[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 21]
[Senate]
[Pages 27938-27945]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       COMMENDING ROBERT C. BYRD

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The distinguished Senator from West Virginia.
  Mr. ROCKEFELLER. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 354, submitted 
earlier today.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

                               S. Res. 354

       Whereas, Robert C. Byrd has served for fifty-six years in 
     the United States Congress, making him the longest serving 
     Member of Congress in history,
       Whereas, Robert C. Byrd has served over fifty years in the 
     United States Senate, and is the longest serving Senator in 
     history, having been elected to nine full terms;
       Whereas, Robert C. Byrd has had a long and distinguished 
     record of public service to the people of West Virginia and 
     the United States, having held more elective offices than any 
     other individual in the history of West Virginia, and being 
     the only West Virginian to have served in both Houses of the 
     West Virginia Legislature and in both Houses of the United 
     States Congress;
       Whereas, Robert C. Byrd has served in the Senate leadership 
     as President pro tempore, Majority Leader, Majority Whip, 
     Minority Leader, and Secretary of the Majority Conference;
       Whereas, Robert C. Byrd has served on a Senate committee, 
     the Committee on Appropriations, which he has chaired during 
     five Congresses, longer than any other Senator;
       Whereas, Robert C. Byrd is the first Senator to have 
     authored a comprehensive history of the United States Senate;
       Whereas, Robert C. Byrd has throughout his service in the 
     Senate vigilantly defended the Constitutional prerogatives of 
     the Congress;
       Whereas, Robert C. Byrd has played an essential role in the 
     development and enactment of an enormous body of national 
     legislative initiatives and policy over many decades: now, 
     therefore be it
       Resolved, That the Senate recognizes and commends Robert C. 
     Byrd, Senator from West Virginia, for his fifty-six years of 
     exemplary service in the Congress of the United States.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, when Senator Robert C. Byrd first 
entered the Senate in January 1959, he shared the floor with three 
future Presidents: Senators Lyndon Johnson, John Kennedy, and 
occasionally, when a tie-breaking vote was needed, Vice President 
Richard Nixon. Those men now belong to history, but Senator Byrd is 
still making history.
  It is an honor to see him make history, once again, as he becomes the 
longest serving Member of Congress in the history of America. He has 
given 56 years, 10 months, and 16 days--a total of 20,744 days--of 
dedicated service to the Congress, to the Constitution of the United 
States of America, and, of course, to his beloved West Virginia. What a 
remarkable achievement.
  Senator Byrd's masterful, four-volume history of this body is the 
definitive account. His own historical records could fill nearly a 
volume of

[[Page 27939]]

history for the Senate on its own. He served in Congress with--not 
under--11 different Presidents. Three and a half years ago, he became 
the longest serving Senator in our Nation's history, and he is the only 
Senator ever elected nine times to the Senate. He has cast more votes--
18,585--than any other Senator in history. All these records are 
unlikely ever to be broken.
  He has also presided over both the shortest session of the Senate in 
history--six-tenths of a second on February 27, 1989--and the longest 
continuous session--21 hours, 8 minutes--on March 7 and 8, 1960. He has 
held more leadership positions--majority whip, minority leader, 
majority leader, and President pro tempore--than any other Senator in 
history.
  During the administration of President Jimmy Carter, Senator Byrd, 
then the majority leader of this body, was criticized by some for not 
doing enough to help the President of his party. Senator Byrd replied:

       I am not the President's man. I am a Senate man.

