The TedKennedy.com JournalSTATEMENT OF SENATOR EDWARD M. KENNEDY ON THE UAW STRIKEMon Sep 24, 11:57 AM
WASHINGTON, DC— Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, released the following statement in response to the United Auto Workers Union going on strike. “General Motors should return to the bargaining table as soon as possible. I urge GM to negotiate in good faith and to recognize the many sacrifices made by its workers and retirees in recent years to help the company.” –Jill McCarthy | Permalink STATEMENT OF SENATOR EDWARD M. KENNEDY ON THE EMPLOYEE FREE CHOICE ACTFri Jun 22, 12:24 PM
We’re all thankful for those comments given by our members about the extraordinary bravery and heroism of our men and women who serve in the armed forces of our country, and all of us are day after day salute to their courage and their dedication to the country and it reminds us of our responsibility of making sure we’re going to get the policy right in Iraq. More about that at another time. Mr. President, I think we find ourselves now in the middle of June and it’s important, as we move through a legislative agenda—and more on that next week—that we pause for a few moments and take stock about where our country is in terms of its—the economy of this nation and take stock about where our country is with regards to working families in this nation. we get often tied up on particular pieces of legislation, but I think all of us are very mindful that it is the working families of this nation that have made America great. –Jill McCarthy | Permalink STATEMENT OF SENATOR EDWARD M. KENNEDY ON THE EMPLOYEE FREE CHOICE ACTMon Jun 18, 12:45 PM
WASHINGTON, DC: Today, as the Senate prepares to take up the Employee Free Choice Act with a possible vote on Thursday, Senator Kennedy issued the following statement. Also below is a fact sheet on how the Act will help restore middle class security. “Now that the House has passed the Employee Free Choice Act with bipartisan support, I’m pleased that the Senate is moving forward on this important piece of legislation. We’ve finally raised the minimum wage but we still have a long way to go to restore the economic security that has been lost during the Bush years. Working people aren’t getting their fair share of our economic growth. Their hard work is producing skyrocketing corporate profits – not higher paychecks, better benefits, or better lives for their families. The best way to see that employees get their fair share is to give them a stronger voice.” –Jill McCarthy | Permalink KENNEDY APPLAUDS MINIMUM WAGE DEALMon Apr 23, 01:28 PM
Washington D.C— Today, as the House and Senate supplemental conferees finish up their work, Senator Edward M. Kennedy, the lead advocate for increasing the minimum wage, applauded the conferees’ decision on the minimum wage portions of the bill. The tax package included in the bill – which will include $4.8 billion in tax cuts – is significantly lower than the $12 billion package that was included in the Supplemental in the Senate. –Jill McCarthy | Permalink KENNEDY ON BUSH'S IMMIGRATION REMARKS IN MEXICOWed Mar 14, 12:25 PM
Washington, DC: Today in Mexico, President Bush said he would “work as hard as he possibly can to pass comprehensive immigration reform.” Senator Kennedy, chair of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Refugees and Border Security, issued the following statement: –Jill McCarthy | Permalink KENNEDY ON HOUSE PASSAGE OF THE EMPLOYEE FREE CHOICE ACTFri Mar 2, 10:55 AM
Washington, DC: Today the House of Representatives, on vote of 241-185, passed the Employee Free Choice Act. Senator Kennedy, Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and chief sponsor of the effort in the Senate, released the following statement after the vote: –Jill McCarthy | Permalink Editorial: Indebted to KennedyMon Feb 5, 03:52 PM
Metrowest Daily News/Milford Daily News Saturday, February 03, 2007 – Updated: 12:45 AM EST If, as expected, millions of Americans benefit from a long-overdue increase in the minimum wage, few if any of them will be Massachusetts residents. The bill approved by the U.S. Senate this week, like one OK’d earlier by the House, would raise the federal minimum wage from the current $5.10 per hour to $7.10 over two years. By then, the Massachusetts minimum wage will already be $8 an hour. –Jill McCarthy | Permalink KENNEDY PRAISES PASSAGE OF FAIR MINIMUM WAGE ACTThu Feb 1, 05:08 PM
