Thomas Daschle: “about 3 months ago, a remarkable discovery was made. In an abandoned storeroom in the subbasement of this Capitol, two…”

“about 3 months ago, a remarkable discovery was made. In an abandoned storeroom in the subbasement of this Capitol, two Senate staffers discovered the long-lost, handwritten payroll records of the Senate from 1790 to 1870. The ledger contains a vast wealth of information about the birth and the history of this Senate. It also contains authentic signatures of John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and Aaron Burr. Historians say it is very likely the only document in the world signed by all three of those giants of American history. Three days after it was found, I was able to hold that ledger in my hands. Every page I turned revealed more legendary names: James Monroe, George Mason, Abraham Lincoln, Daniel Webster, Henry Clay, John Calhoun. It was a rare privilege to be able to hold such a tangible link to the giants of this Senate. For the last 16 years, I have had the privilege to be able to serve with--and learn from--a living link to those giants: the incomparable senior Senator from West Virginia, Robert C. Byrd. Today, we celebrate yet another milestone in Senator Byrd's extraordinary career. As of today, Senator Byrd has served in Congress for 50 years, 2 months, and 14 days. Since the beginning of our Nation, only two Members of Congress have served longer than Senator Byrd. For the last 44 years--more than half his life--Senator Byrd has served in this Senate--longer than all but one other Senator.”