  He is a passionate and unyielding defender of Senate rules and 
prerogatives--not as an end in themselves but as a means of preserving 
our Constitution and our balance of power.
  I will always remember his eloquent and valiant effort which he waged 
in 2003 to try to persuade this Senate not to grant broad war-making 
authority to the executive branch. He was a true study in political and 
moral courage and it was not missed on the population of America. When 
my wife and I attended church in Chicago at Old St. Patrick's, our 
regular parish, after the communion, as we were kneeling in our pews, 
an older man came by and leaned over, obviously having followed the 
Senate debate on the war in Iraq, and said to me in a voice that could 
be heard around the church: ``Stick with Bob Byrd.'' I told Senator 
Byrd that story and he loved it.
  It is fitting that Senator Byrd keeps a copy of the Constitution in 
his breast pocket because its promises and obligations are always that 
close to his heart. In 2001, he was named West Virginian of the Century 
by his Governor and legislature. Indeed, the name ``Robert C. Byrd'' is 
nearly synonymous with West Virginia.
  The story of his early life is the story of struggle and great 
achievement. It also is a story highlighted by his marriage to his high 
school sweetheart Erma Ora James Byrd, a coal miner's daughter. He 
married her in 1937, and she was his rock for 69 years.
  He never gave up on his dream of higher education, earning his law 
degree from American University in 1963 after attending night school 
for 10 years. He earned his bachelor's degree from Marshall University 
in 1994, at the age of 77.
  He has been winning elections for 63 years, and he has never--not 
once--lost a race. He was elected in 1952 to the House, where he served 
three terms. Before that he served in the house of delegates and the 
senate of his home State of West Virginia. He is the only person in the 
State's history to carry all 55 of the State's counties--a feat he 
accomplished several times--and the only person in the State's history 
to run unopposed to the Senate of the United States.
  Eleven years ago, Senator Byrd spoke about his devotion to the Senate 
as part of the Leader Lecture Series. He called this Senate ``the 
anchor of the Republic, the morning and evening star in the American 
constitutional constellation.''
  He described the great panoply of men and women who have served in 
this body. He has said this Senate ``has had its giants and its little 
men, its Websters and its Bilbos, its Calhouns and its McCarthys.''
  I would offer as well that there has only been one Robert C. Byrd. He 
is a unique patriot, a singular Senator, a Senator's Senator.
  We are honored to share this historic milestone with him today. We 
thank him for his lifetime devotion to America, the Senate, and his 
beloved Constitution. West Virginia can be proud of this great man who 
has served them so well for so long.
  I yield the floor.
  Mr. NELSON of Florida. Madam President, I hope Senator Byrd may be 
within the reach of my voice because I wish to add my voice to the many 
who have commended him for his public service, especially today as we 
mark a milestone in the history of this Nation because our Senate 
colleague, our President pro tempore, becomes the longest serving 
Federal lawmaker since the founding of this country.
  Many this week are depicting Robert Byrd's long list of achievements 
in numbers, and it is large numbers, and there are certainly many of 
those achievements. The Senator from West Virginia, for instance, 
actually began serving in the Senate the same year that Alaska became a 
State, 1959. He has been elected to no fewer than nine Senate terms. 
Before the Senate, he served in the House for 6 years, and now in the 
Senate for 50 years, 10 months, and 18 days. He has cast well over 
18,500 votes.
  Senator Byrd has presided over the longest session of the Senate--
more than 21 hours--and he has presided over the shortest. We have had 
no fewer than 11 Presidents since he first took office.
  But the numbers don't tell all of the story because Robert Byrd has 
been one of the greatest representatives of and advocates for the folks 
in his beloved State of West Virginia. He is that larger-than-life, 
that iconic figure in our Nation's history too. He is the Senate's 
premier Member-observer. He is the Senate's institutional history.
  I flash back to that first day--and you never forget the first event 
of an occurrence in your life. It was my maiden speech, my first speech 
on the floor of the Senate 9\1/2\ years ago. I was at one of those 
junior desks right over there. I gave my maiden speech. It was actually 
on the budget. We happened to have a surplus then. I was laying out how 
we ought to preserve that surplus; as a matter of fact, even use it to 
pay down the national debt. I happened to mention in the course of my 
remarks that it was my maiden speech. All of a sudden those doors swung 
open and in strode Senator Byrd, that white shock of hair flowing as he 
took his place over there on the center aisle.
  As I finished my remarks, he said: Will the Senator from Florida 
yield? And I said: Of course, I yield to the senior Senator from West 
Virginia. Senator Byrd proceeded to give extemporaneously a history of 
the maiden speeches in the Senate.
  Of course, I was spellbound, I was awestruck, as I listened to this 
walking American political history book recite from memory, on that 
particular occasion, something that had been important to this Senator 
on the occasion of my very first speech in this extraordinary august 
body.
  Senator Byrd continues to be the Senate's conscience. In the spirit 
of Thomas Jefferson, Robert Byrd has always put public service ahead of 
personal fortune. On many of our desks--and it is certainly in my 
personal office in the Senate--are Senator Byrd's addresses on the 
history of the Senate. There were more than 100 of them delivered in 
the past 10-year period. They have been called the most ambitious study 
of the Senate that had ever been undertaken. Every day they serve to 
remind me of the living history of this institution and its vital role 
in our democracy.
  Senator Byrd has been a dear personal friend to so many of us. He has 
been such a mentor.
  Madam President, since the Vice President of the United States has 
just entered the Chamber, I wanted to recall for him that 9 years ago, 
in our freshman class of Senators, Senator Byrd took us on as a special 
project to teach us the protocol of how to preside. I can tell you what 
class a Presiding Officer comes from now, if it was a class that was 
under the tutelage of Senator Byrd, because there was a right way and a 
wrong way to preside in the Senate. The Vice President is acknowledging 
that is true.
  By the way, I have the privilege of standing at the desk the Vice 
President used to occupy. I particularly chose this desk because not 
only has he been such a great mentor to me personally but a very dear 
friend.
  With Senator Byrd, all of us grieved with him 3 years ago when his 
beloved wife Erma passed away. I know he

[[Page 27940]]

yearns for her and wishes she could be by his side on this historic 
day.
  Now there is another number that is going to be important in Robert 
Byrd's life. In just 2 days, he celebrates his 92nd birthday. We all 
hope we can be here with him for many more years.
  Remember what President Reagan had to say about age and leadership. 
He said:

       I believe that Moses was 80 when God first commissioned him 
     for public service.

