesty, and devotion to our State and
Nation.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to yield 2 minutes to the
gentleman from Washington, Mr. Norm Dicks, the distinguished chairman
of our Defense Subcommittee on Appropriations and a classmate of mine.
Mr. DICKS. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
I had the great honor of serving in the other body for 8 years as an
assistant to Senator Warren G. Magnuson. And during that time, Senator
Byrd became the whip in the Senate. I can remember how he was
faithfully writing notes every couple of days to Senator Magnuson, ``I
put this in the Record for you.'' He was absolutely committed to the
United States Senate, and he was a forceful advocate.
I have served, as Chairman Obey has, in many conferences with Senator
Byrd. And when there was something that he wanted--and oftentimes to
protect the workers of West Virginia on coal mining issues--the
Congress responded because he was such a forceful advocate.
And one of the things I respected most about Senator Byrd was his
knowledge of the history of the Senate,
[[Page H4947]]
the history of the Congress, and his devotion to that history. He would
oftentimes talk about historic events and tie them in to current days.
You know, some people may have criticized him on spending issues, but
he used to say, and I always used to quote him on this, the Congress
can't give up the power of the purse because the power of the purse is
in the Constitution; and it's part of the Constitution of the United
States, a right that was earned in England when the people of England
rose up against kings and demanded that Parliament have the power of
deciding how the money was to be spent.
{time} 1610
And as has been said by many here, he served with many Presidents,
but he was not cowed by the presidency, and he would stand up on the
floor of the Senate many times and talk about different wars, different
situations we were in, and demand that the Executive appreciate the
power of the Congress and respect the power of the Congress. And he
served--I think he was elected nine full terms. That's a record that I
doubt will ever be matched.
He also went to law school during his time in the Senate. Now, how
many people could do that? I mean, it just was remarkable. And I think
President Kennedy gave him his degree from American University just a
few months before he was, unfortunately, tragically assassinated in
Texas.
But Robert Byrd is a legendary figure. In my time here in the
Congress I had the great fortune of serving on the Appropriations
Committee for 34 years. But I served with Senator Magnuson, who became
chairman of the Appropriations Committee. Senator Byrd was there
throughout that entire time and a lot more.
And I just rise today in respect for him, his legacy, his commitment
to the Congress. He had a wonderful family, and I'm sure that they're
going to miss him. But they have, I think, the satisfaction of knowing
that Robert Byrd did a great job, a fantastic job for the State of West
Virginia, but also was a great Senator in a national perspective.
And so I just want to say to my colleague and classmate from West
Virginia, who I know served on Senator Byrd's staff, and it was a great
learning experience that you had in the other body, as I did. And I
think it helped to prepare us for work here in the House of
Representatives.
So I just would say again that we have lost a great American, a man
of tremendous courage and commitment, and someone we respected, and his
legacy and memory will live long in the history of the United States of
America and in the Congress.
Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I
yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from
Ohio (Ms. Kaptur), a member of the Appropriations Committee as well.
Ms. KAPTUR. I thank the distinguished dean of the delegation for
yielding to me. And with Speaker Mollohan in the Chair this evening,
the people of the Buckeye State of Ohio extend our deepest sympathies
to the State of West Virginia, to the Byrd family, to all of the staff
that served this truly remarkable human being and American, Senator
Robert Byrd.
There's a great piece of music called ``Ode to the Common Man'' by
Aaron Copeland, and as I'm saying these words this evening, I think of
that music and of Senator Byrd's remarkable life. He truly was a wise
man of the Legislative branch who belonged to the American people. He
gave his life to us. His road had been a hard scrabble one from the
very beginning. He's the kind of American that walked a tough road, who
when he came here to serve, he never forgot people who came from
backgrounds like his.
I had the great joy of serving with him on the Appropriations
Committee. And being one of the few women that have ever served on that
committee, when I arrived there in the 1990s, I can remember him
sitting across from me at a conference committee, kind of looking over
his glasses with a glint in his eye at this woman who was a bit younger
than he was. He exhibited a great sense of welcome with also some
surprise that indeed history in America was changing.
I respected and liked him so very, very much. And I appreciated his
kindness to me. He loved history. I hold in my possession an
autographed copy from him of ``The Roman Republic and the Rule of Law''
of the Senate of that era.
I loved speaking with him. I loved being on a program with him a few
years ago with Leo Gerard, president of the Steelworkers, and listening
to Senator Byrd deliver an impassioned speech about the American
worker. He was such an exemplary representative for the working men and
women of this country.
