SENATOR ROBERT BYRD—THE KIND OF SENATOR THE FOUNDING FATHERS HAD IN MIND THAN ANY OTHER

From his humble beginnings to the halls of power, Robert Byrd has never forgotten where he came from or where he is going. He is a statesman, a patriot, a defender of the Constitution, a proud son of West Virginia, and one of the most important leaders in America today.

The Senator took office in 1959 when Dwight Eisenhower was President. In the history of the Republic, Byrd has served longer than all but one Member of Congress. In June 2006, Byrd became the longest serving Senator in the history of the Republic and, in November 2006, he was elected to an unprecedented ninth consecutive term in the Senate.

During his tenure, his colleagues have elected him to more leadership positions than any other Senator in history. Throughout his career, Byrd has cast nearly 17,800 roll call votes -- an amazing 98.7 percent attendance record in his nearly five decades of service in the Senate.

In the halls of Congress, Robert C. Byrd is best known for his fierce defense of the Constitution and the institution of the Senate. The Almanac of American Politics says that Byrd "may come closer to the kind of Senator the Founding Fathers had in mind than any other." Senators from both parties have paid tribute to Byrd’s devotion to the Constitution. He endeavors to make sure that the wisdom of the Constitution’s Framers is not forgotten and that the people’s liberties are protected.

In the Senate, Robert Byrd works for the people. Better jobs. Health care that is affordable and close to home. A good future for our children and grandchildren. Each day in the Senate, Robert Byrd is focused on building a brighter future for the country he loves. He never has forgotten the hard life that he had as a boy growing up in the poverty of the Southern West Virginia coalfields. He has always remained true to his faith and his family, while working to build a better future for his state and his country.

When asked how he was elected to the Senate so many times, the good Senator replied, "the people just keep asking me back. I must be doing something right I guess". This is typical down-home Byrd. We the people are certainly lucky to have him for all of these years