Sen. Robert Byrd dead at 92

West Virginia Sen. Robert Byrd, the longest-serving member of Congress, has died. He was 92.

Source CNN / NY Times

Robert C. Byrd, who used his record tenure as a United States senator to fight for the primacy of the legislative branch of government and to build a modern West Virginia with vast amounts of federal money, died early on Monday. He was 92.

He had been in failing health for several years.

Mr. Byrd served 51 years in the Senate, longer than anyone in American history, and with his six years in the House, he was the longest-serving member of Congress. He held a number of Senate offices, including majority and minority leader and president pro tem.