[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 9]
[Senate]
[Pages 11888-11895]
[From the U.S. 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 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

[[Page 11889]]

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.
  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

[[Page 11890]]

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.
  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

[[Page 11891]]

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 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

[[Page 11892]]

     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.
  Mr. BOND. Mr. President, I rise to say a few words about our departed 
colleague.
  This week the Senate lost its longest serving Member not only of the 
Senate but of the Congress. More than that, the Nation lost a true 
servant of the people.
  From humble beginnings, Senator Byrd was, first and foremost, a 
champion for the people of West Virginia. Throughout his many years of 
service, there has been no greater student, teacher, and protector of 
the Senate institution. Senator Byrd was not only a guardian of the 
Senate institution, he was a guardian of the rights our Nation holds 
dear, which is why his most constant companion was the Constitution of 
the United States in his pocket.
  I had the opportunity, when I first arrived in the Senate in 1990, to 
work on the acid rain trading provisions in the Clean Air Act. It was 
known as the Byrd-Bond amendment. We called it the Bond-Byrd amendment 
back in Missouri. The acid rain trading system has worked because there 
was technology available. The cost enabled the equitable sharing of the 
major utilities which had to install expensive equipment that provided 
more benefit than they needed so they could sell off the other parts of 
their credits to smaller companies that could not afford to install 
expensive equipment. That was just a small success for Senator Byrd.
  He was a true champion. He will be missed on the Senate floor. My 
thoughts and prayers are with Senator Byrd's family, his staff, and the 
people of West Virginia.
  Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, I stand today with my colleagues with a 
very heavy heart to express my condolences to the Byrd family and to 
the people of West Virginia for losing a great American patriot. It is 
a very sad day for America, for West Virginia, and for the Senate.
  For all of us who knew Senator Byrd, we knew he had five great loves: 
this country, the Constitution, the Senate, the people of West 
Virginia, and his beloved wife Erma.
  Senator Byrd was my mentor and my teacher. When I arrived in the 
Senate, I was the first Democratic woman elected to the Senate in her 
own right. He took me under his wing and taught me the rules of the 
Senate.
  He said to me:

       Senator Mikulski, he or she who knows the rules will rule. 
     And you will know how to do it.

  His advice to me--when I asked him how to be successful in the 
Senate--was this:

       Senator Mikulski, stay loyal to the Constitution and stay 
     loyal to your constituents and you will do okay.

  From the very first day, he wanted me to succeed. He was so 
welcoming. He made sure I became a member of the Appropriations 
Committee, and he helped me learn how to use my position to meet the 
day-to-day needs of my constituents and the long-term needs of our 
Nation.
  Senator Byrd's career was remarkable. We all know the facts: the 
longest serving Member of Congress in history, the majority leader in 
the Senate, chairman of the Appropriations Committee, President pro 
tempore of the Senate, elected nine times to the Senate. Yet he never, 
ever forgot where he came from. He represented the people of West 
Virginia.
  Born in poverty in the coalfields of West Virginia, raised by an aunt 
and uncle, he was born with four great gifts: a deep faith, a love of 
learning, a strong work ethic, and always saluted the fact that he was 
born in the United States of America, where someone who was, by all 
intents and purposes, an orphan could become a U.S. Senator. He worked 
as a gas station attendant, as a meat butcher, and a welder--I might 
add, a welder in the Baltimore shipyards. He went to night school for 
college and law school while he was in the Senate.
  Senator Byrd wrote and passed many laws, but most important to him 
was that he was an appropriator. He used his position to help the 
people of West Virginia, and he did not apologize for that. He brought 
jobs, roads, and opportunity to one of the poorest States in the 
Nation. He did not call it pork; he called it opportunity. And this 
Senator would certainly agree with him.
  But Senator Byrd also voted his conscience and encouraged other 
Members to do the same. In his 18,000 votes, he was most proud of his 
vote against the Iraq war. He was one of 23 Senators, and I joined him 
in that vote. At that time, it was deeply unpopular. Those of us who 
voted against the war were vilified. But we did the right thing, though 
it was not easy.
  If you love the Senate, you love Bob Byrd. He often reminded us that 
the legislative branch is a coequal part of the government. He fought 
hard against those who wanted to give up Senate prerogatives, such as 
the line-item veto. No one understood Senate procedure better and no 
one protected Senate traditions more than Senator Bob Byrd.
  He wanted to pass it on. With the new Senators, he gave each one of 
us a lecture on the Constitution and gave us a copy of the 
Constitution. He wanted us to know it and to love it in the way he did. 
He also taught us the decorum of the Senate--yes, the decorum of the 
Senate--and how, through our processes and procedures, it was meant to 
promote civility among us.
  To me, as I said, he was a wonderful teacher. I remember going to him 
when I was ready to offer my first amendment on the floor, and I asked 
for his advice on how I could present it and how I could not, quite 
frankly, be rolled. He gave me good, concrete advice. On the day I 
offered my first amendment, there was Senator Byrd in the background. 
He was always there. As I said, Senator Byrd always had my back. I was 
so grateful for having his advice and having his encouragement.
  He lived an extraordinary life and left an extraordinary legacy. He 
stood for citizenship, not partisanship. And maybe that is what we 
should all do. Follow the Constitution. Stay loyal to our Constitution. 
Stay loyal to our Constitution and our constituents. Use the rules of 
the Senate to promote civility and good government. And also make sure 
that at the end of the day, we respect the opportunity and greatness of 
the United States of America.
  I mourn the passing of Senator Byrd, but his legacy will live on in 
the rules and the traditions and the many bills he sponsored.
  The people of West Virginia have had great Senators. Senator 
Rockefeller is a great Senator. And Senator Byrd will always be 
remembered, that he built a ``bridge to somewhere'' for all of the 
people of West Virginia.
  Mr. LeMIEUX. Mr. President, I see the roses on the desk of our 
colleague

