[Pages S1152-S1166]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

MORNING BUSINESS

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator is correct.
Under the previous order, there will now be a period for the
transaction of morning business not to extend beyond the hour of 3:15,
with the time under the control of the Senator from Massachusetts, Mr.
Kerry.
Mr. KERRY. I ask unanimous consent that the remarks of Senator
Kennedy's House colleagues be printed in the Record following my
statement.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
(See exhibit 1.)
Mr. KERRY. Mr. President, I appreciate my colleagues' patience. I
hope we will all have a chance to pay tribute.
As the majority leader has just said, and as we have learned in
wonderful stories across the country over the course of the last weeks,
my senior colleague and our good friend and colleague to all of us on
both sides of the aisle celebrated his 70th birthday on February 22,
last week, while we were out of session. But he also records a rather
remarkable milestone together with a birthday. It is not only a
celebration of 70 years of life, but it is also the milestone of 40
years of service to the State of Massachusetts and to his country here
in the Senate.
He started his career by setting an extraordinarily high standard in
the very beginning because it was when he reached the minimal
constitutional age of 30 that he first came to the Senate--one of only
16 people in the history of the Senate to reach this institution at
that early and tender age. What we celebrate today, Democrats and
Republicans alike, is not only the awe we have for his lifetime of
achievement but really the way in which literally almost every single
year that Senator Kennedy has been here there has been a milestone
piece of legislation that has passed either with his significant
support and input or with his outright leadership.
The Boston Globe put it best, writing not long ago that:

In actual, measurable impact on the lives of tens of
millions of working families, the elderly, and the needy, Ted
Kennedy belongs in the same sentence with Franklin Roosevelt.

That sentence is not constructed lightly; it is the measure of a
public servant who doesn't know the meaning of the words, ``you can't
pass it,'' ``it can't happen,'' or ``impossible.''
It is the measure of a Senator who--on every issue of importance,
from health care to children, education, civil rights, choice, and so
on--can always be counted on to be in the lead, challenging on the
issues and fighting for the principles that guide our party and lift up
our country.

As every single one of my colleagues here knows, Ted Kennedy is an
extraordinary public servant, not only because he knows who he is
personally and sticks to his guns, never bending with the political
currents, but because he has in his life and in his career proven again
and again that progress doesn't happen by accident, that it doesn't
happen when you simply stick to the text of the latest opinion poll or
the whispers of a morning focus group, it happens when leaders define
and fight the fights that need fighting and when public servants of
conscience and conviction refuse to take no for an answer.
That is why, for Ted Kennedy, the ``cause'' has not just endured, it
has triumphed--again and again.
Whether you agree with him or not, we know that Ted Kennedy has never
been afraid to be a majority of one. We know that he has been an
extraordinary leader because he has excelled while completing his work
in the Senate, where sometimes others were afraid to begin.
Ironically, in being a standard-bearer for an ideal, Ted has become,
as Clymer wrote in his recent book:

[N]ot just the leading Senator of his time, but one of the
greats in its history, wise in the workings of this singular
institution, especially its demand to be more than partisan
to accomplish much.

His partnerships with his fellow Senators are well known and often
recited--and sometimes lampooned--from Howard Baker, Jacob Javits, Hugh
Scott, Arlen Specter, Dan Quayle, Orrin Hatch, Alan Simpson, and Nancy
Kassebaum--Ted has never hesitated to cross the aisle in an effort to
accomplish his goals and to further a common agenda--fighting always to
prove that ideologies, however incompatible according to conventional
wisdom, can be put aside for the greater good when it improves the
lives of our fellow Americans.
Ted has always done that--put aside partisanship and reached out. On
a personal note--and I think there are many Senators who would say
this--Ted Kennedy is remarkable. There are so many of our colleagues
who have been touched in times of loss, times of distress, times of
disease or sickness, before an operation, after an operation, when a
child was in trouble; it is almost always Ted Kennedy who is one of the
first to pick up the phone and one of the first to offer support.
I remember 30 years ago when I came back from Vietnam and a group of
us ragtag veterans assembled on The Mall here to try to get the country
to listen to what we thought was the truth.
There were not many leaders in the Senate prepared to listen, but Ted
Kennedy was among the first and the few who came down to that
encampment, sat during the night, listened to the stories of veterans,
and came back to the floor of the Senate to be an extraordinary witness
to their truth. He reached out and demonstrated in actions, as well as
words, the truth for which those soldiers had fought.
Now we see that in so many ways. He goes where his conscience tells
him to go. He hears of children who go through their early years
without health care, who come to school unable to learn, and he has
made their care his crusade. So millions more children today see a
doctor because of Ted Kennedy and millions more will before he is done.
He hears of workers sweating it out, punching a timeclock, doing
backbreaking work over the course of a lifetime, and he has made their
economic security his agenda. And so many millions of workers have seen
their wages increased over the course of their lives, pensions
protected where others would have left it to the marketplace, and he
has created a safe workplace, and the right to organize has been put
back on the Nation's agenda. These issues again and again will be
advanced by Ted Kennedy.
That is the drive, the passion, and the special commitment we
celebrate today. This is not a new ideology, it is not a new-age
vision, but it is an age-old belief that Americans have a
responsibility to each other, that America is still in the process of
becoming, and that we are privileged to serve here to make that dream
real for all Americans.
These are the qualities that make our colleague the lion of the
Senate and make him one of the most prolific legislators in American
history. They also make him what his brother Robert said was some of
the most important words in the English language: A great citizen.
For that and so much more, we honor our friend and colleague Ted
Kennedy today.

Exhibit 1

remarks by representative markey

This past week, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
celebrated the 70th Birthday of our senior senator, Ted
Kennedy, and a legacy of public service unsurpassed in its

[[Page S1153]]

benefit to the people of our state, the country and the
world. Of course, his legacy grows day by day, week by week,
year by year, and will undoubtedly result in the greatest
record of achievement that the United States Senate has ever
known.
It brings to mind a recent event of importance to all New
Englanders. The New England Patriots won the Super Bowl this
year, one of the greatest achievements in professional
sports. So great is this achievement that our regional team
has accomplished this incredible feat just once in its 40
year history. When a professional football team wins more
than one championship in a relatively short time frame we
proclaim it a dynasty. But what if a professional football
team won the Super Bowl for 40 consecutive years? How would
we describe such unprecedented success?
That is the challenge we face as we celebrate the
achievements of Ted Kennedy, for he manages to win the
legislative Super Bowl every year. He has many teammates
contributing to the success of their mutual efforts from year
to year, but they come and go. The one constant is Senator
Ted Kennedy, a Senate giant, the quarterback, the leader.
Senator Kennedy has provided a powerful and effective voice
for those who do not have a high-priced and well-recognized
lobby in Washington--the poor and the underprivileged. His
legislative accomplishments have enhanced the quality of
health care we provide our constituents, the quality of
education we provide our children and the quality of life
every American family enjoys in this nation by safeguarding
our environment and providing protection and equity in the
workplace. Collectively, Senator Kennedy's body of work has
given every individual in this country an opportunity to
reach their ``American Dream.''
When Senator Kennedy retires they will place his picture
and biography in the dictionary next to the definition of
Senator. It will be an abridged version, because they won't
have enough room to describe his accomplishments of the next
forty years. It is an honor to call Ted my colleague, it is
an honor to call him my friend, but most importantly it is an
honor to call him my Senator.

remarks by representative michael capuano

I would like to extend my congratulations and best wishes
to Senator Edward Kennedy as he celebrates his 70th birthday.
Senator Kennedy's impact on Massachusetts and on our
country is immeasurable. His powerful stamp can be found on
national legislation and local programs ranging from health
care and affordable housing to education. He is a true
champion of America's working men and women and is a strong
advocate for the needs of children.
In Massachusetts, Senator Kennedy's hard work is visible in
so many ways. He fights to increase access to public
transportation and improve and highway system. He brings
federal dollars to every corner of the Commonwealth for
after-school programs, teacher training, counseling and a
host of important initiatives.
I am proud to serve in the Congress with Senator Kennedy
and have learned a great deal from him during my short time
in Washington. I look forward to serving many more years with
the Senator. I know that Massachusetts and our country will
continue to benefit from his years of experience.

remarks by representative william d. delahunt

This month the family, friends and admirers of Senator
Edward M. Kennedy celebrate two major milestones: his 70th
birthday and his 40th year in the Senate. It is a fitting
moment to take stock of what his leadership has meant for
social policy in this country.
Senator Kennedy's legacy in the fields of health care
reform, education and civil rights is a testament to his
principled commitment to making America a more just society.
His success in accomplishing so much of what he has set out
to do--whether in the majority or the minority--is a
testament to his gift for finding common ground and his
mastery of the legislative art.
In no area of his work have those twin attributes of
principle and pragmatism been so in evidence as in his
efforts to improve the criminal justice system.
As a local prosecutor for over two decades, I watched with
pride as Senator Kennedy fought for sensible crime control
policies at a time when many in Congress were running in the
opposite direction.
As his congressional colleague for the last five years, I
have been gratified to be able to collaborate with him on
legislation to give local law enforcement officers the tools
they need to keep our streets and neighborhoods safe, while
also providing resources to community-based prevention and
early intervention programs that keep young people from
turning to violence in the first place.
Ted Kennedy has always understood that government cannot
respond effectively to such complex problems if politicians
are merely reactive--if they cling to failed policies and
discredited theories our of fear that an opponent will label
them ``soft on crime''.
And no one can call Senator Kennedy soft on crime. He
understands--as few people can--the terrible toll that
violence has taken on our families, our communities, and our
culture. His own experience has made him especially sensitive
to the needs of victims of violence in all its forms.
Yet the Senator has never wavered in his insistence on due
process and his deep opposition to capital punishment. His
principles were sorely tested as he watched his brothers John
and Bobby cut down in their prime. Few would have blamed him
had he sought vengeance against the assassin who took the
life of Robert Kennedy. Yet characteristically, he spoke even
in his grief not of vengeance but of compassion, asking the
Los Angeles district attorney to retrain from seeking the
death penalty.
Some politicians have been tempted to cast aside the
Constitution when expediency demanded it. Not Ted Kennedy. He
fought for a balanced crime bill in 1996, yet voted against
it when it failed to safeguard the Writ of Habeas Corpus. He
has continued to stand up for the rights of immigrants, whom
others have far too often found an easy target in times of
trouble. He has struggled to pass federal hate crimes
legislation that would curb violence and harassment against
gays and lesbians--another frequent scapegoat for popular
anxieties.
The commitment to a just society, that combination of
principle and pragmatism, are among the many reasons I am
proud to call Edward M. Kennedy my senator. My constituent.
And my friend. Happy birthday, Ted.

remarks by representative barney frank

The senior Senator from Massachusetts, Mr. Kennedy, has
done more to advance fairness in American life in the past
forty years than anyone else in the country. I can think of
no group of people suffering from unjustified adversity of
whom he has been not simply a champion, but the most
forceful, passionate, and, most importantly, the most
effective champion.
In fact, his extraordinary lifetime work for social and
economic justice is not only the most impressive in post-
World War II America, it overshadows the work of all but a
handful of American public officials who have gone before
him.
At this point, I encounter a dilemma. Having said this
about Senator Kennedy's career, I find myself without
anything else to say on this central point--he has been for
forty years the best we have at the most important task
confronting public policy makers, and there is nothing to add
to that in evaluating a political leader. But to end here
somehow seems inadequate--if only to guard against
misinterpretation of my opinion by those who measure
admiration by its length. Fortunately, there is one
subordinate aspect of Senator Kennedy's record that I believe
calls out for comment--his shattering of a number of
stereotypes.
One form of shallow analysis that plagues the study of
politics in America is that which sets up a series of false
choices, and insists that public figures must choose to be on
one side or the other of a set of opposites. We are told that
effective insiders in Congress who seek to get things done
cannot simultaneously be forceful public advocates. We are
told that the political world is cleanly divided between
idealists, pure but impractical, and pragmatists, ever ready
to trade in principle for the sake of a deal. And last in
this series, Members of Congress are often divided between
those who focus on broad national themes, and their opposites
who spend their time and energy working on specific projects
for their local constituencies.
One of the things that makes me grateful to Senator Kennedy
for his unsurpassed legislative work is that he defies every
one of these false dichotomies. He has been for Massachusetts
an extremely effective advocate without in any way holding
back from being our leading national voice for economic and
social fairness.
Nor does this passionate national advocacy in any way
diminish his impact in the Senate, where he is one of the
most productive and successful legislators in that body's
history. And his impact has come precisely because he is so
strongly committed to a set of ideals that he understands
that his obligation is to be successful in carrying them into
fruition.
I believe it is important to admit one's mistakes, even if
it isn't a lot of fun. And there is no statute of limitations
on this principle. Forty years ago, I opposed Edward
Kennedy's candidacy for the Democratic nomination for the
U.S. Senate. While I continue to have an enormous amount of
respect for the late Edward McCormack, who was then his
opponent, I want to say here that I have never been happier
to have proven so wrong.