  If the Lord is using that same commissioning for Senator Byrd, at 92, 
he has a long way to go. The Lord would certainly say to Senator Byrd: 
Well done, my good and faithful servant.
  Madam President, I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Hawaii.
  Mr. INOUYE. Madam President, I congratulate Senator Byrd on this 
historic milestone. It has been my pleasure and a great honor to work 
and serve with Senator Byrd during his service to our Nation. He has 
served as a devoted champion to his home State of West Virginia. 
Senator Byrd is worthy to be part of the history of the United States, 
as he now becomes the longest serving Member of the Congress of the 
United States of America. I am pleased to join my colleagues in paying 
tribute to his great service and the accomplishments of this great 
American, Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from New Mexico.
  Mr. UDALL of New Mexico. Madam President, following on the heels of 
my colleague Senator Inouye, I congratulate Senator Byrd on his many 
years of public service. Today Senator Byrd passed a landmark in the 
Senate. He is the longest serving Senator. He came to the Congress in 
my father's class of representatives in 1954. My father Stewart Udall 
and the entire Udall clan congratulate him on his record-setting years 
of public service.
  Mr. BINGAMAN. Madam President, I rise today to pay tribute to Senator 
Robert C. Byrd as he becomes the longest-serving Member of Congress in 
American history. Senator Byrd has served 56 years and 320 days. During 
his time in the Senate Senator Byrd has cast more than 18,500 votes, 
more than any Senator in history.
  Senator Byrd was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 
1952, and he was sworn in to the U.S. Senate on Jan. 3, 1959. This was, 
coincidentally, the same day that Alaska became a State, and before 
Hawaii was admitted to the Union. He is now serving an unprecedented 
ninth term in the Senate.
  Yet, to discuss only his longevity would do a grave disservice to the 
reality of what Senator Byrd has meant to the U.S. Senate and to this 
country. Many distinguished Members have had long careers in the 
Senate, but I believe it is safe to say that none have contributed more 
to the preservation of the history, traditions and strength of the 
Senate than Robert C. Byrd. His knowledge of and reverence for the 
Constitution has served over these many years to remind us time and 
again of the beauty, eloquence, and timelessness of that document, and 
the importance of relying upon it as the touchstone of our 
deliberations.
  Senator Byrd has had many great legislative and oratorical 
achievements in his time in the Senate, but I wanted to refer briefly 
to just one today. His outspoken opposition to giving President George 
W. Bush the power to wage war against Iraq was an inspiration to those 
of us who shared his views, and he never forgot those who were with him 
on that vote. The eloquence and passion with which he expressed his 
views were extraordinarily powerful; his floor speeches exemplified the 
power of language to shape ideas. I believe that what has transpired in 
Iraq since those speeches has affirmed the courageous stance that he 
took.
  In conclusion, it is an honor and a privilege to serve with Senator 
Byrd, and I congratulate him on this great milestone.
  Mr. CARDIN. Madam President, I wish to pay special tribute to Senator 
Robert C. Byrd. Today, Senator Byrd becomes the longest-serving Member 
in the illustrious history of the U.S. Congress. What an amazing 
accomplishment! He already holds the distinction as the longest-serving 
Senator, and is the only Senator in U.S. history elected to nine full 
terms.
  Considering that Senator Byrd won his first election, to the West 
Virginia House of Delegates, in 1946, it may be that he is the longest-
serving elected official in history--period.
  When Robert Byrd was elected to the Senate in 1958 after serving in 
the House for 6 years, he was part of a large, distinguished class that 
included such future giants as Hugh Scott, Gene McCarthy, Edmund 
Muskie, and Philip Hart (D-MI). He has surpassed them all.
  According to the Senate Historical Office, Robert Byrd was the 
1,579th person to become a U.S. Senator. Since he was elected to the 
Senate, another 334 individuals have become U.S. Senators. All in all, 
Robert Byrd has served with over 400 other Senators. And I am certain 
that all of them have held their colleague, as I do, in the highest 
esteem.
  Senator Byrd's modest beginnings in the hard-scrabble coal fields of 
Appalachia are well known. Suffice it to say that his life is the 
quintessential American success story.
  I think every young American should learn about Senator Byrd's life 
as an example of what hard work and persistence and devotion can 
accomplish in this country.
  Senator Byrd married his high-school sweetheart, Erma Ora James, 
shortly after they both graduated from Mark Twain High School in 1937. 
He was too poor to afford college right away and wouldn't receive his 
degree from Marshall University until 60 years later when he was 77. In 
between, he did something no other Member of Congress has ever done: he 
enrolled in law school at American University and in 10 years of part-
time study while serving as a Member of Congress, he completed his law 
degree.
  Senator Byrd was married to his beloved Erma for nearly 69 years, and 
has been blessed with two daughters, six grandchildren, and seven 
great-grandchildren.
  During his Senate tenure, Robert Byrd has been elected to more 
leadership positions than any other Senator in history. He has cast 
18,585 rollcall votes. Only 28 other Senators in the history of the 
Republic have cast more than 10,000 votes; Strom Thurmond is the only 
other Senator to cast more than 16,000 votes. Senator Byrd's attendance 
record over the past five decades just under 98 percent is as 
impressive as the sheer number of votes cast he has cast.
  Senator Byrd's legislative accomplishments, from economic development 
and transportation to education and health care, are legendary. It is 
no surprise that he has won 100 percent of the vote of West Virginians 
in a previous election, 1976, or carried all 55 of West Virginia's 
counties.
  In the meantime, he has written five books, including the definitive 
history of the U.S. Senate.
  Perhaps the highest tribute to Senator Byrd can be found in his 
biographical section of the ``Almanac of American Politics,'' which 
states: ``Robert Byrd may come closest to the kind of senator the 
Founding Fathers had in mind than any other.'' His fealty to the U.S. 
Senate and to the Constitution has served as an inspiration, a lesson, 
and a guiding light to all of us who have been privileged to follow him 
in this chamber.
  Robert E. Lee said, ``Duty is the most sublime word in our language. 
Do your duty in all things. You cannot do more. You should never wish 
to do less.'' Senator Robert C. Byrd has done his duty in all things--
to himself, to his family, to his State, to his Nation, and to God.
  I am honored to join his and my colleagues here in the Senate, West 
Virginians, and all Americans in paying tribute to this great Senator 
and this great man.
  Mr. GREGG. Madam President, I rise today to recognize the longest-
serving lawmaker in congressional history; I rise to recognize a 
leader; and I rise to recognize a friend.
  Senator Byrd has served in Congress for over 56 years. His tenure has 
traversed 9 elections, 18,000 votes, 20,000

[[Page 27941]]

