[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 99 (Tuesday, June 29, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5525-S5529]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
REMEMBERING SENATOR ROBERT C. BYRD
Mr. ENZI. Mr. President, I am here today to pay respects to Senator
Byrd, whose desk is now adorned with a black cloth and flowers. I know
we will all long remember Monday as the day we received some very sad
news, for on that day, as the morning began, we each learned in our own
way that our good friend and colleague Robert Byrd had passed away just
a few hours earlier. It should not have been a sudden shock. We all had
time to prepare for this moment. We knew he had been having a period of
ill health, but it still seemed as if he would be here forever. That is
the kind of man Robert Byrd was.
A man of great gifts, he loved the written word and could recite his
favorite poems from memory--at length. It was amazing how many
speeches, reflections, and famous quotations were there at his command,
in his quiver, ever ready and waiting for him to recite so he could
emphasize an important point about an issue that needed to be made.
That is the kind of man Robert Byrd was.
While it is true he was the longest serving Member of Congress in
history, he was so much more than that. He was the historian of the
Senate who knew more about our roots as a legislative body than anyone
else. He was a master legislative craftsman, and whenever he spoke, we
all listened carefully to see what he had to say about the matter we
had taken up for deliberation. That is the kind of man Robert Byrd was.
No one had more respect and regard for the Senate and our legislative
traditions and procedures than he did. He knew the rules, he knew why
they were crafted that way, and he knew how to make good use of them to
further the agenda he believed to be in the best interests of the
people of our Nation. Once again, that is the kind of man Robert Byrd
was. That is why it is so difficult to sum up his life in just a few
well-chosen words.
There is no greater tribute we can pay to Robert Byrd than for the
spirit of friendship and camaraderie, which were staples of his Senate
service, to bring us all to the Senate floor to express our regrets and
send our condolences to his family. It will also give us a chance to
share our memories of someone we will never forget.
I will always remember the orientation he organized for the incoming
class of new Senators each session for as long as he was able. Besides
a strong historical welcome, he presented each of us with one volume of
his four-volume history of the Senate. If we read it and were able to
answer questions about it, then--and only then--would
[[Page S5526]]
we get the other three volumes. I remember asking him how he wrote
them. He said he presented all of it as a series of floor speeches
delivered without any notes, with most corrections made simply to clear
up what the floor reporters thought they heard. He had a photographic
memory, and that made it all possible. Perhaps it came from his years
of study of the violin. In any event, it made him a better speaker
because he spoke slowly and deliberately, carefully editing his
sentences as he spoke. His style created a natural bond between himself
and the listener, and that is what made him such a styled and gifted
communicator.
It may be a cliche, but he was a southern gentleman through and
through. He had no tolerance for any rude or impolite conduct on the
floor. He instructed and expected all of us to be courteous and
respectful--not because of politics but because of the great
institution of which we are a part. He knew what a great honor and a
privilege it is to serve in the Senate, and he expected everyone else
to realize it as well and to act accordingly.
When you presided over the Senate, he expected you to pay attention
to each speaker. Sometimes, the Presiding Officer is the only one in
the Chamber. There was a time when there was a telephone under the
Presiding Officer's desk. As the story goes, Senator Byrd was speaking
when the phone under the desk rang. When the Presiding Officer answered
it, Senator Byrd made sure to make him aware of the importance of
courtesy in such a situation. The Presiding Officer then said:
``Senator Byrd, the phone is for you.'' That is when the phone was
taken out and a rule went into effect that no electronic devices were
to be used on the Senate floor.
Then there were his special speeches. He always commemorated each
holiday the evening before a recess would begin. Each speech was very
poetic and, in fact, usually had some poem he had memorized years
before that would come to mind and be recited from memory. He was good
at it, so good that we looked forward to his poetic observations on the
passing of time.
That unique speaking style of his also helped him to build a good
relationship with our pages. His ``going away'' speech for each
graduating class often left many of them in tears. Their fondness for
him only grew when they learned that if the Senate was in session after
10 p.m., they had no early morning classes the next day. They were
always delighted, therefore, when the hour grew late and Senator Byrd
rose to speak. They knew he could easily add the 10 or 15 or even 30
minutes needed to get them past 10 o'clock and a welcome reprieve from
the early morning classes.