His intellect, his humor, his knowledge of the rules and history, his
love of this institution and respect for it, and his passion, his
passion on every issue that he handled. He had so much to teach all of
us.
I happen to be a Democrat. He was a real Democrat. He set the pointer
on a compass and that needle to represent all people.
He was a gentleman, he was civil, he was enlightened, he worked so
hard. I can remember his telling a story about working on the railroads
as a young man. That hard work and that sense of honor he carried with
him through his entire service of over a half a century to the people
of our country.
I will end with saying, as I think of ``Ode to the Common Man,'' that
the enormous courage that he displayed in the last years of his life is
a lesson to us all. He continued to serve, despite illness, despite
difficulty, his doggedness, his determination--he truly was an heroic
American. I personally shall miss him very, very much.
I thank the people of the State of West Virginia for continuing to
send him to this Congress. He made us all better by serving with him.
He built a better and more humane America. He was loved by this
membership. We wish him Godspeed, and eternal rest grant unto him, O
Lord.
I thank the gentleman from West Virginia for allowing me this time
tonight to pay tribute to a great and good man and Senator for the
ages. In knowing him, we have walked with history, and are grateful.
Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, it is now my deep honor to yield to a close
personal friend and fellow member of our congressional delegation from
West Virginia, Mr. Alan Mollohan. Mr. Mollohan chairs the subcommittee
on Appropriations on Commerce, Justice, Science and related agencies.
He has served on many conferences with the late Senator Byrd as well.
And I know Senator Byrd often said he had two sons, and that would be
Alan and myself.
I'm very honored to yield such time as he may consume to Alan
Mollohan.
Mr. MOLLOHAN. I thank my friend and colleague from West Virginia for
yielding. And I know we have many tender memories of the Senator.
Mr. Speaker, it was with profound sadness that I learned yesterday of
the passing of Senator Robert C. Byrd. This country knew Senator Byrd
as one of the lions of the Senate, a ferocious advocate for his State
and a principled spokesman for his beliefs, whether it was his
opposition to the war in Iraq or his commitment to improve safety and
working conditions in the coal fields of West Virginia.
This Congress, both sides of the Capitol, knew Robert C. Byrd as the
chief defender of its constitutional prerogatives, an unequaled master
of its parliamentary rules, an expert on its history, and one of the
ablest legislative tacticians either Chamber has ever seen.
West Virginia knew Senator Robert C. Byrd as her own. It's difficult
to adequately describe the bond of profound connection between the man
and the State. People from outside the State might assume that this
connection was built on the senator's legendary success in delivering
Federal funds to West Virginia, and that would be wrong.
West Virginians understand how important that success was, of course.
We know that those material contributions are literally incalculable in
dollars invested, roads paved, buildings constructed, and jobs created.
But the bond between Senator Byrd and West Virginia went far beyond
that. It is almost as though his personal story not only inspired West
Virginians, as it would most Americans, but that it captured so much of
our State's culture
[[Page H4948]]
and our State's values. That personal history is known throughout the
State.
Senator Byrd was the adopted son of a miner who graduated as class
valedictorian. He was the manual worker who earned a law degree while
serving in the United States Senate. He was the husband who relied for
almost 70 years on his beloved wife, Erma. Those qualities of
discipline, of integrity, and commitment forged in the mountains of
West Virginia and exercised in the halls of Washington speak more
strongly to West Virginians than any material measure of his immense
contributions to the State.
{time} 1620
I cannot imagine Robert C. Byrd representing any State other than
West Virginia, and it is difficult to imagine West Virginia without
Senator Byrd.
I knew Senator Byrd as a mentor. I was first elected to Congress in
1983. And after 28 years, I like to think of myself as a reasonably
seasoned veteran of this body. But then I remind myself, before I took
my first oath of office, Senator Byrd had already served more years
than I have today. Twenty-eight years ago he was already a master of
the legislative branch.
From my very first days in this House, Senator Byrd never withheld
his support or his counsel. I can remember many times Senator Byrd
calling Congressman Rahall and myself over to his office just to
consult, to ask what was going on in West Virginia, or to take counsel
himself on what was going on in the House of Representatives, or just
to find out what was going on in our personal lives, how our parents
were, how our fathers were, how our mothers were. Those were touching
moments.
Senator Byrd, many people have asked me, well, what is Senator Byrd
really like? You know, he is such a disciplined person in public.
