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sebstar
Posts: 25698
Alba Posts: 4
Joined: 6/2/2002
Member: #249
USA
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1990
On July 26, 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act was enacted into law. Introduced by Senator Kennedy, the ADA prohibited discrimination against any qualified individual with a disability in job application procedures, hiring or discharge, compensation, advancement, training, etc. Also that year, Senator Kennedy introduced, along with Senator Hatch, the groundbreaking Ryan White CARE Act, which provided emergency relief to the thirteen cities hardest hit by the AIDS epidemic, and also provided substantial assistance to all states to develop effective and cost-efficient AIDS care programs, aimed particularly at early diagnosis and home care. Kennedy was the lead sponsor of the Immigration Act, which increased quotas for family immigration, established a diversity visa program and a temporary safe haven for persons fleeing oppressive governments.
1991
Senator Kennedy was the chief sponsor of the Civil Rights Act of 1991, which strengthened existing protections and remedies available under federal civil rights laws, including the provision of remedies for intentional discrimination and harrassment in the workplace. Senator Kennedy also supported a bill to repeal the ban on women serving as combat aviators, making it possible for women to play a full and complete role in our national defense.
1992
As a strong proponent of Early Childhood Education, Senator Kennedy assisted in the Expansion of the Head Start Program which increased the number of low-income children served by 25%. Senator Kennedy also championed the Head Start Improvement Act which maintained quality, extended services and authorized the purchase of buildings to enhance program stability. His actions on the Summer Jobs for Youth Program resulted in a $500 million supplemental appropriation that was allocated for fiscal year 1992 for summer jobs which provided an additional 300,000 youth with summer employment. Also that year, amid serious concerns regarding the quality of mammography, Kennedy cosponsored and helped pass the Mammography Quality Standards Act to ensure the safety and accuracy of mammograms, and to promote the use of the procedure.
1993
Senator Kennedy helped establish the Direct Lending program, included as part of the Budget Reconcilation Act of 1993. The program created a system of direct lending to reduce the cost of federal student loans for students, families, and taxpayers. Also that year, Senator Kennedy sponsored the National and Community Service Trust Act, creating AmeriCorps and the Corporation for National and Community Service to help expand opportunities for Americans to serve their communities, including education grants for students who choose to volunteer for service after college.
1994
As Chairman of the Senate Labor and Human Resources Committee, Senator Kennedy worked closely with President Clinton to expand opportunity for working families. His leadership brought about the passage of the Family and Medical Leave Act and the School-to-Work Opportunities Act, which provided seed money for local school-to-work programs designed and run by local business, education, community and labor leaders. He also sponsored the Human Services Reauthorization Act, which guaranteed the extension of ABCD and all Community Action core funding. It also put Head Start on a path to reach all eligible children and expanded Head Start to cover pregnant women and young children on the 0-3 age group. This Act also reauthorized the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program to help families pay their heating bills. Also that year, Kennedy was a leader in the fight to pass the Crime Act, which secured funding for 100,000 new police officers, imposed tough new penalties for crimes involving gangs and firearms, and authorized the Police Corps, a program that gives talented young people college scholarships in return for their commitment to serve as police officers in their communities.
1996
Senators Kennedy and Kassenbaum sponsored the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which ensures access to health coverage for an estimated 25 million Americans who move from one job to another, are self-employed, or have pre-existing medical conditions. Also that year, Kennedy joined a bipartisan group of Senators to help enact the Mental Health Parity bill to eliminate unjust annual and lifetime limits on mental health coverage that differ from those imposed on other covered illnesses.
1997
Senator Kennedy, in his senior role on the Senate and as an acknowledge national spokesperson for the disadvantaged, continued to work on a vast array of domestic programs in the wake of an increasingly conservative Congress. He demonstrated his ongoing commitment at the dedication of the $8 million ABCD-controlled, HUD-funded conversion of the abandoned Michelangelo School in Boston's North End to 71 units of affordable elderly housing. In addition, Kennedy helped establish the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) to support state efforts to provide health insurance to uninsured children in low-income families.
1999
After finishing the 1996 Temporary Assistance to Needy Families Act (welfare "reform"), Senator Kennedy saw the need and acted to assist the hardest to employ with Welfare-to-Work Initiatives. These initiatives provide individuals with access to job training, adult education, job placement, child care, transportation assistance and case management, and therefore really give families the opportunity to leave welfare and start life anew. ABCD, in partnership with Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries, initiated a successful welfare-to-work program which was strongly supported by Senator Kennedy. Senator Kennedy is championing the cause and the role of the ABCD Urban College of Boston with the U.S. Department of Education.
