Frank Lautenberg: “what a wonderful coincidence it is that I came to the floor to hear my good friend, Senator Byrd, make such exaggerated…”

“what a wonderful coincidence it is that I came to the floor to hear my good friend, Senator Byrd, make such exaggerated remarks about my accomplishments but never about our friendship. Around here, our seats are based on seniority. You kind of move to the middle or to the front as your seniority improves. But it is not where you sit that counts; it is where you stand. Senator Byrd has stood for the right things for this country for more years than any of the people in this room will remember because it has been such a long history. It is not newly emplaced. There is a commercial around that is often seen on television and radio that says--I think it is for PaineWebber --when PaineWebber speaks, everybody listens. That is an adaptation because when Senator Byrd speaks, everybody listens. And everybody can read Senator Byrd's books on the history of the Senate to learn what it really takes to be a Senator. It takes more than just getting a slice of the largess that we call funds; it takes more than the incredible loyalty, as profound as it is, such as Senator Byrd has to this State--it transcends those things-- that, frankly, has made a difference in the world in which we live. Whenever there is a question, whenever Senator Byrd speaks--and my experience is principally on our side of the aisle because we have our weekly meetings and occasional get-togethers--people listen because he is the historian of the Senate.”