Washington, D.C. – Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy released the following statement on the passage of the Fair Minimum Wage Act: “Today’s vote was not a victory for a bill – it was a victory for the American people. The minimum wage is one of the great achievements of our democracy. It’s a clear reflection of our values, and a solid cornerstone of the American dream. It’s about the kind of country we want to be. –Jill McCarthy | Permalink AFTER A SUCCESSFUL VOTE TO MOVE FORWARD ON THE MINIMUM WAGE --- KENNEDY, COLLEAGUES JOIN RELIGIOUS LEADERS TO PUSH FOR FINAL PASSAGETue Jan 30, 02:31 PM Washington, D.C. – Today following the successful cloture vote, Senators Edward M. Kennedy, Richard Durbin, Tom Harkin, Sherrod Brown joined leaders in the religious community for a press conference on the urgency and moral obligation of paying America’s workers a fair wage. While poverty rates continued to skyrocket, Congress left working-class families behind by failing to raise the minimum wage yet continuing to raise their own congressional salaries. The religious leaders from different faiths spoke about the ways in which our stagnant minimum wage has affected their communities. –Jill McCarthy | Permalink KENNEDY URGES LAWMAKERS TO PUT PARTISANSHIP ASIDE AND RAISE THE MINIMUM WAGEMon Jan 29, 04:25 PM
We’ve now spent one full week debating whether to raise the minimum wage by $2.10 per hour. We’ve debated amendment after amendment, and it’s long past time for a vote. I thank our majority leader, Senator Reid, for filing for cloture on this important bill so that tomorrow we can finally move forward and take action to raise the minimum wage. –Jill McCarthy | Permalink KENNEDY, REID URGE LAWMAKERS TO STOP DELAYS AND VOTE ON THE MINIMUM WAGEFri Jan 26, 03:42 PM
Washington, D.C.—Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy joined Senator Majority Leader Harry Reid for a press conference urging lawmakers to stop the delays on much needed legislation to increase the minimum wage. Due to over 100 Republican amendments on issues unrelated to the raise, the minimum wage vote will be pushed to next week. For almost ten years America’s workers have waited for an increase, the longest period without a wage hike in history. –Jill McCarthy | Permalink STATEMENT BY SENATOR EDWARD M. KENNEDY ON REPUBLICANS BLOCKING A CLEAN MINIMUM WAGE BILLWed Jan 24, 01:21 PM
Washington, D.C. – Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy released the following statement: “I regret that our Republican colleagues will not allow the Senate to pass an increase in the minimum wage today. Our colleagues in the House came together- Democrats and Republicans- and they passed a minimum wage bill with no strings attached. These workers deserved the same respect from the Senate. We should have passed this bill today and put it before the president for his signature this afternoon. –Jill McCarthy | Permalink KENNEDY CONTINUES FIGHT FOR CLEAN MINIMUM WAGE BILLWed Jan 24, 10:07 AM
From our earliest days, we have been a nation of strong values. Fairness. Opportunity. Concern for our fellow citizens. While we are a country of individualists, we have always recognized that America is strongest when we all prosper together. One of the earliest governing documents in our history – the Mayflower Compact – talked about laws that would support “the general good.” Later, in the preamble to our Constitution, we pledged that our government would “promote the general welfare.” –Jill McCarthy | Permalink KENNEDY PUSHES FOR A CLEAN MINIMUM WAGE BILLTue Jan 23, 04:59 PM
Washington, DC: Today during the second day of debate on his plan to raise the minimum wage, Senator Kennedy continued his push for a clean bill. He outlined the five top reasons that the bill should be free from extraneous measures. –Jill McCarthy | Permalink AS DEBATE BEGINS ON MONDAY, KENNEDY, BROWN, MILLER JOIN BUSINESS LEADERS IN SUPPORT OF A MINIMUM WAGE INCREASEFri Jan 19, 11:26 AM
Washington, DC: Today, as the Senate prepares to start the debate on the minimum wage on Monday, Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Senator Sherrrod Brown and Representative George Miller joined business leaders who strongly support an increase. While opponents of an increase claim that it will hurt businesses, these leaders understand that a minimum wage increase is good for businesses and communities. In October, 650 economists, including 5 Nobel winners, urged lawmakers to raise the minimum wage. Senator Kennedy’s and Representative Miller’s bill - –Tom Lopach | Permalink KENNEDY HOLDS HELP COMMITTEE HEARING ON ECONOMIC INSECURITY AND OPPORTUNITY FOR WORKING FAMILIESTue Jan 16, 09:52 AM
Washington, D.C. – Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee held a hearing on middle class economic insecurity and opportunity under the Bush Administration’s economy. Currently over 40% of total income goes to the wealthiest 10% of Americans, the largest gap since the Great Depression. –Tom Lopach | Permalink KENNEDY STATEMENT ON MINIMUM WAGE VICTORYWed Jan 10, 04:23 PM
