E PL UR UM IB N U U S Congressional Record United States th of America PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 109 CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION Vol. 152 WASHINGTON, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 14, 2006 No. 76 Senate The Senate met at 9:30 a.m. and was under the control of the minority and serving for 47 years in this institution called to order by the President pro the final 15 minutes under the control is certainly remarkable, what he has tempore (Mr. STEVENS). of the majority. Following morning done during those 47 years is what is business, we will resume consideration truly remarkable. His contribution to PRAYER of the emergency supplemental appro- the public discourse and debate of our The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- priations conference report. Under the country throughout that time has been fered the following prayer: time agreement that was reached yes- truly exemplary. Let us pray. terday, we have a little over an hour I noted the other day, in fact, that Lord of truth and love, source and and a half of debate this morning. The when Senator BYRD was first elected to end of our believing and loving, You vote on the adoption of the conference the House, there was a wonderful pic- alone are worthy of our praise and we report is set for tomorrow at 10 a.m. ture taken that appeared with Senator celebrate Your great Name. Thank You Today we will continue work on the BYRD and several other Members of for the gift of Your dynamic presence Department of Defense authorization newly minted Congressmen who had in our lives and for the power we re- bill. Senators who have amendments been elected in 1952 at the White House ceive from knowing You. should consult with the bill managers, with Dwight Eisenhower. In that group Be near our Senators today. Lift Senator WARNER and Senator LEVIN. of pictures was also a newly minted them from any discouragement, and Votes on amendments to this bill can Congressman from Connecticut by the give them a sure sense of duty and be expected to occur throughout the name of Thomas Dodd, my father. service. Pour fresh energy into them day. Senator BYRD and my father were and use their work to transform dis- Mr. President, I yield the floor. elected to the House together in 1952, order into harmony, beauty, and peace. f and came to this body together in 1958. So during these many years of public Guide them with Your undying love so MORNING BUSINESS that the reign of Your kingdom will be- service, ROBERT C. BYRD has had to come a reality in our world. The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Under serve with two Dodds in the U.S. Con- We pray in Your holy Name. Amen. the previous order, there will be a pe- gress, my father and myself. I sit next riod for the transaction of morning to Senator BYRD by choice. I have been f business for up to 30 minutes, with the his seatmate for almost 15 or 16 years PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE first half of the time under the control now, and do so because I have enjoyed The PRESIDENT pro tempore led the of the Democratic leader or his des- his company, his wisdom, and listening Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: ignee and the second half of the time to his contributions to the debate and I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the under the control of the majority lead- his knowledge of the Senate and its United States of America, and to the Repub- er or his designee. procedures. lic for which it stands, one nation under God, Who yields time? I know we have a new group of pages indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. The Senator from Connecticut. who have arrived to serve in our Na- f f tion’s Capitol here in the U.S. Senate in the last few days. As someone who RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME TRIBUTE TO SENATOR ROBERT C. sat on the steps of the Democratic side The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Under BYRD back in the early 1960s as a page, I say the previous order, the leadership time Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I want to to the pages, I would strongly urge you is reserved. take a minute or 2, if I can, to join my to listen to ROBERT C. BYRD. If you f other colleagues who over the last sev- want to have truly a great lesson dur- eral days have paid tribute to our col- ing your tenure here as pages, then lis- RECOGNITION OF THE ACTING league from West Virginia, my ten to the remarkable Senator from MAJORITY LEADER seatmate, Senator ROBERT BYRD, who, West Virginia, and you will learn more The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The on Monday, celebrated the unique land- in the short period of time you are here acting majority leader is recognized. mark of serving longer than any other than almost anything else I could ad- f person in the history of this remark- vise you to do, except to read his two- able institution. volume history of the U.S. Senate, SCHEDULE I said to Senator BYRD, my colleague which you may not have time to do Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, and seatmate, yesterday, his longevity during your 2 of 3 weeks here as pages. today we will have a period of morning is impressive but his record as a U.S. Senator BYRD, of course, has had sig- business with the first 15 minutes Senator is really what excels. While nificant accomplishments. And I think ∑ This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. S5821 . VerDate Mar 15 2010 23:46 Feb 05, 2014 Jkt 081600 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4624 Sfmt 0634 E:\2006SENATE\S14JN6.REC S14JN6 mmaher on DSKCGSP4G1 with SOCIALSECURITY S5822 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE June 14, 2006 of the time when I served as a page, an the delicate system of checks and bal- branch. As the Almanac of Americans unpaid page, back many years ago, and ances conceived by the Founders of our says in its profile of Senator BYRD, and the giants of the Senate in those days; great Republic. That work is typified I quote, he ‘‘may come closer to the certainly people such as Lyndon John- by his opposition to the line-item veto kind of Senator that the Founding Fa- son, Mike Mansfield, Richard Russell, and his insistence on preserving the thers had in mind than any other.’’ By Everett Dirksen, Margaret Chase prerogatives of this institution in rela- the way, if anyone here on the Senate Smith, Hubert Humphrey, John Sher- tion to the other branches of Govern- floor needs to look something up in the man Cooper, Stuart Symington—and so ment. Constitution, we know where to turn; many others who served during those But more than that, he has also Senator BYRD always carries a copy in years who were truly giants in many helped to bring good jobs, better his left breast pocket, directly over his ways. schools, and decent health care not heart. They were Senators in the very full- only to the constituents of West Vir- I have always had a special affinity est sense of the word. They represented ginia but also to millions of people for Senator BYRD, because we are both an institutional spirit that in many across this country because of his lead- the sons of coal miners, both raised in ways is lacking today, and I regret ership. humble circumstances. Reading about that deeply. But it was critical to the He has never forgotten the good, the Senator’s early years, lifting him- success of our democratic Republic how hard-working people who sent him here self out of poverty as a welder and they related one to the other. It is a from his beloved West Virginia or why meat cutter before running for the spirit of independence and under- they did so; that is, to make our Na- West Virginia Legislature in 1946, I am standing that all Senators are equal in tion a stronger, more prosperous, and reminded of Thomas Edison’s remark this body, regardless of the positions more hopeful Nation for all of its citi- that ‘‘opportunity is missed by most they hold in the institution. All 100 of zens. people because it is dressed in overalls us are equal Members representing our Senator BYRD has had the courage and looks like work.’’ Well, ROBERT respective States and constituencies. It and strength of character to admit past BYRD made his own opportunities with is a spirit that allows us to debate— errors—something that too few of us do relentless work, self-education, and sometimes very vigorously—our dif- in this Chamber—and to seek genuine striving. And that incredible work ferences, while still obliging us to seek understanding for the good of our coun- ethic continues right up to this day. common ground for the common good try. One product of that work ethic, and of our country. In his history of the U.S. Senate, of Senator BYRD’s always impressive ROBERT BYRD certainly epitomizes Senator BYRD has written that: erudition, is his two-volume history of that spirit—a vigorous debater but also After 200 years, the Senate is still the an- this body. It is recognized as the defini- someone who recognizes it is vitally chor of the Republic, is still the morning and tive history of the Senate during its important to reach common goals for evening star in the American constitutional first 200 years, and widely praised for the common good.