Cord Byrd: “each Senator--every Senator--has a responsibility to vote. The people of West Virginia expect me to do the job they sent…”

“each Senator--every Senator--has a responsibility to vote. The people of West Virginia expect me to do the job they sent me here to do, and I am doing it. This 18,000th rollcall vote is a testament to their faith in me and to my work for them. I love this Senate. I love it dearly. I love the Senate for its rules. I love the Senate for its precedents. I love the Senate for the difference it can make in people's lives. The Senate was viewed by the Framers as a place where mature wisdom would reside. The Senate was intended to serve as a check on both the House of Representatives and the Executive. The longer terms, the older age requirements, the special functions delegated to the Senate regarding treaties, appointments, impeachment--all of these are indicative of the intent by the Framers to have the Senate be the stabilizer, the fence, the check on attempts at tyranny, and the calmer political passions. Partisanship was not viewed as necessary or constructive in that day in time so long ago, nor, may I say, is total devotion to partisanship constructive in this day in time or in any day in time. I have served in this Chamber for nearly five decades--nearly 50 years. Times have changed. The world has changed. But our responsibilities, our duties, as Senators have not changed. We have a responsibility, a duty, to the people to make our country a better place. The people send us here to do a job.…”