On the recordJuly 12, 2010
on Monday evening I came to the floor and spoke from the heart about my friend Senator Robert Byrd. I wanted to take the opportunity to submit a more comprehensive statement about Senator Byrd and his legacy. As I looked at his empty desk with flowers on it, I thought back to last summer when we lost another giant, Senator Ted Kennedy. And what distinguishes Senator Byrd, like Senator Kennedy, from others was his unbelievable, never-ending commitment to the people he represented and to this country. It was never a question of Senator Byrd's length of service--though his was exceptional but rather his fierce sense of fighting for West Virginians. As he told the New York Times in 2005, "I'm proud I gave hope to my people." Senator Byrd was, of course, the Nation's longest-serving Senator. And he was a legend, for sure. When I came to here, I learned firsthand that he always met with the incoming Senators, to give them an introduction to the rules of the road, the procedures and dignity of the Senate, and to share his reverence for the Constitution. The image that I will always have of Robert C. Byrd is him reaching inside his suit pocket and bringing out the Constitution, which along with the Bible was what he cherished most. Senator Byrd was a giant in the Senate and a champion for America's working families. We will miss his eloquence, his sharp intellect, and his passionate oratory. He was one of our Nation's foremost historians of the Senate.
