WASHINGTON, D.C. — If he had lived, the late U.S. Senator Robert C. Byrd (D-W.Va.) would have turned 97 on Thursday.
Byrd, who was born Cornelius Calvin Sale, Jr. on Nov. 20, 1917 in North Carolina, died on June 28, 2010 at the age of 92. At that time, he was the longest-serving U.S. Senator and the longest-serving member in the history of the U.S. Congress.
U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), who was elected to Byrd’s U.S. Senate seat, released the following statement to mark Byrd’s birthday:
“On November 20, 1917, one of the greatest Americans to grace the hills of West Virginia and the halls of United States Senate, Robert C. Byrd, was born. From his humble beginnings as a child of the Appalachian coalfields to his rise as one of the most influential voices in Congress, Senator Byrd led a distinguished life that has inspired so many, including myself.”
Manchin continued, “He was a proud defender of the Constitution, a determined fighter for the Mountain State and a dedicated husband and father, and his contributions to our state and nation are unparalleled.”
Byrd was first elected to the U.S. Senate in 1958 after serving six years in the U.S. House of Representatives.
“I know that his life and his legacy will continue to inspire West Virginians and Americans for generations to come, and every day that I walk down the halls of the United States Senate, I do my best to follow in his footsteps,” Manchin said.