Robert Byrd

Robert Carlyle Byrd (born November 20, 1917) is a West Virginia Democrat serving in the United States Senate. As of 2005, he is the longest-serving current member of the U.S. Congress, having served in the United States House of Representatives from January 3, 1953, until he entered the Senate on January 3, 1959; current Dean of the House John Dingell has served only since December 1955. If Byrd serves until June 2006, he will surpass Strom Thurmond as the longest-serving member of the U.S. Senate. At 87, Byrd is the oldest member of Congress. Some like to call Byrd a "walking encyclopedia" on the history of both the American and Roman senates.

Related Topics:
November 20 - 1917 - West Virginia - Democrat - United States Senate - 2005 - U.S. Congress - United States House of Representatives - January 3 - 1953 - 1959 - Dean of the House - John Dingell - December - 1955 - 2006 - Strom Thurmond - Longest-serving member of the U.S. Senate - Roman senate

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As the longest-serving Democrat in the Senate, Byrd was president pro tempore of the Senate from 1989 until the Republicans won control of the Senate in 1995. After the Democrats managed to forge a tie in the Senate in the 2000 elections, Byrd was president pro tem again briefly in 2001, when outgoing Vice President Al Gore's tiebreaking vote temporarily gave the Democrats a majority. He stepped down when George W. Bush took office as president, as Vice President Dick Cheney's tiebreaking vote gave the Republicans a majority. He served as president pro tem again from 2001 to 2003. He has served as a member of the Appropriations Committee since his first Senate term, and chaired the committee while serving as president pro tem. He is currently the ranking Democrat on the committee.

Related Topics:
President pro tempore of the Senate - 1989 - Republicans - 1995 - 2000 - 2001 - Vice President - Al Gore - George W. Bush - President - Dick Cheney - 2003 - Appropriations Committee

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Byrd is currently serving his eighth six-year term in the Senate, which ends in January 2007. At that time, he will pass Strom Thurmond of South Carolina as the longest-serving senator in American history. He already holds the record for the longest unbroken tenure in the Senate (Thurmond served 48 years, but stepped down from April to November 1956). He is running for a ninth term in 2006; should he win reelection and continue to serve through 2011, he will pass Carl Hayden of Arizona as the longest-serving member of both houses of Congress. Hayden served 57 years in Congress (in the House from 1912-27 and the Senate from 1927-69); upon completion of another term, Byrd will have served 60 years.

Related Topics:
January - 2007 - Strom Thurmond - South Carolina - April - November - 1956 - 2006 - 2011 - Carl Hayden - Arizona - 1912 - 27 - 69

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