remarks by representative stephen f. lynch

It is with great honor that I rise today to pay tribute to
an extraordinary man and an exemplary public figure. For
forty years, Senator Ted Kennedy has given a voice to those
without one, and has stood up for all those who need it most.
Senator Kennedy has been a leader for Massachusetts, and for
our nation, and his work has touched the lives of hundreds of
millions of Americans. We all recognize his remarkable
efforts in protecting the civil rights of all Americans,
improving the quality and accessibility of education, and his
undying commitment to extend health care coverage to every
American. But I want to pay special tribute to Senator
Kennedy's dedication to the working men and women of
Massachusetts.
As an ironworker for eighteen years, I know firsthand the
pride that comes from earning a living with your hands, and
the struggles a worker must face to provide for his family on
a blue-collar wage. No member

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of the United States Senate understands the reality of
working families better, and no member respects them more
than Ted Kennedy. Senator Kennedy appreciates the dignity of
teachers, of mechanics, of nurses, and of ironworkers. He
recognizes that working Americans aren't just looking for
handouts from their government--they're looking for a leg up,
to help them ensure that their children have every
opportunity to succeed, and they're looking for a safety net,
to help them provide for their families during the most
difficult times.
Senator Kennedy's legislative record reflects those
principles, and that is why he has been the single most
effective advocate for working Americans in our time.
First and foremost amongst Senator Kennedy's legislative
achievements is his ongoing fight for workers' rights and
protections. One of the most basic principles upon which our
nation was founded was fairness, and Ted Kennedy has done
everything he can to promote that in the workplace.
He has fought successfully to improve workplace safety and
conditions, and continues to fight for ergonomics standards
today. He has fought successfully to raise the minimum wage,
and lift working families above the poverty line.
Additionally, he has stood on the lines with workers across
the state to demand a fair wage for their work. His
reputation as a trusted negotiator with both workers and
management has allowed Senator Kennedy to quiet disputes and
bring all sides to the table for a fair and equitable
resolution during sometimes hostile labor disputes. In 1999,
he intervened in the nurses strike at St. Vincent's Hospital
in Worcester, and all sides came out winners when the nurses
returned to work with new restrictions on mandatory overtime
which improved the safety and quality of care for patients.
Senator Kennedy has fought to ensure that all workers are
paid an equitable wage, regardless of sex, race, or sexual
orientation. he fought successfully for passage of the Family
and Medical Leave Act of 1993, which allows workers to take
unpaid leave to care for members of their family when they
are ill.
Senator Kennedy believes in the power of education, and
knows that it is essential to providing children and adults
alike with the opportunity to succeed. In today's
marketplace, employers require a higher level of skill and
training than ever before. That is why Senator Kennedy's
efforts to expand opportunities for job training centers and
career counseling services have had such an impact for
workers who have been laid off, or who are looking to take
the next step in their careers.
In this time of economic recession, more and more workers
are laid off and need a temporary boost to help them continue
to provide for their families. It is in times like these when
Senator Kennedy's most significant impact becomes clear.
Because of his work in championing benefits for the
unemployed, and in providing transitional assistance to
workers, millions of Americans have the ability to take the
time to retrain themselves, and re-enter the workforce
sooner. And, because of his work to extend health care
coverage to those who have recently lost their jobs, the
health and safety of their children need not be put at risk
while they're looking for a new job.
Senator Kennedy's efforts to protect and support working
Americans have been felt far and wide. As a former union
president and head of a working family, I cannot express how
grateful I am to him for his courage, his voice and for his
support. I wish Senator Kennedy all the best on the occasion
of his 70th birthday, and hope for all Americans, that he
will continue to serve this nation for many decades to come.

remarks by representative james mc govern

I rise today to pay tribute to a true champion of
Massachusetts, Senator Ted Kennedy. As many Members of the
House know, the Senator is celebrating his 70th birthday this
year.
For most of those 70 years, Senator Kennedy has been a
voice for the voiceless, a champion of working families, a
force for peace and justice at home and around the world.
It is nearly impossible to find a major piece of domestic
legislation over the past two generations that has not been
shaped by the Senator's drive, courage, tenacity and
collegiality.
From making health care more affordable to raising the
minimum wage; from civil rights for all Americans to fair and
compassionate treatment of immigrants; from Biafra to
Bangladesh to Belfast--Senator Kennedy has led the charge.
But though he has reached the pinnacles of power, Senator
Kennedy has never forgotten the people of Massachusetts who
have elected him over and over again. One only needs to drive
through the 3rd Congressional District to see his handiwork.
Dozens of economic development projects simply would not have
happened without him.
The Kennedy name, of course, is synonymous with service in
Massachusetts. Senator Kennedy not only survived almost
unimaginable personal tragedy, he persevered. He persevered
because for him, public service is not a job--it is a
calling, a mission, a vocation.
And on a more personal level, Senator Kennedy has been an
amazingly generous friend to me and my family. I have learned
a tremendous amount from him, and I am honored to call him a
colleague.
I know that all of my colleagues in the House join me in
wishing Senator Ted Kennedy a very happy 70th birthday, and
many more happy birthdays to come.

remarks by representative marty meehan

I rise to honor Senator Edward M. Kennedy. Senator Kennedy
celebrated his 70th birthday on Friday, February 22, 2002.
For nearly 40 years, Senator Kennedy has dedicated his
energies and remarkable abilities to making our communities,
our Commonwealth, and our nation a better place to live.
The fruits of his efforts are evident throughout
Massachusetts' Fifth Congressional District. From the
redevelopment of the former Ft. Devens military base to the
preservation of the Watt Farm in Harvard, from the
construction of a new bus operations and maintenance facility
in Lowell to the renovation of the Marlborough Hospital's
Emergency Department, from the Merrimack Valley to the
Metrowest area, Senator Kennedy has delivered for the
residents of the Fifth District.
Senator Kennedy's record of accomplishment doesn't end at
the borders of the Fifth District or even the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts. In fact, it just begins. On every important
fight waged for the working families of our nation, Senator
Kennedy has been our leader.
He has fought tirelessly for civil rights on the home front
and human rights around the globe. He has worked to improve
our public schools, to make college more affordable, and to
give workers the resources they need to upgrade their skills.
He has waged an endless battle to make work pay by pushing
for an increase in the minimum wage. And his leadership on
health care has made health insurance a reality for the
poorest children of our nation and focused us all on the need
for meaningful managed care reform. And I believe that when
Congress passes legislation to create a Medicare prescription
drug benefit for seniors, we will have Senator Kennedy to
thank for that.
On July 15th, 1960, Senator John Fitzgerald Kennedy issued
a challenge to a generation of young Americans. ``The New
Frontier of which I speak,'' he said, ``is not a set of
promises. It is a set of challenges. It sums up not what I
intend to offer the American people, but what I intend to ask
of them.''
On June 6, 1966, Senator Robert Francis Kennedy spoke in
Capetown, South Africa about the nature of the challenge his
older brother issued our nation: ``Few will have the
greatness to bend history; but each of us can work to change
a small portion of events, and in the total of those acts
will be written the history of the generation . . . It is
from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human
history is thus shaped. Each time a man stands up for an
ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out
against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and
crossing each other from a million different centers of
energy and daring, those ripples build a current which can
sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and
resistance.''
That call to service, to courage, to secure universal
justice, inspired generations of Americans to change the
world around them--including the oldest son of a working-
class family on 22 London Street in ``the Acre'' section of
Lowell.
Along with millions of Americans, my ideals, my values, and
my vision for a great and just America were inspired by
Senator Kennedy's brothers. I serve in Congress today--and
strive to make a difference--because of the Kennedy family.
While his brothers continue to inspire us all, it is
Senator Kennedy's endless determination, boundless
compassion, selfless commitment, and knowledge about how to
get things done, that has made their vision a reality. When
the history books are written, it is certain that the career
of Senator Edward M. Kennedy will stand as one of the most
productive and important of all time.
Senator, you are one of Massachusetts' greatest treasures.
Happy 70th Birthday, and thank you for 40 years of service in
the United States Senate.

REMARKS BY REPRESENTATIVE RICHARD E. NEAL

Twenty two years ago, at a caucus in the Springfield Civic
Center, I was elected as a delegate to the Democratic
National Convention in New York in support of a candidate for
president who had a bold vision for our country. He stood for
economic and social justice, affordable health care and
improving the quality of education for all. And while that
campaign in 1980 proved to be unsuccessful, his message
inspired the hearts and minds of countless Americans who were
dedicated to making a difference in the lives of others. That
candidate's name was Edward M. Kennedy.
I share this piece of personal history because Friday was
Senator Kennedy's 70th birthday. It also represented the 40th
anniversary of his election to the United States Senate. It
has been a career of triumph and tragedy, victory and
setback. But through it all Ted Kennedy has persevered,
continuing to be a strong and steady voice for working
families and the less fortunate. At this point in his
extraordinary life, he has become a true statesman of the
Democratic Party, passionately articulating its values and
beliefs to a national constituency.
He has displayed that same conviction in his tireless
efforts to bring peace and reconciliation to the island of
Ireland. While

[[Page S1155]]

many would point to the early 1990's as the beginning of
America's involvement in this bitter conflict, Kennedy's
interest goes back to the early 1970's. The contribution he
and his family have made to the current success of the peace
process simply cannot be overstated.
But there is another side to Ted Kennedy that I have always
found even more appealing. It is one of the primary reasons
why I have been such a steadfast and loyal supporter for so
many years. And it is what the people of this state have
known since his first election in 1962. If it helps people in
Massachusetts, no issue is too small or insignificant for
Senator Kennedy to embrace and lead the charge. Here is one
example.
Soon after my election to Congress, Speaker Tom Foley
appointed me to serve on the House Ways and Means Committee
which has jurisdiction over health related matters. One of my
first challenges was a complex Medicare reimbursement issue
designed to help Mercy Hospital in Springfield. At my
request, Ted Kennedy took up the fight in the Senate and made
it a top priority.
As the Chairman of the Senate Health, Education and Labor
Committee, he was the principal architect for health care
reform in the nation. His thoughts on this critical issue
lead the network news each night. But unlike most
politicians, Kennedy's best work often times goes unseen. He
fought long and hard behind the scenes to ensure that the
concerns of Mercy Hospital were included in the overall
Medicare bill. Throughout this long process, Ted Kennedy
displayed his trademark human touch.
I can vividly recall him taking time to meet with Sister
Mary Caritas, then President of Mercy Hospital, to hear her
concerns about the economic impact of this proposal. In the
middle of this important national debate, he never forgot the
people back home. He took her phone calls personally, and
never missed an opportunity to update her on the progress of
this technical issue.
Not surprisingly, the proposed change to the Medicare
program became law and Mercy Hospital was helped a great
deal. Even now, many years later, he still asks me in that
distinctive voice: ``Richie, how is Sister Caritas?''
And this example is not unlike the way he has worked on new
projects like Springfield's Union Station, the Federal
Courthouse in Springfield, the Pioneer Valley Life Sciences
Initiative and countless others across the Second District
and beyond.
Much has been written about the senior Senator from
Massachusetts over the years. As someone who was with him as
recently as last week, it is clear that he has not lost the
boundless enthusiasm he brings to the job. In a meeting about
airport security in my office, he was as energetic and
focused as the candidate that I endorsed back in 1980.
Senator Kennedy may be known nationally as one the most
effective legislators in the history of the United States
Senate. He has the well deserved title of patriarch of one of
America's most distinguished families. In my 25 years of
public service, I think of him simply as one of the best
friends the people of western Massachusetts ever had.
Happy Birthday Teddy.