[[Page 11893]]

from West Virginia, as I did in the Armed Services Committee meeting I 
left a few minutes ago and will return to shortly. It makes me think 
that what we do here on a day-to-day basis seems very small compared to 
the legacy Senator Byrd has left us over his many years as the longest 
serving Member of Congress. We will do our best in the time we have to 
honor his legacy and thank him today and every day going forward for 
what he has done for this institution. He kept the flame. He understood 
the importance of this body constitutionally, and he understood that 
the rules and procedures of this body were its lifeblood and really 
understood them and recognized them more than anyone else who has 
served in this Chamber and spent his life's work protecting them and 
memorializing them. To him, we owe a great commendation.
  Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to a great 
Senator and a friend and mentor of mine, Senator Robert C. Byrd. When I 
look at his desk, a place from which he spoke such powerful words so 
many times, it is hard to believe he will not be on the floor of the 
Senate speaking powerfully about what he believed in--the people of 
West Virginia and the great issues of our day. He will be sorely 
missed.
  He was orphaned as a child and grew up poor. He often told us about 
his foster father, who was a coal miner, who had to work hard to scrape 
together food and shelter for their family. He always spoke of working 
men and women and those who were working hard and having a hard time 
making ends meet. I know his heart was always with them.
  From a young age, Senator Byrd learned the importance of hard work, 
dedication, and perseverance--skills that would serve him well 
throughout his long and very distinguished life.
  After graduating from high school at the top of his class in 1934, he 
married his high school sweetheart Erma. Many of us knew her, and those 
who didn't knew of her because he would speak continually about the 
love of his life, his sweetheart Erma. After school, he went on to work 
at a number of odd jobs. He worked as a butcher during the Great 
Depression, earning less than $15 a week. He worked as a gas station 
attendant. During World War II, he was a welder in a shipyard in 
Baltimore. But he never forgot his childhood and where he came from. He 
knew how education had transformed his own life, and he never stopped 
trying to give every American that same opportunity.
  After high school he couldn't afford to go to college. But after he 
was elected to the House of Representatives in 1953, he put himself 
through law school--the only Member of Congress ever to do that while 
in office. He joked that Erma put three children through school, 
himself and their two daughters.
  His wife was the most important person in the world to him, and I 
know he was deeply saddened when Erma died in 2006, as were all of us 
who served in the Senate with him at that time.
  He was a great mentor, a great friend, a great advocate for working 
families of Michigan and of America. I was proud to join with him many 
times as we fought for American workers, whether they were mine workers 
in West Virginia or auto workers in Michigan.
  He loved West Virginia, the people and the landscape. One of his 
favorite Bible verses was from the Psalms:

       I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh 
     my help.

