[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 21]
[Senate]
[Pages 31071-31072]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                      SENATOR BYRD'S 82ND BIRTHDAY

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I rise today on a personal note. I had 
planned to make these remarks as we passed the midnight milestone on 
our way to cloture on the appropriations bill, because, as the clock 
strikes twelve, and November 20 begins, my Committee colleague, our 
Ranking Member, Robert C. Byrd will celebrate a birthday. I wish my 
colleague a happy and productive 82nd year.
  Senator Byrd has a wonderful and widely quoted sign up on his office 
wall: ``There are four things people in West Virginia believe: God 
Almighty, Sears Roebuck, Carter's Little Liver Pills, and Robert C. 
Byrd.'' I'd like to take a little literary license to suggest that 
there are four things that Robert C. Byrd believes in: God Almighty, 
his 62 year long love affair with his wife, Erma, his constituents and 
the Senate.
  And, Senator Byrd is not just your run of the mill believer. I have 
listened many times to the wisdom and intensity of his words, words 
which flow from a faith that runs as deep as his West Virginia roots, 
as deep as the coal mines which seam the earth of Appalachia. His words 
are what have led many to see Senator Byrd as the faithful historian 
and effective guardian of the precedents and privileges, of the rules 
and Constitutional role of the United States Senate. But, Senator Byrd 
is more than an institutional advocate, he is a living history of the 
Senate and democracy. The Senator from West Virginia gives a clear 
voice both to our finest traditions and what he sees as his life long 
purpose, serving what he so nobly refers to as ``my people.'' His 
reverence and respect for the Senate are surpassed by the deep regard 
and abiding passion he has for the needs of his constituents.
  He speaks of those needs virtually every week. Senator Byrd breathes 
life into images of each West Virginian he introduces to us in remarks 
on the floor--even those who have passed from the scene. When he 
describes a man who dies in a slate fall while mining West Virginia's 
coal, he speaks softly of a man, alone, who died in the dark. The 
illuminating power of this image flows from the passion of his 
commitment.
  It is his commitment which crosses partisan lines and has earned 
Senator

[[Page 31072]]

Byrd legendary respect. In the last week, I have been privileged to 
experience this commitment while working with him to protect our coal 
miner's from the predatory reach of an overbearing judge.
  As Senator Byrd begins another year and the Senate another session, I 
will look forward to continuing our work together, succeeding in 
reversing the devastating consequences of a bad decision, and serving 
well our constituents.

                          ____________________