Ranking Member's Press
SENATE FUNDS KENNEDY PLAN TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE IN AMERICAN HISTORY AND CIVICS
Washington, D.C. - Today, Senators Kennedy's amendment to address the underachievement of American students in U.S. history and civics passed in the Senate as part of the Labor-H Appropriations bill. Earlier this year, Senators Kennedy and Alexander offered S. 860, the American History Achievement Act, to encourage states to make progress on their U.S. history and civics standards, elevate the standing of these subjects in school curriculum, and promote better teaching in classrooms. "Instillin… Continue Reading
10.27.05
SENATOR KENNEDY’S PLAN TO RAISE STANDARDS IN AMERICAN HISTORY PASSES THE SENATE
Washington, D.C. - Today, Senators Kennedy's amendment to address the underachievement of American students in history passed in the Senate as part of the Labor-H Appropriations bill. Senators Kennedy and Alexander offered this bill, acknowledging that students still consistently score lower on American history than on any other course. The American History Achievement Act would encourage states to make progress on their U.S. history standards, elevate the standing of American history in curric… Continue Reading
10.27.05
BINGAMAN – KENNEDY AMENDMENT BOOSTS FUNDING FOR EDUCATION INITIATIVES THAT BENEFIT HISPANIC STUDENTS
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Edward Kennedy and Jeff Bingaman today said they are pleased that an amendment Bingaman wrote and Kennedy cosponsored boosts funding for migrant education, Hispanic Serving Institutions and other initiatives has been made part of an education spending bill that passed the Senate today. The proposal, which sets aside a total of $30 million for a variety of education programs, was made part of the fiscal year 2006 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropri… Continue Reading
10.26.05
SENATOR EDWARD M. KENNEDY STATEMENT ON HOUSE RECONCILIATION BILL IN COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND THE WORKFORCE
"Over the last four years, the rich have gotten richer, while four million more Americans fell into poverty. Families are facing a 60% increase in energy costs to heat their homes this winter, the nation is running a record deficit, we are facing billions of dollars in costs to fulfill our commitment to rebuild the gulf coast, and last month we had the highest increase in inflation since 1980. America deserves a government as good as its people, and it's time we give the American people the supp… Continue Reading
10.26.05
***PRESS CONFERENCE TODAY*** KENNEDY OFFERS AMENDMENT TO ADDRESS AVIAN FLU Senator Kennedy Continues Push for National Preparedness Plan and Appropriate Funding for Safety Measures
WASHINGTON, DC- TODAY, Senator Edward M. Kennedy and Senator Tom Harkin will offer an amendment to the Department of Labor and Health and Human Services appropriations bill to help ensure that the United States is prepared for a pandemic flu outbreak. Senator Kennedy joined Senator Harkin to attach an amendment to the Department of Defense appropriations bill earlier this month and has worked with Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid in offering a bill to outline the safeguards and funding that m… Continue Reading
10.26.05
KENNEDY, COLLEAGUES URGE THE ADMINISTRATION TO REBUILD THE GULF COAST IN A WAY THAT IS FAIR TO WORKERS JOINED VICTIMS OF KATRINA WHO HAVE LOST EVERYTHING – INCLUDING THEIR FAIR WAGES, JOBS, BENEFITS
Washington, DC: Today Senators Kennedy, Schumer, Dorgan, and Harkin joined working men and women impacted by Hurricane Katrina to discuss how the Administration's policies have hurt those who have already lost everything. They heard firsthand from Diana Hill and Trina Daniels who were living in the lower Ninth Ward at the time of the storm who spoke about how the Administration's misplaced priorities are fundamentally unfair to those who are trying to rebuild their lives. The Senators blasted th… Continue Reading
10.26.05
KENNEDY FLOOR REMARKS ON AVIAN FLU AMENDMENT (As prepared for delivery)