remarks by representative john w. olver

I would like to salute Senator Edward M. Kennedy, on the
occasion of his 70th birthday and his 40th year of service in
the United States Senate.
Senator Kennedy has made it his life's mission to work on
behalf of those who are too often overlooked: children, the
elderly, individuals with disabilities, the poor and the
workers of this nation. From the Americans with Disabilities
Act to increases in the federal minimum wage to his advocacy
for those infected with HIV and AIDS, Senator Kennedy has led
the fight to provide equal opportunities and resources for
everyone in America.
When I look at the congressional district that I represent,
I see Senator Kennedy's influence everywhere. He has helped
to build a thriving arts community in Berkshire County,
provided critical support for biotechnology investment in the
Pioneer Valley, and successfully lobbied for urban
redevelopment funding in north Worcester County. Thanks to
Senator Kennedy's vision, there are five community health
centers serving the uninsured and the underinsured in my
district.
The list of Senator Kennedy's accomplishments, both in
Massachusetts and across the country, goes on and on. His
effectiveness as a legislator is unparalleled, and his
tireless work over the last forty years is an inspiration to
all of us. I feel honored to have worked with Senator Kennedy
for the last decade, and I congratulate him on all of his
remarkable achievements.

remarks by representative john f. tierney

I am proud to honor Senator Edward M. Kennedy on the
occasion of his 70th birthday. I am pleased to join my
colleagues in the Massachusetts delegation in paying tribute
to our friend, our leader, our inspiration as he reaches this
important milestone in his remarkable life.
Senatory Kennedy has accomplished so much for our state and
our nation over these past forty years that it is difficult
to distill all of his work on behalf of American families
into just a few words. He has been, and continues to be, a
champion of quality health care for all Americans, a true
believer in public education and a fervent advocate of living
wages for working people in this country. For all of those
reasons and more he enjoys the respect and affection of
millions of people all across the country.
Two of Senator Kennedy's accomplishments, however, have had
particular relevance to my constituents in the Sixth District
of Massachusetts: First, he was the primary sponsor of
legislation that created the Essex National Heritage
Commission, an extraordinary public-private partnership which
continues to excel in its mission of educating
schoolchildren, residents and visitors alike on the wonderful
maritime, industrial and cultural history of our region in
the northeastern part of Massachusetts. His continuing
advocacy ensures that the rich heritage of the 34 diverse
communities that comprise the Essex National Heritage Area
will be preserved and passed along to future generations.
Senator Kennedy has also been a tireless advocate on behalf
of the thousands of Massachusetts families for whom
commercial fishing has been both a livelihood and a way of
life for almost 400 years. For four decades Senator Kennedy
has stood shoulder to shoulder with those families. Through
good times and bad, through declining stocks and
proliferating regulations, through devastating natural
disasters and deep personal losses, he has been a source of
strength and hope. Angela Sanfilippo, longtime president of
the Gloucester Fisherman's Wives Association, said it quite
simply in her birthday tribute to Senator Kennedy in the
February 22 edition of the Gloucester Daily Times: ``No one
has been more of a friend to us than U.S. Senator Edward
Kennedy.''
Happy Birthday, Senator. I look forward to serving with you
for many years to come.

Mr. KERRY. I yield such time as the Senator from Nevada might use and
then the Senator from Illinois.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Nevada.
Mr. REID. Mr. President, the Kennedy family has a long, proud, and
enduring legacy of public service. Senator Kennedy's father, Joseph,
served as Ambassador to the Court of St. James, and we all know how he
encouraged his children to pursue public service, and public service
they pursued.
John Kennedy, of course, became a Senator and then President. Robert
Kennedy served as Attorney General and then as a Senator. Today,
younger generations of the family are adding to this record by holding
public office and doing noble work in their communities.
The Kennedys have made an impact on me. In my office across the hall,
I have a letter I received from President John F. Kennedy--he was a
Senator who had just been elected President--congratulating me for
forming the first Young Democratic organization in the history of Utah
State University.
I never met President Kennedy, but I can remember when I worked here
as a policeman on Capitol Hill driving home by the White House, looking
out on the lawn and seeing Macaroni, Caroline's horse. I can remember
when I was a Capitol Policeman and President Kennedy had been
assassinated. I, of course, knew all the shortcuts through this
Capitol, and I took them and walked past his casket.
Now, many years later, in the same office that I talked about a
minute ago, there is a plaque on the wall announcing that John Kennedy
occupied the office from July 13, 1960, when he was nominated for
President, until his inauguration in January of 1961. Every day I see
that big bronze plaque. Every day I think of President Kennedy.
Robert Kennedy inspired me and millions of young people in my
generation who admired his commitment to helping the poor and
disenfranchised and believed we could make a difference. One of my
favorite stories about Robert Kennedy recalls a meeting he had with a
bunch of affluent people. After outlining his vision for our country,
Robert Kennedy was asked: Who is going to pay for this? Senator Kennedy
did not pause a second. He said: You are going to pay for it. That is
integrity. That is what the Kennedys have brought to America.
As we recognize these contributions, let us also acknowledge the
Kennedy family has made tremendous personal sacrifices for our country.
Three brothers lost their lives serving our country. Joseph, Jr., was
killed in a plane crash while on a dangerous volunteer mission over
Europe during World War II. He was killed at the age of 29. President
John Kennedy was assassinated at the age of 46. Robert Kennedy was
assassinated at the age of 42. Of course, sister Kathleen died in a
plane crash at the age of 28. The Kennedys have been beset by tragedy
played out on the public stage perhaps as no other American family.
My first memory of Senator Ted Kennedy dates back to when I was on
vacation years ago with my best friend

[[Page S1156]]

watching television and Robert Kennedy's funeral was being broadcast. I
can remember clearly Ted Kennedy's eulogy. It is something I will never
forget. One of my sons this past Christmas gave me a compact disc of
famous speeches. There were not that many famous speeches on this CD,
perhaps 20, but one on that CD was the remarks Senator Kennedy gave at
his brother Robert's funeral.
Over the years, Ted Kennedy has given many great speeches, powerful,
moving speeches, but even more significant than his skills as an orator
is that he has been a voice for those without power. This powerful man
has been a voice for those without power and a champion of social
justice for all Americans.

As the most prominent surviving member of this great family, it would
have been easy, as Senator Kerry and Senator Daschle have both
mentioned, for him to have become discouraged and to give in to fear of
being a target for more violence. We all would have understood if he
had decided to leave the limelight, to withdraw, but he accepted the
burden and embraced the responsibilities of being a Kennedy, of being
an American. He has persevered and continues to serve. His
contributions are significant, and America is a better place as a
result of his contributions.
Senator Kennedy has served our Nation for almost 40 years in the
Senate. He was elected in 1962 to fill the seat of his brother, John F.
Kennedy, who had been elected President. During more than six terms in
the Senate, he has accomplished so much. In particular, he has led the
effort to bring quality health care to all Americans. He sponsored and
succeeded in getting passage of the Patients' Bill of Rights that we
want to finalize.
Senator Kennedy has been involved in so many different aspects of
education. He played a key role in enacting education reform
legislation, as Senator Daschle said, to help students, to help
teachers to, in effect, improve the quality of our Nation's schools and
hold them accountable.
He has also taken to the barricades on labor issues, fighting on
behalf of America's working men and women. There is no greater hero in
the America union movement than Ted Kennedy. He has forcefully
advocated for a higher minimum wage many times, and he is now a leading
proponent for helping workers, especially nurses, to eliminate
mandatory overtime.
We have worked together on some issues since I have been in the
Senate, issues that maybe he did not have a stake in or at least people
did not think so; for example, what should we do about people who have
risked their health and even sacrificed their lives to win the Cold
War. He became involved in this and helped pass legislation to make
sure those people who were injured in the Cold War were also recognized
and compensated. It could not have been done without him.

Certainly Senator Kennedy has a distinguished record of legislative
accomplishments, but he has not rested on his laurels. He continues
every day to work hard to continue to have a positive impact.
I express publicly my gratitude for his help. Senator Kennedy was a
legend when I got here. I was so impressed with Senator Kennedy always
asking: Do you want to go first? Do you want your name first on the
legislation? Do you want to speak first?
He is a modest man. I will always remember how good he has been to
me, his continued willingness to set aside personal fame--glory,
really, that he already has--and instead lead the charge for us or do
whatever is necessary for the good of the team. He has been helpful and
inspirational to Senator Daschle and Harry Reid. It is easy to say, but
I can testify to this: He always cares about his Nation first.
I thank you again, Ted, for your many contributions and years of
service. I wish to thank you and your lovely wife Vicki. I wish you
both Godspeed. May you have many more birthday parties such as this.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Massachusetts.
Mr. KERRY. Mr. President, I yield such time as he will use to the
Senator from Illinois. I thank him again for this courtesy. If my
colleagues would allow, I would like to go to the other side of the
aisle for a moment and come back to Senator Schumer, Senator Clinton,
and Senator Stabenow.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Illinois.
Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, about 35 years ago as a college student I
was seated in this Senate gallery because there was a historic event
about to take place. Senator Robert Kennedy, of New York, was to
announce a very important statement about the Vietnam war. I sat there
late into the evening waiting for this moment and looked down from that
gallery to see Senator Robert Kennedy come to the floor with his
brother, Senator Ted Kennedy. I watched this speech. I listened to
every word of it. It had such an impact on me, as I am sure it did on
many people across America, these two brothers continuing to serve this
country after their brother, the former President, had lost his life,
continuing to be in the midst of the arena for every important issue. I
am sure there were many reasons for my being here today, but that
experience, watching Senators Bob and Ted Kennedy, was part of that
process of learning and dedicating your life.
Ted Kennedy was born to public life. He came to Washington as part of
a family as storied as the John Adams family. He was elected at age 30.
Many of his critics dismissed him. They believed he was only
capitalizing on the most fabled democratic name in the latter half of
the last century. Over his Senate career, Ted Kennedy has proven his
critics wrong. He stands today as a Senator who was first among equals.
Many matters come before the Senate. Many issues are debated and voted
on, but you can be certain that every issue which touches the hearts of
the American people will bring Teddy Kennedy to the floor, to his feet,
and to the center of the debate.

Hubert Humphrey said: You can judge the government by the care it
gives to those in the dawn of life, our children, those in the twilight
of life, our elderly, and those in the shadows of life, the disabled
and the dispossessed.
I might add, you can judge the heart of a Senator by his commitment
to these same voices of needy citizens in America.
By that standard, Ted Kennedy's career in the Senate will be measured
as one of the best. For four decades, hundreds of Senators have come
and gone, thousands of matters of national importance have been
considered. But there has been one constant. Whether the issue was
civil rights or human rights, education, health care for children,
mental health, the rights of working people, food for our poor and the
poor of the world, there was one man who could always be counted on to
make the fight: Ted Kennedy--on civil rights, on Medicare, on Americans
with disabilities.
Ted Kennedy has been quite a spokesman and champion throughout his
career for the elderly. Little did he realize that his passion for
senior citizens would eventually become a conflict of interest, as he
now qualifies for both Social Security and Medicare. But that has not
deterred him. He takes to this floor with the charm of the Irish and
the tenacity of a bulldog. He can bring us together to think, to laugh,
to weep, to reflect on the meaning of public life and the meaning of
life itself.
In many of my campaigns in downstate Illinois as a Congressman and as
a candidate for the Senate, my opponent would go to some well-paid
pollster who would say: What you want to do is say that this Durbin
votes a lot like Ted Kennedy.
Well, I have never shied away from that accusation. I welcome it
because time and again he has stood for the right causes and for the
right reasons. I am honored to serve with Ted Kennedy. I am honored to
count him as my friend and ally in so many important fights. He has
made this Senate and this Nation a better place to serve and live. Ted
Kennedy is the people's Senator.
Happy birthday, Ted.
Mr. KERRY. I yield 5 minutes to the Senator from Alaska.
Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I am reminded of a time when I was
standing in the Republican cloakroom and someone announced that another
Senator was having a 70th birthday. Senator Strom Thurmond said: Oh, to
be 70 again. I say the same thing to my friend from Massachusetts
today.
Senator Kennedy and I have had a friendship that goes back many
years,