days, and 11 Presidents. I have had the privilege of serving with 
Senator Byrd on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland 
Security. I am proud of our efforts to protect Americans and make our 
Nation more secure, especially in the area of border security and 
addressing the threat of weapons of mass destruction. Senator Byrd was 
a terrific partner, and I valued his input. And when we would give 
introductory remarks at the committee markup of our bill, I have never 
received such generous compliments from another lawmaker. I hope 
Senator Conrad, my counterpart on the Budget Committee, is taking 
notes.
  More recently, it is a testament to his character and sense of duty 
that after battling illness and absence earlier this year, Senator Byrd 
returned to once again craft our Nation's homeland security budget: a 
$44 billion measure that funds natural disaster response, antiterrorism 
efforts, and other critical programs to meet and repel the various 
threats facing our homeland.
  Lastly, I want to recognize Senator Byrd for his dedication to the 
Senate as an institution and his understanding of its inner workings. 
No one can better recite or describe Senate rules and parliamentary 
procedures or better defend them. His encyclopedic knowledge of the 
Senate, as well as the copy of the U.S. Constitution which he always 
carries in his jacket pocket, is something that we can all respect and 
appreciate. He is a man committed to the principles and laws that 
founded our great Nation, and for that we should be thankful.
  In closing, we have much to thank Senator Byrd for: Merit-based 
scholarships; teacher training programs; and the strengthening of 
American history curriculum in our schools. But one thing that many of 
us and our constituents might take for granted, Senator Byrd is 
responsible for the cameras in the Senate Chamber. As he often does, 
Senator Byrd put it eloquently when he said that proceedings should be 
televised to prevent the Senate from becoming the ``invisible branch'' 
of government. I couldn't agree more.
  Before yielding the floor, let me be one of the first to wish our 
esteemed colleague an early Happy Birthday. He turns 92 this Friday. 
Happy Birthday, friend.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Michigan.
  Mr. LEVIN. Madam President, I will be 30 seconds because I believe we 
are ready to adopt a resolution. It has been a long time since I was a 
young Senator listening to a man who was even then a giant of the 
Senate. For hours, Senator Robert C. Byrd would speak eloquently, and 
usually from memory, on the history and traditions of the Senate. Even 
then, it was clear to me there had been few combinations more 
fortuitous in the history of our Nation than that of Robert Byrd and 
the Senate.
  We celebrate today as he becomes the longest serving Member in the 
history of the Congress. There have been many beneficiaries of that 
long service: the people of West Virginia, whom he has served so ably; 
the citizens of the United States, who have been fortunate to reap the 
rewards of his knowledge and commitment; and, more personally for us 
here, the Members of the Senate, and most personally, me.
  His career is even more remarkable for its depth than for its length. 
In addition to more than half a century in this body, Robert Byrd 
managed to work as a butcher, a ship welder, and a Member of the House 
of Representatives. He learned to play the fiddle, became a recognized 
expert on Rome's senate, and wrote or edited nine books. It says much 
about him as a person that he was never out of place in the coal 
country of West Virginia, even as he moved to the highest levels of our 
government.
  There is seldom any doubt where Senator Byrd stands on an issue, be 
it the decision to go to war in Iraq or a challenge to the prerogatives 
of the Senate. But in those instances where history or his own 
reflection have shown him to be mistaken, he has shown the rare grace 
to accept responsibility for his own imperfections, and ask for 
forgiveness. In this, as in many other things, he is truly an example 
to emulate.
  He is rightfully honored not just for his knowledge of the Senate, 
but for a fierce determination to protect its traditions, procedures, 
and its role in our system of government. I have seen this 
determination up close, perhaps never so clearly as in 1996, when he 
and I, along with Senator Moynihan, filed an amicus brief with the U.S. 
Supreme Court on the subject of the line-item veto. Congress's approval 
of the law establishing this veto occurred over Senator Byrd's powerful 
and learned opposition, and after it became law, he continued to oppose 
what he saw, and I saw, as a clear violation of the constitutionally 
mandated separation of powers. In this instance and many others, the 
Senate and the Nation have benefitted from his immense knowledge of the 
Constitution and his ability to focus that knowledge on the issues 
before us. Before party or personal preference, Robert Byrd places the 
Constitution--a document always at hand in the Senator's pocket.
  More than 3 years ago, Senator Byrd reached another milestone--
becoming the longest serving Member of the Senate. Let me repeat 
something I said then: ``That is the tribute we can all pay to Robert 
Byrd: to defend this institution, to stand for its procedures, and to 
carry, as he does, at least in our hearts, the Constitution, as he 
carries the Constitution on his body.''
  I conclude with congratulations not just to Senator Byrd and not just 
on the longevity of his service, but on the depth of its quality and 
the love he has for the Senate, his commitment to constitutional 
government. We remember this day also his love for his beloved wife 
Erma who was a blessing to Robert, a blessing to their family, and a 
blessing to our Senate family.
  I yield the floor.
  Mr. CASEY. Madam President, I would like to commend and congratulate 
my colleague Senator Robert Byrd on the momentous accomplishment of 
becoming the longest serving Member of Congress.
  Senator Byrd has spent 56 years and 320 days serving the people of 
West Virginia, in that time casting more than 18,500 votes.
  He is a fierce advocate for his home State of West Virginia, a mentor 
and disciplinarian with new Senators. And he possesses an encyclopedic 
knowledge of Senate history, rules, and procedure. The current 
President pro tempore of the Senate, he has held more leadership 
positions than anyone in Senate history.
  I am honored to have worked alongside a man who will go down in 
history as a great American public servant, and I look forward to 
working with Senator Byrd for years to come.
  Ms. STABENOW. Madam President, how lucky we are to have the great 
Senator from West Virginia--20,744 days spent in this ``sanctuary,'' 
this Senate Chamber, which I have heard him call, on more than one 
occasion, ``the very temple of constitutional liberty.''
  Within just a few days of my arriving here in 2001, I was instructed 
in no uncertain terms to go and see Senator Byrd, to listen to him, and 
to learn from him. And so I went and I listened and I learned. I 
learned about the history of this great body. I learned about the 
importance of the rules and decorum of the Senate.
  It is such an honor to be a Member of this body but also an awesome 
responsibility. For 20,744 days, Senator Byrd has been fighting for the 
people who sent him here, for the great men and women of West Virginia, 
and for all the people of this country.
  He is an inspiration.
  I was proud to be 1 of the 22 Senators who stood with him against the 
Iraq war. I was proud to stand with him on so many occasions to fight 
for the working men and women of this country--whether they be coal 
miners in West Virginia or autoworkers in Detroit. And I am proud to 
stand here today, with so many of my colleagues, to honor Senator 
Byrd's remarkable service.
  Right outside my office, I proudly display a print of a painting made 
by the Senator from West Virginia, a very beautiful scene of West 
Virginia tranquility. Whenever I see it, which is

