Editing Robert Byrd (section)

==== Role in changes in Senate rules ====
On January 18, 1977, after the Senate established a special 15‐member committee to draw up a code of ethics for senators, Byrd and Senate Minority Leader [[Howard Baker]] announced their support for the resolution, Byrd adding that knowledge of the code of ethics being enacted in the Senate would be privy to the public, press, and members of the Senate.<ref name="nytimes1977"/> While eight of Carter's secretaries were confirmed within the first hours of his presidency, Byrd made an unsuccessful effort to secure a date and time limit for debate on the confirmation of [[F. Ray Marshall]], Carter's nominee for [[United States Secretary of Labor]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1977/01/21/archives/10-carter-nominees-are-approved-but-action-is-delayed-on-others.html|title=10 Carter Nominees Are Approved, But Action Is Delayed on Others|date=January 21, 1977|first=Warren Jr.|last=Weaver|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=August 16, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180817023159/https://www.nytimes.com/1977/01/21/archives/10-carter-nominees-are-approved-but-action-is-delayed-on-others.html|archive-date=August 17, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

Between January and February 1979, Byrd proposed outlawing tactics frequently used to prevent him from bringing a bill to the floor for consideration. He stated the filibuster tactics gave the Senate a bad reputation and rendered it ineffective. His proposals initially earned the opposition of Republicans and conservative Democrats until there was a compromise for the reform package to be split and have the less objectionable part come up first for consideration. The Senate passed legislation curtailing tactics that had been used in the past to continue filibusters after cloture had been invoked on February 22.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1979/02/23/archives/senate-votes-to-cut-postcloture-debate-to-100-hours-proposal-still.html|title=Senate Votes to Cut Post-Cloture Debate to 100 Hours|date=February 23, 1979|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=September 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180919094539/https://www.nytimes.com/1979/02/23/archives/senate-votes-to-cut-postcloture-debate-to-100-hours-proposal-still.html|archive-date=September 19, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> In March, Byrd negotiated an agreement that a proposed amendment was referred to the Judiciary Committee and would be reported by April 10. The arrangement stated that Byrd could call up the proposed amendment any time following June 1 and his action would not be subject to a filibuster while the resolution embodying the amendment will.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1979/03/16/archives/carter-legislation-on-elections-gets-off-to-a-shaky-start-in.html|title=Carter Legislation on Elections Gets Off to a Shaky Start in Congress|date=March 16, 1979|newspaper=The New York Times|access-date=September 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180919094409/https://www.nytimes.com/1979/03/16/archives/carter-legislation-on-elections-gets-off-to-a-shaky-start-in.html|archive-date=September 19, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>