[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 9] [Senate] [Pages 12777-12778] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]REMEMBERING SENATOR ROBERT C. BYRD Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, on Monday evening I came to the floor and spoke from the heart about my friend Senator Robert Byrd. I wanted to take the opportunity to submit a more comprehensive statement about Senator Byrd and his legacy. As I looked at his empty desk with flowers on it, I thought back to last summer when we lost another giant, Senator Ted Kennedy. And what distinguishes Senator Byrd, like Senator Kennedy, from others was his unbelievable, never-ending commitment to the people he represented and to this country. It was never a question of Senator Byrd's length of service--though his was exceptional but rather his fierce sense of fighting for West Virginians. As he told the New York Times in 2005, ``I'm proud I gave hope to my people.'' Senator Byrd was, of course, the Nation's longest-serving Senator. And he was a legend, for sure. When I came to here, I learned firsthand that he always met with the incoming Senators, to give them an introduction to the rules of the road, the procedures and dignity of the Senate, and to share his reverence for the Constitution. The image that I will always have of Robert C. Byrd is him reaching inside his suit pocket and bringing out the Constitution, which along with the Bible was what he cherished most. Senator Byrd was a giant in the Senate and a champion for America's working families. We will miss his eloquence, his sharp intellect, and his passionate oratory. He was one of our Nation's foremost historians of the Senate. He literally wrote the book on the Senate, a four-volume history. And he was not only an expert on the rules of the Senate, he was a fierce defender of its traditions and its role in our democracy. Senator Byrd fought to make sure every American had a chance to live the American dream because he lived the American dream. He was born in coal country in southern West Virginia, the youngest of five children. His mother died before he was a year old, and he was raised by his aunt and uncle on a farm with no telephone, electricity or running water. [[Page 12778]] He went on to graduate first in his high school class and married his high school sweetheart, Erma, to whom he was devoted throughout their 68 years of marriage until her death in 2006. To support his wife and two daughters in the early years, he worked as a gas station attendant, a grocery store clerk and as a welder in a shipyard during World War II. A naturally gifted speaker, he was elected to the West Virginia House of Delegates in 1946 and to the West Virginia Senate in 1950. He won a seat in Congress in 1952 and his U.S. Senate seat 6 years later. He had such a passion for education that he remains the only American ever to earn a law degree while serving in Congress. President John F. Kennedy presented it to him at American University in 1963. His career in Congress spanned 12 presidents, and he cast more 18,500 votes in the Senate. He was Senate majority leader, chairman of the Appropriations Committee and President pro tempore of the Senate. He fought every day to make life better for the people of West Virginia and for all Americans. I can tell you, Mr. President, coming from the largest State in the Union, we have had our share of problems. We have had floods and fires and droughts and pests. And every single time, after every earthquake or storm or other disaster, Senator Feinstein and I came to our colleagues to say that California needed the help of the U.S. government. Every time we needed assistance, Senator Byrd, as the chairman of the Appropriations Committee, opened his doors and his heart to us, sharing his experiences and helping us in all of these cases when we were so in need. I am sure many of my colleagues can recount similar experiences. He was always there for us. And I remember so well his leadership in trying to bring the troops home from Iraq. Twenty-three of us had stood up and said no to that war, and afterwards, we worried very much about what would happen with our troops in what was shaping up to be a long war with no exit strategy. Opening up his office here in the Capitol, Senator Byrd organized us, saying, ``We need to talk about ways that we can bring this war to an end.'' He cared so much about everything he did here, from working to create opportunity for West Virginians and all Americans to maintaining the traditions and the dignity of the Senate. And for me, just to have been in his presence and to watch him work has really been an amazing experience, and so I am proud to pay tribute to him today. Senator Byrd stayed here through thick and thin, with a cane or a wheelchair, through the sheer force of will, suffering to be in this place that he loved so much and that he respected so much. There isn't a Member on either side of the aisle that didn't respect Senator Byrd for his intelligence, his strength, his extraordinary biography, and his dedication to the people of his State. What a legacy he leaves. It is a great loss for his family, for all of us in the Senate, for the people of his beloved State of West Virginia and for all Americans. I extend my deepest condolences to his family. ____________________