On the recordJune 29, 2010
on Monday, we lost a colleague and dear friend with the passing of Senator Robert C. Byrd. My deepest sympathy goes out to his family, friends, dedicated staff, and the people of West Virginia. Senator Byrd was truly a giant among Senators. His presence will be greatly missed. Few have had the command of history that Senator Byrd possessed, and I suspect none have matched his knowledge of the U.S. Constitution and the Senate in which he served. Senator Byrd never passed up the opportunity to give a history lesson, delivering impassioned speeches peppered with poetry, lessons from ancient Rome, and his unique understanding of the workings of this Chamber. He also never forgot to remind us of the importance of Mother's Day, the beauty of the first day of spring, or how devoted he was to his beloved wife Erma. Senator Byrd held fiercely to his beliefs. Yet, he had the humility and wisdom to change beliefs he realized were wrong. History will remember Senator Byrd, not only for his numerous records of service, but for his unwavering commitment to education, public infrastructure, and the State of West Virginia.