My favorite speech Senator Byrd gave happened when I was presiding.
Over the previous weekend, he had visited some of his grandkids and
asked about their studies. He was a firm believer in education and was
an example of lifelong learning himself. One of his grandkids had
shared a math experience with him. He was so surprised, he asked to see
the math book. He brought the book to the floor to read parts of it to
us. He was distressed at how math had migrated into a social textbook.
He pointed out that you had to get to page 187 to find anything that
resembled the math he had learned. The parts prior to that were social
discourse. Anyone who heard the speech would remember his indignation.
I remember being at an interparliamentary trip held in West Virginia
hosting the British Parliament. We went to a mountain retreat for
dinner. Senator Byrd welcomed them and then got out his violin and
shared some fiddle music he thought was appropriate for the occasion.
He was very good.
Senator Byrd was an expert on the rules of the Senate. At our
orientation, he encouraged us to learn the rules. Because of his
encouragement and as a way to learn the rules, I volunteered often to
chair the Senate floor. Following his instructions, I brought a list of
questions with me since during the quorum calls you can ask questions
of the captive-audience Parliamentarian.
I once saw a Senator come to the floor to debate an amendment, and
Senator Byrd was there to debate against it. The Senator wanted to
revise his amendment. For half an hour, the Senator tried different
tactics to change his amendment, and Senator Byrd thwarted every
attempt. The Senator was frustrated. He asked for a quorum call, and he
left the floor.
At that point, I asked the Parliamentarian if there was any way the
Senator could have changed his amendment. The Parliamentarian explained
that all he had to do was declare his right to revise his amendment. I
asked why the Parliamentarian did not tell him that. What I learned is
the Parliamentarian can only give advice when asked. My first stop at
the Senate floor often is at the Parliamentarian as a result.
During much of Senator Byrd's career, he was either the chairman of
the Appropriations Committee or the ranking member. He was very good
about taking care of orphan miners. Those are primarily coal miners
whose companies have gone out of business owing benefits. After a
couple of lessons from the Senator, I worked with him to take care of
the orphan miner health problem in a bill that speeded up mine
reclamation in many States, extended an expiring tax on coal companies
with their guarded permission, and then released impounded trust fund
money promised by law to the States for the impacts the States put up
to produce the Nation's energy, as well as take care of the orphan
miners.
At another time, Senator Isakson and I worked with Senators Byrd,
Rockefeller, and Kennedy to make the first changes in mine safety law
in 28 years. He was very proud of the difference he was able to make in
the lives of coal miners back home, and he never forgot them whenever
we were debating an issue that might have an impact on their lives.
In the days and weeks to come, I can think of no greater compliment
we could pay another Senator or greater tribute we can pay to Senator
Byrd than to watch someone in action on the Senate floor who develops
and implements a well-drawn strategy and say: That is the way Robert
Byrd would have done it.
For my part, I will always remember the great love Senator Byrd had
for our Constitution. I do not think anyone knew it better or more
detailed than he did. When I was mayor of Gillette, I began a habit of
carrying around a copy of the Constitution with me. I discovered that a
lot of us knew what it said but not too many of us had a grasp for the
details. It had a lot of meaning for me right from the start because it
represents the blueprint from which our Nation and system of government
were constructed. Then when I came to the Senate, I came to know the
Constitution in a completely different way. It was now my job
description, as Senator Byrd put it. So I always kept it handy.
I have no doubt that Senator Byrd had a similar reaction years before
my own. I am sure he knew the better he understood our Constitution and
the procedures of the Senate, the more effective he would be as a
Senator. He knew the importance of understanding the rules of our
legislative process in every detail. The better he became at mastering
the process by which our laws were made, the better he knew he would be
at producing the outcome he was committed to achieving for the people
of West Virginia and the Nation. I am sure that is why he always
carried a copy with him.
