Ranking Member's Press

Today's results demonstrate that in many cities across the nation, the hard work of students, teachers, and school leaders is beginning to pay off. Such progress is hopeful, but it's clear that our work is far from over. Student achievement is still static in reading, and we have a long way to go to eliminate achievement gaps. In today's...

BOSTON, MA--- Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy discussed the challenges of poverty at Wheaton College upon receiving the “Otis Social Justice Award,” which is awarded to individuals who enhance the understanding of peace, human rights and economic opportunity. Kennedy shared his views of how the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina shined a...

I applaud Secretary Spellings' continued efforts to work with states, schools and teachers to find effective approaches to carry out the No Child Left Behind Act. Much can be learned from measuring student growth. When done the right way, these models can move school reform forward by reviewing progress made by individual students from year to year...

"The defeat of this irresponsible attack on families sends a strong message that America deserves better. The Bush Administration and the Republican leadership are so out of touch with the priorities of American families that even the normally lockstep House of Representatives soundly rejected their proposal to undermine critical national...

Tonight, America1s seniors and low-income residents were told that they1re being left out in the cold this winter. While Americans are facing some of the highest energy costs in decades and oil companies are raking in record profits, a measure to increase funding for energy assistance for theneediest was defeated on the Senate floor for the fourth...

Washington, DC – Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy offered an amendment to the Tax Reconciliation bill that declares cutting child poverty in half is an attainable goal to achieve within this decade. The amendment will enact a one percent surtax to be paid by our wealthiest citizens in order to take care of the needs of our most vulnerable...

Tonight, America1s seniors and low-income residents were told that they1re being left out in the cold this winter. While Americans are facing some of the highest energy costs in decades and oil companies are raking in record profits, a measure to increase funding for energy assistance for theneediest was defeated on the Senate floor for the fourth...

Tonight, America1s seniors and low-income residents were told that they1re being left out in the cold this winter. While Americans are facing some of the highest energy costs in decades and oil companies are raking in record profits, a measure to increase funding for energy assistance for theneediest was defeated on the Senate floor for the fourth...

Tonight, America1s seniors and low-income residents were told that they1re being left out in the cold this winter. While Americans are facing some of the highest energy costs in decades and oil companies are raking in record profits, a measure to increase funding for energy assistance for theneediest was defeated on the Senate floor for the fourth...

Tonight, America1s seniors and low-income residents were told that they1re being left out in the cold this winter. While Americans are facing some of the highest energy costs in decades and oil companies are raking in record profits, a measure to increase funding for energy assistance for theneediest was defeated on the Senate floor for the fourth...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senators Edward M. Kennedy, Tom Harkin and Dick Durbin held a press conference to discuss the Labor HHS Appropriations conference report. Republican conferees stripped funding for avian flu preparedness, and the final proposal also lacks adequate resources for key education, health care, and job training...

Washington, D.C.—Today, Senate Democrats led by Senators Edward M. Kennedy and Jack Reed offered an amendment to the Tax Reconciliation bill to provide 2.92 billion dollars in federal assistance to low-income and elderly residents for energy assistance. The funding would be paid for by using windfall profits from oil companies seeing record...

Washington, D.C. Today, marking a dramatic step forward in healthcare, Senator Edward M. Kennedy’s bill, the Wired for Health Care Quality Act of 2005 passed the United States Senate by unanimous consent. The bill will improve the care that patients receive, as we know that care declines in quality when physicians do not have access to timely...

Tonight, America1s seniors and low-income residents were told that they1re being left out in the cold this winter. While Americans are facing some of the highest energy costs in decades and oil companies are raking in record profits, a measure to increase funding for energy assistance for theneediest was defeated on the Senate floor for the fourth...

Washington, DC: Today the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission approved proposed changes to the form that employers use to track the race and ethnicity of their employees. Senator Kennedy sent the following letter to EEOC Chair Cari Dominguez yesterday urging her not to make these changes prior to the vote. There is a thirty day review period...

Washington, DC: Today the Senate passed by 97-2 the Pension Stability and Transparency Act, a bipartisan measure that would bring retirement security to millions of Americans. In the past five years 700 pension plans have gone into crisis and millions of workers have lost $8 billion in pension benefits that they had been promised. The bill,...

Washington, DC- Today Senator Edward M. Kennedy honored Stephen Bradberry, an advocate for the poor from Louisiana, with the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award. The event will celebrate the life and legacy of his brother, Robert F. Kennedy on what would be his 80th birthday. The ceremony featured Mrs. Robert F. Kennedy and historian Douglas...

WASHINGTON – Today Senator Kennedy and Representative DeLauro joined filmmaker, Robert Greenwald, and the Co-Director of the Campaign for America’s Future Robert Borosage to discuss the impact of the Wal-Mart economy as detailed in a new film called WAL-MART: The High Cost of Low Price. Senator Kennedy detailed their efforts in Congress...

“The new Medicare drug plan that starts today will help some seniors, but it won’t work for many more — and I believe that America can do better for the millions of seniors struggling too make ends meet. With enrollment now starting, there’s still too much confusion and too few answers for seniors as they make critical...

Once again, this Administration and its Republican allies in Congress have looked at what needs to be done to deal with a major health threat -- and decided to do the opposite. It’s unbelievable that with the threat of a life-threatening flu epidemic looming over America, the Republican Congress is denying the resources we need to keep our...