[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 6] [Senate] [Pages 8833-8834] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]VISIT WILD AND WONDERFUL WEST VIRGINIA Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, May 2-8 is National Tourism Week, and I would like to take a few minutes to encourage anyone planning their summer vacation--and this is the time; this is the time to plan the summer vacation. Let me tell you where the place is. This is the place: West Virginia. Anybody who is planning the summer vacation--or looking farther ahead to next year's winter vacation--should consider my favorite destination: West Virginia. I have been in Rome. I have traveled to Agra. I have seen the Taj Mahal. I have walked in the shadows of the pyramids. I have seen the Pantheon and the Parthenon. I have met with great leaders all over the world, face to face, such as the late President Sadat and Generalissimo Chiang Kai-Shek. I joined with the Generalissimo and the madam on their birthday up at Sun Moon Lake many years ago. But let me tell you, after having been to these four points of the compass, my favorite destination is still West Virginia. And I have visited Texas, may I say to my friend, the senior Senator from the Lone Star State. I made 26 speeches in the Bible Belt of Texas in 1960. I traveled over the northeastern part of Texas making speeches--26 in 3 days. I even took my fiddle with me and played a few tunes. Anyhow, there is just nothing like West Virginia. That is my favorite destination. Within an easy drive of much of the Nation, West Virginia offers one delight after another, whether for families, adventurers, romantic couples, or groups. If you are interested in history, may I say to my Senate colleagues, West Virginia has plenty, from delicate millennia-old fern and trilobite fossils embedded in her coal seams and rock outcroppings to the monumental burial mounds of the mysterious Adena people that date back to 1000 B.C. And I can tell you about history that goes much farther back than that. Frontier forts that mark West Virginia's time at the leading edge of American expansion are scattered across the State, and are populated with costumed, re-enactors who can weave fascinating true stories of the sometimes harrowing escapades experienced by our Nation's early settlers. Point Pleasant, WV, marks the site of the first land battle of the Revolutionary War. Numerous Civil War battlefields abound from West Virginia's tumultuous birth as a State, none more famous than Harper's Ferry, where in 1859 abolitionist John Brown led a raid on the U.S. arsenal, sparking a chain of events leading to that epic struggle. Industries that sparked a different kind of revolution still operate in West Virginia, from the steel mill in Weirton, WV, where we have the largest ESOP in the world--that is, Employee-Stock Option Plan--to the coal mines in southern West Virginia. In Beckley, you can visit a coal mine and see firsthand the danger and effort involved in extracting the compressed energy that still provides almost half of the Nation's electricity. And those who love classic locomotives would feel at home there, as several steam excursions offer the opportunity to chug behind a puffing engine as it clickety-clacks through scenes of pastoral harmony. West Virginia's history sings through the music festivals scheduled across the state throughout the year, ranging from classical to country, bluegrass to jazz. History also comes to life in the fine crafts produced in small village potteries and quilting bees as well as by storied West Virginia glass makers whose wares have been presented to presidents and foreign heads of state. And history continues to be made by her artisans, musicians, and writers, many of whom are accessible at craft [[Page 8834]] and music festivals, or through factory tours. West Virginia is not just for lovers of history, however. It is also for lovers of fun. The state boasts a great array of state parks with lodges and cabins perfect for family entertainment. All these one can see in West Virginia. At these public parks, as well as at many privately-owned facilities, activities can be found to suit everyone in the family, from golf courses designed by the greats in the game to horseback riding along mountain trails, from fishing in coursing streams or placid lakes to hiking to breathtaking vistas, and, of course, skiing at five major ski resorts. Every season in West Virginia offers its own attractions. In the springtime, coursing white water thunders through rocky causeways bedecked in snowy rhododendron and dogwood, vibrant redbud and delicate trillium. In summer, cool springs bubble in shadow-filled woods where wild ginseng grows, while in meadows, Queen Anne's Lace, purple coneflowers, golden Rudbeckia, and blue chicory weave a madras plaid of wildflowers as ruby throated hummingbirds flit among the honeysuckle. In the fall, West Virginia's sugar maples, tulip poplars, sweetgums, and hickories flame in colors rivaling any in New England, and herds of whitetail deer and flocks of elusive wild turkeys fatten on the beechnuts, walnuts, and