The line-item veto was passed before I got to the Senate, but Senator
Byrd had sued to have it stricken. Most of his Senate career had been
as chairman of the Appropriations Committee or the ranking member. He
pointed out that Congress, according to the Constitution, is supposed
to make spending decisions, not the President. He always pointed out
that we do not work for the President of the United States; we work
with the President as a separate but equal branch of government. He
would guard us against infringement by the President using the third
branch of government, and he was successful.
Although his life was marked by many triumphs, he was not without his
personal tragedies. I have always believed that the work we do begins
at home, and that is why I will never forget the strength of his
marriage and what a tremendous loss it was for him when his wife passed
away. No one knew Robert Byrd better than she did, and without her by
his side life became ever more difficult. His health began to fail.
[[Page S5527]]
I remember going to his wife's funeral. It was very well done. When
my wife and I were on our way home, we commented that the endearing and
astounding thing about the funeral was that it was about her. He made
sure her achievements, her family, her efforts and successes were the
focus. As famous as Senator Byrd was, the comments that were made that
day were about her and not about him. That says a lot about the
relationship they had.
Although his health was declining, he was here as often as he was
able, an active part of the day-to-day workings of the Senate. He would
not and could not take it easy, no matter what anyone told him. His
heart was in the Senate; his soul was in West Virginia. To stop what he
loved to do was for him and the people back home unthinkable.
One of Senator Byrd's favorite quotations comes to mind today. He
loved the Bible and quoted from it often. When going through a
difficult time in his life, he remembered the words from the Book of
Ecclesiastes:
To everything there is a season and a time for every
purpose under heaven.
Now Senator Byrd has come to another time, as he has reached the end
of his seasons on God's green Earth. He will be greatly missed, and he
will never be forgotten.
I cannot conclude my remarks without paying a final tribute to
Senator Byrd by recalling his love of poetry and the written word. We
can all remember the way he would enjoy sharing a favorite verse with
us, much like this one. Although the author is unknown, I am certain
Senator Byrd would not only recall it but know it well:
Life is but a stopping place,
A pause in what's to be,
A resting place along the road,
To sweet eternity.
We all have different journeys,
Different paths along the way,
We all were meant to learn some things,
But never meant to stay.
Our destination is a place,
Far greater than we know.
For some the journey's quicker,
For some the journey's slow.
And when the journey finally ends,
We'll claim a great reward,
And find an everlasting peace,
Together with the Lord.
My wife Diana joins in sending our heartfelt sympathy to his family
and many friends and for all the people who worked for him and with him
over the years. We will miss him--the knowledge he had, the
institutional memory he had, the experiences and history he had been a
part of and in many instances was the main participant--the leader.
Probably only once in the history of a country does someone like this
come along. If he were here, he would deny it but be pleased if we
noted the similarity of what he had done to what had been done in the
ancient Roman Senate about which he often talked.
In the end for Senator Byrd it was never about how much time he spent
in the Senate or on Earth but how well he used the time he was given.
I yield the floor.
Mr. CONRAD. Mr. President, I rise to talk about the loss of our
senior colleague, Senator Robert C. Byrd. Senator Byrd, I had the
privilege and honor of serving with for over 24 years in the Senate. I
believe this body has lost a giant.
For more than five decades, Robert C. Byrd served his country, fought
to protect the institution of the Senate, and worked tirelessly for the
people of West Virginia. The people of West Virginia were never very
far from the mind of Robert C. Byrd. I know because I worked with him
every day for 24 years. Senator Byrd and his passing leave a tremendous
void for this body and for the Nation. He will be greatly missed.
Senator Byrd was a great man, an exceptional person, somebody who had
lost his parents and, through sheer will, made himself into a great
man. He was a legend in the Senate, the longest serving Senator in the
history of the United States and the longest serving lawmaker in
congressional history. The people of West Virginia elected him to the
Senate an amazing nine times and three times before that to the House
of Representatives. He served in almost every leadership post in the
Senate, including twice as majority leader and for almost two decades
as chairman of the Appropriations Committee. He took an incredible
18,500 votes, a record which will never be broken. At least that is my
forecast. I do not know how anybody will ever break a record of 18,500
votes.
