Mr. Byrd. Mr. President, the distinguished Senate leaders have called attention to the fact this is the last day on which the Republican Secretary Elizabeth Letchworth will work with us in this Chamber. Thus ends the extraordinary career of an extraordinary Senate staff person.

Elizabeth originally came to the Senate as a page. She stayed for 26 years. That is almost as long as Robinson Crusoe was on that island. He was on that island 28 years, 2 months and 19 days, so Elizabeth has almost equaled that.  Her diligent, dedicated work, and her loyalty to the Senate led to her eventual rise to Republican Secretary, the first women, the only women, to serve in that capacity.

Ms. Letchworth has worked for or with six different Senate Majority Leaders, including myself. Therefore, I am speaking from personal experience when I say she made life and work easier and more enjoyable for all of us. Through the years, I came not only to respect Elizabeth's work, but also to admire her as a person. She always provided an oasis of calm n the middle of the many storms that brewed about her on the Senate floor. She was friendly and courteous. She worked on the Republican side, but she was always straightforward with me, always accurate. Not once did she ever mislead me, but she always was willing to be so helpful.

Hers were the qualities so important to Members on both sides of the aisle because those qualities engender that precious commodity, and it is the most precious commodity in this Chamber, a most precious commodity if the Senate is to work its will. It is a commodity called trust. The Members on the Democratic side of the aisle developed such a high regard for Elizabeth that when we learned she was leaving, the Democratic Conference passed a resolution commending her for her extraordinary work and her illustrious career.

Elizabeth's work here in the Senate will be remembered. I hope she will come back and see us. She has served the Senate well and in serving the Senate well, she served her country well. I wish the best for Elizabeth Letchworth and her husband Ron as they embark upon a new phase of their lives. I doubt that our paths will ever cross in that new phase because I do not play golf. I do not have much time for it, but I hope this new phase in her life will be enjoyable. I trust she will remember us as fondly as we will certainly remember her.

May God Bless you, Elizabeth,