[[Page S1157]]

some 34 years. In January or February of 1969, Senator Kennedy decided
to take a trip to my State to look into the plight of the Alaskan
Native people, particularly with regard to education and health
conditions. We traveled there to small villages from the west coast
into the north country, and we had a good trip. We formed a bond then
that, despite our differences in the last 34 years--and we have had
differences--we have never had any disagreements. And I will tell the
Senate why.
At one of these small villages we were walking around, it was really
quite cold. The snow was hard packed on the ground in this small
village. Suddenly, out of a door of a little cabin, a young boy, little
boy, darted. He just had a top on, as a matter of fact. He somehow or
other had lost his diapers or whatever he had on the bottom. Senator
Kennedy and I saw that. Ted, with one hand, reached down and scooped
him up and with the other hand unzipped his parka and stuffed that kid
in the parka, and the three of us walked around that village until the
two of us found out where he lived.
Ted may not remember, but when we went into that little cabin and
presented the mother with the boy, there on the wall was a picture of
his brother Jack. It was a very interesting day. We went on to other
places.
I am here today to wish my friend happy birthday, but also to tell
him I have cherished that bond, that friendship. Any man who
understands children that way is a friend of mine. We have worked for
children, for preschoolers, for education, for the health and welfare
reform of the Native people. They have met him, and they still have
great fondness and love for the Senator from Massachusetts.
Happy birthday, Ted. Best wishes to you and Vicki. I look forward to
you one of these days saying: Oh, to be 70 again.
Mr. KERRY. Mr. President, the Senator from New York is recognized for
2 minutes.
Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I have admired Ted Kennedy for as long as
I can remember--as a citizen watching his early days in the Senate, his
leadership against the Vietnam war and for civil rights, and then when
I became a Congressman and served on the Judiciary Committee and we
worked on different pieces of legislation together. I was utterly
amazed at this man. He had the energy and enthusiasm and high spirits
of a freshman, even though he had been here for 25 years, with the
wisdom and experience and substantive expertise of a veteran.
But, my colleagues--and I am sure every one of you has experienced
this--the closer you get, the better Ted Kennedy looks. In the Senate
he is just, as my daughters would say, awesome.
His compassion drives the man--he cares. This is not just a game for
him. This is not just something to go home and talk to the voters
about. Every atom of his body breathes help for those who need help,
and fairness, and having our country live up to its ideals.
Every one of us have seen him here in the Senate early in the
morning, hard at work going over a speech he was going to give. It is
no accident that he is the best speaker in the place. He has the
natural talent, but then he works at it on top of that.
His dedication to the body--I cannot thank Ted enough for the
guidance he has given me. I need a heck of a lot of it, but we are
working on it, and he has provided it better than anybody else.
The man, as one of my colleagues said--I think it was the Senator
from Massachusetts--is the lion of the Senate. We admire him; we are
grateful for him; we love him. Ted, all of us wish you many more years
to keep on doing what you have been doing, for us and for America.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Massachusetts.
Mr. KERRY. I thank the Senator from New York. In deference to the
fact that she needs to preside in a few minutes, I recognize the
Senator from Michigan and then the Senator from New York, the junior
Senator, and then we will go to the other side of the aisle again. I
yield 2 minutes.
Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, I appreciate my friend allowing me to
speak at this time because of the need for me to preside in a moment.
I could not let this time go by without joining my colleagues in
saying happy birthday and how I have such respect and admiration for a
gentleman who is becoming a wonderful friend. I thank him for that.
People ask me what is the biggest surprise or what I am most
impressed about after a year in the Senate. I always indicate how
impressed I am with my colleagues and their hard work, how much they
care, and the intelligence that people bring to the job. I say the
person I have been most impressed with--and, frankly, surprised about--
is Senator Kennedy. Not because of his intelligence; we know his
intelligence. We know he stands up for those who need a voice and for
principle. He is a strong advocate and a wonderful speaker.
But what has been a wonderful surprise to me is that this gentleman,
who could, essentially, sit in the Senate and have the enjoyment of
knowing that people recognize his stature, who could speak when he
would like or be involved in such legislation as he would like, is a
Senator who, when the door is closed, is in the room counting the
votes, working hard on the nitty-gritty that has to be done beyond the
glare of the cameras.
I have been so impressed with Senator Kennedy's willingness to be in
that room. I will never forget, when we were meeting with advocates
about the Patients' Bill of Rights; Senator Kennedy was there. He stays
there, doing what needs to be done, calling the meeting, putting it
together, talking about amendments, negotiating with people--he does
the hard work of legislating. This person whom we know and respect and
who comes from such a legendary family is there every minute, getting
the job done.
I have learned so much in the last year and have been so impressed
with the wonderful compassion and leadership this man brings to us.
I had an opportunity this weekend to see a movie a lot of people are
seeing right now, ``John Q,'' a wonderful performance by Denzel
Washington. I sat there being enraged and yet feeling a great sense of
urgency that many of us experience about health care. But I walked away
thinking: Every day, John Q has a fighter for him in the Senate named
Senator Ted Kennedy. It is because of this gentleman, whom we are
celebrating today and thanking today, that I know we are going to be
able to finally make sure that those represented by the movie ``John
Q'' will get the health care they need.
Thank you and happy birthday.
Mr. KERRY. I am grateful to the Senator for her remarks, and I
recognize the Senator from New York for such time as she consumes.
Mrs. CLINTON. Mr. President, I thank the Senator from Massachusetts,
not only for yielding that time but also for giving us this opportunity
to come to the floor and express our appreciation and gratitude to our
colleague.
There have been a lot of wonderful words already spoken. There will
be many more this afternoon and included in the Record. I think that
all goes to the point that each of us, Republican and Democrat alike,
Member of the Senate or the House, citizen of Massachusetts, New York,
or any State in our Union, shares a common bond of pride in the work
Senator Kennedy has done over a lifetime.
I remember the first time I saw him in action, it was 1978, it was
the Democratic Party's so-called midterm convention in Memphis, TN. Ted
Kennedy had come to appear on a panel about health care. The fire and
the passion and the extraordinary knowledge he displayed 25 years ago
on that issue is just as prominent in his public pronouncements and
actions today.
Twenty-five years ago he was making the case that, in a country as
rich as ours, every single citizen should as a matter of right be
entitled to quality, affordable health care. He laid out ideas then
which he has worked on steadily in the years since.
I appreciate the extraordinary guidance and support he gave to me
when I tackled the rather awesome task of working on health care, an
issue that has certainly brought a lot of humility to my life. In the
work that I did, it was Senator Kennedy who understood it intuitively,
who absolutely mastered every nuance, and was ready to offer counsel
and advice about how we should go forward. As everyone knows, that
wasn't a successful effort. But in

[[Page S1158]]

such a typical fashion that really marks his Senate career, he didn't
waste any time regretting what was not done. He immediately got to work
about what could be done. As a result, we had the Kennedy-Kassebaum
bill. We had the great partnership between Senator Kennedy and his
colleague and friend, Senator Hatch, on the Children's Health Insurance
Program. Despite the fact that the overall goal could not be achieved,
many people were helped because, along the way, Senator Kennedy helped
to craft legislative solutions to human problems.
You can look at the landscape of this country and realize that not
just in his beloved home State of Massachusetts but in my State of New
York and all the way across the country, people have been helped to get
a better wage for the day's work they do, to get access to health care,
and most recently, with the triumph of his leadership on the Leave No
Child Behind Act, to look forward to a better public education.
There is much that can be said about Senator Kennedy's legislative
prowess and career. What I want to remark on is his personal interest
in all of his colleagues, the staff who work here, the people who keep
this place going. A very heartwarming and common sight is that of the
Senator walking down the hallway with his faithful companion, Splash,
the most intelligent, creative, energetic dog who has ever walked the
halls of the Capitol or probably anywhere else in our country, and to
see him waving or saying hello to people, no matter what job they are
doing, no matter who they are--because he is no respecter of the
boundaries that sometimes separate Senators from everyone else. He came
to do a job 40 years ago. He is just as actively engaged in the pursuit
of the goals that he not only holds near to his heart but which
represent the best of our country.
I was honored to have the Senator campaign for me in my election to
the Senate. One memorable day, he and Caroline and his redoubtable
father-in-law, Judge Reggie, and I got into a small plane and made our
way from New York City to Buffalo to Albany. Along the way he warmed up
the crowds we brought him to meet. One particular moment that I
appreciated was how he said he was proud to be in my company because
now people were sending out letters against both of us--not just him. I
was proud to be in his company, as I am every single day proud to serve
with him.

We rise today to pay tribute to an extraordinary leader and an
absolutely unparalleled Member of this body, a Senator for all time--
not just this time--and a friend and colleague to all of us.
Thank you. Happy birthday, and Godspeed.
Mr. KERRY. Madam President, I thank the Senator from New York for her
spirited and wonderful comments about our colleague.
I yield the Senator from Maryland 4 minutes and the Senator from Utah
6 minutes.
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Ms. Stabenow). The Senator from Maryland.
Mr. SARBANES. Madam President, I am pleased to join with my
colleagues today in paying tribute to Senator Kennedy on the occasion
of his 70th birthday.
A champion of working people, Senator Kennedy has clearly understood,
from the very beginning of his tenure in the Senate, the importance of
a meaningful job in the lives of our citizens. He has consistently
worked for programs that promote full employment, and that enable
Americans to support their families. Senator Kennedy has championed
training programs, summer job programs, and the Summer-to-Work
Opportunities Act--all designed to enhance the skills of our citizens.
He has been our most eloquent advocate for the collective bargaining
rights of American workers, rights that ensure that our workers are
among the best trained, the best paid, and the most productive in the
world. And, Mr. President, I am pleased to stand with Senator Kennedy
as he continues to lead the effort for an increase in the minimum wage,
which holds out the promise of a decent living to men and women who,
through hard work, seek to climb the ladder of opportunity.
If there is any hallmark of Senator Kennedy's career, I think it is
his drive for the full participation in American life for all of our
citizens. He has distinguished himself as a champion of civil rights
and of the neediest and most vulnerable members of our society, who
often are without a voice in Government. For 40 years in the U.S.
Senate, he has spoken for working Americans, for the unemployed, for
the sick, for the elderly, and for young people.
The Women and Infants Program, the Child Nutrition Program, Head
Start, and so many education programs have Ted Kennedy's imprimatur
upon them. He has led the successful drive for passage of the Family
and Medical Leave Act. Today, Senator Kennedy is fighting for a
meaningful Patients' Bill of Rights and for a prescription drug benefit
for our senior citizens. One could go on and on enumerating all of
these programs.
I want to add one dimension to this. What distinguishes Senator
Kennedy the most in the Senate is his tireless advocacy of the causes
to which he is committed. He is a tenacious fighter on the floor of the
Senate, in the committee room, and behind the scenes. He tackles very
difficult issues with courage and commitment. Perhaps most importantly,
he has maintained a focus on using our Nation's Government as a tool
for good in the lives of all Americans, and as an example for the
entire world.
Senator Kennedy has seen history made, and he has made history. It is
hard to imagine a lifetime of service that has meant more to the
citizens of Massachusetts and, indeed, to the people of America. In
every fight he has waged to make our Nation more productive, more
compassionate, more open to participation, more fair and equitable to
all its citizens, he has always appealed to the best in us all.
It is an honor to be his colleague in the Senate, and to be his
friend. It is with great pleasure that I join with my colleagues in
extending best wishes and congratulations on his 70th birthday.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Utah.
Mr. HATCH. Madam President, believe it or not, one of the reasons I
wanted to run for the Senate 26 years ago was to get the modern-day
face of liberalism, Senator Ted Kennedy, out of office.
(Laughter).
As the past 26 years have amply indicated, I have failed. And I have
come to appreciate that the country is better for it.
In many ways, Senator Kennedy stands for all that my party and my
state reject so vehemently:
An unabashed reliance on government as the problem-solver of first
resort;
A belief that the Federal coffers can, and must, support those in
need, regardless of private, State and local resources;
And, indeed a devotion to extending the Federal arm across this great
Nation--whenever, whatever--the concept of Federalism aside.
I know full well what President Bush means when he says the fellas at
the coffee shop in Crawford find it hard to believe that Senator
Kennedy has some points in his favor.
But I have grown to understand, and appreciate, my Massachusetts
colleague, for the tremendous passion and dedication he brings to the
job. I have come to respect his tremendous love for our great country
and its people.
I have come to admire his patriotism and his devotion to national
service, that great tradition which is the hallmark of the Kennedy
clan.
And I have grown to recognize that despite our differences on almost
every issue, working together, we could find a common ground--that
space in the middle from which great legislation is born.
Some of my most revered accomplishments are Hatch-Kennedy or Kennedy-
Hatch collaborations.
It is a mark of Ted's greatness that he does not care who gets the
credit, as long as the job gets done.
Starting with our first bill together, the Women in Science
legislation in 1978, Senator Kennedy and I have worked together to
enact legislation that is helping virtually millions of people in this
nation.
I am thinking also of all the critical bills we have enacted
together:
The first AIDS research bill;
The first AIDS services bill, the Ryan White Care Act; and, the
orphan drug

