Ranking Member's Press
STATEMENT OF SENATOR EDWARD M. KENNEDY ON TODAY’S REPORTS BY THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION’S OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL New Report Requested by Senator Kennedy Unveils Repeated Abuses in 9.5% Loans; Second Report Details Mismanagement in Federal Student Aid Office
Washington, D.C. - Today, the Inspector General of the Department of Education released two reports detailing abuse and mismanagement of in the federal student loan programs. The first report outlines the results of an investigation requested by Senator Edward M. Kennedy related to abuses in the student loan programs by the Nelnet Corporation. The Inspector General found that Nelnet was claiming an indefensible 9.5% subsidy rate on a large volume of loans, in violation of the Higher Education Ac… Continue Reading
09.29.06
SENATE WILL AGAIN SEND MSHA NOMINATION BACK TO WHITE HOUSE SENATORS SAY MINE SAFETY TOO IMPORTANT FOR POLITICAL GAMES
WASHINGTON, D.C--The U.S. Senate on Saturday will return the nomination of Richard Stickler to head the federal mine safety agency to the White House for the second time. "Last month, the Senate took a stand for mine safety by sending back to the White House an unacceptable nomination to lead MSHA, and we are as resolute in our stand today. We're again sending a message to the Administration that America's miners deserve better, and we hope that this time it will listen," Byrd said. "The fact … Continue Reading
09.28.06
STATEMENT BY SENATOR EDWARD M. KENNEDY ON HOUSE PASSAGE OF OLDER AMERICANS ACT OF 2006
Washington, D.C. - Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy released the following statement on the House passage of the Older Americans Act: "I commend the House for passing these amendments to the Older Americans Act to strengthen the vital services and programs for our senior citizens, and I urge the Senate to pass it before Congress adjourns this week for the election. The bill combines the key provisions of the bills passed earlier by the House and Senate. It maintains the Community Service Emplo… Continue Reading
09.28.06
KENNEDY ON REPORT THAT SHOWS 9 MILLION CHILDREN LACK HEALTH INSURANCE Uninsured children more likely not to have received care than insured children
Washington, DC-Today, the Campaign for Children's Health Care released a report that finds that there are 9 million uninsured children in the United States, 88% of which are from working families. Senator Kennedy said, "It's simply unacceptable that so many children remain uninsured today. But instead of expanding coverage, hundreds of thousands of children who are insured through the Children's Health Insurance Program today face losing their health insurance because the Republican Administrat… Continue Reading
09.27.06
KENNEDY, MENENDEZ CALL FOR HONEST ACCOUNTING OF MEDICARE DONUT HOLE Legislation introduced today will monitor the number of seniors falling into the hole and its effect on their health
WASHINGTON, D.C.--Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy and Senator Robert Menendez introduced the Honest Medicare Act of 2006 to monitor the Medicare Part D donut hole and its effect on senior citizens.Under the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003, the Medicare Prescription Drug benefit, also known as Part D, was designed with a coverage gap in the middle. This gap is known as the "donut hole." After their total prescription drug costs have reached $2,250, beneficiaries must bear the full cost of tho… Continue Reading
09.27.06
KENNEDY PRAISES REPORT ON PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT AND THE NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND ACT Calls for Better Collaboration between Schools and Parents
Washington, D.C. -- Senator Edward M. Kennedy today commended the Appleseed Foundation on its new report on the status of parental involvement in schools. The report is the first comprehensive analysis of parental participation under the No Child Left Behind Act. "Parents make all the difference in their children's lives, and they're indispensable to children's success in school." said Senator Kennedy. "They contribute to school culture, hold schools accountable, and make important decisions ab… Continue Reading
09.26.06
KENNEDY INTRODUCES BIPARTISAN BILL TO GET AMERICA BACK ON TRACK AND GLOBALLY COMPETITIVE WORKS TO MOVE OUR ECONOMY FORWARD AND INVEST IN OUR FUTURE