  In my office I proudly display a painting that Senator Byrd gave to 
me, which he painted himself while working in Baltimore so he could 
remember those hills and mountains of his childhood. Today, when I see 
that painting, I remember that Senator who gave so much for the people 
of West Virginia and the people of America. I was proud to stand with 
him as one of the 23--as he reminded me frequently--the 23 who opposed 
the original war in Iraq and stood up for our men and women who have 
bravely served us around the world as well.
  Senator Robert C. Byrd--the Senate is a better place because of him 
and he will be sorely missed.
  Mr. NELSON of Florida. Mr. President, 10 years ago I gave my maiden 
speech on the floor of the Senate. I was at a desk on the far side of 
the Chamber. In the course of that speech, I happened to mention that 
it was my maiden speech. I had been here about a month. I went on. I 
can even remember the subject. It was the deficit, since we were in a 
unique position that we actually had a surplus in the Federal 
Government and I did not want to see that surplus piddled away. I 
started talking about the budget and why it was necessary to keep the 
surplus, to utilize the surplus to pay down the national debt over a 
10-year period.
  Some minutes later, after I had said this was my maiden speech, all 
of a sudden the doors to the Chamber flung open and in came Senator 
Robert Byrd. As I was giving this first speech on the floor of the 
Senate, the greatest deliberative body in the world, he went over to 
his desk--the one that is draped with black cloth, and upon it sits the 
vase of flowers to note his passing--he sat there and he looked at me 
and listened to the rest of that oration.
  As I concluded, the Senator from West Virginia rose and said: Will 
the Senator from Florida yield?
  And I said: Of course I yield.
  He proceeded, off the top of his head, from that incredible, detailed 
memory, to lay out the history of maiden speeches on the floor of the 
Senate. He had been back in his office, and he had heard me, in the 
course of the audio from the television, say this was my maiden speech. 
He came up and went into this long discourse about the importance of 
maiden speeches and who were the ones who had given them and how long 
into their service as a new Senator they had waited to give them.
  Later on, as we were debating that budget, the great orator from West 
Virginia took the floor and began talking about a tax cut the Senate 
was considering; a tax cut he voted against, and so did this Senator 
from Florida. The Senator from West Virginia talked about this tax cut 
that was going to be a staggering $1.6 trillion. This is what the great 
senior Senator from West Virginia said. ``That is $1,600 for every 
minute since Jesus Christ was born,'' Senator Byrd declared. He went on 
to say, ``If we go for this big tax cut . . . that money . . . is 
gone.''
  We all like tax cuts, but what we have to have is a balance of tax 
cuts and spending cuts, given the position then that we had a surplus, 
and how to responsibly use that surplus to pay down the national debt. 
What we have is a reversal of that. We, of course, have a huge deficit 
because the revenues are not coming in to match the expenditures and, 
thus, additional problems that have accrued from not listening to the 
Senator who sat in that black-draped desk. No one else spoke like 
Senator Byrd or was as original as he was.
  As we mark the passing of our dear colleague who, it has been said 
many times, was the longest serving Federal lawmaker since the founding 
of the Republic, as we mourn his passing, many will remember the 
Senator from West Virginia by the numbers and by the records he set. He 
made history. He brought depth and grace to the Senate. He is forever 
enshrined as a major part of its history.
  I can tell you that 10 years ago, we freshmen had the blessing of 
being tutored--no, more than tutored; we were students, we were pupils 
of the master teacher. He taught us the rules, so important to the 
conduct of business in this body. But he taught us something more. He 
taught us decorum. He taught us how to preside as the Presiding 
Officer. He taught us that it is respectful that when you are 
presiding, you absolutely listen to the speaker. He taught us so much.
  He was elected to no fewer than nine terms. He served first in the 
House for 6 years. He had cast over 18,000 votes. He presided over both 
the longest session of the Senate and the shortest. We had no fewer 
than 12 Presidents since he first took office.
  But the numbers do not tell the full story. Robert Byrd was one of 
the greatest advocates for just plain folks and especially if they came 
from West

