Thomas Daschle: “Tomorrow marks the momentous day in the life and career of one of this Chamber's most esteemed and respected Members.…”

“Tomorrow marks the momentous day in the life and career of one of this Chamber's most esteemed and respected Members. Fifty years ago, on January 8, 1947, Robert C. Byrd took his seat in the West Virginia State Legislature, thus beginning a remarkable half century of public service. I must again congratulate our distinguished Senator for a remarkable career. We saw another demonstration of his intellect and his institutional memory and the remarkable contribution he makes to that just this afternoon as he talked about the early days of this Senate and how the President pro tempore was selected and the length of time it took and the degree to which we followed procedure in ensuring that we notify both the President and the House of Representatives in proper order. It was a small yet very significant contribution to our dialog this morning and, again, a reminder of what an invaluable and remarkable Senator Robert C. Byrd is.”