Russ Feingold: “I join all Americans in mourning the passing of Senator Robert C. Byrd. For more than five decades, Senator Robert Byrd…”

“I join all Americans in mourning the passing of Senator Robert C. Byrd. For more than five decades, Senator Robert Byrd served his home State, his beloved West Virginia, with a dedication that is unsurpassed in our Nation's history. Senator Byrd was legendary for that commitment to his State, for his outstanding service as both the Senate's majority and minority leader, and for his staunch defense of the U.S. Constitution throughout his many years of public service. When I arrived in the Senate, Senator Byrd was in the midst of his sixth term, President pro tempore of the Senate, chairman of the Appropriations Committee and already a giant of the institution. It was an honor to work beside him in this body. Senator Byrd was the longest serving Member of Congress in our Nation's history, elected to an unprecedented ninth term in the Senate in 2006. It was a long road from his humble beginnings in rural West Virginia to his long and distinguished service here. Along the way, Senator Byrd's life was characterized by hard work and a steely determination. And of all the things he was determined to do, perhaps the most significant was his determination to get an education.”