People want to know, well, what is he like in private? And I think
there are several insights that we have had glimpses of in previous
speakers here this afternoon into what he was like as a man beyond a
legislator. I can remember his being very touching and very concerned
about his dog Billy, and bringing him to the Congress, or if he were
home, worrying about how he was getting along. Very concerned and
obviously loving toward a pet.
But most poignant was Senator Byrd's relationship with his wife,
Erma. It was long. She was his childhood sweetheart. Senator Byrd used
to tell the story about courting Erma with another young man's candy.
The young man would come to school, and Senator Byrd and him would
catch up, and the young man would give Senator Byrd a piece of candy.
And Senator Byrd wouldn't eat that candy; he would save it and give it
to his future wife, his sweetheart, Erma. That relationship lasted and
grew and was warm and inspiring throughout his life. And her passing a
number of years ago was a very sad time in the life of Senator Byrd,
obviously. It was also a very sad time in the State of West Virginia.
They were a couple to be beloved by West Virginia.
I remember another touching moment, when my father passed almost 10
years ago. Senator Byrd attended the funeral and continued on after the
service for about an hour's drive to where Dad was interred. And
Senator Byrd after the service, he pulled me aside and told me what a
lovely cemetery this was for Dad's resting place.
Finally, I knew Senator Byrd as a friend. I cannot remember a time
when he was not in my life. And I will miss my friend. My wife,
Barbara, and I offer our deepest condolences and our best wishes to
Senator Byrd's family, to his staff, and to that close, wonderful
circle of people who knew him and loved him.
Mr. RAHALL. How much time do I have remaining, Mr. Speaker?
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Dicks). The gentleman has 14\1/2\
minutes remaining.
Mr. RAHALL. I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, the gates of heaven opened wide early yesterday morning.
West Virginia lost a faithful son, the Senate lost a father's watchful
eye, and I lost my mentor and close friend.
I extend my prayers and thoughts to Senator Byrd's daughters, to his
grandchildren and great grandchildren, to all his family, and to his
staff, especially many of whom have been with him for so long. Sadly
but surely, we will not see the likes of Robert C. Byrd pass our way
again.
He came from humble beginnings. A virtual orphan, he was sent to be
reared in the coalfields of our beloved State of West Virginia,
enduring the depths of the Great Depression. But he was wealthy beyond
belief with richness of values, all instilled in him by his adoptive
parents.
A self-taught butcher, a welder, a Sunday school teacher, a student,
a self-disciplined scholar with straight A's with 21 credit hours in
his first semester of college, a young man still, he wanted to serve.
Armed with little more than determination and a fiddle, he successfully
entered politics. ``Byrd by name, Byrd by nature, let's send Byrd to
the legislature.'' How often he would fiddle that with a tin cup at the
end of his fiddle, raising his first campaign funds. I recall, because
my late father was the treasurer for those early campaigns of Senator
Byrd.
But thus began what would become an unprecedented legislative
service. Marshaling sharp focus, unwavering diligence, and old-
fashioned hard work, old-fashioned hard work, he rose to remarkable
heights of rank and responsibility to service to the Lord, to service
to our State and our Nation as well. Yet Senator Byrd always remained
true to his own essential nature. He never got above his raisin'.
He could mix with kings and queens and Presidents, and while doing
that he never forgot from whence he came, and he always remained deeply
proud of his roots. He often remarked he would just as soon be eatin'
beans and cornbread and onions and sippin' buttermilk in the hills and
hollers of West Virginia as having lavish dinners with kings and queens
around the world.
I recall working for him in the Senate Democratic Cloakroom in 1972.
During that time, a young man from Delaware by the name of Joe Biden
was elected to the United States Senate. Within a month or two after
Senator-elect Joe Biden's ascension to the United States Senate, he
lost his first wife in a tragic, tragic car wreck. Senator Byrd turned
to me and said, Nick, do you mind if we took a drive up to Wilmington,
Delaware, so that we can pay our respects to Senator Biden's wife? I
said, Sure.
I drove the car. It was a cold, rainy night, late November that 1972.
We arrived in Wilmington. We arrived at the funeral home to face a
long, long, winding line that was waiting out in the rain to pay their
respects. Senator Biden heard we were in that line and sent word out he
wanted us to come up and immediately get up front and come inside where
it was warm. Senator Byrd said, no, he would not use his office, he
would not use his prestige or power to jump in front of anybody already
in line in front of him. So we stood in that cold rain, waiting to pay
our respects to Senator-elect, at that time, Joe Biden's first wife.