[[Page 11894]]

Virginia. He gave them his all, after his first and foremost love, his 
devotion to his wife Erma. In the spirit of Thomas Jefferson, Robert 
Byrd always put public service ahead of personal fortune.
  On my desk in my Senate office, as I would suspect on many other 
Senators' desks, are copies of Senator Byrd's addresses on the history 
of the Senate--more than 100 of those speeches delivered over a 10-year 
period. Those are the only books that are set on my personal desk with 
book ends of two American eagles. That study has been called the most 
ambitious study of the Senate ever undertaken. Every day, those books 
remind me of the living history of this institution and its vital role 
in our democracy.
  Senator Byrd made rare and noble contributions to his family, his 
friends, his State, his country, and to this Senate. He was, in a 
living person, the walking history book of the Senate, which he could 
recite. Now, as he has gone on to the ages, he will be known as the 
historian of the Senate. And now forever for history, he will be one of 
the major parts of the Senate's history.
  We mourn his passing, we miss him personally, we grieve for his 
family, and we are thankful there was a public servant who surely the 
Lord would say: Well done, thy good and faithful servant.
  Mr. UDALL of New Mexico. Mr. President, I rise today to join my 
colleagues as we mourn the death and celebrate the life of a man who 
touched all of ours; a man who loved his country, loved the Senate, and 
dedicated his life to preserving its traditions; a man who above all 
cherished his State and who every day considered it his highest honor 
to represent her people.
  On Monday morning, Senator Robert Byrd took his rightful place in our 
history books as a titan of the Senate. On Thursday we will honor him 
as his body lies in state in this Chamber where he served longer than 
any other Senator in our history. Today, we grieve his loss with his 
family and with the entire country.
  My family's history with Senator Byrd goes back many years. My 
father, before he became Secretary of the Interior, served with Senator 
Byrd, then Congressman Byrd, in the House of Representatives. A half 
century later, my father's honor became my own. I am proud to have had 
the privilege of serving in this Chamber with Senator Byrd, of 
experiencing firsthand his distinguished service and remarkable career.
  Senator Byrd will be remembered for many things. He will be 
remembered for his historic length of service; for his rise from humble 
roots to the pinnacles of political power; for his encyclopedic 
knowledge of Senate rules and procedure; and for his love of his wife 
of 68 years, Erma.
  What I will remember Senator Byrd for is his willingness to stand up 
and fight for what he believed in. Two of the most pressing issues of 
the past decade are perfect examples--the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. 
From the very beginning, Senator Byrd was a voice of opposition to the 
Iraq war. He delivered what will become one of his most memorable 
speeches in the days leading up to the Senate's vote to authorize its 
funding. He spoke out against a war at a time when any opposition to 
the President's path meant putting his own political future in 
jeopardy. But he did not waiver.
  Here is part of what he said:

       No one supports Saddam Hussein. If he were to disappear 
     tomorrow, no one would shed a tear around the world. I would 
     not. My handkerchief would remain dry. But the principle of 
     one government deciding to eliminate another government, 
     using force to do so, and taking that action in spite of 
     world disapproval is a very disquieting thing. I am concerned 
     that it has the effect of destabilizing the world community 
     of nations. I am concerned that it fosters a climate of 
     suspicion and mistrust in U.S. relations with other nations. 
     The United States is not a rogue nation, given to unilateral 
     action in the face of worldwide opprobrium.

  Eight years and thousands of American lives lost later, his words 
read as prophetic.
  But he didn't stop there. Last year--this time with his party holding 
the reins of power in both the White House and the Congress--he did the 
same thing. Seven years had passed, and Senator Byrd was older and more 
fragile than ever before. None of that stopped him from getting to the 
Senate floor that day. How did I know this? I had a front row seat as 
the presiding officer of the Senate that day.
  This time, he questioned the proposed buildup of troops in 
Afghanistan--a proposal I myself had questioned many times as well. 
Here is what Senator Byrd said:

       I have become deeply concerned that in the 8 years since 
     the September 11 attacks, the reason for the U.S. military 
     mission in Afghanistan has become lost, consumed in some 
     broader scheme of nation-building which has clouded our 
     purpose and obscured our reasoning.

