Robert Byrd

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Senator Byrd
Senator Byrd

Robert Carlyle Byrd (born November 20, 1917) is a current dean of the United States Senate. Byrd, a democrat from West Virginia, was elected in 1958 and serving since January 1959. He served as majority leader from 1977 to 1981 and again from 1987 to 1989. He was also minority leader from 1981 to 1987. Byrd was fourth person in the state (as President pro tempore of the Senate, usualy longest serving Senator from majority party) from January 1989 to January 1995, from January 3, 2001 to January 20, 2001 and again from June 2001 to January 2003. After Republicans retook control of the Senate, he became the honorary President "pro tempore emeritus" In 2007, Byrd became President Pro Tempore of the Senate again. Before he was elected to the Senate he served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1953 until 1959 (he is dean of all Congress). He is vocal opponent of President George W. Bush war in Iraq. In January 2006 he was one of the only four (alongside Ben Nelson of Nebraska, Kent Conrad of North Dakota and Ken Salazar of Colorado) democratic Senators, who voted for Samuel Alito.