Honoring Byrd For His Service

One of the top priorities of Sen. Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., has been to represent his fellow West Virginians to the best of his ability in Washington. He has done that for more than half a century.

Today Byrd is being recognized for becoming the longest-serving member of Congress in history. He has set a new record of 56 years, 320 days as a member of the House of Representatives and the Senate. To put that in perspective, consider that most Americans living today had not been born when Byrd became a member of Congress in 1953.

Critics of the senator - and there are many - have been upset with him for many years because of his ability to steer federal spending to our state. They sneer frequently at the number of buildings, highways and other public facilities named for Byrd.

But they miss several important points. First is that Byrd is simply better than most of his fellow senators at obtaining federal money. Virtually all of them attempt to direct government funds to their states. Byrd's only sin, in the minds of his detractors, is that he is extremely good at it.

Quite frankly, we like that in the senator. The long list of West Virginia projects funded with federal money includes hundreds of worthwhile initiatives. That is in contrast to the lesser accomplishments of many other representatives and senators, whose pet projects sometimes are of little real value to people in their districts.

Byrd has been much more than a source of help from Washington, however. In representing his fellow West Virginians, he also attempts, often successfully, to influence legislation in a manner that is in keeping with the basic beliefs of most Mountain State residents. In most cases, West Virginia values serve the nation well.

No one else serving on Capitol Hill has such respect for the Senate as an institution and the Constitution as a foundation for our freedoms. That, too, serves the nation well.

Today Byrd marks yet another milestone in his distinguished career. On Friday, he will celebrate his 92nd birthday. On behalf of his fellow West Virginians, then, we wish him a hearty "Happy birthday" - and we extend our thanks for a job still being done very well.

Member Comments

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Thanksbush
11-20-09 1:07 AM »Report Abuse	ellis wyatt, Please read don,t lesson to am radio where you get no faxs. It was comman in the 30's and 40's for people to be in the kkk.Which now called the repubic party..This man has done more for W.V, Then any person in History..And watch how this whole country will Honor this great senator..The senators on both sides will prays this man and prove your a idoit.
EllisWyatt
11-19-09 8:02 PM »Report Abuse	someonesmom No, a "mistake" is when you accidentially add up 2 + 2 and get 5. It is not a "mistake" to voluntarily join a racist hate group, filibuster a Civil Rights Amendment (in the 1960s!), vote against two black Supreme Court nominees, write encouraging letters in support of the KKK-WHILE YOU ARE A US SENATOR, oppose integration of the armed forces and use the "n" word with frequency. KKK Byrd even wrote in his book that he did not change his views on race until his grandson's death in 1983. He realized then (his words) that color did not matter. We are all human beings. So, this man, by his own admission, had been a blatant racist member of Congress for 29 years before he came around? Yeah, right.
beach1
11-19-09 5:53 PM »Report Abuse	who was the old repub that they had a dinner for that also was very aged and tom delay said that he would have made a good president and had to resign for that statement because the news media pounded him for backing a racist senator! double standard,you better believe it and i am getting sick and tired of it,i will keep my bed covered! AND LEAVE MY HEALTH CARE ALONE!
someonesmom
11-19-09 4:22 PM »Report Abuse	Ellis, the main thing is that he STOPPED! He now regrets his actions and has apologized numberous times. Everyone makes mistakes, so stop condemning a man that admits it, apologizes and has moved on.
EllisWyatt
11-18-09 10:34 PM »Report Abuse	Wheeldog KKK Byrd was opposed to integration of the armed forces, wrote letters encouraging the Klan and hobnobbed with Klansmen-AFTER his election to the Senate. KKK Byrd also personally filibustered, for 24 hours, the Civil Rights Act. He voted against both black Supreme Court nominees and he has used the N word on numerous occasions. Do you think a Republican would get a free pass on such racist behavior?
Shark88
11-18-09 8:37 PM »Report Abuse	I sleep with a sheet.
AZVIAOV
11-18-09 8:25 PM »Report Abuse	Wheeldog- I think some of these posters on here still wear the sheet
Wheeldog
11-18-09 6:58 PM »Report Abuse	You might be surprised by how many people were in the KKK back in the 30's and 40's. You may have relatives who once wore the sheet. Many joined because they had friends in the klan and viewed it as a social organization. Some, once they realized the degree of racial hatred and animosity toward minorities, dropped out. It was an ugly time that mostly ended in the mid 1950s and early 60s. Unfortunately, there are still some anchored to that period. Sadder still is the tendency during times of economic difficulties to retreat into ethnic suspicion and hate.
beach1
11-18-09 5:21 PM »Report Abuse	HOW MANY YEARS IN THE KKK?

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