Political Quotes

“I rise today to join my colleagues as we mourn the death and celebrate the life of a man who touched all of ours; a man who loved his country, loved the Senate, and dedicated his life to preserving its traditions; a man who above all cherished his State and who every day considered it his highest honor to represent her people. On Monday morning, Senator Robert Byrd took his rightful place in our history books as a titan of the Senate. On Thursday we will honor him as his body lies in state in this Chamber where he served longer than any other Senator in our history. Today, we grieve his loss with his family and with the entire country. My family's history with Senator Byrd goes back many years. My father, before he became Secretary of the Interior, served with Senator Byrd, then Congressman Byrd, in the House of Representatives. A half century later, my father's honor became my own. I am proud to have had the privilege of serving in this Chamber with Senator Byrd, of experiencing firsthand his distinguished service and remarkable career. Senator Byrd will be remembered for many things. He will be remembered for his historic length of service; for his rise from humble roots to the pinnacles of political power; for his encyclopedic knowledge of Senate rules and procedure; and for his love of his wife of 68 years, Erma. What I will remember Senator Byrd for is his willingness to stand up and fight for what he believed in.”