Cord Byrd: “in my long career of serving in various and sundry legislative branches, I have from time to time been awarded the honor…”

“in my long career of serving in various and sundry legislative branches, I have from time to time been awarded the honor of being the ``legislator of the year'' in connection with something. Let me say that as one who has served now in my 50th year in Congress this year, and having served as majority leader in this body during the years 1977, 1978, 1979, and 1980, and again during the years 1987 and 1988, and also having served as minority leader over a period of 6 years, and having served in the leadership in the Senate for 22 years, including my stint as majority whip and my stint as secretary of the Democratic Conference, I have had occasion to note some very successful and outstanding legislators. I would include among the most outstanding of those legislators Senator Kennedy. The late Senator Henry Jackson was another one of the outstanding legislators with whom I served. He was responsible for bringing a great deal of legislation to the floor dealing with energy, with the environment, and on various and sundry other matters. He was an outstanding legislator. Senator Kennedy is one who has proved to be an outstanding chairman of the committee. I think Senators will agree with me in observing that when Senator Kennedy comes to the floor with a bill, especially if it is a bill that has been reported by his committee, a committee which he chairs, or by a committee on which he sits, he is always prepared.…”