[[Page S1159]]

bill, and home health care. You could go on and on.
I am thinking of the Child Health Insurance Program, or ``CHIP,''
which now is providing health care to almost five million children who
didn't have it just a few short years ago--children of the working poor
who worked hard but didn't have enough money to pay for health
insurance for their kids. It could not have happened but for Ted
Kennedy.
And I am also thinking of the many bills we worked on so diligently,
such as the Americans with Disabilities Act, the downwinders
legislation that helps so many Utahns in the inner-mountain West, and
which Senator Kennedy helped make possible, and the Job Training
Partnership Act.
Of course, I am also thinking of the religious liberties bills we
have put through together, each of us motivated by our strong faith and
love of the Lord.
But let me hasten to add that sometimes it is just not possible for
us to find middle ground. For every bill we have promoted together, for
every issue on which we have found a common ground, there is another
issue on which we have fought tooth and nail.
Indeed, at times, we have both won and lost.
Many times, my side carried. I am thinking back to our earliest fight
over labor law reform when I first came to the Congress.
I am thinking of the battles we had over minimum wage increases and,
with due deference to the Senator from New York, over the Clintons'
Health Security Act.
But to be fair, many times Senator Kennedy's side carried the day.
There are numerous provisions in Federal employment law, in health
care policy, and despite the fact that he is not on the Finance
Committee, sometimes even in the Tax Code, that are directly
attributable to Senator Kennedy's skills and persistence.
It is no secret that many, if not most, of my constituents in Utah
disagree with Senator Kennedy on almost every issue.
I will never forget a letter I got from one of my constituents many,
many years ago. From a senior citizen in Southern Utah, a very
conservative part of the state.
She said,

Senator Hatch, when we heard you might run for office, we
supported you. When you actually ran for office, we voted for
you. And when we heard you were friends with Senator Kennedy,
we prayed for you!

(Laughter).
Many of my constituents question how I can be such close friends with
a man whose principles vary in so many ways from those of most Utahans.
This is what I tell them. In my opinion--and I think I am an
authority on this subject--Ted Kennedy is one of the most effective, if
not the most effective, legislators in this country. He never quits
until he gets the job done. And I, for one, admire that. When he is
with you, there is no more solid ally. And when he is against you,
there is no more fierce opponent.
We all have to recognize that despite Senator Kennedy's position on
any particular issue, he is a patriot in every sense of the word. Ted
Kennedy, in the fine Kennedy tradition, is truly motivated by public
service, and we all owe him a debt of gratitude for that.
And what I did not understand in 1976, but what I know so well now,
is that Ted Kennedy is willing to come to the middle to get the job
done. It is hard for him, sometimes difficult, but he is willing to do
it. His spirit of bipartisanship is just what the Nation expects during
this turbulent time. I just wish I could get him to do it more.
It is no secret that Ted and I are close friends, even though I am a
conservative, he is a liberal; I am a westerner, he is an easterner; I
am a physical fitness fanatic, he is--well, never mind.
As I was saying, it is no secret that Ted and I are close friends. I
value the time I have spent with Ted and his wonderful wife Vicki,
whose birthday I understand is today. I wish her a happy birthday and
the best, and all of the Kennedy family who have treated me so well
over the years.
For the past 26 years, we have laughed together, we have cried
together, we have sung together, and we have prayed together. We have
fought and we have made up. But above all, we respect each other's
abilities. In that trust and alliance, good legislation can be made,
legislation that benefits our constituents today and in the future. And
that is what we have been sent here to do.
Madam President, last year, Senator Kennedy sent my polling numbers
to the basement when he came over and hugged me in the Senate Chamber.
Today, I am going to return the favor and offer my dear friend and
colleague my best wishes on his 70th birthday. I have done the math,
Ted. If you can get that cloning bill through, there is a great
possibility that you can still be middle aged when you reach the age of
140.
He is my dear friend. I care a great deal for him, and we will be
friends for eternity.
I thank the Chair.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Massachusetts.
Mr. KERRY. Madam President, I thank the Senator from Utah for his
comments. Let me say, we on our side will forgive him for his complete
misunderstanding and misinterpretation of our party, precisely because
of his affection and respect for our good friend, Senator Kennedy. We
thank him for that.
I will recognize the Senator from New Jersey for such time as he will
consume, and then the Senator from Georgia, and, finally, the Senator
from Rhode Island. We will close with the Senator from Connecticut. I
know we are out of time. I ask unanimous consent to proceed for such
time as we need to complete these remarks.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Mr. KERRY. I thank the Chair.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from New Jersey.
Mr. CORZINE. I thank the Senator from Massachusetts for the
opportunity to speak.
Madam President, I, too, add my voice to the many others who have
come to praise the distinguished Senator from Massachusetts, Mr. Edward
Kennedy.
Though the Presiding Officer and I have only been in the Senate for a
very short while, in my life outside of the Senate, I have admired
Senator Kennedy for many years for all of the work and leadership he
has brought to the issues that make America great. In my opinion, he is
one of the greatest national leaders not only of this time but of all
time. It is an extraordinary honor for me to serve with him in this
body.
Senator Kennedy is a man of principle who stands up for ordinary
Americans and for the values in which I think all of us believe. Time
after time, on issue after issue, he has worked to expand access to the
American promise, the American dream, that drives so many of us in our
pursuits in our lives for ourselves and our families and our
communities, for all of those we care about, regardless of where one
begins in life.
He has fought to ensure that each and every American has access to
high-quality education, access to quality health care. He has done as
much to help children as anyone could ever dream about. He has worked
for the people in the workplace who do not have representatives with
the ability to work the Halls of Congress. He has worked to help make
sure every American has dignity and a minimum wage that is a living
wage. He is a great voice on the issues that make a difference in
people's lives--hard-working Americans.
But Senator Kennedy is much more than a champion. He does a lot more
than give speeches and issue press releases and help ``rookies'' become
Senators. He does something I think America admires most, and that is
to get things done. It is one thing to have great ideas, but it is
another to deliver on them. I do not think there is anyone I have seen,
in the short tenure I have had here, who is a stronger, more
provocative, and certain legislator than Ted Kennedy.

He understands how the Senate works. I have been trying to pick his
brain to understand that as my life unfolds here. He knows how to work
across the party lines and with Presidents and many folks with whom he
may agree or disagree. But he knows how to win on the issues he is
trying to fight for; that is, to help the people of our Nation.

[[Page S1160]]

So in every sense he is a terrific leader because he has his values
and his commitment to the people. He is a man of compassion, and he is
great to those of us who are new in this body.
I thank you for your generosity and for your great leadership. I look
forward to serving with you for a very long time--maybe not 40 years,
but we will work as long and as hard as we can. I congratulate you on
your 70th birthday. I wish you and your family the very best.
God bless you.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Georgia.
Mr. CLELAND. Madam President, it is an honor to be in the presence of
true greatness in the Senate, to be in the presence of one of the great
Senators we have in this body, Senator Ted Kennedy. May I also say, I
identify with Senator Orrin Hatch from Utah that in terms of my service
with Senator Kennedy, a lot of my constituents pray for me, too. I
might say, though, Senator Kennedy and his family are really the reason
I got involved in politics.
I came to this town as a young 21-year-old and sat in the gallery
much as Senator Dick Durbin said he sat in the gallery and watched
Senator Kennedy come to the Chamber as a freshman Member of the Senate.
To me, that was the ultimate in public service and citizenship at that
time. For me, to be a freshman in the Senate, and Senator Kennedy still
being here, is one of the great rewards of my life.
It is interesting that we are going to be considering an election
reform bill in just a few moments. The point is, we are trying to
improve the very democracy we have been given by our ancestors. But you
cannot do that without leaders.
Harry Truman once said: A leader is someone who gets people to do
what they ought to do anyway. People in this country ought to register,
they ought to vote, they ought to turn out, they ought to be interested
in politics, but many are not. So we need inspiring leaders.
Ted Kennedy, for me, is an inspiring leader. He came to this body
when he was young and has stayed here dedicating his life to this body,
this Senate. To me, that is the ultimate in patriotism and the ultimate
in citizenship. It reminds me a lot of a person who occupied this
Senate desk and was in the position that I now hold in the Senate,
Senator Dick Russell.

They both came to this body at the tender age of 30. Both dedicated
their lives to this body and this country. So it is just an honor to
serve with Senator Kennedy today. I bring him greetings from the great
State of Georgia. And, Ted, I wish you many more. Thank you.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Rhode Island.
Mr. REED. Madam President, I rise to salute Senator Ted Kennedy on
his 70th birthday and to state something that is obvious to everyone:
In the course of this country and this Senate, hundreds of men and
women have served, but only a handful are truly great Senators. Senator
Ted Kennedy is one of those great Senators.
His greatness is measured by his vision, by his compassion, and by
his effectiveness. He is the architect of so much that has improved the
lives of so many Americans--health care, education, foreign policy, so
many things that have made the lives of so many people better. Indeed,
the measurement of his greatness is not the votes on this floor or his
elections in Massachusetts, but it is in the lives of countless
children throughout this country and seniors and working men and women,
disadvantaged Americans, dispossessed Americans whose lives are better,
indeed, who cherish hope because Ted Kennedy served in this body.
Ultimately, his great reward and tribute will not come from us but
will come years from now, when a child or a senior or a working
American, not knowing from whence a law evolved but knowing that it has
made their life a little better and given them more opportunity, will
say ``thank you,'' and that thanks will be to Ted Kennedy.
I had the privilege of serving with his son Patrick. I know that his
passion, his devotion to duty is not exclusive to him alone but is
shared immensely by his son, my friend, and colleague from Rhode
Island.
I say to Senator Kennedy, thank you.
Mr. SPECTER. Madam President, I have sought recognition to commend
Senator Kennedy on his 70th birthday and his approximately 40 years in
the Senate. I join my colleagues in recognizing and complimenting him
on his unique achievements in the Senate.
I was an admirer of the Kennedy family from afar for many years. Then
I learned a great deal about the Kennedy family under circumstances
which could have been more pleasant. I was one of the young lawyers on
the Warren Commission staff investigating the assassination of
President John F. Kennedy.
I recall, years ago, a Democratic dinner in Philadelphia. I was a
Democratic committee member in 1960 when President Kennedy ran for the
White House. My wife Joan was 8 months pregnant when he came to speak
at the big dinner in November. There was great enthusiasm and great
excitement about Senator John Kennedy's appearance that night.
We watched him at the White House in Camelot with great respect, and
then the terrible events of November 22, 1963 occurred. Thereafter, I
gained some greater familiarity with the Kennedy family as assistant
counsel to the Warren Commission.
Coming to the Senate after the 1980 election, I had an opportunity to
work with Senator Ted Kennedy on the Judiciary Committee. His passion
and his exuberance for the underdog were unmistakable on civil rights
and voting rights. He is a real leader.
I recall one hearing that he wanted to schedule on an occasion when I
could be present. It was a voting rights matter where I had
participated, and the hearing was set for 2:30 PM on July 1, 1987. That
was the day on which Circuit Court Judge Robert H. Bork was nominated
for the Supreme Court. Suddenly, at 2:30 PM, Senator Kennedy was
absent. I saw him on the Senate floor, at 2:38 PM, making a carefully
prepared speech. He was well attuned to the nomination and was talking
about the back of the bus. It is all in the Congressional Record. Since
I have only a few minutes, I will not go into this matter further.
However, that was Senator Kennedy on civil rights.
In this Chamber, he is bombastic in his declamations on the subjects
which are near and dear to his heart. He does wear a microphone, but he
hardly needs one when he speaks in this body. He fills the Chamber with
his enthusiasm and his passion.
When I chaired the subcommittee appropriating for education, there
was no appropriation adequate for Senator Kennedy. However much money
we put in, he wanted more. Very often--not always--but very often he
was right, and the same was true with health care. On a number of
occasions when he sought to cross the aisle to seek cosponsors on the
Republican side of the aisle, I was about the last person standing on
many of those occasions.
I was glad to join him as a cosponsor on the hunger legislation,
where it made no sense that people could not get food stamps if they
had a car worth, say, $3,500. We fought hard and got the law changed.
Then on hate crimes, his was a lonely voice in this Chamber for a
long time. I joined him in that endeavor and signed on to an op-ed
piece he had written, but I had agreed with, that was published in the
Washington Post. Then, in the year 2000, we carried that Federal hate
crime expansion amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act for
Fiscal Year 2001 in the Senate 57 to 42, with 13 Republican Senators.
It was an election year.
He has been a great leader in the Senate. He carries on a great
family tradition. He has been a stalwart on some of the most important
issues confronting America in civil rights, in voting rights, in health
care, and in education. So I am glad to lend my voice of recognition
and commendation of his great service to the Senate.
Mr. LEAHY. Madam President, I am pleased to join with my colleagues
this afternoon to pay tribute to Senator Edward Kennedy on his
birthday.
I am proud to call Ted Kennedy a colleague, a friend, a mentor and a
neighbor. I arrived in the Senate as the most junior member in 1974.
Ted Kennedy, only a few years my senior, had already been in the Senate
for 12 years. He generously provided me with guidance on everything
from policy matters to committee selections.