Senator Byrd may be remembered most as the protector of the
institution of the Senate. This is an institution he loved. More than
that, this is an institution he revered as part of the constitutional
structure of this country. He believed it had a special place in
defending the Constitution of the United States. He believed it played
a special role in preventing unwise legislation from becoming law, and
he believed it deeply.
He knew more about Senate history and Senate rules and procedures
than any other Member, and he used that knowledge skillfully to defend
this institution and to ensure it continued to function in a manner
consistent with what the Founding Fathers intended. Senator Byrd did
not come to those beliefs lightly. He came to those beliefs after the
most thorough and very rigorous study of our history. He was a master
orator. How many of us can remember Senator Byrd coming to this floor
and having Members come to the floor to listen to him because very
often his speeches were a history lesson--and not just drawn from
American history but from world history, going back to the Roman
Empire? When he was in really high excitation, he loved to go through
the various Roman emperors and what brought them down, what led to the
decline of the Roman Empire, and what lessons we could draw from that.
His speeches were riddled with quotes from great leaders, references
to American history and law, and descriptions of that ancient Roman
Senate--much of it from memory. How many times did I hear Senator Byrd
stand in that spot or in the leader's spot and recite from memory a
lengthy poem or a speech from history? What a remarkable, remarkable
man. The extent and the breadth of his knowledge was truly amazing.
Senator Byrd was also an expert on budget matters. In fact, he was
one of the principal authors of the 1974 Budget Act which established
the congressional budget process. He created and vigorously defended
the Byrd rule, which bears his name--a budget rule designed to stop the
abuse of the fast-track reconciliation process.
Let me just remind my colleagues of something Senator Byrd did during
the Clinton administration when the administration had a health care
proposal that was bogged down. It could not pass because it would
require 60 votes in the Senate, and there were not 60 votes to be had.
The administration wanted to use the reconciliation process, the fast-
track process that allows legislation to be passed with only a simple
majority. Senator Byrd said no, under no circumstances would he permit
that to happen because he believed that was a violation of the whole
basis of the reconciliation process which he had been involved in and
which he had helped design and which was put in law solely for deficit
reduction, in his view. He believed any other use was an abuse of the
process--the process of reconciliation. So he said no to the President
of his own party on that President's No. 1 domestic priority.
There is a lesson in that for all of us. When we were in the midst of
the consideration of using the reconciliation process for that purpose
during the Clinton administration years, Senator Byrd told me, as a
member of the Budget Committee: Senator, always remember partisanship
can go too far. Our obligation, our first obligation, is to the Nation
and to this institution. If that means we have to disagree with the
President of our own party, so be it.
I hope colleagues learn from that lesson as well. Partisanship can go
too far.
As the Budget Committee chairman, I had the privilege and honor of
working particularly close with Senator Byrd after he joined the
committee in 2001. The original idea of the Budget Committee was that
the chairman of the Finance Committee would serve there, the chairman
of the Appropriations Committee would serve there, and the chairmen of
other relevant major committees would serve there so that the Budget
Committee would put together the priorities of the United States.
Senator Byrd had an acute understanding of that history.
[[Page S5528]]
But also Senator Byrd never forgot who sent him to Washington. He
tenaciously fought for West Virginia throughout his career and ensured
his small, rural State had a powerful voice in the Halls of the
Capitol. He never forgot where he came from. I remember well his
exchange at a Budget Committee hearing in 2002 with then-Treasury
Secretary Paul O'Neill, and Senator Byrd proudly and emotionally
described his own humble upbringing because Senator Byrd came from very
straightened circumstances. He came from a very modest background. He
was an orphan. In fact, he carried a name which was not his birth name.
His birth name was a different name than Robert C. Byrd. But when
relatives took him in, they gave him their family name.
Robert C. Byrd remembered those earliest days. He remembered what it
was to struggle. He remembered what it was to have very little. He
remembered what it was to wonder where your next meal was coming from
and whether you were going to have a roof over your head. Senator Byrd
remembered, and he was faithful to those memories.
