Editing Robert Byrd (section)

=== Richard Nixon era ===
In April 1970, the [[United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary|Senate Judiciary Committee]] approved a plan to replace the [[United States Electoral College]] with direct elections of presidents. Byrd initially opposed direct elections on the key vote and was one of two senators to switch votes in favor of the proposal during later votes.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1970/04/24/archives/senate-unit-asks-popular-election-of-the-president-amendment-to.html|title=Senate Unit Asks Popular Election of the President|date=April 24, 1970|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=September 14, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180816235805/https://www.nytimes.com/1970/04/24/archives/senate-unit-asks-popular-election-of-the-president-amendment-to.html|archive-date=August 16, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

In April 1970, as the [[United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary|Senate Judiciary Committee]] delayed a vote on Supreme Court nominee [[Harry Blackmun]], Byrd stated that "no nomination should be voted on within 24 hours after the hearing" after the previous two Supreme Court nominees had delays and was one of the 17 committee members who went on record of assuring Blackmun's nomination would be reported favorably to the full Senate.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1970/05/01/archives/senators-put-off-vote-on-blackmun-decision-by-judiciary-panel.html|title=Senators Put Off Vote on Blackmun|date=May 1, 1970|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=September 14, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180914204906/https://www.nytimes.com/1970/05/01/archives/senators-put-off-vote-on-blackmun-decision-by-judiciary-panel.html|archive-date=September 14, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

In October 1970, Byrd sponsored an amendment protecting [[Member of Congress|members of Congress]] and those elected that have not yet assumed office. Byrd mentioned the 88 political assassinations in the United States and said state law was not adequate to handle the increase in political violence.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1970/10/09/archives/rush-of-crime-bills-voted-by-senate-in-night-session-anticrime.html|title=Rush of Crime Bills Voted By Senate in Night Session|first=Marjorie|last=Hunter|newspaper=The New York Times|date=October 9, 1970 |access-date=September 14, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180915001749/https://www.nytimes.com/1970/10/09/archives/rush-of-crime-bills-voted-by-senate-in-night-session-anticrime.html|archive-date=September 15, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

In February 1971, after [[Fred R. Harris]] and [[Charles Mathias]] requested the [[United States Senate Committee on Rules and Administration|Senate Rules Committee]] change the rules to permit selection of committee chairmen on a basis aside from seniority, Byrd indicated through his line of questioning that he saw considerable value in the seniority system.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1971/02/13/archives/harris-and-mathias-ask-seniority-curb.html|title=Harris and Mathis Ask Seniority Curb|date=February 13, 1971|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=September 18, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180919030423/https://www.nytimes.com/1971/02/13/archives/harris-and-mathias-ask-seniority-curb.html|archive-date=September 19, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

In April 1971, after Representative [[Hale Boggs]] stated that he had been tapped by the [[Federal Bureau of Investigation]] and called on FBI Director [[J. Edgar Hoover]] to resign, Byrd opined that Boggs' imagination was involved and called on him to reveal any possible "good, substantial, bona fide evidence".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1971/04/08/archives/kleindienst-assails-boggs-invites-inquiry-into-fbi-us-aide-assails.html|title=Kleindienst Assails Boggs; Invites Inquiry Into F.B.I.|date=April 8, 1971|newspaper=The New York Times}}</ref>

In April 1971, Byrd met with President Nixon, [[Hugh Scott]], and [[Robert P. Griffin]] for a briefing that after which Byrd, Scott, and Griffin asserted they had been told by Nixon of his intent to withdraw American forces from [[Indochina]] by a specific date. White House Press Secretary [[Ronald L. Ziegler]] disputed their claims by stating that the three had not been told anything by Nixon he had not mentioned in his speech the same day as the meeting.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1971/04/09/archives/3-senators-aver-nixon-said-he-had-pullout-deadline-but-white-house.html|title=3 Senators Aver Nixon Said He Had Pullout Deadline|date=April 9, 1971|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=September 14, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180915001955/https://www.nytimes.com/1971/04/09/archives/3-senators-aver-nixon-said-he-had-pullout-deadline-but-white-house.html|archive-date=September 15, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

In April 1971, [[Jacob Javits]], Fred R. Harris, and [[Charles H. Percy]] circulated letters to their fellow senators in an attempt to gain cosponsors for a resolution to appoint the Senate's first girl pages. Byrd maintained that the Senate was ill-equipped for girl pages and was among those that cited the long hours of work, the carrying of sometimes heavy documents and the [[Crime in Washington, D.C.|high crime rate in the Capitol area]] as among the reasons against it.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1971/04/11/archives/3-senators-press-girlpage-drive-resolution-barring-denial-of-job.html|title=3 SENATORS PRESS GIRL-PAGE DRIVE|date=April 11, 1971|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=September 18, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180919030357/https://www.nytimes.com/1971/04/11/archives/3-senators-press-girlpage-drive-resolution-barring-denial-of-job.html|archive-date=September 19, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

