Ranking Member's Press

WASHINGTON, DC— Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy introduced the National Guard and Reserve Mental Health Access Act, which will provide greater access to mental health services for the National Guard and Reservists. The legislation calls for the implementation of the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program, which will provide counseling,...

WASHINGTON, DC— Today, Senators Edward M. Kennedy, Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, Mike Enzi, Ranking Member of the HELP Committee, Olympia Snowe and released the following statements following the passage of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA). This legislation will prohibit genetic...

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-WA), Chairman of the Senate HELP Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety and U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy (D-WA), Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee asked the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to investigate whether the Occupational...

KENNEDY ON TAINTED HEPARIN SUPPLY WASHINGTON, DC— Senator Edward M .Kennedy, Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, today released the following statement in response to the FDA’s announcement on the contaminated Heparin supply. Senator Kennedy will hold a health committee hearing on Thursday on this...

WASHINGTON, DC— Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, released the following statement in response to the announcements by Citibank and Chase to not provide student loans to community colleges or proprietary schools. “The Citibank and Chase announcements highlight the need...

WASHINGTON, DC – Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, released the following statement in celebration of last night’s Senate passage of the Traumatic Brain Injury Act Reauthorization. The bill was passed in the House of Representatives earlier this week, and will now be sent to the...

BOSTON, MA- On Friday, April 4th at 6:00 PM, Senator Edward M. Kennedy will discuss the importance of federal investment in education for students, parents and advocates at the annual Council for Exceptional Children’s Yes I Can! Awards at the Sheraton Boston Hotel. Kennedy will receive the Outstanding Public Service Award for his...

WASHINGTON, DC— Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy sent the following letter to the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health, Ed Foulke, calling attention to the three years that have passed since the disaster at the Texas City Refinery, and the full year that has passed since the Chemical Safety and Hazard...

WASHINGTON, DC— Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Chairman of Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, released the following statement in response to Secretary Spelling’s announcement on No Child Left Behind this morning. “I’m glad that Secretary Spellings recognizes the need to adjust the No Child Left Behind Act....

WASHINGTON, DC— Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, sent the following letters to the FDA and four industry groups urging an investigation into the sourcing of ingredients used in drugs. The text of the letters are below.

WASHINGTON, DC— Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, released the following statement in response to the FDA’s announcement that they have identified the contaminant in the blood thinner heparin, a chemical compound called oversulfated chondroitin sulfate. Senator Kennedy...

BOSTON, MA- Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Chairman of the U.S. Senate's Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, today chaired a Senate field hearing on the challenges of college affordability in today's economy at Northeastern University. In the wake of the turbulence in the credit markets, access to student loan financing is...

WASHINGTON, DC— Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, released the following statement in response to the passage of budget amendment #4023, which will provide an additional $2.1 billion in funding to NIH and $1 billion for LIHEAP. “This vote is a victory in two key areas....

WASHINGTON, DC— Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy released the following statement in response to budget amendment #4198, which will increase the amount allocated to Indian Health Services by $1 billion. “I strongly support the additional $1 billion provided under this amendment for the Indian Health Services. The funds will be used to...

WASHINGTON, DC— Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, issued the following statement on the breakdown in negotiations between the United Auto Workers and American Axle and Manufacturing Holdings Inc.: “I urge American Axle to work to reach a contract with the UAW. The men and...

WASHINGTON, DC— Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, released the following statement in response to the Senate passage of $5.1 billion in LIHEAP funding, which increases the formula allotment for Massachusetts to $154 million. This funding level will provide an average benefit of...

WASHINGTON, DC— Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, introduced the United States Global Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Reauthorization Act. The bipartisan legislation moves the program beyond the emergency phase of implementation into the sustainability...

WASHINGTON, DC—Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Chairman of the United States Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, released an investigative report entitled “Report on the August 6, 2007 Disaster At Crandall Canyon Mine.” The report discusses the findings of Chairman Kennedy's investigation into...

WASHINGTON, DC— Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy issued the following statement on the launch of the online rally for paid sick days at EverybodyGetsSick.org. “To help stem the alarming outbreak of flu, health officials are urging sick workers to stay home from their jobs and sick children to stay home from school. But for millions...

BOSTON, MA- Senators Edward M. Kennedy and John F. Kerry today announced $ 3.9 million in federal funding has been awarded to Massachusetts under the Emergency Food and Shelter Program to support food, shelter, rent, mortgage and utility assistance programs for persons facing non-disaster related emergencies. “No one in our Commonwealth...