Political Quotes

“I stand today with my colleagues with a very heavy heart to express my condolences to the Byrd family and to the people of West Virginia for losing a great American patriot. It is a very sad day for America, for West Virginia, and for the Senate. For all of us who knew Senator Byrd, we knew he had five great loves: this country, the Constitution, the Senate, the people of West Virginia, and his beloved wife Erma. Senator Byrd was my mentor and my teacher. When I arrived in the Senate, I was the first Democratic woman elected to the Senate in her own right. He took me under his wing and taught me the rules of the Senate. He said to me: Senator Mikulski, he or she who knows the rules will rule. And you will know how to do it. His advice to me--when I asked him how to be successful in the Senate--was this: Senator Mikulski, stay loyal to the Constitution and stay loyal to your constituents and you will do okay. From the very first day, he wanted me to succeed. He was so welcoming. He made sure I became a member of the Appropriations Committee, and he helped me learn how to use my position to meet the day-to-day needs of my constituents and the long-term needs of our Nation. Senator Byrd's career was remarkable. We all know the facts: the longest serving Member of Congress in history, the majority leader in the Senate, chairman of the Appropriations Committee, President pro tempore of the Senate, elected nine times to the Senate.”