  He continued:

       . . . President Obama and the Congress must reassess and 
     refocus on our original and most important objective--namely 
     emasculating a terrorist network that has proved its ability 
     to inflict harm on the United States.

  Time will tell if Senator Byrd's concerns about Afghanistan prove as 
prescient as those he expressed about Iraq almost a decade ago. Time 
also will tell if we heed those concerns.
  What is clear is that Senator Byrd understood the importance of 
asking the tough questions, regardless of their impact on himself 
personally or professionally. In this regard, we could all learn a 
little bit from Senator Byrd.
  I know my Senate colleagues will agree with me when I say this 
institution, this country, this democracy lost a powerful advocate this 
week, and all of us in this Chamber lost a good friend.
  Today I join with my colleagues in expressing my deepest sympathy to 
Senator Byrd's family for their loss and remembering a man whose legend 
and legacy will endure beyond us all.
  Mr. KAUFMAN. Mr. President, I wish to spend a few minutes talking 
about a truly great Federal employee, and that is Senator Robert C. 
Byrd.
  He personified all the things I try to talk about once a week, 
because Robert Byrd was a Federal employee. Robert Byrd was a creature 
of the U.S. Senate. Robert Byrd had his family, and he was a great 
family man, but the Senate was also his family, and he cared about 
everybody here.
  I remember the first time I ever had contact with Senator Byrd was in 
1972. On election day in 1972, Joe Biden, a 29-year-old candidate for 
the U.S. Senate, was elected to the Senate running against one of the 
most popular officials we ever had in the State of Delaware, a 
wonderful public servant and Federal employee, Caleb Boggs, who had 
been a Congressman and Governor before he became a Senator.
  Just 6 weeks later, on December 18, when his wife and two sons and 
daughter were bringing their Christmas tree home, the car was hit by a 
tractor trailer and Senator Biden's wife and daughter were killed.
  Shortly after that, my church, St. Mary Magdalen in Wilmington, DE, 
had a memorial service for his wife and daughter. I will never forget, 
it was a dark night. It was in December. It was just an ugly night out. 
The church was full, and it was a very moving ceremony. After it was 
over, I found out that Senator Robert Byrd had driven himself to 
Wilmington, DE, come into the church, stood in the back of the church 
for the entire service, and then turned around and drove home. And 
there are hundreds of stories like that where Robert Byrd demonstrated 
his great love for the Senate and for the people of the Senate.
  There are traditions he instilled in the Senate and traditions he 
kept alive in the Senate. I remember when he was majority leader, I 
will tell you what, there were lots of things that just never happened 
because Senator Byrd was going to make sure we stuck to the traditions 
of the Senate. So I wish to recognize Senator Robert Byrd as a great, 
great Federal employee.
  Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, I join all Americans in mourning the 
passing of Senator Robert C. Byrd. For more than five decades, Senator 
Robert Byrd served his home State, his beloved West Virginia, with a 
dedication that is unsurpassed in our Nation's history.
  Senator Byrd was legendary for that commitment to his State, for his 
outstanding service as both the Senate's

[[Page 11895]]