It's a privilege to join Senator Harkin, Senator Reid, and other Democratic colleagues on this needed proposal to improve the nation's preparedness to deal with the danger of avian flu. We need to act, because the Administration has failed to prepare adequately for a flu pandemic. The danger of a major hurricane hitting the Gulf Coast was ignored until it was too late. We can't make the same mistake with pandemic flu. We can't afford to leave preparations to chance, or wait until disaster strik… Continue Reading
10.26.05
KENNEDY RESPONDS TO NEW MEMO ON WAL-MART’S DESPICABLE TACTICS
Washington, DC- Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy released the following statement on the newly released Wal-Mart internal memo: "I was disappointed to read today about an internal Wal-mart memo describing despicable company tactics to increase their bottom line on the backs of the working men and women who keep their businesses running. Twenty-four hours ago, when Wal-mart's CEO announced support for an increase in the minimum wage, I was hopeful that the nation's largest employer was turning a… Continue Reading
10.25.05
KENNEDY RESPONDS TO WAL-MART’S CALL FOR MINIMUM WAGE INCREASE
I was pleased to hear that Wal-Mart CEO, H. Lee Scott, Jr. called on Congress to raise the minimum wage. When even the head of Wal-Mart, one of the most anti-worker companies in the world, says that a minimum wage of $5.15 an hour is out of date, we know it's long past time for an increase.Katrina has shined a spotlight on poverty in this country and showed us all just how much more work is to be done to achieve equality and fairness in this country. 37 million Americans are living in poverty, i… Continue Reading
10.25.05
**STATE BY STATE INCREASES UNDER KENNEDY AMENDMENT ATTACHED KENNEDY CALLS FOR COMMITMENT TO EDUCATING AMERICA’S FUTURE Increase in Pell Grants Crucial link between families and college education
Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy offered an amendment to increase the amount awarded to Pell grant recipients from $4,050 a year to $4,250 a year. This critical increase can mean the difference between a student being able to attend a four year institution or community college or forgoing the opportunity to receive a college education. In Massachusetts alone, nearly 80,000 students at Massachusetts colleges and universities received over $180 million in Pell grants last year. Senator Kennedy of… Continue Reading
10.24.05
SENATOR KENNEDY HIGHLIGHTS IMPORTANCE OF HEALTH IT HEALTH IT CUTS COSTS AND IMPROVES QUALITY OF CARE
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS- Senator Edward M. Kennedy today outlined the importance of health information technology at the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association's health care policy conference entitled, "Saving Lives: Safeguarding Care." Health IT can not only save an estimated $140 billion in excess cost to our health care system, but can dramatically improve the quality of care for patients through electronic medical records. Senator Kennedy said, "We don't just have a quality gap in this country, w… Continue Reading
10.21.05
KENNEDY DISCUSSES PREPARING FOR FLU OUTBREAK AT OPENING OF UMASS/MASSACHUSETTS BIOLOGIC LABORATORIES FACILITY IN MATTAPAN MASSACHUSETTS LEADS IN CUTTING-EDGE HEALTH CARE TECHNOLOGY
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS- Senator Edward M. Kennedy outlined his plan to prepare for a pandemic flu outbreak at the opening of the new UMASS Medical School/Massachusettls Biologic Laboratories Facility in Mattapan. Senator Kennedy has introduced a bill in the United States Senate that calls for a national flu plan and sets forth a set of guidelines to combat a pandemic flu outbreak. The new facility will play a critical role in responding to new global health challenges, such as the worldwide threa… Continue Reading
10.20.05
KENNEDY INVESTIGATES ABUSES IN DISABILITY JOB PROGRAMS (As prepared for delivery at today’s HELP Committee Hearing)
Thank you Senator Enzi for convening this important oversight hearing. The basic federal programs we're considering today are meant to serve the important public purpose of providing the opportunity for thousands of people with disabilities to go to work. Disabled Americans want to work and contribute to their communities in the same way as their non-disabled friends and families. They have dreams just like everyone else. For far too long, we've been denied the talents and contributions of tho… Continue Reading
10.20.05
Hurricane Katrina Elementary and Secondary Education Recovery Act To be introduced by Senators Alexander, Kennedy, Enzi and Dodd