“Today’s vote is a tremendous victory for minimum wage workers. We are one step closer to winning our decade-long fight for fair wages, and giving almost 13 million Americans a long-overdue raise. But today’s vote is also a victory for bipartisanship. Eighty-two House Republicans crossed party lines to support an increase. These leaders recognized the fundamental truth that no one who works hard for a living should have to live in poverty. They put partisan politics aside and voted their conscience. I call on my Republican colleagues in the Senate to do the same. Don’t load up the minimum wage bill with poison pills. Don’t use procedural games to delay it. Don’t give workers a raise with one hand, but take away their rights with the other. Listen to the voice of the American people. It’s long past time to give minimum wage workers a raise.” –Tom Lopach | Permalink STATEMENT BY SENATOR EDWARD M. KENNEDY ON HOUSE MINIMUM WAGE VOTEWed Jan 10, 02:45 PM
I’m honored to be invited to join my friends and colleagues in the House for this special moment. Today’s House vote will be a major victory for minimum wage workers. We’ll be one giant step closer to winning a decade-long battle – giving 13 million Americans a long-overdue raise, and helping the parents of almost 6 million children put food on the table and pay for the necessities of life. –Tom Lopach | Permalink STATEMENT BY SENATOR EDWARD M. KENNEDY SUPPORTING THE AGRICULTURAL JOBS, OPPORTUNITY, BENEFITS, AND SECURITY ACT OF 2007Wed Jan 10, 08:42 AM
It’s a privilege to join my colleagues today in re-introducing the Agricultural Jobs, Opportunity, Benefits, and Security Act. I commend Senator Feinstein and Senator Craig for their bipartisan leadership on this legislation, and I also want to praise the many years of commitment and hard work by Representatives Howard Berman and Chris Cannon. –Tom Lopach | Permalink Kennedy at Labor Rally on Pro-Worker AgendaFri Dec 8, 11:26 AM
TODAY, Senator Edward M. Kennedy and Representative George Miller joined AFL-CIO President John Sweeney and thousands of labor activists for a rally to support the Employee Free Choice Act and a pro-working family agenda. The Employee Free Choice Act will protect the democratic right of workers to choose to join a union. Friday’s rally was part of a two-day labor summit of union organizers, leaders, and members from the U.S. and around the world. –Tom Lopach | Permalink Senator Kennedy on the Minimum WageMon Dec 4, 01:57 PM
Washington, D.C. – Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy released the following statement: “Saturday marks the longest period in history that minimum wage workers have gone without a raise. For nearly a decade, the prices of everyday necessities like gas, food, and prescription drugs have skyrocketed, while the paychecks of minimum wage workers haven’t increased a cent. Year after year, the Republican Congress has blocked all attempts to raise the minimum wage, while voting a pay raise for themselves almost every year. If there’s one message from last month’s election that emerged loud and clear, it’s that no one who works for a living should have to live in poverty. The American people have spoken, and the new Congress will listen. When we convene in January, domestic priority number one will be to give minimum wage workers the long-overdue raises they deserve.” –Tom Lopach | Permalink Kennedy, Schumer, Clinton, and Activists Celebrate State Minimum Wage Wins and Fight for Federal IncreaseThu Nov 16, 04:10 PM
Today Senators Kennedy, Schumer, and Clinton joined leaders and activists from the six states that passed minimum wage initiatives to affirm their commitment to raising the federal minimum wage. Last week, the citizens of Arizona, Colorado, Montana, Missouri, Nevada and Ohio voted overwhelmingly in support of raising the minimum wage. The leaders and activists that helped make that happen joined the senators to convey the strong desire that people have across the country to give hard working Americans the raise they deserve. Kennedy’s bill to raise the minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 is a top priority for the new Democratic Senate in the 110th Congress. “America has spoken, and the new Congress will listen. If there’s one message from this election that emerged loud and clear on a domestic issue, it’s raise the minimum wage. No one who works for a living should have to live in poverty! ” Senator Kennedy said. Please click here to read the details of Senator Kennedy’s Minimum Wage Bill –Tristan Takos | Permalink Kennedy, Colleagues Urge Secretary Chao to Strengthen Mine Safety Penalty RegulationsMon Oct 23, 04:48 PM
