Byrd Honored After Record 12,134th Vote
Sen. Robert C. Byrd (D-W.Va.) was honored Friday for casting more votes than anyone in Senate history.
Byrd’s vote on an amendment to a $3.4-billion supplemental spending bill was No. 12,134. He cast his first vote on Jan. 7, 1959.
“Sen. Byrd has maintained a voting attendance record of 98.4% during his Senate service,” Senate Majority Leader George J. Mitchell (D-Me.) said in a tribute.
The previous record was held by former Sen. William Proxmire (D-Wis.), who cast 12,133 votes during his 31 years in the Senate.
“He has made a remarkable record in the Senate,” said Sen. Strom Thurmond (R-S.C.). “He is one of the ablest parliamentarians who has ever served . . . throughout the history of the Senate.”
Byrd, 72, responded to the tribute by saying: “Records are made to be broken, and this record will be broken in time.”
Byrd went back to business after the tribute, delivering a speech criticizing the Bush Administration for not finding Japan in violation of trade agreements.
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