Democratic Sen. Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia the longest-serving congressional lawmaker in U.S. history died early Monday morning. at age 92. He died at approximately 3 a.m. at Inova Fairfax Hospital.
Byrds office reported Sunday afternoon Sen. Byrd had been hospitalized and was seriously ill." Byrd had been in failing health for over a year. He was hospitalized on several occasions in 2008 and lately on May 15 to June 30 2009. He had cast his votes on the Senate floor from a wheelchair.
On Nov. 18 2009 Byrd combined House-Senate supassed longevity record of Arizona Democrat Carl Hayden an Arizona Democrat (House 1912-27; Senate 1927-69) by serving 20774 days in office. He spent most of his life more than 50 years in the Senate. He is the only senator ever elected to nine full terms.
Byrds death could have an impact on the Senate agenda. Democratic leaders in the chamber had hoped to bring a conference report on an overhaul of financial industry regulations (HR 4173) to the floor this week but Byrds death could delay that.
His passing will leave Democrats with a 58-member majority in the Senate two votes shy of the 60 needed to cut off any Republicans attempts to block the landmark legislation. Democrats were hopeful of drawing the support of a handful of GOP senators for the legislation.
Byrd entered Congress as a member of the House of Representatives on Jan. 3 1953 Harry S. Truman was president and many of Byrds current Senate colleagues had not been born.
No senator has ever had more leadership posts. Byrd served as majority leader and minority leader as majority whip and Democratic Conference secretary. Byrd was the Senates president pro tempore at the time of his death third in the line of succession to the presidency after the vice president and the Speaker of the House.
Byrd is also the author of a four-volume history The Senate: 1789-1989."
Democratic Sen. Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia the longest-serving congressional lawmaker in U.S. history died early Monday morning. at age 92. He died at approximately 3 a.m. at Inova Fairfax Hospital.
Byrds office reported Sunday afternoon Sen. Byrd had been hospitalized and was seriously ill." Byrd had been in failing health for over a year. He was hospitalized on several occasions in 2008 and lately on May 15 to June 30 2009. He had cast his votes on the Senate floor from a wheelchair.
On Nov. 18 2009 Byrd combined House-Senate supassed longevity record of Arizona Democrat Carl Hayden an Arizona Democrat (House 1912-27; Senate 1927-69) by serving 20774 days in office. He spent most of his life more than 50 years in the Senate. He is the only senator ever elected to nine full terms.
Byrds death could have an impact on the Senate agenda. Democratic leaders in the chamber had hoped to bring a conference report on an overhaul of financial industry regulations (HR 4173) to the floor this week but Byrds death could delay that.
His passing will leave Democrats with a 58-member majority in the Senate two votes shy of the 60 needed to cut off any Republicans attempts to block the landmark legislation. Democrats were hopeful of drawing the support of a handful of GOP senators for the legislation.
Byrd entered Congress as a member of the House of Representatives on Jan. 3 1953 Harry S. Truman was president and many of Byrds current Senate colleagues had not been born.
No senator has ever had more leadership posts. Byrd served as majority leader and minority leader as majority whip and Democratic Conference secretary. Byrd was the Senates president pro tempore at the time of his death third in the line of succession to the presidency after the vice president and the Speaker of the House.
Byrd is also the author of a four-volume history The Senate: 1789-1989."
