Robert C. Byrd

We shall want to stress quality over mere quantity. This is not to say that quantity will not be important also, but quality should never be subordinated.

The Middle East remains a volatile and troubling region. Efforts to broaden the peace process must not abate. Egypt and Israel have shown great courage in joining with the United States to follow through on the Camp David initiative.

There was a man who lived in Uz and whose name was Job, and if he had more patience than I have, I am sure I would be a close second.

We must insist that the Japanese act in concert with us, because who knows when it will be Japanese who are being held hostage in contravention of international law, of international justice, and of international order?

It should be obvious to everyone that we cannot use the Minuteman in dealing with the Iranian situation, or with localized or regionalized threats to national security. What we need is the conventional force to allow us to act in a firm…

Nuclear weapons are not a deterrent to situations such as we see in Iran because we are not going to use strategic central systems against Iran.

If we bleed away defense funds from conventional forces, we are going to be caught like the five foolish virgins-without oil in our lamps when the bridegroom cometh.

I do not think linking the treaty with Soviet misbehavior elsewhere is going to change one iota their misbehavior except to exacerbate it if SALT is rejected.

I know that the Americans in Tehran will not enjoy a happy Thanksgiving, but I hope they will feel the presence of God in their midst.

I want to express the hope that we, all of us, in giving our support, will act and speak with restraint and will offer our prayers for the freedom of those unfortunate Americans who are being illegally held hostage in Iran.

Those who are supposed to be providing leadership in Iran have abdicated their responsibilities under international law.

However, unless we have something that the Soviets are concerned about and with which we can bargain, we never will get any concessions out of them.

Aid for famine relief in Cambodia is the helping hand that we Americans have traditionally extended to those who need help.

I said at the beginning we should judge the SALT treaty on whether or not it is in this country's interests. If it is, then it should be approved; if it is not, it should be rejected.

The threat posed by the dissemination of design details of nuclear weapons is twofold: It will become easier for governments aspiring to a nuclear weapons capability to accomplish this end, with a consequent increase in the risk of nuclear…

The Senate is not in the business, nor does it have the responsibility under the Constitution, of conducting the diplomatic work of this country.

It is very difficult to determine whether an individual wearing a Cuban uniform is a Russian or a Cuban. In some respects, it is far more difficult to secure adequate intelligence from Cuba, although it is only 90 miles from our own shore…

We continue to have significant advantages over the Soviets-a more productive economy, a more technologically advanced and innovative society, a better informed and aware public.

I believe that we shall have to do more than we have in the past to meet the challenges of the 1980's, including spending more money than we have in recent years on defense needs. I do not advocate throwing money at the problem, but I do…

I am confident that each of us stands ready to make sacrifices and exercise discipline in order to restore our national confidence and achieve economic and energy security.

Summitry can and has, on occasion, been overdone. But periodic meetings such as this can be useful, particularly in helping to reduce the possibility of serious misunderstandings. There is a limit to what can be accomplished by aides and…

We cannot gorge ourselves with legislation to the point that we cannot force it down the legislative esophagus.

What is being said by this administration about human rights in Iran? I have long said that we have enough problems with human rights in our own country without trying to tell every other country how to handle its human rights problem.

I feel, as I say, that if the Shah wants to come to this country, we should not turn the back of our hand to him.

We will not all agree in the final analysis, but every Senator, I believe, will search his heart, his conscience, and the utmost depths of his mind to reach the right decision.