majority and minority leader, and for his staunch defense of the U.S. 
Constitution throughout his many years of public service.
  When I arrived in the Senate, Senator Byrd was in the midst of his 
sixth term, President pro tempore of the Senate, chairman of the 
Appropriations Committee and already a giant of the institution. It was 
an honor to work beside him in this body.
  Senator Byrd was the longest serving Member of Congress in our 
Nation's history, elected to an unprecedented ninth term in the Senate 
in 2006. It was a long road from his humble beginnings in rural West 
Virginia to his long and distinguished service here. Along the way, 
Senator Byrd's life was characterized by hard work and a steely 
determination.
  And of all the things he was determined to do, perhaps the most 
significant was his determination to get an education. Senator Byrd 
prized education, and fought to get one for himself despite difficult 
odds. That long effort culminated in Senator Byrd earning his law 
degree, after 10 years of night classes as he served in Congress by 
day. He was 46 years old when he graduated, and President John F. 
Kennedy presented him with the diploma.
  He shared that love of learning as a champion of continuing 
education, and through the establishment of the Robert C. Byrd Honors 
Scholarship Program, which provides scholarships to high school seniors 
who show promise of continued excellence in postsecondary education.
  Senator Byrd was dedicated to the Senate and served an invaluable 
role as a historian of the institution. He wrote a distinguished 
multivolume history of the Senate, and also authored several other 
books. In fact when I drafted my proposed constitutional amendment on 
Senate vacancies, I consulted one of his volumes on Senate history. He 
had written a chapter on the 17th amendment to the Constitution that 
was very helpful in putting the issue of Senate vacancies in a 
historical context.
  As a student of Senate history, both the U.S. Senate and the Roman 
Senate, he was also a passionate defender of the powers of the 
legislative branch. One would expect no less of a man so devoted to our 
Constitution. Senator Byrd was eloquent as he spoke about the need to 
stand up for our Constitution and its principles here in the Senate, 
and faithfully carried a copy of the Constitution with him every day. 
He was very proud of his efforts to encourage students to learn more 
about this document and our great democracy.
  In Senator Byrd's lifetime of leadership, he worked on so many 
important issues. As the Senate's majority leader, he helped to lead 
the fight against the undue influence of money in politics in an effort 
with then-Senator David Boren of Oklahoma. Together they sponsored 
campaign finance legislation and worked to pass it in what has been 
described as ``one of the most extraordinary exhibitions of 
perseverance on the Senate floor, as Byrd led the Senate through eight 
unsuccessful votes to end a filibuster.'' While that legislation 
stalled, it was one of the efforts that paved the way for later 
reforms, and I am grateful for his efforts.
  I respected him for that, and for so many of the principled stands he 
took during our service together, including his opposition to the Iraq 
war. He brought tremendous wisdom and insight to our work here and I 
know how much those gifts will be missed.
  Robert C. Byrd was a man who sought to learn every day of his life, 
and in turn taught all of us a great deal. He taught us about our 
nation's history, about the people he represented, and about the 
institution of the Senate he loved. While Senator Byrd's passing is a 
loss for the nation, his legacy of innumerable achievements will live 
on for many, many years to come. My thoughts are with his family and 
many friends today.
  Mr. JOHNSON. Mr. President, on Monday, we lost a colleague and dear 
friend with the passing of Senator Robert C. Byrd. My deepest sympathy 
goes out to his family, friends, dedicated staff, and the people of 
West Virginia. Senator Byrd was truly a giant among Senators. His 
presence will be greatly missed.
  Few have had the command of history that Senator Byrd possessed, and 
I suspect none have matched his knowledge of the U.S. Constitution and 
the Senate in which he served. Senator Byrd never passed up the 
opportunity to give a history lesson, delivering impassioned speeches 
peppered with poetry, lessons from ancient Rome, and his unique 
understanding of the workings of this Chamber. He also never forgot to 
remind us of the importance of Mother's Day, the beauty of the first 
day of spring, or how devoted he was to his beloved wife Erma.
  Senator Byrd held fiercely to his beliefs. Yet, he had the humility 
and wisdom to change beliefs he realized were wrong. History will 
remember Senator Byrd, not only for his numerous records of service, 
but for his unwavering commitment to education, public infrastructure, 
and the State of West Virginia.
  This year, 19 outstanding high school students from my home State of 
South Dakota joined the ranks of thousands of Robert C. Byrd Honors 
Scholarship recipients that are furthering their education, in part, 
because of Senator Byrd's belief in the value of higher education. He 
embodied that belief in his own life, earning a law degree while 
serving in Congress and striving to continue learning each day.
  Senator Byrd also understood the value of investing in the small, 
sometimes overlooked communities of his State. Where others saw 
``pork,'' he saw jobs, opportunities, and hope for hard-working 
Americans. He understood--better than most--that without roads, clean 
water, and reliable utilities, rural communities will struggle to reach 
their full potential.
  Though he would later ``walk with Kings, meet Prime Ministers and 
debate with Presidents,'' Senator Byrd never forgot his roots in the 
hills of West Virginia. West Virginia lost a true champion, but his 
mark on the State will last far longer than even his half century in 
Congress.
  I am honored to have served with Senator Byrd. This institution is a 
better place for his time here.

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