In a bipartisan letter today to Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao, Senators Edward M. Kennedy, Arlen Specter, Patty Murray, Robert Byrd, and Jay Rockefeller criticized the current draft regulations on mine safety proposed by the Mine Safety and Health Administration as too weak to protect the nation’s miners, and urged MSHA to strengthen these rules. The issue acquired new urgency after the explosion today at a coal mine in Eastern Pennsylvania. Kennedy said: “The tragic explosion in a Schuylkill County coal mine today underscores the need for strong penalties when companies break our safety laws. These proposed regulations do not do enough to crack down on repeat offenders, nor do they target many mines with the most dangerous working conditions. Our safety laws must provide a real deterrent to safety violators. This is what Congress intended when it passed the MINER Act last June, and America’s miners and their families deserve no less.” Please click here to read the text of the letter –Tristan Takos | Permalink Kennedy, Edwards Join State Organizers to Urge Passage of Minimum Wage Ballot InitiativesMon Oct 23, 02:45 PM
Today Senator Edward Kennedy and former Senator John Edwards joined the organizers from five of the six states that have minimum wage initiatives on the ballot this year on a conference call: Arizona, Colorado, Missouri, Nevada and Ohio. The minimum wage measures are expected to pass in all of the states and extensive get-out-the-vote efforts are underway. Senators Kennedy and Edwards discussed how the state efforts demonstrate the need for prompt federal action to raise the minimum wage. Senator Kennedy, a lifelong champion of raising the minimum wage, has been fighting to pass his bill that would raise the minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 over 2 years. While his plan has bipartisan support in both the House and the Senate, Republican leadership has repeatedly blocked the bill from passage. Senator Edwards has been traveling around the country to build grassroots support for state ballot initiatives to raise the minimum wage. He has been working closely with minimum wage coalitions in Arizona, Colorado, Montana, Missouri, Nevada and Ohio to support their efforts to raise the minimum wage. “It’s shameful for the Republican leadership to play political games with the lives of working families. But luckily, the American people understand what the Republican Congress does not – that no one who works hard for a living should have to live in poverty. That’s why we’ve seen a national movement for a fair minimum wage. It’s been spreading like wildfire across this great nation,” Senator Kennedy said. “I promise that if Democrats regain control of Congress the first thing we’ll do is pass a minimum wage increase for all hardworking Americans.” Please click here to read a fact sheet regarding minimum wage and Senator Kennedy’s plan –Tristan Takos | Permalink Kennedy on Recess Appointment of Richard M. SticklerThu Oct 19, 05:56 PM
Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy released the following statement on the recess appointment of Richard M. Stickler: “This action by President Bush is an affront to the men and women who risk their lives every day in our nation’s mines. After so many lost their lives this year, our miners and their families deserve better than a mine safety director with a track record of looking the other way. The Administration knows that Mr. Stickler could not pass the Senate because of his poor safety record, but they chose to put the interests of the industry ahead of the safety of the miners and installed him in the job anyway.” –Tristan Takos | Permalink Kennedy Voices Concern Over Continued Struggles of Gulf Coast WorkersThu Oct 5, 04:04 PM
Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy and Senator Mary Landrieu sent a letter to Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao expressing their continuing concern over the plight of reconstruction workers in the Gulf Region. For more than a year, unscrupulous employers have been abusing the hardworking men and women of the Gulf Region—many of whom are immigrants. Yet the Department of Labor has not taken adequate steps to increase its presence in the region or strengthen its enforcement activities. Senator Kennedy said, “I am deeply concerned about the gross violations of the basic rights of the hardworking men and women rebuilding the Gulf Coast. An alarming number of workers are not being paid for their work, are not being paid the wages required by law, and are being forced to work overtime without pay. The Department of Labor is missing in action, and has made it difficult for workers to file claims when their rights are violated. I urge the Department to take prompt action to increase its presence in the region, and become more open and accountable to the public about its enforcement.” Please click through to read the text of the letter and attachment . –Tristan Takos | Permalink Kennedy on Decision to Strip Right to Organize for MillionsTue Oct 3, 01:53 PM