In September 1971, Representative [[Richard H. Poff]] was under consideration by President Nixon for a Supreme Court nomination, Byrd warning Poff that his nomination could be met with opposition by liberal senators and see a filibuster emerge. Within hours, Poff announced his declining of the nomination.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1971/10/06/archives/senator-warned-poff-of-a-floor-battle.html|title=Senator Warned Poff of a Floor Battle|date=October 6, 1971|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=August 13, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180813212040/https://www.nytimes.com/1971/10/06/archives/senator-warned-poff-of-a-floor-battle.html|archive-date=August 13, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

In April 1972, Senate Majority Leader Mansfield announced that he had authorized Byrd to present an amendment to the Senate for a fixed deadline for total troop withdrawal that the Nixon administration would be obligated to meet and that the measure would serve as an amendment to the State Department‐United States Information Agency authorization bill.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1972/04/16/archives/new-senate-war-debate-seen-on-mansfield-pullout-measure.html|title=New Senate War Debate Seen On Mansfield Pullout Measure|date=April 16, 1972|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=September 16, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180917034322/https://www.nytimes.com/1972/04/16/archives/new-senate-war-debate-seen-on-mansfield-pullout-measure.html|archive-date=September 17, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

In April 1972, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved the nomination of [[Richard G. Kleindienst]] as [[United States Attorney General]], Byrd being one of four Democrats to support the nomination.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1972/04/28/archives/senate-unit-114-again-approves-kleindienst-post-way-is-cleared-for.html|title=Senate Unit, 11–4, Again Approves Kleindienst Post|date=April 28, 1972|newspaper=The New York Times}}</ref> On June 7, Byrd announced that he would vote against Kleindienst, saying in a news release that this was Nixon's first nomination that he had not voted to confirm and that testimony at hearings investigating Kleindienst's tenure at the [[ITT Inc.|International Telephone and Telegraph Corporation]] displayed "a show of arrogance and deception and insensitivity to the people's right to know".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1972/06/08/archives/top-democrat-asks-kleindienst-defeat.html|title=Top Democrat Asks Kleindienst Defeat|newspaper=The New York Times|date=June 8, 1972|access-date=August 13, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180813212206/https://www.nytimes.com/1972/06/08/archives/top-democrat-asks-kleindienst-defeat.html|archive-date=August 13, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> During the confirmation hearings of Kleindienst's successor [[Elliot Richardson]], Byrd insisted on the appointment of a [[special counsel]] to investigate the Watergate scandal as a condition for his appointment, eventually leading to the [[Archibald Cox]] investigation.<ref>Graff, Garrett M. (2022). ''Watergate: A New History'' (1 ed.). New York: Avid Reader Press. pp. 393. {{ISBN|978-1-9821-3916-2}}. {{OCLC|1260107112}}.</ref>

In a May 1972 luncheon speech, Byrd criticized American newspapers for "an increasing tendency toward shoddy technical production" and observed that there was "a greater schism between the Nixon Administration and the media, at least publicly, than at any previous time in our history".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1972/05/31/archives/senator-scores-newspapers-for-shoddy-production.html|title=Senator Scores Newspapers For 'Shoddy' Production|date=May 31, 1972|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=September 16, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180917034301/https://www.nytimes.com/1972/05/31/archives/senator-scores-newspapers-for-shoddy-production.html|archive-date=September 17, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

In May 1972, Byrd introduced a proposal supported by the Nixon administration that would make cutting off all funding for American hostilities in Indochina conditional upon agreement on an internationally supervised cease‐fire. Byrd and Nixon supporters argued modification would bring the amendment more in line with President Nixon's proposal to withdraw all American forces from Vietnam the previous week and it was approved in the Senate by a vote of 47 to 43.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1972/05/17/archives/senate-4743-adds-ceasefire-to-amendment-to-halt-the-war.html|title=Senate, 47-43, Adds Cease-Fire To Amendment to Halt the War|date=May 17, 1972|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=September 16, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180917034353/https://www.nytimes.com/1972/05/17/archives/senate-4743-adds-ceasefire-to-amendment-to-halt-the-war.html|archive-date=September 17, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

