Seems like almost every day was Mother's Day for Rick Santorum.

A Sunlight Foundaiton study, which searched the Congressional Record back to 1996,found that use of the words mother and mom has declined in recent years, and some of the big mentioners have left.

Santorum, a U.S. senator from Pennsylvania from 1995 to 2007, "holds the all-time record for using the word 'mother,''' the study found. Santorum, a Republican, sought the GOP presidential nomination this year.

Running second is Senate Majority Whip Richard Durbin, D-Ill.

But, Sunlight noted, "the Senate's deputy Democratic leader can claim another distinction: He may be No. 2 in our tally of the use of 'mother,' but he leads the field by a country mile when it comes to saying 'mom.'

"That makes him the clear leader in filial piety for the current Congress," the report said.

Other findings: Democrats have spoken more about "mother" than Republicans, but the parties are divided on using "mom."

Women, including Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee, D-Texas, and Sens. Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein, both California Democrats, do well. But men appear to be most mom-friendly on the Senate floor.

The study by reporter Kathy Kiely found that "some of Congress' biggest momma's boys have, like Sen. Santorum, left its marble hall." Former Sen. Mike DeWine, R-Ohio, is among the top five members of Congress who used "mother" most often, while the late Sens. Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., and Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., were 8 and 9.

To read the study: http://reporting.sunlightfoundation.com/2012/mommas-boy-santorum-holds-congressional-record-mentioning-mother/