Washington, DC: Today, Senator Edward Kennedy, joined by a bipartisan group of 13 Senators, introduced the National Competitiveness Investment Act, to encourage innovation in America as a way to create jobs and move our economy forward. Kennedy believes the bill is an important down- payment on the commitment and sustained investment needed to keep America competitive in the years to come. Among other things, the bill doubles basic research funding by the National Science Foundation over the n… Continue Reading
09.26.06
STATEMENT BY SENATOR EDWARD M. KENNEDY ON SECRETARY SPELLINGS’ REMARKS ON THE REPORT OF THE COMMISSION ON THE FUTURE OF HIGHER EDUCATION
Washington, D.C. - Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy released the following statement on Secretary Spellings' remarks on the report of the Commission on the Future of Higher Education: "I applaud Secretary Spellings' call to address the skyrocketing cost of college. Step one of her plan should be to convince the President to immediately increase the Pell Grant to $5100, as he has promised to do repeatedly. I'm disappointed, though, that neither the Secretary nor the Commission put forward ideas … Continue Reading
09.22.06
KENNEDY WORKS TO PROTECT PATIENTS BY IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF MEDICAL TESTS
Washington, D.C.: Today as the National Genetics Policy Summit in takes place Washington, DC., Senator Edward M. Kennedy continues his work on legislation that will better protect patients by ensuring that tests developed in laboratories are of proven validity. Senator Kennedy is committed to preserving innovation in this rapidly evolving area of medical technology. He plans to introduce his bill in the coming months so that it will move through Congress next year. "Doctors and patients are mak… Continue Reading
09.20.06
SENATORS KENNEDY AND CLINTON CALL FOR HEARING, MARK-UP ON 9/11 HEALTH LEGISLATION
Washington, DC - Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Ranking member of the Senate Health Education Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee and Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, member of the HELP Committee, today called on Senator Mike Enzi (R-WY), Chairman of the HELP Committee, to a set a time for a hearing on 9/11 health effects and to mark-up legislation authorizing grants for ongoing medical and mental health monitoring and treatment. "Now that we have additional scientific evidence linking individuals' … Continue Reading
09.20.06
KENNEDY, COLLEAGUES URGE GONZALES TO APPEAL TOBACCO DECISION
Washington, DC: Today Senator Kennedy and fourteen other senators wrote a letter to Attorney General Gonzales urging him to pursue every available avenue of appeal to overturn the misguided Court of Appeals decision in the United States of America v. Philip Morris USA Inc. Last month, the U.S. District Court for DC found overwhelming proof of misconduct by the tobacco companies, however the trial judge concluded that a prior decision of the Court of Appeals prevented her from ordering appropriat… Continue Reading
09.18.06
KENNEDY IS HONORED WITH ELSIE FRANK ELDERLY ADVOCACY AWARD FOR HIS LIFELONG WORK ON BEHALF OF OLDER AMERICANS AWARD GIVEN BY MASSACHUSETTS ASSOCIATION OF OLDER AMERICANS
BOSTON, MA- Senator Edward M. Kennedy today received the Elsie Frank Elderly Advocacy Award from the Massachusetts Association of Older Americans (MAOA). Senator Kennedy's nephew, Joe Kennedy III, accepted the award on his behalf. Joe Kennedy said, "All members of my family are taught at an early age that the test of a civilization is how it honors and respects the elderly. This award is particularly meaningful to Uncle Teddy because Elsie Frank lived that commitment. I know that Uncle Teddy wi… Continue Reading
09.13.06
SENATOR KENNEDY ANNOUNCES $1.4 MILLION GRANT FOR BRIGHAM AND WOMEN’S HOSPITAL
BOSTON, MA- Senator Edward M. Kennedy today announced a grant of $1,418,846 from the National Institutes of Health to Brigham and Women's Hospital for research into antigen-specific therapy for autoimmune diseases of the central nervous system. The funds will be made available by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke at the NIH. The research has the potential to improve our understanding of the development of neurological disorders, including multiple sclerosis, and to deve… Continue Reading
09.13.06
SENATOR KENNEDY ANNOUNCES $1 MILLION GRANT FOR THE BOSTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CAMPUS
