Cord Byrd: “I thank the able senior Senator from Vermont for his overly charitable words concerning me. I thank him for his…”

“I thank the able senior Senator from Vermont for his overly charitable words concerning me. I thank him for his steadfast support on the Constitution. I thank him for the positions he has taken on many occasions during the years we have served together-- positions that were in the best interest of the Constitution, best interest of this institution, and in the best interest of our country. I join with the Senator in recalling the new profile in courage that was established by our former colleague, Senator Hatfield. He stood as a rock under the pressures of colleagues. Those were difficult pressures, in the party conference. He was threatened with his position as chairman of the Appropriations Committee. That took courage. And he had it. He had the real stuff. I hope he is listening today. We don't forget men such as Mr. Hatfield. Again, I thank my friend; he is my friend, and I think of him as my friend. He is a very generous person, a person whom I would think of as a Good Samaritan in this journey of life. I thank him for his work here. He will be here, he will be, long after the good Lord has taken me away. But he will be there holding the torch, holding the Constitution, holding up this institution. And there will by others, and I hope there will be more, day by day. I thank the Senator, and I yield the floor.”