2000
Senator Kennedy was the lead sponsor of the Minority Health and Health Disparities Research and Education Act, which addressed the complex factors that have led to pervasive health disparities between minorities and other Americans in the United States. The approach included a commitment to research on minority health, and improved data systems to track the extent and severity of minority health problems. The law also included an authorization for significant resources to help enhance the delivery of health care to minorities. In addition, the Senators Kennedy and Frist sponsored legislation to improve the nation's ability to respond to outbreaks of infectious disease. The Public Health Threats and Emergencies Act included initiatives to control the spread of germs resistant to antibiotics, and to protect the country against bioterrorism. Also that year, Kennedy authored the Pediatric Graduate Medical Education program (GME), which provided essential support for training programs at children's hospitals across the country.
2001
Senator Kennedy, as chairman of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, worked with Democrats and Republicans to pass the landmark No Child Left Behind Act. The law contained substantial reforms to help close the achievement gap in public schools and improve the quality of education for all of the nation's students. In addition, following the attacks of September 11th, 2001, Senator Kennedy called together various disaster relief and mental health organizations to plan a coordinated response to the mental health needs of families of victims of the tragedy. His leadership provided immediate avenues for collaboration between disaster response agencies and ensured a timely and comprehensive response.
2002
Following September 11th and the anthrax attacks in October of that year, Senator Kennedy introduced the bipartisan Bioterrorism Preparedness Act to help the country prevent, prepare for, and respond to bioterrorism and other public health emergencies. The law helped upgrade federal capacities to respond to bioterrorism, improved the response at the state and local level, and paved the way for new treatments and diagnostics. Senator Kennedy also sponsored the bipartisan Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act, which expanded the country's intelligence and law enforcement capabilities to help identify individuals who have violated visas, or have links to terrorist organizations. The law safeguarded the entry of more than 31 million persons who enter the U.S. legally each year as visitors, students, and temporary workers, striking an appropriate balance between isolating criminals and upholding America's immigrant traditions.
2003
As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator Kennedy sponsored an amendment to provide funding for the procurement of additional armored Humvees for use in the war in Iraq. Senator Kennedy acted in response to reports that one quarter of all American deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan occurred in unarmored Humvees, and that thousands more soldiers have been injured or disabled for life. The additional funding was used to purchase Up-Armored Humvees and armor add-on kits for the vehicles to meet the safety needs of American troops. In addition, Senator Kennedy led the effort to pass legislation that significantly enhanced law enforcement tools related to the exploitation and abduction of children. The PROTECT Act provided funding for AMBER Alert notification systems along U.S. highways, and awarded grants to states for the implementation of improved communication technologies.
2004
Senator Kennedy was a leading cosponsor of legislation to reauthorize the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The legislation included bipartisan improvements to the program that provides special education services to six and a half million students in the U.S. The reauthorization provided for at least 30,000 additional special education teachers, improved education training, and expanded technologies available to disabled children. Senator Kennedy also sponsored and helped pass the Project Bioshield Act, which created a federal funding stream to guide America's medical and biotechnology researchers in creating stronger defenses to biological threats. The National Institutes for Health, as well as universities and research institutions in Massachusetts and around the country, will benefit from the initiative, and lead the way in developing new biodefense countermeasures such as vaccines, immunizations, and other treatments.
2005
During consideration of the Iraq supplemental spending bill, Senator Kennedy introduced an amendment to ensure armored Humvee production remained at maximum levels. As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator Kennedy was successful in his efforts to pass Humvee-production legislation in 2003. However, mismanagement at the Pentagon had left production far short of what's needed to provide adequate security for U.S. troops. Senator Kennedy's amendment boosted funding to put production back on track. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, one of the worst natural disasters the country's history, Senator Kennedy joined his Senate colleagues in passing emergency funding to assist in the recovery efforts. In addition, the Senator met face-to-face with relief organizations working to provide support to victims, and discussed with them the best ways to implement relief and support services for those affected by the tragedy. Senator Kennedy also sponsored and helped pass emergency education funding for schools impacted by Katrina, and introduced the bipartisan Gulf Coast Recovery and Preparedness Act.
2006
Senator Kennedy sponsored and helped pass the Family Opportunity Act, which provided states the opportunity to expand Medicaid coverage to children with special needs, allowing low- and middle-income families with disabled children the ability to purchase coverage under the Medicaid program. For many disabled children, Medicaid is the only health insurance program offering sufficient benefits to cover the required care, such as physical therapy and medical equipment. The Family Opportunity Act will allow parents of disabled children to go to work and earn above poverty wages without losing coverage for their children.
Senator Edward M. Kennedy
February 22, 1932 - August 26, 2009
My saliva and spit can split thread into fiber and bits/ So trust me I'm as live as it gets.
--Royce Da 5'9 + DJ Premier = Hip Hop Utopia
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8/28/2009 7:35 AM
lol...