acorns. Winter's snows fall thick and white, creating an austerely beautiful palette of linear grey, black, and blue shadows on the hillsides that make the color and light of numerous Christmas festivals a welcome contrast. If enjoying the scenery is not enough for the daredevil in you, then see if you can tame Seneca Rocks with a pair of climbing shoes, a bag of chalk, and a length of rope. Venture into the depths of Organ Cave in Ronceverte, where Thomas Jefferson, when he visited, did little more than sample the over forty miles of passages that have been mapped to date. Or challenge the mighty Gauley River, or the wild and scenic New River, in a raft or kayak, to learn just how powerful and devious a few thousand cubic feet of water can be when they are moving at great speed over car-sized boulders. Set your mountain bike upon trails that will strain your thighs as well as your bike brakes. Then, to relax, float lazily down the South Branch of the Potomac River in West Virginia, where it still looks as it must have to the early settlers, with mist rolling off the crystal waters as they wend their way between canyon- like walls, with bald eagles soaring overhead. When the day is done, you can count on good food and a soft pillow anywhere in West Virginia. Bed and Breakfast establishments cater to every fancy, from homespun log cabins bedecked in quilts to antique- filled `stately ladies' whose names reflect their historic pasts. Romance is easy to find before a crackling fire laid on a stone grate or on a porch swing overlooking the last violet rays of sunset. Hidden in the hills, too, are grand resorts and spas offering every amenity for the weary traveler. Some colonial-era spas are still active, while others have been more recently developed, but all offer blissful relaxation. Some also offer award-winning water. Berkeley Springs was founded by George Washington and others and originally called Bath after the spa town in England. The world famous Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs lists royalty as well as Presidents, Senators, and Governors in its guest book. The comforts of your home away from home may make it difficult to get out of bed, but the allure of shopping is strong in those hills. Outlet malls with true bargains compete with artist studios, artisan workshops, and factory stores to fill your car trunk, but with only a little planning, your Christmas and birthday giving may be highlighted by unique and thoughtful treasures. Of course, the greatest treasure in West Virginia is her people. Friendly, smiling, and helpful, they can even make getting lost a pleasurable adventure. So do come, do come and share in the beauty, in the history, in the romance, in the adventure that is West Virginia. Come a tourist and leave a friend. I hope I have sparked a little curiosity in the state that I am so proud to represent. As long winded as politicians are reputed to be, and it may be the case in my instance, I could filibuster for days on the things to see and do in West Virginia without beginning to name everything. For more information, come by and visit my office. My staff will give you a telephone number for the State's official travel guide so you can visit West Virginia, and you can also find a lot of these things on the World Wide Web. I yield the floor and I thank Senators for listening. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from New York. Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I thank the Senator from West Virginia. It was pure delight to sit here and listen to the virtues of his State. I have now a thirst, a curiosity, to visit the parts of the State that I haven't been to. Anyone who thinks that eloquence is no longer around, all they have to do is listen to our friend, the Senator from West Virginia, and they are sure to know it has reached its senatorian heights. I thank the Senator. I am glad I had the pleasure of listening to his beautiful and rapturous remarks about his wonderful State. Mr. BYRD. Let me thank the Senator for his courtesy, for his patience in allowing me to proceed. I think I took a bit of advantage of his being off the floor temporarily. I thank him very much for his kind words, especially about West Virginia. Mr. DOMENICI. Will the Senator yield? Mr. SCHUMER. I am delighted to yield to the Senator from New Mexico. Mr. DOMENICI. Senator Byrd, I want to say you commented that you could filibuster for many days about the beauty of your State. I am particularly pleased that you did it this way rather than a filibuster. A filibuster for some has a little bit of a negative connotation, and the remarks made don't deserve the slightest interference from anything else, just a straight up great speech about your State. I was glad to be here. Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, I thank our friend, the distinguished Senator from New Mexico. He is always most generous in his remarks concerning me and I am very grateful. When I saw his fine wife this morning as I came into the Capitol, I started the day off right. I thank the Senator for his kind words. ____________________