[[Page S1161]]

Over the course of his career Ted Kennedy has championed the cause of
those Americans living on the margins; those individuals in our society
who for whatever reasons are denied basic human necessities like safe
housing, nourishing food, a steady income, or access to health care.
His dedication over the past decades has been unwavering, and as we
see every day here in the Senate, continues to be unwavering.
Ted and I have worked together on many issues over the years. In fact
we still serve together on the Judiciary Committee, which he preceded
me in chairing at one time.
Whether it is in supporting heating assistance for low-income people,
so essential to surviving the cold winters that we experience in New
England, or in championing nutrition programs, I have always admired
Ted's knowledge of the issues, and his tenacity in pursuing that which
he believes is right.
Through his service on the Health, Education and Labor Committee,
whether as ranking member, or chairman, Ted Kennedy has continually
strived to improve Americans' access to health care with the hope that
one day no American will be without the basic services that so many of
us take for granted.
He has fought to improve the education of our children, with the
knowledge that a good education is the basic building block to their
future success, reducing the chances of living in poverty by ensuring
access to quality employment.
And he has consistently advocated on behalf of the worker, with the
understanding that no person should have to work 40 hours a week and
still live in poverty.
I have valued the time that I have served with Ted Kennedy in the
Senate. Over this period, hundreds of Senators have had the privilege
of serving their Nation and the people of their state, but few members
have achieved the distinction of truly making an impact on the lives of
millions of Americans.
Ted Kennedy has done that and oftentimes for those Americans who do
not have a powerful voice in Washington.
Several years ago, the Washington Post Magazine had a story about Ted
Kennedy that entitled him the ``King of the Senate.'' Our Founding
Fathers tossed off the shackles of the monarchy over 200 years ago but
it was an appropriate acknowledgement that Ted Kennedy is a lion at the
gate protecting the interests of working class Americans.
Mr. McCAIN. Madam President, I extend my very best birthday wishes to
the very senior Senator from the great Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Of course, he has become even more senior now that he is entering his
eighth decade. I am certain, however, that he will find that life has
become even more enjoyable as it is leavened with wisdom.
Senator Kennedy is also entering his fifth decade in the U.S. Senate.
Through dogged work and passionate beliefs, he has truly become one of
the giants in this great institution. Agree or disagree with Senator
Kennedy, but appreciate his effectiveness. I am a Republican and he is
a liberal Democrat. But I can attest to his dogged determination to
achieve results across the barriers of ideology and party. Whether he's
fighting for the rights of patients or to make our schools better,
Senator Kennedy never gives up on issues he deeply cares about.
I am pleased to have the opportunity to wish Ted Kennedy a hearty
happy birthday and thank him on behalf of a grateful Nation for his
lifelong service to our country. I am privileged to call him my
colleague and, above all, my friend.
Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Madam President, it is with great pleasure that I
send belated birthday wishes to my friend and colleague, the senior
Senator from Massachusetts. At 70 years old, Ted Kennedy is one of this
country's most effective lawmakers, having served 40 years in the
Senate.
It is difficult for me to think of many major public policy
initiatives that Ted Kennedy has not had a hand in shaping. What is
most remarkable is that in many cases he has been here for both the
inception and the reauthorization of some of the most important
legislation of our time.
When he was elected in 1962, women and minorities did not have equal
rights under the law. It is fitting that Ted Kennedy's first floor
speech was given on the Civil Rights Act of 1964 because he helped to
make school integration, pay equity for women, and fair housing laws a
reality. While serving with him on the Judiciary Committee, I have seen
first hand his ability to tap into the needs of disadvantaged
communities and pass meaningful civil rights legislation.
When Senator Kennedy was elected to this body, Americans did not have
equal access to high quality healthcare. With his support, the Medicare
and Medicaid program were established to enhance the welfare of
millions of elderly and disadvantaged Americans. And in his capacity as
chairman of the Senate Health Subcommittee and later Full Senate
Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, he has fought to
pass laws allowing workers greater flexibility in keeping and choosing
their healthcare coverage and making healthcare insurance more widely
available to children. More recently, he fought tirelessly to enact a
Patient's Bill of Rights to make HMOs more accountable to patients and
less able to interfere with medical decision making. As the result of
his efforts, we can now offer health care protections to all 190
million Americans in private health plans. This was no small feat.
Before Ted Kennedy, reforming our country's education systems was an
issue on the forefront of our minds, but the last item on the Federal
Government's agenda. Not only was he among those to support the
original passage of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act in 1965,
but Ted Kennedy spearheaded the fight to pass the reauthorization of
this sweeping federal school bill. Senator Kennedy's efforts have been
particularly important to the 5.6 million economically disadvantaged
students in my State.
In the Senate, Ted Kennedy has been a champion for a society that is
just, fair, and humane. He has fought tirelessly for working families
and underserved communities. With passion and pragmatism, he has served
this nation and his beloved Massachusetts--breaking down gender,
racial, class, and religious barriers.
On your 70th birthday, I salute you, Senator Kennedy, for your
distinguished years of service and wish you continued success in the
future.
Ms. MIKULSKI. Madam President, I rise to pay tribute to my dear
friend and colleague on the occasion of his 70th birthday.
Because of Senator Kennedy, our Nation is stronger, fairer, healthier
and better educated. Because of Senator Kennedy, our Nation's
opportunity structure continues to be one of our nation's greatest
strengths.
Senator Kennedy's achievements are remarkable. Increasing the minimum
wage. Expanding health care. Improving our nation's schools. Creating a
national service program. Strengthening our civil rights laws.
Safeguarding a woman's right to choose. Enabling more people to attend
college, to get job training, and to build better lives for themselves
and their children.
Senator Kennedy is a champion of working Americans, senior citizens,
children--the list goes on and on. This list is of ordinary Americans,
not special interests.
For 40 years, Senator Kennedy has served in the Senate. Yet he
retains his passion, his high energy and his enthusiasm for meeting the
day to day needs of his constituents and the long term needs of the
nation. He knows that so much remains to be done.
The entire Kennedy family has given so much to our nation. With their
wealth, they could have done anything--or nothing at all. They could
have led lives of the idle rich. Instead, they are a family of war
heroes, Senators, Congressmen--and a President of the United States.
They are also defenders of the poor, environmentalists, educators and
artists. They fight to give every American the opportunity to build
better lives and stronger communities. This commitment to service comes
from their deep faith, their strong family and their patriotism.
Many of us in the Senate were inspired to lead lives of public
service because of John F. Kennedy. As a young social worker, I felt he
was talking to me when he called our generation to

[[Page S1162]]

service. He practiced a passionate, active idealism--that was different
from anything we've seen before in politics.
Senator Kennedy has continued this legacy. He is one of the great
Senators in our nation's history. I feel grateful to be his colleague,
and his friend. I look forward to the battles ahead.
Mrs. BOXER. Madam President, I join my colleagues in paying tribute
to a man who is in many ways larger than life. Today we celebrate the
70th birthday of Senator Edward Kennedy, someone who personifies public
service in our country.
Senator Kennedy is a member of a family that has dedicated itself to
public service. His entire family has followed the credo that ``One
person can make a difference and every one should try.'' Senator
Kennedy truly has made a difference, and he has so often made a
difference for the people who work hard day in and day out.
Senator Kennedy has been a champion of working Americans since he
became involved in public service. He is today our most outspoken and
eloquent advocate for their causes. He has worked tirelessly for
increasing the minimum wage, for quality health care for all Americans,
and for education reform. He is a leader for civil rights in our
country and for strengthening Medicare and Social Security. Senator
Kennedy has had tremendous accomplishments during his nearly four
decades in the U.S. Senate, many more than I can articulate in this
short amount of time.
Suffice to say, Senator Kennedy has been an inspiration to
generations of Americans. He has been a friend and colleague to all of
us serving in this body. I am so very proud and honored to serve with
him.
Mrs. LINCOLN. Mr. President, I rise today to add my voice to those in
honor of our good friend and colleague Senator Ted Kennedy, who last
week celebrated his 70th birthday.
Since I arrived in the U.S. Senate in 1999, I have had several
opportunities to turn to Senator Kennedy and his staff for advice and
assistance on a range of issues that are crucial to Arkansas, including
health care and help for the uninsured.
For example, I was honored to work closely with Senator Kennedy last
year on the education reform bill. When I offered an amendment to
improve educational services to language-minority students, Senator
Kennedy offered his assistance by cosponsoring my amendment. It was the
first floor amendment I offered in the Senate that required extensive
debate and a rollcall vote. We passed that amendment as a key part of
the most sweeping overhaul of American public education in a
generation. The support and assistance I received from Senator Kennedy
and his outstanding staff is something I will always remember and
deeply appreciate.
In my time here, I have found Senator Kennedy to be an invaluable
resource on policy and legislative matters. For nearly four decades, he
has exemplified how a Senator can best serve the interests of his own
constituents, as well as those of the American people. Through his
wisdom, experience, and encyclopedic grasp of Senate history and
procedure, he has served as an example to us all. It may be that the
greatest tribute we can pay Senator Kennedy is to follow that example.
Finally, I would like to offer my thanks to Senator Kennedy for the
friendship that he and his wife Vicki have extended to me and my
family. I am deeply grateful for their warmth and kindness.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Massachusetts.
Mr. KERRY. Madam President, I thank the Senator from Rhode Island and
recognize the Senator from Connecticut for such time as he may use. I
understand Senator Biden may be on his way.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Connecticut.
Mr. DODD. Madam President, I thank the junior Senator from
Massachusetts for orchestrating this event this afternoon on behalf of
our fellow New Englander and friend and colleague.
I can't help but think of that wonderful story written by Mark Twain
about Tom Sawyer who, on the reports of his demise, crawled up into the
choir loft and listened to the eulogies being given to him. I can't
help but think my friend from Massachusetts may think he is
participating. He is alive and well, let me report to those tuning in.
There is a lot of kick left in the senior Senator from Massachusetts. I
fully expect there will be many more years of his contribution to this
body.
Our friendship goes back a long way. I don't want to remind him of
this, but I was dressed in a white shirt and blue pants sitting on the
steps of the Democratic side as a page in the Senate about the time
that my friend from Massachusetts entered this body. He had years of
service with my own father in the Senate, serving about 8 years with my
father; he served with him on the Judiciary Committee back in those
days.
He liked to tease me all the time that he deeply resented the fact
that someone would get elected to public office on the basis of their
last name. I return that favor to him today.
This is a wonderful relationship. We share a common heritage of deep
affection for our Irish roots, our beloved New England, the coastline
of that part of the country.
Today is Vicki Kennedy's birthday, as has been mentioned by Senator
Hatch but deserves repeating. This has been a great source of light and
joy and love in our friend's life, as have his wonderful children as
well: Ted Kennedy, Jr. is my constituent living in Connecticut and has
become a friend of mine outside of my friendship with his father; Kara
Kennedy, their children, Ted's grandchildren; Patrick, who is
a wonderful public servant, a great source of pride to his father, who
follows him in public life and serves in the House and represents so
ably the State of Rhode Island.