In September 1972, [[Edward Brooke]] attempted to reintroduce his war ending amendment that had been defeated earlier in the week as an addendum to a clean drinking water bill when he discovered that Byrd had arranged a unanimous consent free agreement prohibiting amendments that were not relevant to the subject. Brooke charged the Byrd agreements with impairing his senatorial prerogatives to introduce amendments.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1972/09/29/archives/panel-resubmits-vetoed-hew-bill-seeks-to-make-nixon-pick-programs.html|title=PANEL RESUBMITS VETOED H.E.W. BILE|date=September 29, 1972|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=September 16, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180917034424/https://www.nytimes.com/1972/09/29/archives/panel-resubmits-vetoed-hew-bill-seeks-to-make-nixon-pick-programs.html|archive-date=September 17, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

During the [[1972 United States presidential election|1972 general election campaign]], Democratic nominee [[George McGovern]] advocated for partial amnesty for [[Draft evasion in the Vietnam War|draft dodges]]. Byrd responded to the position in a November speech the day before the election without mentioning McGovern by name in saying, "How could we keep faith with the thousands of Americans we sent to Vietnam by giving a mere tap on the wrist to those who fled to Canada and Sweden?" Byrd said the welfare proposals were part of "pernicious doctrine that the Federal Government owes a living to people who don't want to work" and chastised individuals that had personal trips to Hanoi rather than official missions as "the [[Ramsey Clark]]s in our society who attempt to deal unilaterally with the enemy".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1972/11/07/archives/democratic-whip-criticizes-mcgovern-campaign-views.html|title=THE 1972 CAMPAIGN|date=November 7, 1972|newspaper=The New York Times}}</ref>

In January 1973, the Senate passed legislation containing an amendment Byrd offered requiring President Nixon to give Congress an accounting of all funds that he had impounded and appropriated by February 5. Byrd stated that President Nixon had been required to submit reports to Congress and that he had not done so since June, leaving Congress in the dark on the matter.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1973/01/07/archives/senate-vote-calls-on-nixon-to-report-impounded-funds.html|title=Senate Vote Calls on Nixon To Report Impounded Funds|date=January 7, 1973|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=September 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180919094550/https://www.nytimes.com/1973/01/07/archives/senate-vote-calls-on-nixon-to-report-impounded-funds.html|archive-date=September 19, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

In February 1973, the Senate approved legislation requiring confirmation of the director and deputy director of the [[Office of Management and Budget]] in the White House in what was seen as "another battleground for the dispute between Congress and the White House over cuts in social spending programs in the current Federal budget and in the Nixon Administration's spending request for the fiscal year 1974, which begins next July 1". The legislation contained an amendment sponsored by Byrd limiting the budget officials to a maximum term of four years before having another confirmation proceeding. Byrd introduced another amendment that required all Cabinet officers be required to undergo reconfirmation by the Senate in the event that they are retained from one administration to another.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1973/02/06/archives/senate-votes-to-require-approval-of-budget-aides-move-to-seek.html|title=Senate Votes to Require Approval of Budget Aides|first=James M.|last=Naughton|date=February 6, 1973|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=September 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180919094547/https://www.nytimes.com/1973/02/06/archives/senate-votes-to-require-approval-of-budget-aides-move-to-seek.html|archive-date=September 19, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

In March 1973, Byrd led Senate efforts to reject a proposal that would have made most critical committee meetings open to the public, arguing that tampering with "the rides of the Senate is to tamper with the Senate itself" and argued against changing "procedures which, over the long past, have contributed to stability and efficiency in the operation of the Senate". The Senate voted down the proposal 47 to 38 on March 7.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1973/03/07/archives/senate-47-to-38-retains-a-limit-on-open-hearings-senate-retains.html|title=Senate, 47 to 38, Retains A Limit on Open Hearings|first=David E.|last=Rosenbaum|newspaper=The New York Times|date=March 7, 1973 |access-date=September 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180919095945/https://www.nytimes.com/1973/03/07/archives/senate-47-to-38-retains-a-limit-on-open-hearings-senate-retains.html|archive-date=September 19, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

On May 2, 1973, the anniversary of FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover's death, Byrd called on President Nixon to appoint a permanent successor for Hoover as FBI Director.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1973/05/03/archives/hoover-anniversary-is-ignored-by-fbi.html|title=Hoover Anniversary Is Ignored by F.B.I.|date=May 3, 1973|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=September 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180919095941/https://www.nytimes.com/1973/05/03/archives/hoover-anniversary-is-ignored-by-fbi.html|archive-date=September 19, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