Senator Byrd loved his wife Erma. He loved his daughters Mona and
Marjorie and his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
I want to say to the members of the family, Senator Byrd was
intensely proud of you. I hope the children and grandchildren will get
that message, that Senator Byrd was intensely proud of each and every
one of you. He spoke about you often and in loving terms, and you
should know that.
Of course, we all know he loved his little dog Billy, and he loved
his dog Trouble. In fact, I think he had multiple dogs named Trouble.
Senator Byrd loved West Virginia, he loved this institution, and he
loved our country. I am deeply saddened by the passing of Senator Byrd.
His immense knowledge and his spirit will be missed. His values will be
missed. But I am comforted in knowing that our friend Robert is now
reunited with his beloved wife Erma. I know his legacy will live on in
this body and this Nation forever.
I thank the Chair and yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Arizona is recognized.
Mr. KYL. Mr. President, during a recordbreaking six decades of public
service, Senator Byrd served this Nation with diligence and spirit. As
a legislator, Senator Byrd had many notable qualities, particularly his
legendary oratory skills and his masterful knowledge of Senate
procedure. Having authored a four-volume history of this Chamber, he
understood its nuances and intricacies, and he was an articulate
spokesman for protecting procedural rules.
Senator Byrd kept a copy of the Constitution in his pocket, and he
could recite it from memory. He was always first to remind us that the
Framers intended the Senate to be different from the House of
Representatives and to stand as a bastion of individual and minority
rights. He celebrated these distinctions serving as they do the
fundamental principle of checks and balances within the legislative
branch.
At a recent Rules Committee hearing, Senator Byrd said:
The Senate is the only place in government where the rights
of a numerical minority are so protected. The Senate is a
forum of the States, where regardless of size or population,
all States have an equal voice. . . . Without the protection
of unlimited debate, small States like West Virginia might be
trampled. Extended deliberation and debate--when employed
judiciously--protect every Senator, and the interests of
their constituency, and are essential to the protection of
the liberties of a free people.
Senator Byrd's insights, expertise, and constitutional scholarship
will truly be missed. They are a great part of his legacy, one that I
hope will be honored for generations.
On a personal note, I will mention that while Senator Byrd and I did
not share a perspective on many matters of public policy, we had a
common appreciation for bluegrass music. I always enjoyed talking with
him about that subject. He was a talented fiddler, playing on stage, on
television, and while campaigning for office. He even recorded an album
entitled ``Mountain Fiddler.'' He gave me a copy, and I was very
impressed with his skill.
Robert Byrd's knowledge, his hard work, his high spirit, and
dedication to the people of West Virginia will always be remembered. My
wife Caryll and I extend our thoughts and prayers to his family.
Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I, too, wish to say some words on the
passing of our good friend and former leader, Robert C. Byrd.
It is difficult to sum up in words the thoughts and feelings one has
for a departed friend whom one has known so long. I had the pleasure of
serving with Senator Byrd my entire career in the Senate. I knew, I
liked, and I respected Robert C. Byrd for more than 30 years.
It is doubly difficult to put into words thoughts that adequately
reflect such a presence in the Senate. Robert C. Byrd was a singular
Senator. He was a Senator's Senator. There was no title he prized more
than that of ``Senator.''
When I came to the Senate, Robert C. Byrd had succeeded my mentor,
Mike Mansfield, as majority leader. As Robert Byrd was fond of noting,
he served as majority leader and then minority leader and then back as
majority leader. He saw the leadership of the Senate from both sides,
and his experience seasoned his leadership.
As proud as he was to earn the title of ``Senator,'' he was even more
proud that as a Senator he represented the people of his State. I
deeply believe that is one of the finest things one can say about a
fellow Senator. For more than 50 years, he was a strong voice for the
people of West Virginia.
Robert Byrd was a strong voice for democracy. He knew the rules of
the Senate better than any person alive. He fought to preserve the
traditions and customs of what he truly believed is the world's
greatest deliberative body.