[[Page 27942]]

every day, I am reminded of my colleague, of his extraordinary service, 
of his fierce dedication to liberty, and of his humble respect for the 
Constitution of our great country.
  Madam President, I thank the Senator from West Virginia for his 
friendship, for his wisdom, and for his great service to our country.
  Mr. KOHL. Madam President, today we honor Senator Robert C. Byrd for 
20,744 days of service in the Congress of the United States. That feat 
of endurance is laudable, but certainly not surprising.
  This is the man who has memorized volumes of poetry and analyzed 
libraries of great books, histories, legislation, and speeches. This is 
the man who attended law school at night while serving in the House of 
Representatives and then the Senate. This is the man who remembers 
every important date--Veterans Day, Mothers Day, the Fourth of July--
with a carefully crafted, masterfully delivered oration on the Senate 
floor. This is the man who has held the most powerful positions in the 
Senate and has faced the most powerful adversaries on its floor and in 
Committee.
  No one should be surprised, then, that this is the man who has served 
longest in the United States Congress.
  But we are not just here to commemorate the days Senator Byrd has 
served. We are here to honor the service he has rendered.
  Senator Byrd has served West Virginia. In those 20,744 days 
representing them, Senator Byrd has spent countless hours--in the 
Appropriations Committee, on the floor, in the offices of his 
colleagues--fighting for his people.
  Senator Byrd has served the Senate. When I was first elected, Senator 
Byrd schooled me, as he has almost everyone in this body, in the 
nuances of Senate rules and traditions. He sat on the floor when I gave 
my first speech and made me understand the gravity and privilege of 
being a U.S. Senator. He has written the definitive, four-volume 
history of the Senate while earning himself a place in those pages 
alongside Senators Daniel Webster, Henry Clay, Robert Lafollette.
  And Senator Byrd has served this country. He carries our Constitution 
next to his heart and wields it like a sword against those who put 
politics above principle. He has defended the Senate's constitutional 
powers in front of the Supreme Court, arguing passionately against the 
line item veto--and in front of the world, arguing for the Senate's 
proper role in issues of war and peace.
  In years of working with Senator Byrd, I have had the honor of 
getting to know a true American patriot and call him friend. Senator 
Byrd has never let down the people of West Virginia and steadfastly 
upheld our beloved Constitution. He will forever be known not just as 
Congress's longest standing member but as its strongest standing 
member. I thank him--as he taught me, through you, Mr. President--for 
his friendship and his service to the Senate, to the Constitution, and 
to the United States of America.
  Mr. DORGAN. Madam President, I would like to add my congratulations 
to Senator Robert C. Byrd on his historic achievement today. Not only 
is he the longest serving senator in the history of this body, but 
today he is the longest serving Member of Congress in the history of 
our Nation.
  For more than 50 years, Senator Byrd has been a steadfast defender of 
the Constitution and the principles on 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.
  Senator Byrd has come a long way from the coal fields of West 
Virginia where he grew up in poverty and learned the value of hard 
work. He first came to Washington in January 1953--20,774 days ago--
when he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. He served in 
the House for three terms before being elected to the Senate, where he 
has served the people of West Virginia faithfully for the last 50 
years.
  Over the years, Senator Byrd has never forgotten his roots and the 
State and the people that he loves. The people of West Virginia have 
recognized his achievements and hard work on their behalf in the Senate 
and have elected him for an unprecedented nine terms in the United 
States Senate. He has served with 11 Presidents. Can you believe that?
  To add to his long list of achievements, Senator Byrd has also held 
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, Senator 
Byrd is the president pro tempore. Throughout his career, Senator Byrd 
has cast nearly 18,600 roll call votes in five decades of service in 
the Senate. I'd say that's an unprecedented record.
  Senator Byrd is also the longest serving member of the esteemed 
Appropriations Committee. He has served as its chairman or ranking 
member since 1989 until stepping down earlier this year. It has been my 
honor to serve with him on the Appropriations Committee and I have 
learned a tremendous amount under his leadership.
  Many of us know Senator Byrd as our resident historian. He has a 
wealth of knowledge about the procedures of the Senate and shares 
enthusiastic stories of the many interesting events that have occurred 
in this Chamber. He is also the author of a magisterial four-volume set 
about this body entitled ``The Senate, 1789-1989'', and other works.
  He also had a unique talent outside the halls of Congress. 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.
  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 first came to 
Washington. 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.
  Senator Byrd is to many the voice of the Senate, and it has been my 
privilege to serve with him and learn from his stories and wisdom. The 
Senate is a stronger institution and a better place because of the many 
years of service of Senator Byrd. I join my colleagues in offering my 
congratulations to him on this important day and wish him well as he 
celebrates his 92nd birthday later this week.
  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Madam President, I join my colleagues today in 
congratulating Senator Robert C. Byrd on reaching yet another milestone 
in a long and very distinguished career.
  Today, Senator Byrd has served 20,774 days--that is 56 years and 
10\1/2\ months in Congress--making him the longest serving Member in 
U.S. history.
  Senator Byrd has attended 18,582 Senate rollcall votes.
  He cast his first votes in the Senate, in January 1959, when Dwight 
Eisenhower was President. John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson were 
among his Senate colleagues. And Hawaii was not yet a State.
  He has served in the Senate longer than 10 of his current colleagues 
and President Obama have been alive--Bob Casey, Jr., Amy Klobuchar, 
Blanche Lincoln, John Thune, David Vitter, Mark Pryor, Mark Begich, 
Michael Bennet, Kirsten Gillibrand and George LeMieux.
  He has been elected to the Senate an unprecedented nine times, and 
has served alongside 11 U.S. Presidents.
  Senator Byrd has seen great changes in these past 56 years. Yet he 
has never lost sight of where he came from.
  He grew up in poverty among the coalfields of Southern West Virginia.

