Sam Brownback: “I rise to speak about Senator Byrd, as many of my colleagues have, and make a few comments about an extraordinary…”

“I rise to speak about Senator Byrd, as many of my colleagues have, and make a few comments about an extraordinary individual. Just the sheer numbers are very impressive. He was married for 68 years, elected to 9 terms, had more than 20,000 days of service in the Senate, approaching 19,000 rollcall votes cast, and had a 97-percent attendance record. Senator Byrd was the majority leader from 1977 to 1981, and again from 1987 to 1989. He was President pro tempore four different times when his party was in the majority. The Senator from West Virginia was known for his defense of the Constitution and the institutional prerogatives of the Senate. He was the author of five books, and he was an avid fiddler. The first place I ever saw Senator Byrd was playing the fiddle on television. Boy, he could play. It was impressive to see somebody of his stature playing an instrument so brilliantly. His remaining true to his faith and family was at the core of Senator Byrd and his longevity, and at the core of his service.”