· NCLB Waivers: Encourages the Secretary to use waiver authority with respect to reporting requirements, 3-8 assessments, and school improvement/corrective action under ESEA for States, local educational agencies, and schools affected by Hurricane Katrina, and requires the Secretary to report on state and district waiver requests due to the impact of Hurricane Katrina. · Supplemental Services and Afterschool: The Secretary shall provide grants to States to assist local educational… Continue Reading
10.20.05
KENNEDY AND ENZI OFFER RELIEF FOR LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS IMPACTED BY KATRINA
Washington, DC: Today Senators Kennedy and Enzi added to their relief package for Katrina victims an education bill that provides one-time, temporary impact aid to local school districts and private schools. They developed the bill with their colleagues Senators Alexander and Dodd. The bill provides immediate relief to the schools - both public and private - that have opened their doors to these students in a time of crisis, without opening political or ideological battles. The aid provided by t… Continue Reading
10.19.05
KENNEDY: TODAY’S VOTE ON MINIMUM WAGE WILL TEST WHETHER WE ARE SERIOUS ABOUT FIGHTING POVERTY REPUBLICAN PLAN HAS ANTI-WORKER POISON PILLS THAT WOULD HURT MILLIONS
Washington, DC: Today at 4:30 pm the Senate will vote on two proposals on minimum wage: Senator Kennedy's amendment and the Republican plan that contains anti-worker poison pills. Last night, to ensure bipartisan support, Kennedy changed the amount of the increase to match the amount of the Republican plan, but without their poison pills. Kennedy reached across the aisle to ensure that a minimum wage increase has the best chance of success given dire and urgent circumstances facing the 37 millio… Continue Reading
10.19.05
KENNEDY WORKS TO PROTECT EMPLOYMENT RIGHTS FOR TROOPS
Washington, D.C.- Tomorrow, Senator Edward M. Kennedy will speak before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee on protecting the employment rights of our National Guard Members returning from Iraq. Senator Kennedy, after having met several times with Massachusetts members of the National Guard and Reserves, requested a GAO report to investigate the effectiveness of federal agencies who have the responsibility for protecting Guard and Reservists reemployment rights. The repor… Continue Reading
10.19.05
STATEMENT OF SENATOR EDWARD M. KENNEDY ON TODAY’S NATIONAL ASSESSMENT RESULTS IN READING AND MATHEMATICS
Students are making real progress in reading and math in the nation's classrooms. The hard work of school reform is beginning to pay off and the nation will be the real winner in the years ahead. The improvement in math is especially significant. The number of students mastering the NAEP has doubled in eighth grade and nearly tripled in fourth grade since 1990. Achievement gaps have narrowed between African American and white students. I'm especially proud of the progress made in Massachusetts… Continue Reading
10.18.05
KENNEDY FIGHTS WAR ON POVERTY AND OFFERS MINIMUM WAGE INCREASE INSTEAD OF HELPING KATRINA VICTIMS CONGRESS GIVES ITSELF A PAY RAISE
Washington, DC: Last night, Senator Edward M. Kennedy continued his fight on the war on poverty by offering an amendment H.R. 3058, the Transportation, Treasury, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Bill. Kennedy's proposal takes into account that the current minimum wage is grossly inadequate to live on in this economy with nearly 37 million people live in poverty, including 13 million children. Hurricane Katrina demonstrated in stark terms that so many Americans live every day on the b… Continue Reading
10.18.05
SENATOR EDWARD M. KENNEDY STATEMENT ON THE HIGHER EDUCATION AMENDMENTS ACT
"The American people won't stand for a government that puts irresponsible tax breaks for the wealthy ahead of funding for health care and other assistance for our families that need help the most. Katrina shined a light on the great disparities in the country, and its time for Washington to reevaluate its priorities.Over the last four years, the rich have gotten richer, while four million more Americans fell into poverty. Families are facing a 60% increase in energy costs to heat their homes thi… Continue Reading
