Byrd to Become Longest-Serving Member of Congress
EmailCongratulations to the Senate's living legend, Robert Byrd. ABC News' Z. Byron Wolf has more: At midnight, Sen. Robert Byrd of West Virginia will have no more records left to break. He is wheelchair-bound and has spent long periods over the past two years in the hospital. But at midnight, the Democratic senator will tie the record of Sen. Carl Hayden as the longest-serving member of Congress ever at 56 years and 319 days. Byrd is already the longest-serving member of the Senate- he took that crown three years and 7 months ago from Sen. Strom Thurmond. But today he will tie Hayden’s record for combined House and Senate service. Byrd served in the House from 1953 through 1959. Hayden spent 42 years in the Senate from 1927 through 1969, and 15 in the House from 1912 until 1927. We’ll keep an eye out for Byrd on the floor today in case senators give him a harrumph. We last saw the senior senator speak on the Senate floor on Oct. 27 at 2:20pm. Regardless of this latest milestone, Byrd will have to stay fit to protect his new record from the young bucks at his heels. Sen. Daniel Inouye, who took over for Byrd as Chairman of the Appropriations Committee earlier this year, recently surpassed Sen. Edward Kennedy, who died in August, as the third longest-serving Senator ever. He’ll overtake Thurmond as the second longest-serving senator next year. In the House of Representatives, Rep. John Dingell, rings in with 53 years and 339 days of service. This year, Dingell became the longest serving House member.
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Where’s the mention of his membership into the KKK?
Posted by: Rob | November 17, 2009, 12:07 pm 12:07 pm
Perfect reason for TERM LIMITS!
Posted by: DrGrant1 | November 17, 2009, 12:11 pm 12:11 pm
It’s a great milestone for him. Having said that, I don’t think these people shouldn’t make careers by being gov’t representatives and term limits should be set. It’s one of the reasons why we are in the shape we are in. Same old tired theories, logic and politics. New blood should be allowed to avoid the same people making laws for years and years based on their reasoning.
Posted by: zee | November 17, 2009, 12:14 pm 12:14 pm
I think that is about 50 yrs to long for him .TERM LIMITS!!
Posted by: Darla | November 17, 2009, 12:39 pm 12:39 pm
We already have Term Limits. They are called “Elections”.
Posted by: pt | November 17, 2009, 2:25 pm 2:25 pm
Robert Byrd went to school with Methuselah.
Posted by: Doppelganger | November 17, 2009, 2:31 pm 2:31 pm
As long as corporations and special interests rule there are no term limits. This is a disgrace.
Posted by: Kurt | November 17, 2009, 3:53 pm 3:53 pm
Two words–Term Limits! No one should be congratulated for sucking the taxpayers dry for that many years. His service to the country is only a testament to the lack of good education in West Virginia. I’m sure that’s something Sen. Byrd is unwilling to take credit. On the other hand, this says good things about the healthcare we’ve all been paying for for Senators and Congressmen. We should really stop that as soon as possible.
Posted by: NewJerseyVet | November 17, 2009, 4:54 pm 4:54 pm
democrate or republican that is to long. we need term limits. These rhinos do not know how to change. They only know lobbyist and donations and see nothing else that serves us. Gald you raped the system and spent billions on junk.
Posted by: Jim Rod | November 17, 2009, 4:54 pm 4:54 pm
I wonder how much he is costing us tax payers in health care….too bad the Obamacare is not going to be applied to members and former members of congress.
Posted by: rukidding 55 | November 17, 2009, 5:30 pm 5:30 pm
Continuing to inhale is not an entitlement to office. But I am glad he escaped the coal mines. They really have enforceable term limits.
Posted by: Chandra Yaan | November 17, 2009, 6:36 pm 6:36 pm
Congrats Senator Byrd! An achievement for sure. To have survived that many elections with the continued good will of his constituents is to be lauded. Those ranting about term limits should learn to vote.
Posted by: SFRussel1963 | November 17, 2009, 6:58 pm 6:58 pm
Byrd to Become Longest Self-Serving Member of Congress
Posted by: hamishdad | November 17, 2009, 7:47 pm 7:47 pm
ROBERT BYRD GOT ELECTED be cause he was endoresed by the KKK ,HEsay he used them for his own personal ambition he say he wasn’t a racist i have to take him as his word his time drawn neat the end for him GOD WILL JUDGE HIM,i meant to say JESUS, I AM GLAD thatis not my job.
Posted by: marvinknight | November 17, 2009, 8:12 pm 8:12 pm
1) I hope they re-release Byrd’s bluegrass album. It really was quite good.
2) West Virginia should rename the state “Byrd” in his honor. Most things there are already named after him and W.Va should take notice of how other entities, like schools, are changing their “compass” names because they say it diminishing their state in the eyes of recruits.
3) People elect him and he represents them well. Term limits are elections. The people like him and he brings home the bacon- that is the way the system works. What is wrong with the system is that the Federal government has too much power&money so the corruption happens.
Posted by: Ed | November 17, 2009, 9:03 pm 9:03 pm
He should be the longest NON contributing member of the club!
Posted by: CC | November 18, 2009, 1:14 am 1:14 am
Congratulation to Senator Byrd. Term limits for members of Congress aren’t in the Constitution. It would take an amendment to the Constitution to do that. I suspect that 2/3 of both houses of Congress will never vote to approve a joint resolution for such an amendment nor will 2/3 of state legislatures vote to call for a Constitutional Convention for such an amendment. Members of Congress are elected by their constituents to represent their constituents with respect to Congressional issues. If they do that well, then they will likely be re-elected. He obviously represented his constitutents very well.
Posted by: DJ | November 18, 2009, 6:45 am 6:45 am
Just goes to show that all the special interest needs is a body in the government to do it’s bidding. Has anyone recently seen him perform his duties? Everything he does is scripted.
Posted by: TX_MBell | November 18, 2009, 5:48 pm 5:48 pm
It would appear these right wing professed christian patriots were absent the day the sermon about “let he who is without sin cast the first stone” was given. Yes, Sen. Byrd was at one time a member of the KKK and I, as any one who grew up in southern West Virginia did, knew it. However, when I think of Sen. Byrd I remember the faces of hundreds of miners who suffered horribly from black lung and were unable to get any assistance until someone would write a letter to Sen. Byrd’s office and then the red tape would be cut. I remember the roads, bridges, emergency services equipment, parks, jobs, and many, many other things that he brought to all of his fellow West Virginians white and black. I am not related to Sen. Byrd but I like most West Virginians think of him as a beloved grandfather. I have little doubt that the just God I know who will judge each of us will smile upon his lamb Robert C. Byrd. I wonder what he will have to say about the rest of these right wing goats.
Posted by: Proud of WV | November 22, 2009, 2:31 am 2:31 am