Ranking Member's Press

Chairman Kennedy holds roundtable discussion on law’s future and effectiveness Cambridge, MA— Today, on the sixth anniversary of the No Child Left Behind Act, Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Chairman of the United States Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee, held a roundtable discussion at Harvard’s Institute...

BOSTON, MA- On Wednesday, January 9th at 11:30 AM, Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Chairman of the U.S. Senate’s Health, Education, Labor and Pension’s (HELP) Committee, will join Mayor Thomas M. Menino, administrators, teachers, parents and students in celebrating the success of expanded school day programs in Massachusetts at the Clarence...

WASHINGTON, DC— Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, released the following statement in response to President Bush’s remarks on the No Child Left Behind Act made today at the Greeley Elementary School in Chicago, Illinois. Tomorrow is the sixth anniversary of the enactment...

unemployment rate, from 4.7% in November to 5.0% in December. Nearly 500,000 more Americans became unemployed, the largest increase in a single month since 2001. Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, put out the following statement: "This sharp increase in the unemployment rate comes as...

Washington, D.C. – The Bush Administration today appointed Richard Stickler to be Acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for Mine Safety and Health. Mr. Stickler’s recess appointment expired on December 31, 2007. Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, issued the following...

WASHINGTON, DC – Senators Edward M. Kennedy and John F. Kerry today announced that Massachusetts low-income households will receive $82 million in fuel aid as part of the Omnibus Appropriations bill currently before Congress. The amount is enough to assist 95,000 families throughout the Commonwealth who are feeling the economic effects of...

WASHINGTON, DC— Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy released the following statement on the passage of legislation to create a new Joint Pathology Center as part of the Defense Authorization bill. The Joint Pathology Center will carry on the functions of the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, which specializes in pathology...

WASHINGTON, DC— The DoD Authorization Conference Report includes a provision to continue the operation of the ombudsman’s office in the Department of Labor, which assists sick energy workers seeking compensation under the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act. Senator Kennedy, Chairman of the Health, Education,...

WASHINGTON, DC— Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, released the following statement on the passage of the Fair Competition Amendment in the Defense Authorization bill. “The dedicated civilian employees of the Department of Defense are the backbone of our commitment to keep...

WASHINGTON, Dc— Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, and Senator Daniel K. Akaka, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, introduced legislation to strengthen the employment and reemployment rights of our returning servicemen and women. Recent...

WASHINGTON, DC—Today Rep. Waxman, Sen. Kennedy, and Rep Roybal-Allard introduced a package of bills that will help to ensure that adults have access to life-saving vaccines. These vaccines include the new vaccine against the virus that causes cervical cancer as well as vaccines against seasonal influenza, certain pneumonias, Hepatitis B, and...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Bush National Labor Relations Board has waged an unprecedented war against long-established workers’ rights, witnesses told the House Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions, and the Senate Employment and Workplace Safety Subcommittee today. Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA), chairman of the Senate...

(As Prepared for Delivery) I’m pleased that our House and Senate subcommittees have come together today to consider the state of democracy in the American workplace. I commend Senate Subcommittee Chair Patty Murray and House Subcommittee Chair Rob Andrews for holding this hearing this hearing. Their strong leadership is making an...

KENNEDY ON SECOND BUSH VETO OF CHIP WASHINGTON, DC— Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, released the following statement in response to President Bush vetoing the Children’s Health Insurance Program for the second time. “Once again President Bush has slammed the door...

WASHINGTON — Senators Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) and Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) celebrated the Senate approval late last night of a bill to reauthorize the Traumatic Brain Injury Act. This legislation expands the Public Health Services Act and provides individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) assistance in returning to work, finding a place...

WASHINGTON, DC– At 10:30am today, Wednesday, December 12th, 2007, Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, will attend the signing of the Head Start reauthorization legislation at the White House. For more than 40 years, Head Start has given disadvantaged children the assistance they need to...

(As Prepared for Delivery) I applaud President Bush for enacting this landmark reauthorization of the Head Start program. By an overwhelming margin, Congress has elected to keep Head Start on its successful path, and to enable the program to thrive and improve. With this bill, we’re reaching out early to make greater opportunities available...

WASHINGTON, DC— Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy released the following statement on the recall by Merck of their childhood meningitis vaccine. "Vaccines are essential in protecting the health of millions of Americans from deadly diseases. Today's recall shows once more that our vaccine supply is fragile, and that the nation urgently needs a...

(As Prepared for Delivery) I call to order our hearing on the reauthorization of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR. I thank our witnesses and colleagues on the committee for joining us in this busy time. There are many issues before us that have wide-ranging effects on vast numbers of people. But few are as...

(As Prepared for Delivery) Thank you, Richard Trumka, for that introduction, and thank you for inviting me to take part in this historic meeting. I can think of no greater cause than the fight for dignity and respect for workers and their families. It’s a cause that my brothers and the entire Kennedy family have made our first priority and...