A National Labor Relations Board decision today significantly expands the number of employees classified as “supervisors” under the National Labor Relations Act. In practical terms, the decision means that millions of working men and women across the country will no longer have the right to join a union or qualify for other protections under the Act, and will therefore be much more vulnerable to discrimination or unfair loss of their jobs.
“At a time when working families are struggling hard to make ends meet and obviously are not receiving their fair share of the nation’s economic growth, the NLRB is rubbing salt in the wound. Instead of protecting the rights of employees, the Board is cutting them loose and denying them of their long-standing rights in the workplace. It’s an unfair decision, and if it’s not revised on appeal, Congress should step in and restore these important protections.” –Tristan Takos | Permalink Senate Will Again Send MSHA Nomination Back to White HouseFri Sep 29, 04:58 PM
The U.S. Senate on Saturday will return the nomination of Richard Stickler to head the federal mine safety agency to the White House for the second time. Senator Byrd and Senator Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., the leading Democratic member of the Senate mine safety oversight committee, have led the efforts to reject the Stickler nomination. Byrd and Kennedy have expressed concerns with the nominee’s record and hoped that the Senate actions would provide the Administration with the opportunity to nominate someone more focused on miner safety. “We are in the midst of a mine safety crisis—58 miners have already died this year, more than any year since 2002,” Senator Kennedy said. “At this critical time, miners and their families need a strong leader at MSHA. Mr. Stickler does not have the record or the vision to meet this challenge. The President should send the Senate a new nominee who will fulfill the promise of our safety laws.” Byrd and Kennedy relied on a Senate Rule to send the nomination back to the White House. According to Senate Rule 31, whenever the Senate adjourns for more than 30 days, all nominations pending are, in essence, rejected and returned to the President. Normally, that rule is waived and the nominations remain open for further consideration. However, Byrd and Kennedy have objected to waiving that rule for the Stickler nomination, and the Senate followed their lead. The Bush Administration now has several options. It can nominate a different individual to lead the Mine Safety and Health Administration; it can renominate Mr. Stickler for the position; or it can use its Constitutional authority to appoint Mr. Stickler or another individual to the post while the Senate is in recess during October and early November. –Tristan Takos | Permalink Republican-Led Congress Fails to Raise Minimum WageThu Sep 28, 03:21 PM
“It’s obvious that if we had a clean vote on raising the minimum wage, it would pass both the House and the Senate and be signed by President Bush. Almost 15 million hardworking Americans would get a well-deserved raise,” Senator Kennedy said, “But the Republican leadership is against the increase. They kowtow to corporate special interests who strongly oppose it. So they’ve had to work hard all year to block what the American people clearly want.” Please click here to read Senator Kennedy’s remarks –Tristan Takos | Permalink Kennedy Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Get America Back on Track and Globally CompetitiveTue Sep 26, 03:51 PM
Today, Senator Edward Kennedy, joined by a bipartisan group of 13 Senators, introduced the National Competitiveness Investment Act, to encourage innovation in America as a way to create jobs and move our economy forward. Kennedy believes the bill is an important down-payment on the commitment and sustained investment needed to keep America competitive in the years to come. Among other things, the bill doubles basic research funding by the National Science Foundation over the next five years and puts us on a strong course to doubling basic research funding at the Department of Energy as well. The National Competitiveness Investment Act also recognizes and responds to the critical need to recruit and train high quality math, science, technology and engineering teachers to teach in the schools with the greatest need so that we can begin to close the achievement gap and ensure that all American students can compete on a level playing field with their peers in other nations. “America has long been at the forefront in innovation, invention, and education. We know how to rise to challenges and come out ahead. We’ve done it before and we can do it again.” Senator Kennedy said. “Today we are