As my colleagues know, Robert Byrd cast more votes than any other
Senator in the history of our Republic. I can recall when he cast his
18,000th vote. That vote just happened to have been on a motion to
invoke cloture on an amendment offered by this Senator. The Senate did
not invoke cloture that day. That is the way the Senate's rules often
work. No matter the outcome, Senator Byrd was foremost in the defense
of those rules. And Senator Byrd was foremost in the defense of the
Constitution of the United States.
Senator Byrd was a student of history more than any other Senator.
Those of us who were here will not soon forget Senator Byrd's series of
addresses to the Senate on the history of the Senate. And those of us
who were here will not soon forget his series of addresses on the
Senate of the Roman Republic. He knew that Senate too.
Senator Byrd was a teacher. I can recall meeting with Senator Byrd on
a highway bill. He and I both long believed passionately in the
importance of our Nation's highways. At this one occasion, I recall
being impatient about enacting the highway bill on which we were
working. I can also recall the sage advice Senator Byrd gave me about
the process, about the procedures, and about the personalities of how
to get that bill through the Senate. As I look back on that meeting, I
think of all the occasions Senator Byrd took the time to teach others
of us about the Senate. He taught his fellow Senators. He taught
visiting dignitaries from other countries.
I might add parenthetically that it was not too many years ago when
he was visiting Great Britain with some Senators and meeting with some
Parliamentarians in Great Britain, and the subject of British monarchs
came up, and it was only Senator Byrd who knew them all. He stood up,
and he gave the name of every British monarch and the dates they
served, up to the present. No other person in the room, including the
members of the British Parliament, could do so. Robert C. Byrd did.
He taught class after class of Senate pages.
Robert Byrd will leave a legacy in the laws of the United States. He
will leave a legacy in the rules and precedents of the Senate, and he
will leave a living legacy in all the people who learned about the
Senate at the knee of this great master.
Robert Byrd was an orator. One might say he was the last of a breed.
He spoke in a style that recalled his roots before microphones and
amplification. He spoke memorably. He spoke like orators used to speak.
Many of us recall celebrated speeches of Robert C. Byrd. I will read
an extended quotation from one speech that
[[Page S5529]]
sums up Robert Byrd's strong feelings for the Constitution and the
Senate he loved so well.
On October 13, 1989, many of us gathered to hear Robert C. Byrd
speak. This is what Robert C. Byrd said:
Mr. President, I close by saying, as I began, that human
ingenuity can always find a way to circumvent a process. . .
. But I have regained my faith. We are told in the
Scriptures: ``Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy
fathers have set.''
The Constitution is the old landmark which they have set.
And if we do not rise to the call of the moment and take a
stand, take a strong stand against our own personal interests
or against party interests, and stand for the Constitution,
then how might we face our children and grandchildren when
they ask of us as Caesar did to the centurion, ``How do we
fare today?'' And the centurion replied, ``You will be
victorious. As for myself, whether I live or die, tonight I
shall have earned the praise of Caesar.''
And Robert C. Byrd concluded:
As [Aaron] Burr bade goodbye to the Senate over which he
has presided for 4 years, this is what he said. And I close
with his words because I think they may well have been
written for a moment like this. He said: ``This House is a
sanctuary; a citadel of law, of order, and of liberty, and it
is here--it is here--in this exalted refuge--here, if
anywhere, will resistance be made to the storms of political
phrensy and the silent arts of corruption; and if the
Constitution be destined ever to perish by the sacrilegious
hands of the demagogue or the usurper, which God averts, its
expiring agonies will be witnessed on this floor.''
So today, Mr. President, I will close my words for my friend, Robert
C. Byrd, noting that in life he was victorious. As for myself, whether
I succeed or not, whether I live or die, today I can count no greater
praise than to say I served with Robert C. Byrd.
Mr. President, I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Texas is recognized.
Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, I think the remarks that were given by
my colleague from Montana about Senator Byrd were certainly
appropriate, and I know anytime we lose one of our Members who has been
sitting with us for so long, there is a void to fill.
What I appreciated about Senator Byrd is how much he respected the
Senate itself and protected the rights of the Senate against anyone who
he believed overstepped the rights of the Senate and the decorum and
protocol of the Senate. He was truly a defender of this body. He loved
it, and I think we all respected him for that.
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