Then there are his sisters: Eunice, Pat, and Jean, each one of whom
makes their own unique contribution to the well-being of this country.
On Sunday afternoon I participated in a Special Olympics event in the
State of Connecticut. About 600 people gathered together to watch young
children with disabilities win gold, silver, and bronze medals. I had
my 5-month-old daughter Grace with me presenting little flowers to each
of the winners.
I was thinking of Eunice Kennedy in the backyard of her home in
Maryland years ago with four or five children beginning what was then
the genesis of Special Olympics. Obviously, his brothers: Jack Kennedy,
our beloved President; Robert Kennedy; Joe, his sister Kathleen, all
these people, and his father and mother who have contributed.
He will be the first to say no one individual accomplishes what they
do in their own right. We are a product of our family and friends, our
experiences in life.
I join with so many eloquent words spoken, from the majority leader's
words to my friend and colleague from Georgia, obviously the Senator
from Massachusetts.
A couple last points. I identify with and certainly support all that
has been said about the Senator's contributions. I bear the
responsibility right now of selecting the faces of the caricatures of
Senators who have been recognized for their contributions. Ironically,
it was the junior Senator from Massachusetts, Jack Kennedy, who was
asked a number of years ago to assume the same responsibility when the
names of Calhoun, Clay, Webster, Taft, and La Follette were chosen as
the pictures in the waiting room of the five great Senators of the 19th
and early 20th century. We have just chosen two more: Senator Wagner
and Senator Vandenberg, and have two small ovals.
It will not be our responsibility--that will come to a future
generation--to choose the figures of the latter part of the 20th
century that might inhabit unpainted ovals in the reception room. I
hope that Senators, 50 or 75 years from now, might look back on this
record today as a source of some guidance as to how contemporaries felt
about one of their own. And whether you are talking to Senator Byrd
who, of course, has more than 50 years of service in the Congress, or
those who have arrived only a few short months ago, there is a common
thread you will hear; that is, that our friend Ted Kennedy certainly
deserves to be on any short list of a future generation that makes the
decision on who ought to be considered the greatest of those who served
in the latter part of the 20th century.

[[Page S1163]]

It is because he is a great legislator. We don't cherish or celebrate
enough legislators. Most of us run for public office promising that we
will be our own people, that we will be nobody's man but yours, that
somehow we are going to come here and act as if we were an executive
rather than legislator. Senator Kennedy, regardless of party, embodies
the qualities of a legislator. He fights harder than anyone I know for
what he believes. But he also knows at the end of the day in a
Democratic process, in the greatest deliberative body in the history of
mankind, you end up having to work with people with whom you have
disagreements. It is more than about giving speeches or introducing
bills. It is producing at the end of the day a product that improves
the quality of life. It may only be an inch. It may not be the miles
you intended. But you know that if you can move it an inch forward this
year and an inch maybe next year, a little bit further the following
year, at the end of a career you can make a huge difference.
Because he enjoys and understands the process of legislating, not
only has this body been enriched but, as others have said, the quality
of life for people who may never know his name, do not know who he is
today because his contribution is not confined to the boundaries of
this Nation, but there are people in Latin America and Africa and Asia,
people who have never heard the name Kennedy, don't know what you are
talking about, whose lives today have been enriched and improved
because this one individual has been involved. He defies the notion
that one person cannot make a difference.
Lastly, I have been raised to believe that character is about what
people do in private, not in public. There are not Members who have
served with him who have not been the beneficiary of the private
moment, of that unexpected phone call, knock on the door, and you open
it up and there is our friend from Massachusetts. On every single
level, I have often said this is one of my best friends. I am proud to
call him such and happy to celebrate with him this great birthday.

I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Massachusetts.
Mr. KERRY. Madam President, I thank the Senator from Connecticut for
very thoughtful and personal comments. It is not inappropriate that the
last speaker will be one of those other Senators who was among the 16
U.S. Senators ever to join this body at the age of 30.
I yield to the Senator from Delaware.
Mr. BIDEN. Madam President, before I came into the Chamber, I said to
Senator Kennedy, ``This is discouraging. I am about to be 60 and you
just turned 70 and I don't like it. I don't like anything about this.
As a matter of fact, it drives me crazy.''
As a matter of fact, Senator Kennedy, with a much more distinguished
career than me, has suffered through the same illusion and delusion
that I have. I got here when I was a couple days younger than he, and
for the longest time I was the youngest, and all of a sudden you wake
up and say, oh, my God. In my case, there are only a total of six
Senators who have been here longer than me. That is equally
discouraging. In his case, I think only two have been here longer than
him.
This place has a way of promoting the delusion that you are still
young. One thing about Ted Kennedy, having had the honor--and I mean
that sincerely--of working with him for 29 years is that he is still
young. He is younger, I think, than anyone in this Chamber because I
have observed, as have we all, that he is still as passionate, as
devoted, as committed to the notion that he can change the world as he
was when he got elected at 30 years old.
My dad is in the hospital and I hope he is watching. He has an
expression: ``It is a lucky man or woman who gets up in the morning,
puts both feet on the floor, knows what they are about to do, and
thinks it still matters.'' That said, I think Ted Kennedy may be the
luckiest man I have ever known. He has no doubt. Just watch him; he
knows and feels it still matters.
In his 70 years, Senator Kennedy has enjoyed and shared with us a
lifetime of public service, a tradition of excellence, a family of
faith and courage in the face of extraordinary tragedy, and through it
all, he has shown an unrelenting resolve to keep moving, keep working,
and never stop believing in the power of ideas to change the world and
change this Nation. In doing so, he has seen to it, as he once said in
another context, that the dream will never die.
That is Ted Kennedy. That is who he is; it is what he believes, and,
I suspect, although I have just known him for 30 years, it is what he
has always believed. To him, this institution, this democracy, this
Chamber is about honor and tradition. It is about a legacy of hope, of
a proud family, and a grateful Nation. It is about believing in the
nobility of public service and passing that belief, or, as his brother
said, that ``torch,'' to the next generation of Americans, as it was
passed to him.
As I said, I have had the pleasure to serve with him for 29 years, to
stand with him, to learn from him, to lean on him, and to watch him in
action in this Chamber. I have seen him raise his voice time after time
not only for his constituency but for every single American. And for
those who have no choice, I have heard him shout in this Chamber, and
other places, at the top of his lungs for justice. For those who have
been wronged, I have heard him demand and stand fast until fairness
happened. For women, for minorities, those victims of intolerance and
persecution for nothing more than the color of their skin, I have seen
him fight with every fiber in his body to give them more strength and a
sense of equity. I have seen him exhausted, angry--a couple times at
me--but I have never seen him give up or back down from what he
believes is right, fair, and just.

Everybody today says Massachusetts is an automatic liberal State. I
can remember when it wasn't such an automatic liberal State. I argue--
and I mean this sincerely--the reason Massachusetts, in part, is the
way it is is because of Ted Kennedy, for when Ted Kennedy spoke out on
the things we all take for granted today--and some may say it is easy
for him to do that in Massachusetts, but when he started that, that was
not the overwhelming view in Massachusetts or any other State.
I argue, and I truly believe, that if anybody listening wonders
whether or not one man or one woman can change the way people think,
not a single vote--not a change in outcome, but change the way people
look at a subject, I respectfully suggest that you look at Ted Kennedy.
Ted Kennedy hasn't changed a darn thing that he has said or believed in
these issues for 30 years. But the State has changed, the Nation has
changed, so I remind everybody that when people say it is OK for Ted
Kennedy to get up and fight for the poor, fight for African-Americans,
fight for gays, fight for minorities, he can afford it. Well, he can't
afford it; he made it. He made it acceptable. He made it change more
than any other man or woman in this country in the last 30 years.
Madam President, I say to the people of Massachusetts and to
Americans everywhere, no matter what they believe, whether they are
left or right, Democrat or Republican, liberal or conservative, know
that the idea of representative democracy is the very embodiment of Ted
Kennedy.
I know people think because we are all his friends we are standing up
and saying these nice things. Well, I will tell you, if you doubt what
I am saying, or what anybody else said, after a bitter fight on this
floor, after Ted Kennedy nearly breaks his desk in anger or in
frustration for what is not happening, watch how passionate he is, and
then watch, whether he wins or loses, how he walks across the aisle and
he is greeted on the other side of the aisle with a genuine, genuine,
genuine respect and friendship.
Every time I try to tell anybody, whether I am traveling in another
country, or traveling in my State, or in this country and speaking with
students, or with anybody talking about representative democracy, and I
give you my word to this, I want to give an example of how this place
is so different--and this is one of the things that has changed,
unfortunately--I tell them about Ted Kennedy. I pick out the guy who
has been known as the most liberal guy in the Senate, and I have watch
him go against conservatives such as Orrin Hatch, and I say

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after it is all over--it used to always be like this--whether he wins
or loses, he will invite the person to whom he won or lost to go with
him and have a sandwich or a cup of coffee or he will invite them back
to his office because the fight is over and democracy, whether it was
the right decision or the wrong decision, has prevailed. He settles it
and comes back to fight again the next day.
People are always amazed. Why is it that so many conservatives who
work with him love Ted Kennedy? It is because he understands the deal.
He is like Chris Dodd. He understands the deal. He understands that you
give and you take when you make a commitment, and you make a commitment
even after a while. I say this about my friend from Connecticut as
well, who is one of the few people who does this, and the tables change
and it becomes a political liability to stick with your word--he never
approaches you and says: You know, Joe, I have a problem. He never says
a word. He just does what he committed to do.
I can't tell you that in the 29, almost 30 years I have been here,
how that one piece of courtesy is the thing I most regret having been
diminished in this place. It used to be you could turn and say that
about 80 people here. I should not be saying what I am saying, but it
is true. And so the fact of the matter is, I have seen him move a
concept, as others have spoken--a concept from inception to law with
the skill of a surgeon. This guy is good. How does Kennedy win? How
does it happen? No. 1, he is smarter than most of us. No. 2, he knows
the process better than anybody. No. 3, he gives and he takes and he
never, never stops; and he is always, always honorable.
If you were going to point out the persons you think would get the
most done--and I do not think anybody's legislative record and
accomplishments match the Senator; there are great women and men who
serve here and with whom I have served over the last 30 years. But
think about it. The least likely guy to have that happen is the one
viewed as being the furthest on the party spectrum, not the person in
the middle, the so-called--I love these new guys in the parties--
centrist. One would think it would be the centrist who would get the
most done.
In spite of, some might suggest, his incredibly firm convictions and
sometimes being at the point of the spear, Ted Kennedy gets the most
done. If one would ask Republicans, some publicly and 95 percent
privately would say the single best legislator in this body--and has
been for some time--is Ted Kennedy.
As I said, I have seen him move a concept from an idea to a law. In
my view, he is literally the best of his generation. He is the
personification of what people talk about in political science classes,
about the nobility of a public servant. He makes democracy work for
people he represents.
One would never know that he is 70 because he has not lost an edge at
all. As a matter of fact, I remember in a different context when he was
consoling me about something, he said there is life after this. And
obviously he embraced it fully because ironically he has been
incredibly and increasingly more productive as every year goes by, even
though over 50 percent of the people here probably only served with him
6 years or so.
There are two words to describe Ted Kennedy: He is the quintessential
legislator, and he is the gentleman in the Senate. His may be the one
most powerful voice to echo in this Chamber for those who have not been
lucky enough to have drawn that long straw. When it comes to health
care and workers--others have talked about it, so I will not go into
it--when it comes to children, equal rights, justice, when it comes to
speaking loudly and clearly for those who are weak and small and
altogether too silent, he is the one legislator who always has been on
their side regardless of the fashion and regardless of the polls.
The gift Ted Kennedy has given us every day is far more than we could
ever give back in 70 years or 100 years or 170 years. All we are able
to really say to Ted Kennedy today is happy birthday. But I want to say
one more thing--as they say in this body, a point of personal
privilege.
We all have had difficult times in our lives, and I have had some
difficult times in my life, relating to losses in my family and other
events. But from the first time Ted Kennedy came to Delaware as a 39-
year-old guy campaigning for a 29-year-old guy before 3,000 people at
the final dinner in my State, he stood up and said a lot of nice things
about me, but he said: My only doubt is that he may be too young,
making a play on the fact that he had been as young as I was when he
was elected.
The next day the Wall Street Journal ran in that column they have
straight deadpan: Kennedy wonders aloud: Is Biden too young for the
Senate?
Maybe he has tried to make up for that ever since then; I do not
know. When my wife and daughter were killed, the first guy there was
Ted Kennedy. When Ted Kennedy's mother was alive, he or she called me
and invited me to bring my children and go out with them. He did not
know me from Adam.
Madam President, I will not take any more time to talk about those
personal things, but I want you to know they make a difference in this
place. They make a gigantic difference. When some doctors told me my
chances of hanging around were not all that good after a couple
aneurysms, he was the guy who took the time to take the train by
himself to Wilmington, DE, the guy who had nothing to do or say but
just came and made himself available, hung out all day and spent 15, 16
hours at my house and in the pool with my kids, in the kitchen with my
wife, talking about how this was all going to work out, and then
without me knowing it, got on the train late at night and headed back
and never, never said a word. He was the first guy to ever come to me
when I was down in this place and sat with me when I did not want to be
here after 6 months--Ted Kennedy.
He is the guy who introduced me to the gym. Ted may remember. He
would come by two to three times a week to drag me out of my office. I
want to tell my colleagues, I will never forget it.
Madam President, I say to my colleagues in the Senate, I want to make
one closing remark. My political hero got me involved in politics.
There are a lot of great men--and the two Kennedy brothers who are
deceased were great--but my personal favorite is Robert Kennedy. I
cannot believe there is nothing prophetic about what Robert Kennedy
said in a speech and maybe somebody else mentioned this. But it seems
he must have had his kid brother in mind when he said:

