Senator's attendance at 59 percent for session, the lowest of any member
by Sara Gavin
Daily Mail Capitol Reporter
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- As members of the U.S. Senate race against the clock to pass historic health care legislation in time for Christmas, Sen. Robert Byrd has been there to cast his critical vote on the controversial issue.
Byrd's staff members say the 92-year-old senator plans to see the measure through until the bitter end.
A final vote on the Senate version of the health care bill is scheduled to take place as early as Thursday morning.
Democrats are striving to make sure every single member of their party participates in the health care votes. The 40 Republicans are unified in their opposition to the health care bill, and Democrats have had trouble corralling all 60 votes needed to fend off procedural delays.
But throughout this first year of the current congressional session, Byrd's participation on the Senate floor has been noticeably sparse as compared to years past.
Statistics provided by a washingtonpost.com database show Byrd has cast a total of 229 votes this year and missed 159. His attendance currently stands at 59 percent for the session, the lowest among current Senate members.
"Obviously it's of concern," said political analyst Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics.
"You only have two senators, and you want them there for as many votes as possible. But it's also true that the party leadership is bringing Byrd in for the critical votes, the votes where he makes a difference."
Byrd's office declined to comment on whether Democratic Party leaders are indicating when they need for the senator to weigh in.
During the month of December, Byrd has cast 15 votes and missed 20. He voted along party lines in each of those 15 instances, and the vast majority of the decisions were close contests.
In recent years Byrd has logged a strong attendance record in the Senate. Between 2007 and 2009, he missed a total of 65 votes, showing up more than 90 percent of the time. Between 2005 and 2007, he missed just 17 votes, with an attendance record of 97.4 percent.
Sabato says most senators try to maintain voting attendance records above 90 percent.
"But I'm guessing if a poll were taken, most West Virginians would still take Byrd at 59 percent rather than a freshman senator at 90 percent," he said. "Robert Byrd has been number one in bringing home the bacon."
It's no secret that Byrd, the longest-serving member of either house of Congress in the nation's history, has struggled with illness and injuries over the past year. He was hospitalized in the late spring and summer due to a string of infections that kept him out of commission for several months.
The Associated Press
Sen. Robert Byrd is wheeled from the Senate after a series of votes on Capitol Hill in Washington on Tuesday.
It's no secret that Byrd, the longest-serving member of either house of Congress in the nation's history, has struggled with illness and injuries over the past year. He was hospitalized in the late spring and summer due to a string of infections that kept him out of commission for several months.
In September, the senator needed time to recuperate after a fall at his home, again causing him to miss dozens of votes during the healing process.
Sen. Jay Rockefeller currently has the second lowest voting attendance record at 85 percent, according to washingtonpost.com. Rockefeller also struggled with injuries earlier this year and underwent knee surgery in April.
Byrd communications director Jesse Jacobs reported earlier this week that the senator is in "fine" health and planning to spend the impending holidays with his family and his dog, Trouble, once the health care votes are finished.
Sabato says it's clear that as he ages, Byrd isn't enjoying the same level of influence he once held among his colleagues.
"He clearly has a diminished role simply because he doesn't have the energy level to be there all the time, and a lot of the Senate's work is done behind the scenes," said Sabato. "I'm sure they all wish, as he does, that he were 30 years younger, but he's not."
However, Sabato believes most West Virginians are willing to put up with Byrd's spotty attendance and doesn't expect to see the nonagenarian step down from his post anytime soon.
"He has mental faculties sufficient to continue. That's obvious when you watch him on the floor. If his mental faculties were dim, that would be a different story."
Contact writer Sara Gavin at sara.ga...@dailymail.com or 304-348-5148.
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Source:http://www.dailymail.com/News/200912220658?page=1&build=cache
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