Senators congratulate Robert C. Byrd on milestone
 |
Senator Robert C. Byrd |
November 18, 2009 ·
The US Senate opened its session this morning by noting West Virginia Senator Robert C. Byrd’s latest record as the longest serving member of Congress in American history.
Byrd was not present but
three senators, including Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) and Mitch McConnell (R-KY),
congratulated him.
“I am delighted to celebrate
such an incredible milestone; I wish him a wonderful birthday, many years of
service and all the happiness in the world,” Rockefeller said.
“But most of all I thank him
for what matters the most to me and that is his profound service to the people
of the state of West
Virginia.”
“In a long life he has known
his share of hardships and triumphs but he has run the race as if to win,”
McConnell said.
“He is still at it and we
are grateful for his astonishing record of service to the people of West Virginia, to the United States Senate and to the nation he
loves.”
Byrd has been a member of
Congress for 20, 774 days, or just more than 56 years.
He beats the record of
former Senator Carl Hayden (D-AZ) who served from 1912 until 1968.
On Friday, Senator Byrd
celebrates his 92nd birthday.