taking a step toward putting America back on the right track, but we need a bold commitment to help the current generation meet and master the global challenges of today and tomorrow. I look forward to working with my colleagues as the bill moves forward to ensure that Congress provides the new investments needed to fully support and build on these important proposals.” Senator Kennedy is committed to doing more to get this country back on track. He will continue to move forward to ensure that the cost of college is not a barrier to full participation in the new economy. He also is committed to addressing the impact of the global economy on the American worker. Please click through to read Senator Kennedy’s remarks and a fact sheet. –Tristan Takos | Permalink Kennedy-Hatch Amendment Promotes Fair Competition and Retirement Security in Government ContractingThu Sep 7, 01:44 PM
Today Senators Edward Kennedy and Orrin Hatch introduced their amendment to the DoD Appropriations bill to ensure that a contractor cannot win a bid to privatize work currently performed by government workers if the only cost savings the contractor provides are attributable to the fact that the contractor provides no retirement benefits or inferior benefits to its employees. The Amendment ensures that public-private competitions are focused on who provides superior service delivery. A contractor will still win the bid if it provides efficiencies beyond those solely attributable to retirement costs. “Unfortunately, instead of encouraging more companies to provide good retirement benefits to their employees, current federal contracting rules actually discourage many private companies from helping their employees to save for retirement,” Senator Kennedy said. “This unfair policy creates a dangerous race to the bottom, in which private sector companies compete against each other to see who can provide the fewest benefits to their workers. As a result, the bidding process is actually increasing the number of Americans whose retirement security is in jeopardy. That’s both illogical and unconscionable.” Please click here to read a summary of the Kennedy-Hatch Retirement Equity Amendment –Tristan Takos | Permalink Kennedy on Re-Nomination of Richard Stickler to Mine Safety PostWed Sep 6, 01:58 PM
Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy strongly opposed President Bush’s decision to renominate Richard Stickler to be Assistant Secretary of Labor for Mine Safety and Health. Under Senate rules, the nomination had been returned to the White House when the Senate action on it was not completed before the August recess. Senator Kennedy said, “America’s miners and their families deserve strong action to reverse the current mine safety crisis. It’s appalling that the President would renominate Richard Stickler for this critical mine safety position in the face of intense opposition from miners and their families. Throughout his career, Mr. Stickler has focused on profits and production, not worker safety. The President should have used the recess to send the Senate a nominee who will give America’s miners the protection they deserve.” –Tristan Takos | Permalink Kennedy on Recess Appointment of Paul DeCamp to Department of LaborThu Aug 31, 04:16 PM
Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy released the following statement on President Bush’s recess appointment of Paul DeCamp to be the Administrator of the Wage and Hour Division at the Department of Labor. DeCamp’s nomination is currently pending before the Senate’s HELP Committee, which held a hearing on the nomination on August 1, 2006. De Camp had been serving as an advisor to the Secretary of Labor since July 2005 and has been intensely involved in the Department’s post-Katrina efforts. Below is Senator Kennedy’s statement: “I’m deeply concerned by President Bush’s decision to bypass the Senate and give a recess appointment to Paul DeCamp. It’s an insult to America’s workers for the President to give this job to someone with a clear record of hostility to protecting overtime and wages. Particularly troubling is his role in the Administration’s abysmal failure to protect the rights of the hardworking men and women rebuilding the Gulf Coast. Appointing DeCamp to enforce laws he doesn’t believe in and protections he doesn’t support is another example of the low priority that the Administration gives to the rights and wellbeing of America’s workers.” –Tristan Takos | Permalink Kennedy: Workers are Protected in the Senate Immigration BillTue Aug 29, 12:46 PM