Our answer is the world's hope. The cruelties and obstacles
of a swiftly changing planet will not yield to the obsolete
dogmas and outworn slogans. It cannot be moved by those who
cling to a present which is already dying, who prefer the
illusion of security to the excitement and danger which comes
with even the most peaceful process. The world demands the
quality of youth, not time of life, not but a state of mind,
a temper of the will, a quality of the imagination,
predominance of courage over timidity, of appetite for
adventure over the love of ease.

He was talking about his brother. I yield the floor.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Massachusetts.
Mr. KERRY. Madam President, I thank the Senator from Delaware for
those special comments. I recognize the Senator from Tennessee for 3
minutes and then the Senator from Washington for 2 minutes or such time
as she may use.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Mr. KERRY. Madam President, I should announce we have gone overtime.
The Senator from Connecticut needs to move forward. That is where we
will wind up.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Tennessee.
Mr. THOMPSON. Madam President, I thank my friend from Massachusetts.
I did not realize we would have this opportunity today to express our
feelings and thoughts toward Senator Kennedy until a few minutes ago.
When I heard about it, I was compelled to come over and say a few
words.
I am sure for the time allotted that everyone who spoke has pointed
out the brilliance of the Senator's advocacy, the fact that he is a
Senator's Senator, and all of the accomplishments he has had since he
has been a Member of this body.
I simply want to acknowledge the Senator's generous spirit and his
kindness. I know that I speak for very many in this body and people in
other places when I say that. He has demonstrated this time and time
again.

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His reputation for kindness, his reputation for thoughtfulness--as
the Senator from Delaware has just been talking about--is legendary. I
imagine part of this has to do with the tragedies and losses in his own
life in terms of his own family.
I suffered a loss of my own recently, as so many of us in this body
have. Senator Kennedy went beyond all expectation in expressing his
concern for me and my family and made gestures that I will never
forget. I want to express my appreciation for that. Many of my
colleagues have been extremely kind and thoughtful, but I have this
opportunity because the Senator is having this benchmark in his life
recognized--and thank goodness he is--to say that.
While the Senator is to be congratulated for his legislative
achievements, he is to be congratulated for reaching this benchmark. To
me, he is mostly to be congratulated for realizing that human beings
and human relations and family are much more important than any of the
above.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Washington.
Mrs. MURRAY. Madam President, I rise today to join my colleagues in
wishing the Senator from Massachusetts, Mr. Kennedy, a very happy
birthday.
I grew up in a small town 3,000 miles away from here, a town of 1,000
people, from a family of 9. We did not have very much. Macaroni and
cheese was standard fare for my family. Times were very difficult. My
father was disabled. My mother had to work and raise seven kids and
care for my father. We went to church every Sunday. It didn't seem as
if there was a lot of hope. But there was one word of hope in my home,
growing up in Bothell, WA, 3,000 miles away from here. That word for
hope was ``Kennedy''--hope for all of us.
There was an individual 3,000 miles away in a town only on a map in
our sixth-grade text book, Washington, DC. This man stood up and fought
for the things my family needed so badly--whether welfare reform
assistance for my mother when she had to go back to work, whether an
education for all seven of us kids as we went through school, whether
it was my ability and my six brothers' and sisters' ability to go on
and get a college degree because of student loans and grants.
There was a man, an individual fighting for us, even though he never
knew us, and I certainly never thought I would meet him. But his word
was magic. His name was magic in my house. The name was Kennedy. We
knew there was a compassionate advocate for us, every single day,
speaking out for the needs of a family many miles away.
It is an honor and a privilege for me to be in this Senate, where I
never thought I would be, and to have watched him for the last 9 years
fight for those same people to make sure they have a good education,
that they have prescription drug coverage, that their voice is not
lost, that they have employment insurance when they do not have a job,
that they have a voice in a town far away from many cities in this
great country. It is an honor indeed to serve here with this man and to
know that he advocates for many people who can never afford to travel
this far away to speak for themselves.
Senator Kennedy, happy 70th birthday season, and many more. Thank
you.
Mr. KERRY. Madam President, I thank the majority leader for setting
aside this time. I am particularly grateful to all my colleagues who
have taken part in this special tribute. I am quite confident that my
colleague would think otherwise, but I don't think there has been a
word of excess. There has been an extraordinary commonality in the
comments of everybody, a sense of the Senator's instinct for this
place, a sense of the Senator's obvious accomplishments through the
years he has been here, his commitment, his passion, his effort to
change things for the better for other people. But through everybody's
comments, in the end I think what is most striking and perhaps most
important, and most important for us to think about as Senators, is the
humanity and the way in which he has touched the lives of citizens and
the lives of his colleagues.
We are very grateful. I am confident all my colleagues will join me
in saying if you think the last 40 have been pretty terrific, you
probably haven't seen anything yet. As Senator Dodd said, there is a
lot of territory yet to be covered. We are grateful that Senator
Kennedy is going to be there to cover it.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The distinguished Senator from Massachusetts.
Mr. KENNEDY. Madam President, the hour is late and the time allotted
earlier has been exceeded. I did want to take a moment to acknowledge
the overly generous comments of my colleagues and true friends.
I first of all thank my colleague and friend, John Kerry, who was so
instrumental in arranging these few minutes this afternoon in the
Senate's business. As I have said all across Massachusetts, this is an
individual who served our flag and our colors gallantly and bravely in
Vietnam and then came back because of his strong commitment to the
ideals which motivated him in the service of our country--not unlike
our friend and colleague from Georgia and others--and now continues to
fight for these matters. He is a person for whom I have enormous
respect and admiration. I am enormously grateful to him for this
opportunity this afternoon.
I thank our leader, Senator Daschle, who really is a leader for our
times. I think all who get to know him better and better as the time
goes on, and as the American people get to understand and know him
better and better, will understand the true value of his leadership and
the difference he is making for this institution and our country. I am
grateful to him.
I thank my colleagues for all of their comments. I was very touched
and moved by so many of the stories that were recounted. I am grateful.
I love this institution. I have friends in this institution who make a
great difference to my life, to me personally, but also in being allies
in attempting to advance the unfinished business of this country. Many
spoke today. I am extremely grateful.
I was in Massachusetts this last week and was fortunate, as a result
of my wife Vicki arranging some preliminary birthday celebrations, to
meet with many friends. I mentioned at the time when I was in
Massachusetts that my birthday was a rather unusual birthday because my
mother entered St. Margaret's Hospital in Dorchester, MA, on February
12, 1932--that is Lincoln's birthday--then she left the hospital on
February 18. I had not arrived. She went back in on February 20, and I
arrived on the 22nd, which is George Washington's birthday. My mother
stayed there until March 16, which is the eve of St. Patrick's Day. So
if you add Lincoln's, Washington's, and St. Patrick's, you get a
politician, the way I look at it.
People in Massachusetts wondered how long I was going to serve in the
Senate. I am asked that question frequently generally by my nephews and
nieces, and by some others. I said I could run four more times and
still be younger than Strom Thurmond. We joked or laughed about that.
Nonetheless, I have been enormously blessed with heroes, my heroes
being the members of my family, and by the commitment to public service
which was so strong in our family, and, along with a strong faith, the
sense that we all should give something back to this country in return
for all it has given to us.
I have seen the political process work. I believe in the political
process. I have seen it work at the time of the election of a
Congressman, then a Senator, and then a President, and a President
making a difference in people's lives, President Kennedy. And I have
seen the process work here. I still believe, as we were brought up to
believe, that politics is a noble profession. It is not always
recognized as such in this country, at this time, but I think for all
Members in this institution and for all those outside of the
institution who are attempting to gain the opportunity to serve in this
extraordinary, rare opportunity and extraordinary honor, they recognize
it as well. I am enormously mindful every day of my life that the
greatest public honor of one's life is the service in the Senate. It is
for me.
I always think the greatest contribution I will have made will have
been my children, but the greatest public

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honor will be the service in the Senate representing, in my case,
Massachusetts, the State I love, which has played such an extraordinary
role in this Nation, from the Revolution of this country, to its
members being involved in the Constitutional Convention, to the strong
support by the abolitionists in ending slavery, the support for the
suffragettes--by great leadership by Republicans and Democrats. The
people of Massachusetts have a high standard for progress to be made by
their Representatives, and it is one that challenges all of us each
day.

Let me just say, finally, I don't think people are asking very much
in our country. They want schools that teach. They want a health care
system, so they can pay into a system but also have a quality health
system that is going to cover themselves and their family. They want
respect for their senior citizens. They want good jobs, so they can
have a future for themselves and for their families and for their
children. They want to knock down the walls of discrimination.
Americans are fair, and they understand that this country has to free
itself from discrimination in every form and shape we face. They want
decent housing, and, as a part of the American dream, they want to be
able to breathe the air and drink the water that is clean. They want
safe and secure neighborhoods, strong defense, and they want us to
represent overseas the best of American values.
I came to this body believing that the privileged and the powerful
can look out for themselves but that our challenge is to make sure we
are going to have as even a playing field as we possibly can for all
Americans. I think it is something that should get us up early in the
morning and have us willing to work long and hard, as long as we are
privileged to serve here, to be able to achieve. That is really what
America is all about: Freeing us from the forms of discrimination,
creating an even playing field so that our fellow citizens can be what
they truly can be and want to be.
I was reminded just the other day of the cartoon ``Peanuts'' by
Charles Schultze. It gave me some hope because, as Peanuts has said:

After you go over the top of the hill, you go faster on the
other side.

So I am looking forward, with even greater spirit and greater
determination, to the battles that lie ahead in this Senate Chamber,
representing my State. I thank all of those who have been a part of
today.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Utah.
Mr. HATCH. Madam President, I thank my colleague for his long service
in the Senate.
May I inquire, are we prepared to go back on the bill?

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