Ranking Member's Press
KENNEDY ADDRESSES THE CHALLENGE OF POVERTY, CONTINUES FIGHT FOR INCREASE IN THE MINIMUM WAGE KENNEDY RECEIVES OTIS SOCIAL JUSTICE AWARD AT WHEATON COLLEGE
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 spotlight on the economic and social injustice that persists in our communities and the work that remains unfinished. He outlined his fight for an increase in the mi… Continue Reading
11.18.05
STATEMENT OF SENATOR EDWARD M. KENNEDY ON ANNOUNCEMENT OF SECRETARY MARGARET SPELLINGS ON NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND
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 and ensuring continuous progress toward challenging academic standards. This pilot program and the evaluation of its results will help our efforts in… Continue Reading
11.17.05
SENATOR EDWARD M. KENNEDY STATEMENT ON THE DEFEAT OF ENERGY ASSISTANCE FOR AMERICA1S LOW-INCOME RESIDENTS
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 time this year. Americans deserve better than tax cuts for the wealthy, they deserve to have their priorities heard and to stay warm in the cold winte… Continue Reading
11.17.05
SENATOR EDWARD M. KENNEDY STATEMENT ON THE DEFEAT OF ENERGY ASSISTANCE FOR AMERICA1S LOW-INCOME RESIDENTS
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 time this year. Americans deserve better than tax cuts for the wealthy, they deserve to have their priorities heard and to stay warm in the cold winte… Continue Reading
11.17.05
SENATOR EDWARD M. KENNEDY STATEMENT ON THE DEFEAT OF ENERGY ASSISTANCE FOR AMERICA1S LOW-INCOME RESIDENTS
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 time this year. Americans deserve better than tax cuts for the wealthy, they deserve to have their priorities heard and to stay warm in the cold winte… Continue Reading
11.17.05
SENATOR EDWARD M. KENNEDY STATEMENT ON THE DEFEAT OF ENERGY ASSISTANCE FOR AMERICA1S LOW-INCOME RESIDENTS
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 time this year. Americans deserve better than tax cuts for the wealthy, they deserve to have their priorities heard and to stay warm in the cold winte… Continue Reading
11.17.05
KENNEDY CHARGES REPUBLICANS WITH MISPLACED PRIORITIES LABOR H BILL IS A TURKEY THAT WON’T FLY
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 initiatives. "This bill affects the lives of every single American, and it lets them down. It fails our commitments to the education of our children, to our health care, to t… Continue Reading
11.17.05
KENNEDY, COLLEAGUES FIGHT TO PROVIDE LIHEAP FUNDS FOR MILLIONS
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 profits this year. This is the fourth amendment this year that Senator Kennedy has offered in support of providing energy assistance dollars to America's low… Continue Reading
11.17.05
SENATOR EDWARD M. KENNEDY STATEMENT ON THE DEFEAT OF ENERGY ASSISTANCE FOR AMERICA1S LOW-INCOME RESIDENTS
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 time this year. Americans deserve better than tax cuts for the wealthy, they deserve to have their priorities heard and to stay warm in the cold winte… Continue Reading
11.17.05
KENNEDY ON THE DEFEAT OF LABOR-HHS
"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 priorities. It's time for the Administration and the Republican leadership in Congress to commit to the education of our children, better health care, and bett… Continue Reading
11.17.05
SENATOR EDWARD M. KENNEDY STATEMENT ON THE DEFEAT OF ENERGY ASSISTANCE FOR AMERICA1S LOW-INCOME RESIDENTS
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 time this year. Americans deserve better than tax cuts for the wealthy, they deserve to have their priorities heard and to stay warm in the cold winte… Continue Reading
11.17.05
KENNEDY’S HEALTH IT BILL PASSES UNANIMOUSLY TODAY IS THE FIRST DAY OF THE FUTURE OF HEALTHCARE
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 information about the patients they serve. The bill will help curb health care costs, as we know that costs skyrocket when tests or procedures are duplicat… Continue Reading
11.17.05
SENATOR KENNEDY SETS NATIONAL GOAL OF CUTTING CHILD POVERTY IN HALF WITHIN A DECADE OFFERS ANTI-POVERTY AMENDMENT TO TAX BILL
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 citizens. With the 3.5 billion dollars generated from the one percent tax, the Child Poverty Elimination Fund will be created in order to combat child poverty … Continue Reading
11.16.05
KENNEDY: EEOC CHANGES WILL FURTHER UNDERMINE ENFORCEMENT OF CIVIL RIGHTS LAWS
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 before the decision becomes final. "I am deeply disappointed at the outcome of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's vote," Senator Kennedy sa… Continue Reading
11.16.05
ADVOCATE FOR THE POOR RECEIVES THE ROBERT F. KENNEDY HUMAN RIGHTS AWARD FOR HIS WORK IN LOUISIANA SENATOR KENNEDY HONORS THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF HIS BROTHER WHO WOULD HAVE CELEBRATED HIS 80TH BIRTHDAY
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 Brinkley and speeches by Senator Edward Kennedy and Senator Barack Obama. For the first time ever the RFK Human Rights award was given to an American for … Continue Reading
11.16.05
BIPARTISAN MEASURE WILL BRING RETIREMENT SECURITY TO MILLIONS
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, sponsored by Senators Kennedy, Enzi, Baucus and Grassley, requires companies to protect their pensions with rules that are fair and predictable and includes … Continue Reading
11.15.05
KENNEDY STATEMENT ON THE NEW MEDICARE DRUG PLAN
"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 decisions about their financial and medical future. It is not too late to make this program better for America's seniors who work hard and play by the rules all their lives expect… Continue Reading
11.15.05
KENNEDY ON REPUBLICAN CUTS TO FLU FUNDS FUNDS STRIPPED FROM LABOR H FUNDING
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 families safe and healthy. The nation waited five long years for the Administration to release a plan for pandemic flu. We can't afford to wait yet again for … Continue Reading
11.15.05
KENNEDY LAUNCHES ANTI-WAL-MART AGENDA (202) SUPPORTS NEW GRASS ROOTS DOCUMENTARY ON THE HIGH COST OF LOW PRICE
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 to improve the working conditions of WAL-MART employees and low-wage workers across the country. He heard firsthand about the devastating impact of Wal-Mart on c… Continue Reading
11.07.05
KENNEDY, RELIGIOUS LEADERS DENOUNCE $5.15 MINIMUM WAGE AS MORAL OUTRAGE IGNITE GRASS ROOT CAMPAIGN ACROSS THE COUNTRY
Washington, DC- Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy joined national religious leaders to announce the "Let Justice Roll Living Wage Campaign." This grassroots effort will team religious and community leaders with legislators to do right by the American worker and finally raise the minimum wage through ballot initiatives throughout the country. Frustrated by federal inaction, the "Let Justice Roll Living Wage Campaign" teamed over 50 religious and community groups with legislators to fight for an in… Continue Reading
