[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 15]
[Senate]
[Page 20779]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



  (At the request of Mr. Reid, the following statement was ordered to 
be printed in the Record.)

                      COMMENDING DR. RICHARD BAKER

 Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, the U.S. Senate is an institution 
that reveres precedent, continuity, and tradition. Ours is an 
institution that prides itself on the great men and women who preceded 
us in this Chamber, and the role this institution has played in 
protecting our Nation, and in making our Nation a better place in which 
to live, work, and raise families. This is an institution that prides 
itself on its history.
  Therefore, it is important that the Senate have an official 
historian, along with an Historical Office to document our history, and 
supervise the management of the records of the Senate as an 
institution, of Senate committees, and of individual Senators.
  For the past 34 years, the Senate has been fortunate, perhaps I 
should say we have been blessed, to have Dr. Richard Baker as the 
Senate Historian. Unfortunately for us, he is now leaving his position 
as Senate Historian, so I must say farewell.
  This is a most reluctant and sad farewell. While I am pleased that 
Dr. Baker will now have the time and opportunity to pursue other 
endeavors, such as spending more time with his wife and other family 
members, as well as completing some manuscripts he has been working on, 
I must say that I am truly sorry to see him leave.
  In the preface of volume two of my four-volume history of the Senate, 
I pointed out that, ``This work in its present form would not have been 
possible without the assistance of the professionals within the Senate 
historical office,'' which, of course, was headed by Dr. Baker. My 
little acknowledgment hardly begins to convey the debt of my gratitude 
to him for his assistance in that project.
  Researching and writing that four-volume history took more than a 
decade, and during that 10-year period, whenever I went to him for 
assistance, whether for help in research or writing or just thinking 
about how I wanted to present a certain idea, he always went above and 
beyond the call of duty. He was always there, ready and eager to help. 
I will never forget how, time after time, he would simply say, 
``Senator, I'll be delighted to help.''
  He was always ready to help, although he was responsible to 99 other 
Senators, and had so many other responsibilities and functions. Since 
the office was created in 1975, following the Watergate scandal, Dr. 
Baker, the Senate's first and only historian, has ensured that the 
history of the Senate is properly collected, categorized, maintained, 
and preserved. In addition, he has advised Senators on how to manage 
their personal papers while they are here, and how to preserve them 
once they leave office, and has advised Senate committees on the 
transfer of their records to the National Archives.
  Charged with maintaining an objective and thorough record of the 
institution, his office has collected information on important Senate 
events, and traced the background and the evolution of Senate rules, 
precedents and countless activities.
  In a multitude of ways, through the publications that his office 
issues, in talks with Senators and our staffs, and in private 
consultations, Dr. Baker has provided Senators with a better 
understanding and appreciation of the U.S. Senate, and its importance 
and its role under the Constitution. His office has reminded us on a 
daily basis of the majesty, the uniqueness, and the greatness of our 
institution.
  His office has undertaken its very important work objectively and 
without political motivation or slant. It always remained a completely 
nonpartisan office. As a result, Dr. Baker earned the respect as well 
as the gratitude of Senators on both sides of the aisle. This explains 
why, even with the many changes in the Senate during his tenure as 
Senate Historian, including changes in Senate leaders and party 
control, no one has even considered any change in the Senate Historical 
Office.
  Because of his careful and methodical work in collecting the history 
of the Senate, I can safely predict that the work of his office will be 
vital to future historians. Years from now, when most of us are long 
gone--from the Senate, that is--historians will be using the records 
his office has compiled and the documents his office has produced, to 
write their histories of the Senate--and for that we will all be 
grateful.
  I congratulate and I thank Dr. Baker for the marvelous work he has 
done. I wish him and his lovely wife Pat nothing but much happiness, 
great success, and the best of health as they embark on the next phase 
of their lives.

                          ____________________