In June 1973, Byrd sponsored a bill that would impose the first Tuesday in October as the date for all [[Federal elections in the United States|federal elections]] and mandate that states hold [[Partisan primary|primary election]]s for federal elections between the first Tuesday in June and the first Tuesday in July. [[United States Senate Committee on Rules and Administration|Senate Rules Committee]] approved the measure on June 13 and it was sent to the Senate floor for consideration.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1973/06/14/archives/panel-passes-bill-to-cut-campaigns.html|title=PANEL PASSES BILL TO CUT CAMPAIGNS|date=June 14, 1973|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=September 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180919095929/https://www.nytimes.com/1973/06/14/archives/panel-passes-bill-to-cut-campaigns.html|archive-date=September 19, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

In June 1973, along with [[Lloyd Bentsen]], Mike Mansfield, [[John Tower]], and [[Jennings Randolph]], Byrd was one of five senators to switch their vote on the foreign military aid authorization bill to assure its passage after previously voting against it.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1973/06/27/archives/senate-approves-military-aid-bill-votes-770million-after-rejecting.html|title=Senate Approves Military Aid Bill|date=June 27, 1973|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=September 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180919094532/https://www.nytimes.com/1973/06/27/archives/senate-approves-military-aid-bill-votes-770million-after-rejecting.html|archive-date=September 19, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

In October 1973, President Nixon vetoed the request of the [[United States Information Agency]] for $208 million for fiscal year 1974 on the grounds of a provision forcing the agency to provide any document or information demanded. Byrd introduced a bill identical to the one vetoed by Nixon the following month, differing in not containing the information provision as well as a ban on appropriating or spending more money than the annual budget called for, the Senate approving the legislation on November 13.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1973/11/14/archives/senate-approves-altered-usia-bill.html|title=Senate Approves Altered U.S.I.A. Bill|date=November 14, 1973|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=September 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180919132207/https://www.nytimes.com/1973/11/14/archives/senate-approves-altered-usia-bill.html|archive-date=September 19, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

In November 1973, after the Senate rejected an amendment to the [[National Energy Emergency Act]] intending to direct President Nixon to put gasoline rationing into effect on January 15, Byrd indicated the final vote not coming for multiple days.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1973/11/16/archives/senate-rejects-gas-deadline-blocks-bid-to-force-nixon-to-impose.html|title=Senate Rejects 'Gas' Deadline|date=November 16, 1973|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=September 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180919094608/https://www.nytimes.com/1973/11/16/archives/senate-rejects-gas-deadline-blocks-bid-to-force-nixon-to-impose.html|archive-date=September 19, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

In June 1974, the Senate confirmed [[John C. Sawhill]] as [[Federal Energy Administration|Federal Energy Administrator]] only to rescind the confirmation hours later, the direct result of [[James Abourezk]] wanting to speak out and vote against the nomination due to the Nixon administration's refusal to roll back [[Price of oil|crude oil prices]]. Abourezk confirmed that he had asked Byrd for notice of when he could assume the Senate floor to deliver his remarks. Byrd was absent when present members passed the nomination as part of their efforts to clear the chamber's executive calendar and rescinded the confirmation.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1974/06/18/archives/senators-hold-up-sawhill-approval.html|title=Senators Hold Up Sawhill Approval|newspaper=The New York Times |date=June 18, 1974|access-date=September 14, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180914203357/https://www.nytimes.com/1974/06/18/archives/senators-hold-up-sawhill-approval.html|archive-date=September 14, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

==== Nixon resignation ====
In May 1974, the House Judiciary Committee opened [[Impeachment process against Richard Nixon|impeachment hearings against President Nixon]] after the release of 1,200 pages of transcripts of White House conversations between him and his aides and the administration became engulfed in the scandal that would come to be known as [[Watergate scandal|Watergate]]. That month, Byrd delivered a speech on the Senate floor opposing Nixon's potential resignation, saying it would serve only to convince the President's supporters that his enemies had driven him out of office: "The question of guilt or innocence would never be fully resolved. The country would remain polarized — more so than it is today. And confidence in government would remain unrestored". Most of the members of the Senate in attendance for the address were conservatives from both parties that shared opposition to Nixon being removed from office. Byrd was among multiple conservative senators who stated that they would not ask Nixon to resign.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1974/05/14/archives/leading-senators-refuse-to-press-nixon-on-quitting-conservatives-of.html|title=LEADING SENATORS REFUSE TO PRESS NIXON ON QUITTING|date=May 14, 1974|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=September 27, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180928044005/https://www.nytimes.com/1974/05/14/archives/leading-senators-refuse-to-press-nixon-on-quitting-conservatives-of.html|archive-date=September 28, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Later that month, Republican attorney general [[Elliot L. Richardson]] termed Nixon "a law and order President who says subpoenas must be answered by everyone except himself," the comment being echoed by Byrd who additionally charged President Nixon with reneging on his public pledge that the independence of the special prosecutor to pursue the Watergate investigation would not be limited without the prior approval of a majority of congressional leaders.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1974/05/27/archives/bar-leader-urges-president-to-heed-justices-on-tapes-smith-says-he.html|title=BAR LEADER URGES PRESIDENT TO HEED JUSTICES ON TAPES|date=May 27, 1974|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=September 27, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180928003354/https://www.nytimes.com/1974/05/27/archives/bar-leader-urges-president-to-heed-justices-on-tapes-smith-says-he.html|archive-date=September 28, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