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  His adoptive parents early on instilled in him a strong work ethic. 
He was a butcher, a gas station attendant, a grocery store clerk, and a 
shipyard welder before winning a seat to the West Virginia State 
Legislature and eventually being elected to Congress.
  Senator Byrd earned a law degree from American University in 1963--
the only person to have ever begun and completed law school while 
serving in Congress.
  The ``Almanac of American Politics'' has said that Senator Byrd ``may 
come closer to the kind of senator the Founding Fathers had in mind 
than any other.''
  I wholeheartedly agree. And so he has set the standard for all of us 
to follow.
  We, of course, all know him as a great orator with a love of 
language. His speeches on this floor often quote poetry and the 
classics--Roman historian Titus Livius is a favorite.
  Senator Byrd is a man of conviction. He always speaks his mind. He 
never minces words.
  He is our fiercest defender of the U.S. Constitution--in fact, he 
carries a pocket version of this dynamic document wherever he goes.
  There is no one who has loved this institution so dearly. He adores 
it so much he has authored four volumes about the history of the U.S. 
Senate.
  In a speech he gave earlier this year when he marked 50 years in the 
U.S. Senate, Senator Byrd said: ``The Senate has served our country so 
well because great and courageous Senators have always been willing to 
stay the course and keep the faith. And the Senate will continue to do 
so as long as there are members who understand the Senate's 
constitutional role and who zealously guard its powers.''
  He of course leads this list.
  Yet Senator Byrd's highest priority has always been serving the 
constituents of his beloved Mountain State.
  As a longtime chairman and member of the Senate Appropriations 
Committee he has sent home millions of dollars in needed Federal funds 
for economic renewal and infrastructure projects. These monies have 
gone to build highways, dams, educational and health institutions, and 
Federal agency offices throughout West Virginia.
  He has long been a strong proponent of education. The valedictorian 
of his high school class, Senator Byrd has fought for teaching of 
``traditional American history'' in the Nation's public school system. 
It is an issue true and dear to my heart as well.
  Today, thanks to Senator Byrd, the Department of Education awards 
millions of dollars each year in grants to fund training programs to 
improve the skills of history teachers.
  Senator Byrd's love of the Senate and of his fellow West Virginians 
knows no bounds. It is exceeded only by the love of his beloved wife 
Erma who passed away 3 years ago. In a statement this week marking his 
own milestone, Senator Byrd said ``I know that she is looking down from 
the heavens, smiling at me and saying congratulations my dear Robert 
but don't let it go to your head.''
  I have had the privilege of working on the Appropriations Committee 
while Senator Byrd was chairman. There has been no one who has been 
more faithful to the Constitution, to the goals and rules of the 
Senate, or has served this body more honorably.
  I consider myself lucky to have served alongside this great statesman 
for 17 years.
  Again, congratulations Senator Byrd. You are a true American Patriot.
  Mr. SESSIONS. Madam President, I wish to make a few remarks about one 
of the most remarkable men ever to serve in the Senate, Robert C. Byrd 
on this milestone of service. When I came to the Senate, he was my 
teacher. We went to school to him. He told all of the new Members about 
the rules of the Senate and we all got copies of his book on the 
history of the Senate. We were all mightily impressed, because he had 
an encyclopedic understanding of this Senate.
  I have heard him over the years refer to the Senate as the great 
Senate or the second great Senate, the Roman Senate being the first 
great Senate and the U.S. Senate being the next great Senate. The pride 
he has in this institution, the way he respects it and reveres it, I 
think is second to none who has ever served here. I believe that.
  I remember one night--I don't know why it was so late, but it was 
sometime during the debate over Afghanistan or Iraq, and I was here 
speaking. It was 8 or 9 o'clock at night, later than this--and Senator 
Byrd was the Presiding Officer. I told this fabulous story somebody had 
shared with me. It was a history of Rome, and it was about what the 
Romans did when they had terrorists and pirates. When they could stand 
the disgrace no longer, the Romans all got together and said we have to 
take action, and they selected the leading man of the country and gave 
him a whole fleet of ships and I think 100,000 or more soldiers. They 
issued a directive to every city on the Mediterranean that they would 
cooperate with Rome, and they set about to destroy the pirates. The 
pirates had captured a Roman leader or two. They raided the coast of 
Rome, and the disgrace was intolerable and they finally got together 
and crushed them in short order.
  I was the last one to speak, as I am tonight, and he asked me to come 
up to the Chair. He said, that was Marc Antony; ``I think that was 6 
AD.'' So he is a real student of history and the Roman Empire and the 
Roman Senate.
  I also would normally preside over the Senate on Fridays, and Senator 
Byrd at 11 o'clock would appear through the door almost every Friday 
and he would make a speech. They were remarkable speeches. He had a 
remarkable talent for speaking. He would quote poetry at length without 
a single note, or quote the Scripture without notes. I still can 
remember some of his speeches. One of my favorites was his discussion 
of the failure of modern textbooks.
  One of the things that irked him--and he quoted from them--is that 
they didn't recognize the difference between a democracy and a 
republic, and there is a difference. He delineated that with great 
clarity. Finally, at the conclusion, he referred to those books as 
touchy feely twaddle, and I thought that was a phrase I liked. I have 
remembered it ever since.
  He also discussed the little school he attended. My father attended 
one like that and my grandmother taught in one like that. But the 
highlight of their day was to be selected to be the one to take the 
bucket and go down to the spring and get a bucket of water to put in 
the barrel so the kids would have something to drink. They were taught 
well. He made clear that they were well taught. This was not poor 
education; it was a good education. But, that is the way the school was 
conducted. He noted they had a single dipper for the class and all the 
students used it to dip in the barrel to get the water whenever they 
needed it. I guess the EPA would have them in jail today if they were 
to try such a thing as that.
  He has been and still remains a fierce advocate of issues he 
considers important. We did not agree on the Iraq war, and Senator Byrd 
was fierce in his opposition. He articulated it aggressively and fairly 
and in a tough, effective manner. He was one of the most effective 
Senators on that matter.
  We agree on a number of issues involving immigration. I strongly 
believe that the immigration system in this country is broken and we 
need to create a lawful system and that we cannot tolerate the 
continued lawlessness, and he agreed. He doesn't believe people have a 
right to just walk into the country illegally and claim they are a 
citizen, then just wait a little bit and get amnesty.
  What kind of law is that? On many of those votes, we shared a common 
view. I guess I will say he is a person who answers to his own sense of 
right and wrong. It is a deep sense of right and wrong. He is a man who 
understands the Scriptures, a man of deep personal faith and there are 
things he believes that are right and there are things he believes are 
wrong and he doesn't do what he thinks is wrong. It is the kind of 
model that I think is a good one for all of us in the Senate.
  I find Senator Byrd to be one of the most refreshing and brilliant 
men I know in the Senate. I say this with