BOSTON, MA- Senator Edward M. Kennedy today announced grant of $1,084,844 from the National Institutes of Health to the Boston University Medical Campus for continued research into rheumatic disease causation and treatment. The funds will be made available by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases at the NIH. Allocated to the Boston University Multidisciplinary Clinical Research Center, this grant will fund an expansion on previous research projects and allow f… Continue Reading
06.01.06
KENNEDY, UPS EMPLOYEES JOIN TOGETHER TO PROMOTE MENTORING FOR YOUTH WITH DISABILITIES PARTNERS FOR YOUTH WITH DISABILITIES RECEIVES $25,000 GRANT FROM THE UPS FOUNDATION
SOUTH BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS- Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy joined employees of United Parcel Service and The UPS Foundation in the awarding of a $25,000 grant to support the extraordinary work of Partners for Youth with Disabilities in expanding their mentoring program. Senator Kennedy has worked tirelessly on behalf of people with disabilities knocking down walls of discrimination, including authoring the Americans with Disabilities Act. A non- profit organization dedicated to empowering yo… Continue Reading
05.23.06
KENNEDY FIGHTS TO PROTECT WORKERS WITH VIGILANT ENFORCEMENT OF LABOR LAWS OFFERS LABOR PROTECTIONS AMENDMENT TO IMMIGRATION BILL
Washington, DC: Today Senator Kennedy offered an amendment to the immigration reform bill that would ensure vigilant enforcement of critical labor protections to preserve the health, safety, and well- being of all American workers. While there are good labor protections in the bill designed to protect immigrant workers and ensure that the guest worker program does not hurt American workers, Senator Kennedy believes the best way for us to protect American workers and immigrants alike is to more v… Continue Reading
05.17.06
STATEMENT BY SENATOR EDWARD M. KENNEDY ON RYAN WHITE MODERNIZATION ACT (AS PREPARED FOR DELIVERY)
Today's markup focuses in part on one of the greatest public health investments we have made in thiscountry -- the care and treatment of individuals with HIV/AIDS. Almost sixteen years ago, the members of this Committee demonstrated their commitment to the care and treatment of Americans living with AIDS by passing the Ryan White Care Act. It has been a model of bipartisan cooperation and Federal leadership, and I am proud that this reauthorization process has continued that bipartisan commitme… Continue Reading
05.17.06
STATEMENT BY SENATOR EDWARD M. KENNEDY ON MINE IMPROVEMENT AND NEW EMERGENCY RESPONSE ACT (AS PREPARED FOR DELIVERY BEFORE HEALTH, EDUCATION, LABOR, PENSIONS COMMITTEE)
(AS PREPARED FOR DELIVERY BEFORE HEALTH, EDUCATION, LABOR, PENSIONS COMMITTEE) I'm very pleased that the Committee is taking up the Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response Act today. I commend Chairman Enzi, Subcommittee Chairman Isakson, and Ranking Subcommittee Member Murray for their dedication in pursuing safety protections. I also commend Senator Byrd and Senator Rockefeller, who have been tireless in seeking improvements in mine safety. The need for the legislation is clear. This yea… Continue Reading
05.16.06
KENNEDY, ENZI INTRODUCE BILL TO MOVE MINE SAFETY INTO 21ST CENTURY WILL BETTER PROTECT LIVES OF MINERS BYRD, ROCKFELLER CO-SPONSOR SWEEPING REFORMS
Washington, D.C. - Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Ranking Member of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee (HELP) and Senator Mike Enzi, Chairman of the HELP Committee, today introduced a sweeping reform bill to move mine safety and regulation into the 21st Century, reduce safety risks for miners across the country, and respond to the Sago and Alma mine tragedies in West Virginia. The legislation, the "Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response Act of 2006 (MINER Act), is cosponsored… Continue Reading
05.15.06
STATEMENT BY SENATOR EDWARD M. KENNEDY ON MEDICARE PART D DEADLINE (AS PREPARED FOR DELIVERY ON SENATE FLOOR)
For seniors in Medicare, today is Judgment Day -- the day when the misjudgments, the failures and the basic errors of competence in implementing the Republican Medicare law will bite into the savings of some 8 millions seniors across America. Today, a bad situation will get worse, as seniors are hit with financial penalties if they have been unable to wade through the complicated tangle of private insurance plans in the Part D program. In Massachusetts, citizens have over 45 stand-alone drug c… Continue Reading