On July 29, Byrd met with Senate Majority Leader [[Mike Mansfield]], Minority Leader [[Hugh Scott]], and Republican whip [[Robert P. Griffin]] in the first formality by Senate leaders on the matter of President Nixon's impeachment.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1974/07/30/archives/senate-leaders-prepare-for-impeachment-trial-working-quietly.html|title=Senate Leaders Prepare|first=Richard L.|last=Madden|newspaper=The New York Times|date=July 30, 1974 |access-date=September 14, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180914203841/https://www.nytimes.com/1974/07/30/archives/senate-leaders-prepare-for-impeachment-trial-working-quietly.html|archive-date=September 14, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Byrd opposed Nixon being granted immunity. ''The New York Times'' noted that as [[Chairman of the Republican National Committee]] [[George H. W. Bush]] issued a formal statement indicating no chance for the Nixon administration to be salvaged, Byrd was advocating for President Nixon to face some punishment for the illegal activities of the administration and that former vice president [[Spiro Agnew]] should have been imprisoned.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1974/08/07/archives/decline-in-senate-dole-says-president-now-has-no-more-than-20-votes.html|title=Decline in Senate|date=August 7, 1974|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=September 27, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180928044038/https://www.nytimes.com/1974/08/07/archives/decline-in-senate-dole-says-president-now-has-no-more-than-20-votes.html|archive-date=September 28, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> The Senate leadership met throughout August 7 to discuss Nixon's fate, the topic of immunity being mentioned in the office of Hugh Scott.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1974/08/08/archives/senators-unable-to-agree-on-any-move-over-nixon-senators-unable-to.html|title=Senators Unable to Agree On Any Move Over Nixon|first=David E.|last=Rosenbaum|date=August 8, 1974|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=September 27, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180928003412/https://www.nytimes.com/1974/08/08/archives/senators-unable-to-agree-on-any-move-over-nixon-senators-unable-to.html|archive-date=September 28, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Nixon announced his resignation the following day and resigned on August 9.<ref>{{cite news| newspaper = The Washington Post| title = Nixon Resigns| series = The Watergate Story| url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/watergate/part3.html| access-date = July 16, 2011| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20161125171439/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/watergate/part3.html| archive-date = November 25, 2016| url-status = live}}</ref> The resignation led to Congress rearranging their intent from an impeachment to the confirmation of a new vice presidential nominee and the Senate scheduled a recess between August 23 to September 14, Byrd opining, "What the country needs is for all of us to get out of Washington and let the country have a breath of fresh air".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1974/08/11/archives/congress-will-shift-focus-to-vicepresidency-vote-funding-veto-by.html|title=Congress Will Shift Focus To Vice-Presidency Vote|date=August 11, 1974|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=September 27, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180928003327/https://www.nytimes.com/1974/08/11/archives/congress-will-shift-focus-to-vicepresidency-vote-funding-veto-by.html|archive-date=September 28, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> By August 11, Hugh Scott announced he was finding fewer members of Congress from either party committed to criminally prosecuting former president Nixon over ''Watergate'', Byrd and Majority Leader Mansfield both indicating their favoring for Nixon's culpability being left in the consideration of Special Prosecutor [[Leon Jaworski]] and the ''Watergate'' grand jury.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1974/08/12/archives/scott-says-capitol-leaders-oppose-nixon-prosecution-approve-a.html|title=Scott Says Capitol Leaders Oppose Nixon Prosecution|date=August 11, 1974|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=September 27, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180921120811/https://www.nytimes.com/1974/08/12/archives/scott-says-capitol-leaders-oppose-nixon-prosecution-approve-a.html|archive-date=September 21, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>