[[Page 27944]]

some real confidence: Nobody loves the Senate more than Robert C. Byrd.
  I thank the Chair and yield the floor.
  Ms. MIKULSKI. Madam President, I rise today to pay tribute to my 
friend and colleague, Senator Robert C. Byrd from West Virginia. Today, 
Senator Byrd becomes the longest serving Member of the U.S. Senate, the 
longest serving Member of the U.S. Congress, and the longest serving 
Member in Congressional history. Today, Senator Byrd marks his 20,744th 
day in the Congress. This is an extraordinary milestone for a man who 
has played such an important role in the Senate.
  Senator Byrd has a compelling personal story. He lost his parents as 
a young child and was raised by his aunt and uncle in a coal mining 
community. He became the first in his family to attend college and law 
school, working a series of jobs to support himself and his family. He 
was blessed with a wonderful wife, Erma Ora Byrd, who was beloved in 
the Senate family.
  Senator Byrd never forgot where he came from. His work on behalf of 
the people of West Virginia is legendary. He never forgot the coal 
mining community he came from. He always worked to strengthen the 
opportunity ladder that he used to put himself through college and law 
school. He never forgot the people and communities that too often are 
left out and left behind.
  When I first came to the U.S. Senate in 1987, Senator Byrd was the 
majority leader. He helped me get on some of the best committees, 
including the Appropriations Committee. Senator Byrd helped me learn 
the arcane Senate procedure. He helped me learn the ropes on the 
Appropriations Committee and how the appropriations process could be 
used to help communities and people in Maryland--and to create jobs.
  As majority leader and as chairman, Senator Byrd set a tone of 
bipartisanship. He worked across the aisle to meet the day-to-day needs 
of his constituents and the long-range needs of our Nation.
  I join my colleagues in celebrating Senator Byrd's many 
accomplishments--and in thanking him for his friendship.
  Mr. ROCKEFELLER. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
resolution and preamble be agreed to en bloc, and the motions to 
reconsider be laid upon the table en bloc; further, that any statements 
with respect to Senator Byrd be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 354) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  (Applause, Senators rising.)
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Vermont.
  Mr. LEAHY. Madam President, I know Senator Byrd is about to speak, 
but I sat here in this row for years with my dear friend from West 
Virginia. We have been friends for the 35 years I have served here. In 
his mind I am but a junior Member of the Senate, having been here only 
35 years, but they have been especially good ones because he is here. I 
will save something for later on.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The very distinguished Senator from West 
Virginia.
  Mr. BYRD. I thank the Chair. Thank you, Pat. I thank Senator Reid, my 
leader. I thank Senator McConnell, and I thank my colleague and dear 
friend, Senator Jay Rockefeller, and all Senators, everyone, for their 
good words and for this outstanding resolution.
  Today, Madam President, is much more than a commemoration of the 
length of service of one Senator. Today also celebrates the great 
people of the great and mighty State of West Virginia who have honored 
me by repeatedly placing their faith in me. Because of those wonderful 
people in West Virginia, this foster son of an impoverished coal miner 
from the great hills of southern West Virginia has had the opportunity 
to walk with Kings, to meet with Prime Ministers, and to debate with 
Presidents.
  I have had the privilege not only to witness, but also to participate 
in, the great panorama of history. From the apex of the Cold War to the 
collapse--the collapse--of the Soviet Union, from my opposition to the 
1964 Civil Rights Act to my part in securing the funds for the building 
of the memorial to Martin Luther King, from my support for the war in 
Vietnam to my opposition to President George W. Bush's war with Iraq, I 
have served with so many fine Senators in the Congress, and I have 
loved every precious minute of it.
  I recall those days a long time ago when I walked 3 miles down a 
hollow in the snow in order to catch a bus to attend a two-room school 
in Mercer County in southern West Virginia. In Stotesbury, WV, after 
school, I went from house to house collecting scraps of food. I was the 
scrap boy, collecting scraps of food to feed the hogs of my coal miner 
dad, raised in a pen beside a railroad track to support the family 
budget.
  Little could I have ever imagined or dreamed while I was feeding 
those hogs or walking in the snow to catch a bus to school that one day 
under God's great mercy I would become the longest serving Member in 
the history--the great history--of the U.S. Congress. I am grateful, 
simply grateful to an Almighty God for having had an opportunity to 
serve my State of West Virginia and to serve our great Nation. My only 
regret is that my dear wife Erma is not here to enjoy this moment with 
me. But I know--yes, I do--that she is smiling down from heaven and 
reminding me not to get a big head.
  Again, I thank all Senators. I thank all West Virginians. May the 
great God Almighty continue to bless these United States of America, 
and may he keep her forever free.
  Madam President, I yield the floor.
  (Applause, Senators rising.)
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Burris). The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. AKAKA. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. AKAKA. Mr. President, I rise to honor and extend my warmest aloha 
to my colleague, mentor and good friend--Senator Robert C. Byrd--for 
reaching this unprecedented milestone.
  My colleague from West Virginia has held the most prestigious and 
influential positions in this legislative body.
  Today he is the Senate President Pro Tempore, but we know him as the 
``Dean of the Senate.''
  We are so lucky to have him--as he continues to maintain the highest 
standards in Senate decorum and constitutional procedure.
  Senator Byrd has served this country for nearly a quarter of its 
existence--56 years, 10 months, 16 days.
  His dedicated service to his State and this country--and his 
unrivaled knowledge of parliamentary procedure--continues to be an 
inspiration to me, and many others in Congress and to people around the 
country.
  Senator Byrd's inspiring story is rooted in his modest upbringing and 
steadfast determination to serve his country.
  Growing up, his parents' taught him the value of hard work. He worked 
as a butcher and grocer, won election to the West Virginia Legislature, 
then to Congress.
  His work ethic allowed him to earn a law degree from American 
University--while serving in the House.
  But he is not all work. Senator Byrd and I share a love for music and 
the arts. He is an accomplished musician. His amazing fiddle playing 
was even showcased at the Grand Ole Opry.
  He is a man of great faith. We have attended Senate Prayer Breakfast 
together for many years. His favorite hymn is ``Old Rugged Cross.'' I 
have enjoyed singing it with him a number of times.
  He is a scholar in the history of democracy and our country. Senator 
Byrd often cites our founding fathers and Greek philosophers to remind 
us of where we have come from. He always carries a copy of the 
Constitution in his pocket.
  When I was a freshman Senator in 1990, he generously helped me learn 
the ways of this great institution.

