Biographical Profile for Edward M. "Ted" Kennedy
| Previous Candidate for U.S. Senate, Massachusetts |
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General: (political statement of goals, objectives, views, philosophies)
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Senator Edward M. Kennedy has represented Massachusetts in the United States Senate for forty-three years. Throughout his career, Kennedy has fought for issues that benefit the citizens of Massachusetts and the nation. His effort to make quality health care accessible and affordable to every American is a battle that Kennedy has been waging ever since he arrived in the Senate. In addition, Kennedy is active on a wide range of other issues, including education reform and immigration reform, raising the minimum wage, defending the rights of workers and their families, strengthening civil rights, assisting individuals with disabilities, fighting for cleaner water and cleaner air, and protecting and strengthening Social Security and Medicare.
Kennedy is currently the senior Democrat on the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee in the Senate. He also serves on the Judiciary Committee, where he is the senior Democrat on the Immigration Subcommittee, and on the Armed Services Committee, where he is the senior Democrat on the Seapower Subcommittee. He is also a member of the Congressional Joint Economic Committee and the Congressional Friends of Ireland, and a trustee of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C.
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Personal: (gender, age, marital status, spouse's name and age, children's name and
ages, home town, current residence)
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Hometown: Hyannis Port
Born: February 22, 1932; Boston, Mass.
Family: Wife, Victoria Reggie Kennedy; three children (Kara, Edward Jr., and Patrick Kennedy), two stepchildren (and Curran and Caroline Raclin), and four grandchildren.
Current residence: Hyannis Port, MA.
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Education: (times and places of schools, colleges, major, degrees, activities, sports)
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Harvard U., B.A. 1956 (government); International Law School, The Hague (The Netherlands), attended 1958; U. of Virginia, LL.B. 1959
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Profession: (profession and work experience outside politics)
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Lawyer
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Military: (branch, years of service, active duty experience, highest rank, medals,
honors, discharge date and type)
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Army, 1951-53
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Civic: (past and present organizations, charities involvement)
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no response
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Political: (dates and titles of previously held political offices)
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Senator Kennedy was elected in 1962 to finish the final two years of the Senate term of his brother, Senator John F. Kennedy, who was elected President in 1960. Since then, Kennedy has been re-elected to seven full terms, and is now the second most senior member of the Senate.
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Religion: (current and past religious affiliations, beliefs)
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Roman Catholic
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Accomplishments: (significant accomplishments, awards, achievements)
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1964 Senator Kennedy made his maiden speech on the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which was signed on July 2, 1964, and the Senator strongly supported the Economic Opportunity Act, which was signed on August 20, 1964. The EOA stated that programs would be "developed, conducted and administered with the maximum feasible participation and the residents of the areas and members of the groups served." It also established community action programs, including ABCD, to mobilize resources that could be used in a direct attack on the roots of poverty
1966 Senator Kennedy, through an amendment to the Economic Opportunity Act, created a national health center system. In1966, the nation's first comprehensive neighborhood health center was established by Tufts University in cooperation with ABCD at the Columbia Point Housing Project in Dorchester.
1968 As a result of Senator Kennedy's championing of bilingual education, the Bilingual Education Act of 1968 was passed by Congress. The Act mandated schools to provide bilingual education programs, which was the first time Congress had endorsed funding for bilingual education. The Bilingual Program, a federally funded program through Title VII of the Elementary and Secondary Education act, was updated with the Improving American's Schools Act of 1994
1970 Senator Kennedy continued his commitment to senior citizens by supporting Older American Community ServiceEmployment. He also advocated the Voting Rights Act Extension, maintaining the Civil Rights gained in the 60's. Dueto the skyrocketing costs of home heating, particularly for low-income families and elders, the Senator actively worked on creating a fuel assistance program for the low-income. Senator Kennedy was reelected to the Senate.
1971 Senator Kennedy became Chairman of the Senate Health Subcommittee, enhancing his ability to champion the cause of quality health care for all Americans
1972 A program that Senator Kennedy holds dear to his heart is the Meals on Wheels pr [Response was truncated to maximum response length of 2000 characters.]
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