The only individual to serve in both houses of the West Virginia
Legislature and the U.S. Congress, Senator Byrd also achieved the
distinction of holding more elective leadership offices in the United
States Senate than anyone in the body's history. His Senate service is
the body's longest.
Combined with his tenure in the House, Senator Byrd holds the
distinction of serving in Congress longer than anyone else. His
achievements and his unrivaled archive of accomplishments were the
result of one sole purpose, to serve others. And he never tired of
trying to find ways to help a little more, to do a little better.
Striving for the next rung was, for Senator Byrd, a lifelong pursuit.
He was forever setting goals. And he challenged himself, his staff, his
colleagues, all of us to meet or exceed those goals.
And you know one other remarkable feature about Robert C. Byrd. He
made political contests, as bitter as they may seem at the time, the
foundation for future and lasting friendships. Recall, for example, as
I know the gentleman in the chair, Mr. Dicks, can recall very well,
Senator Byrd's one-vote victory over the late Senator from
Massachusetts, Ted Kennedy, whose son Patrick was just here on the
floor.
Perhaps many considered that a bitter contest. But what did Senator
Byrd use it for? To establish a lasting and
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true friendship with Senator Ted Kennedy from Massachusetts, as we all
know who passed shortly before Senator Byrd, and for whom Senator Byrd
had nothing but the utmost and kindest words of praise, and truly
defined a friendship that perhaps has not been in American politics for
some time.
{time} 1630
This was a defining quality and a wellspring of immeasurable joy that
irrigated ever greater horizons for Senator Byrd. His penchant for
setting records and then breaking his own was the inevitable result,
but ultimately, we are the ones who reaped the greatest benefit.
In his later years, when anyone questioned age as somehow detrimental
to service, Senator Byrd reveled in ticking off the names and ages of
the ancients in the Old Testament and their continued service to the
Lord: Moses was 120, Senator Byrd would say; Noah lived to be 960;
Methuselah at 969 years old; and he would call out, While I am but a
spry 85.
At 92, with the longest record of service in Congress well
established, Senator Byrd enjoyed public service so much that it is
possible he also had the longest, happiest life on record. If only we
could have captured the energies produced by his immense job
satisfaction. If only we could package them and share them with others.
Senator Byrd was cautious about the use of superlatives. He felt they
were tossed around too casually, and although I do not doubt that he is
now grimacing a bit at me for saying this, the fact is it is just not
possible to speak about Senator Byrd without using superlatives:
longest serving, hardest working, most revered, best loved. And the
list goes on and on. Yes, he was passionate about people. He was
passionate about politics. He was caring. He was all concerned about
the lives of all of us in West Virginia.
As we all know, we go through personal trials and tribulations in our
family--the loss of a loved one, sibling problems, loss of a job.
Senator Byrd, when he was physically able, would so surprisingly show
up in West Virginia offering that comforting arm around the shoulder
and always telling those afflicted with tragedy to keep the faith in
God, to don't let them get you down, keep plugging along. Senator Byrd
himself, who never had a bad word to say about anybody despite some of
the words that were said about him, was forever the true gentleman.
Many in this body had their own personal remembrances of Senator
Byrd. He touched so many of us, encouraged us, taught us, even argued
with us. And I can recall the last time perhaps, except for the miners'
memorial that he attended this past April in honor of our 29 fallen
coal miners, the only time before that he was probably in his home area
of Raleigh County, Beckley, West Virginia, was a dinner in which he was
a surprise guest that honored yours truly. And my wife, Melinda, and I
fixed up our house, and my wife even set up the ``big daddy suite'' in
our home in West Virginia. That big daddy suite is still there waiting,
as it always was, for Senator Byrd to pay a surprise visit.
We are all better for the life of Senator Robert Byrd. We owe him
generous helpings of gratitude and admiration, and we shall all miss
him.
Again, to Senator Byrd's family, we offer our prayers, our never-
ending thanks for the fact that they shared Senator Byrd's
extraordinary life with a grateful State and a grateful Nation.
Now, our former senior Senator, our late senior Senator is indeed
with his beloved wife, Erma, who was always a twinkle in his eye. For
69 years, they were married before her passing some 5 years ago. The
Senator is with his beloved Erma, smiling down upon all of us.
We say thank you, Senator Byrd. Thank you for all you've given our
great State. Thank you for all you have given our Nation, because we
shall miss you.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the previous question is
ordered.
There was no objection.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the resolution.
The resolution was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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