[[Page 27945]]

  I still have the notes he gave me on how to preside--always insisting 
that we follow the proper, time-tested procedures--and that we give our 
full attention to the Senate floor.
  His years of masterful legislation have become such a consistent 
force in this lawmaking body that he has his own procedural budget rule 
named after him: The Byrd Rule.
  Senator Byrd is an embodiment of the democratic spirit.
  We have looked to him for his steady leadership for so many years, 
and as our country faces new 21st century challenges, we are fortunate 
that we still have his wisdom today.
  It is a pleasure to serve with him.
  I again want to extend my aloha and my congratulations to Senator 
Robert C. Byrd for this amazing milestone. Thank you for what you do 
for this institution Senator Byrd. I look forward to the future 
together with you. God bless you, Robert Byrd.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Utah is recognized.
  Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I am privileged to stand here to say a few 
words about my friend, Robert C. Byrd.
  When I got here in 1976--I almost said 1776. But when I got here in 
1976--some people think I have been here since 1776--Robert C. Byrd was 
the majority leader in the Senate. Actually, it was 1977 when I 
actually took my seat here. I have to say, he was one of the finest 
majority leaders I have seen in all of my 33 years in the Senate. There 
was literally nobody who knew the rules as well as Robert C. Byrd. 
Senator Byrd was an expert on the rules, and he taught me a great deal. 
In my first years in the Senate, we were on opposite sides in the labor 
and law reform debate, but it was a time of great learning for me as a 
young Senator, and he was very patient. He was very kind, very decent 
to two young Senators, Senator Lugar and myself, who both came at 
exactly the same time. I will never forget that.
  In the intervening years, I have seen this man play his fiddle and do 
it with such joy. I have seen him love his wife the way a man ought to 
love his wife. I have seen him be kind to his dog. I have seen him be 
kind to numerous people. I have seen him go out of his way for all of 
us, from time to time. Yet there was no more formidable Senator on the 
floor of this Senate than Senator Byrd.
  As he has continuously, through the years, educated us on ancient 
history, modern history, the Constitution, anybody who has listened to 
those discussions and remarks on the floor has to acknowledge this is 
one very bright and intelligent man.
  To think he got his law degree, if I am not mistaken, while he was 
serving as a U.S. Senator--and I know he hardly ever missed a vote. 
That he went on to law school and got a law degree while he was, at the 
same time, a sitting U.S. Senator is pretty remarkable to me. I don't 
know anybody else in this body who could have done that. It is an 
amazing thing.
  He has gone out of his way in those years for those of us who were 
younger and didn't know an awful lot about the procedural rules, who 
didn't know a lot about the Senate. He has been a stickler for the 
rules and made sure the Senate has always respected them as now we, the 
Senators, respect him--not only for his knowledge of the rules but for 
the way he has conducted himself all these years.
  I don't know of any other Senator who has done as much for his State 
as Senator Byrd--unless it was Senator Stevens from Alaska. In the many 
years they were both on the Senate Appropriations Committee, they were 
towers of strength. I have been amazed at the strength, the endurance, 
the intelligence, and the absolute kindness and decency Senator Byrd 
has shown as he has evolved as a Senator from those early days when not 
many people knew him, to today when all of us are honoring him.
  What an achievement, to be the longest-serving Member in the history 
of the Congress. This is a very important day to Senator Byrd and to 
all of us. I can truthfully say that I love and respect him. We have 
had our share of differences over the years, but they have always been 
cordial. I look forward to serving here in the Senate with Senator Byrd 
for many more years.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Republican leader.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I say to my good friend from West 
Virginia, I spoke this morning on his remarkable record of achievement.
  We are all proud of your service to your State and to our country. I 
sent you a note including my remarks from this morning about this 
remarkable record you have now achieved. Of course, you broke the 
record of a Senator from Arizona. One of his successors is here on the 
floor and would like to address that matter as well.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Arizona.
  Mr. KYL. Mr. President, I prematurely congratulated Senator Byrd 
yesterday for breaking the record of Carl Hayden, who has up to now 
held the record and was in the House of Representatives the day Arizona 
became a State. He served all the way up until I believe 1968.
  Senator Byrd reminded me: No, it is not until tomorrow, at whatever 
hour it was.
  I said: Well, I think you will probably make it.
  Of course, his response was: The Lord willing.
  That has been a motto of Senator Byrd throughout his career: The Lord 
willing. We hope the Lord is willing for many more days so the record 
will be even harder to break.
  We congratulate you.

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