SENATE—Wednesday, June 14, 2006
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
11106 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE, Vol. 152, Pt. 8 June 14, 2006 SENATE—Wednesday, June 14, 2006 The Senate met at 9:30 a.m. and was Senator WARNER and Senator LEVIN. I know we have a new group of pages called to order by the President pro Votes on amendments to this bill can who have arrived to serve in our Na- tempore (Mr. STEVENS). be expected to occur throughout the tion’s Capitol here in the U.S. Senate day. in the last few days. As someone who PRAYER Mr. President, I yield the floor. sat on the steps of the Democratic side The Chaplain, Dr. Barry C. Black, of- f back in the early 1960s as a page, I say to the pages, I would strongly urge you fered the following prayer: MORNING BUSINESS Let us pray. to listen to ROBERT C. BYRD. If you The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Under Lord of truth and love, source and want to have truly a great lesson dur- the previous order, there will be a pe- end of our believing and loving, You ing your tenure here as pages, then lis- riod for the transaction of morning alone are worthy of our praise and we ten to the remarkable Senator from business for up to 30 minutes, with the celebrate Your great Name. Thank You West Virginia, and you will learn more first half of the time under the control in the short period of time you are here for the gift of Your dynamic presence of the Democratic leader or his des- in our lives and for the power we re- than almost anything else I could ad- ignee and the second half of the time vise you to do, except to read his two- ceive from knowing You. under the control of the majority lead- Be near our Senators today. Lift volume history of the U.S. Senate, er or his designee. which you may not have time to do them from any discouragement, and Who yields time? give them a sure sense of duty and during your 2 of 3 weeks here as pages. The Senator from Connecticut. Senator BYRD, of course, has had sig- service. Pour fresh energy into them f nificant accomplishments. And I think and use their work to transform dis- of the time when I served as a page, an order into harmony, beauty, and peace. TRIBUTE TO SENATOR ROBERT C. BYRD unpaid page, back many years ago, and Guide them with Your undying love so the giants of the Senate in those days; that the reign of Your kingdom will be- Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I want to certainly people such as Lyndon John- come a reality in our world. take a minute or 2, if I can, to join my son, Mike Mansfield, Richard Russell, We pray in Your holy Name. Amen. other colleagues who over the last sev- Everett Dirksen, Margaret Chase f eral days have paid tribute to our col- Smith, Hubert Humphrey, John Sher- league from West Virginia, my man Cooper, Stuart Symington—and so PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE seatmate, Senator ROBERT BYRD, who, many others who served during those The PRESIDENT pro tempore led the on Monday, celebrated the unique land- years who were truly giants in many Pledge of Allegiance, as follows: mark of serving longer than any other ways. I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the person in the history of this remark- They were Senators in the very full- United States of America, and to the Repub- able institution. est sense of the word. They represented lic for which it stands, one nation under God, I said to Senator BYRD, my colleague an institutional spirit that in many indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. and seatmate, yesterday, his longevity ways is lacking today, and I regret is impressive but his record as a U.S. f that deeply. But it was critical to the Senator is really what excels. While success of our democratic Republic how RESERVATION OF LEADER TIME serving for 47 years in this institution they related one to the other. It is a The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Under is certainly remarkable, what he has spirit of independence and under- the previous order, the leadership time done during those 47 years is what is standing that all Senators are equal in is reserved. truly remarkable. His contribution to this body, regardless of the positions the public discourse and debate of our f they hold in the institution. All 100 of country throughout that time has been us are equal Members representing our RECOGNITION OF THE ACTING truly exemplary. respective States and constituencies. It MAJORITY LEADER I noted the other day, in fact, that is a spirit that allows us to debate— when Senator BYRD was first elected to sometimes very vigorously—our dif- The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The the House, there was a wonderful pic- acting majority leader is recognized. ferences, while still obliging us to seek ture taken that appeared with Senator common ground for the common good f BYRD and several other Members of of our country. newly minted Congressmen who had SCHEDULE ROBERT BYRD certainly epitomizes been elected in 1952 at the White House that spirit—a vigorous debater but also Mr. MCCONNELL. Mr. President, with Dwight Eisenhower. In that group someone who recognizes it is vitally today we will have a period of morning of pictures was also a newly minted important to reach common goals for business with the first 15 minutes Congressman from Connecticut by the the common good. It is a spirit that re- under the control of the minority and name of Thomas Dodd, my father. fuses to submit to the encroachments the final 15 minutes under the control Senator BYRD and my father were of any other institution or office in the of the majority. Following morning elected to the House together in 1952, land, including that of the Executive. business, we will resume consideration and came to this body together in 1958. I cannot count the times that ROB- of the emergency supplemental appro- So during these many years of public ERT C. BYRD would correct someone priations conference report. Under the service, ROBERT C. BYRD has had to who said: I served under a President time agreement that was reached yes- serve with two Dodds in the U.S. Con- here. I served under seven Presidents. terday, we have a little over an hour gress, my father and myself. I sit next ROBERT BYRD will quickly tell you: and a half of debate this morning. The to Senator BYRD by choice. I have been You do not serve under any President. vote on the adoption of the conference his seatmate for almost 15 or 16 years You serve with Presidents. You are a report is set for tomorrow at 10 a.m. now, and do so because I have enjoyed Member of a coequal branch of the U.S. Today we will continue work on the his company, his wisdom, and listening Government as embodied in the Con- Department of Defense authorization to his contributions to the debate and stitution of the United States. bill. Senators who have amendments his knowledge of the Senate and its And how right he is. As Senators un- should consult with the bill managers, procedures. derstand, ROBERT BYRD understands ● This ‘‘bullet’’ symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by a Member of the Senate on the floor. VerDate Sep 11 2014 09:37 Mar 24, 2017 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 0686 Sfmt 0634 E:\FDSYS\BOUNDRECORD\BR14JN06.DAT BR14JN06 ejoyner on DSK30MW082PROD with CONG-REC-ONLINE June 14, 2006 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE, Vol. 152, Pt. 8 11107 implicitly that the Senate is a coequal, she is watching, with a great big smile, ate when I first came to this body in powerful branch of Government, that as she celebrates with all of us the dis- 1984. our Founders wanted it to be of equal tinction that our colleague from West So I join with my colleagues from weight in the deliberations of our coun- Virginia has achieved this last Mon- both sides of the aisle in saluting our try. day—47 years in the U.S. Senate. friend. Senator BYRD is the longest- I carry with me a copy of the U.S. Mr. President, I yield the floor. serving Member of this body. But there Constitution. I have had this for many, Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, the dis- are still many chapters yet to be writ- many years, and it was given to me by tinguished senior Senator from West ten in the career of this great Senator. my seatmate, ROBERT C. BYRD. It is Virginia, our friend ROBERT BYRD, has As the late Senator Paul Wellstone getting rather worn, but his inscription achieved yet another historic mile- used to say, ‘‘The future belongs to inside is something I will cherish for stone. He is now the longest-serving those with passion.’’ By that standard, the rest of my days and life—that I Senator in the history of the Senate. Senator BYRD is very much a man of carry a copy of the Constitution given But what is most remarkable about the future. to me by this person who cherishes and Senator BYRD is not his longevity, but I say to my friend, it has been an loves the Constitution as much as ROB- his unique stature and accomplishment honor to serve with him. ERT C. BYRD does.