Saxby Chambliss: “I rise to pay tribute to a colleague whose devotion to this body, and to this Nation, was personal, heartfelt and…”

“I rise to pay tribute to a colleague whose devotion to this body, and to this Nation, was personal, heartfelt and legendary. I am talking about none other than the senior senator from West Virginia, Senator Robert Byrd. Senator Byrd's time on Earth was a life characterized by commitment. He exemplified this rare quality through his 70-year marriage to his high school sweetheart Erma James Byrd. But this was far from the only deep commitment in Senator Byrd's life. His dedication to the U.S. Senate was proved by his actions and his storied career. His life in the Senate began in 1958 with a victory that included 59 percent of the vote, the smallest margin of victory in Senator Byrd's half century-plus career. During his 57 years in Congress, Byrd worked with 12 future Presidents. He was known for telling his colleagues that he did not serve under any Presidents, but alongside them. In Senator Byrd's portrait in the Old Senate Chamber, his image is surrounded by his wife, the Bible, and the U.S. Constitution.”