Today, Senator Edward Kennedy and Congressman Silvestre Reyes (D-TX) held a conference call with members of the media to discuss the urgent need for comprehensive immigration reform on the day that House Republicans are holding yet another unnecessary publicity stunt immigration hearing. Senator Kennedy, along with Senator McCain, is the lead sponsor of the comprehensive bipartisan bill that passed the Senate earlier this year. As the House Republican hearings continue to distort the Senate plan with today’s hearing in Indiana, Kennedy set the record straight by outlining the labor provisions that protect workers in his legislation. “The Republican House immigration hearings are a cynical ploy undertaken at the taxpayers’ expense. Americans deserve a solution to our broken immigration system, not delay tactics and election year politics. The House Republicans have no comprehensive plan of their own, and so they have resorted to name-calling. They have falsely labeled the McCain-Kennedy plan being harmful to American workers, when in fact our plan will ensure that the jobs of American workers aren’t undercut and temporary workers aren’t abused by the companies that hire them,” Senator Kennedy said. “The American people, President Bush, and a bipartisan majority of the Senate support the comprehensive McCain- Kennedy plan because it will strengthen our national security, protect our borders, enforce our laws and provide a path to earned citizenship.” –Tristan Takos | Permalink Kennedy Statement on Pensions Bill SigningThu Aug 17, 01:35 PM
Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA), Ranking Member of the Senate’s Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, commended President Bush for signing into law a sweeping overhaul of the nation’s pension and retirement system. Senator Kennedy said: “The Pension Protection Act reflects a bipartisan commitment to strengthening the pension system and improving the way workers and their families prepare for their retirement. I commend President Bush for signing it into law and thank my colleagues in the Senate and House who worked so hard to make this possible. This new law means greater peace of mind for more than 100 million Americans by safeguarding their retirement, and it will help millions more in the future. No longer can executives just look out for themselves while their companies’ pensions go bust. Under this bill, their workers must come first. From flight attendants to construction workers to factory workers, this bill means a more secure retirement for hardworking Americans across the land. In far too many instances in recent years, Republicans have refused to work with Democrats for the common good, and average Americans have paid the price. In this case, Democrats and Republicans worked together, and America’s workers and retirees came out the winners.” Senate Gives White House Another Chance on Mine SafetyFri Aug 4, 03:33 PM
The U.S. Senate early Friday returned the nomination of Richard Stickler to head the federal mine safety agency to the White House. Senator Byrd and Senator Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., the leading Democratic member of the Senate mine safety oversight committee, led the effort to reject the Stickler nomination on Friday morning. Byrd and Kennedy have expressed concerns with the nominee’s record, and hoped that the Senate action on Friday would provide the Bush Administration with the opportunity to nominate someone more focused on miner safety. “I join Senator Byrd in insisting that the Stickler nomination be returned to the President. It’s unconscionable in the midst of the current mine safety crisis, the President would send us such an unsuitable choice for this key position,” Senator Kennedy added. “Mr. Stickler’s record demonstrates that throughout his career he has focused on profits and production, not worker safety. I urge the President to send the Senate a new nominee who will give America’s miners the protection they deserve.” –Tristan Takos | Permalink Kennedy on New Employment NumbersFri Aug 4, 03:21 PM
Today the Bureau of Labor Statistics released their July employment numbers, showing rising unemployment and a weakening labor market. The unemployment rate increased to 4.8%. 7.2 million Americans do not have a job but are looking for work, 1.2 million more than when President Bush took office. Additionally, job growth was weak, with only 113,000 new jobs created in the month of July. Senator Kennedy issued the following statement on the impact of these disappointing trends for America’s workers. “Today’s increase in unemployment shows that American workers continue to struggle in the Bush economy. 7.2 million Americans who want to work simply cannot find a job. With economic news like this, it is absurd that the Administration continues to brag about the strength of the economy. American workers know better, and they deserve better. We need strong economic leadership to create good jobs with fair wages, healthcare, and pensions that are the backbone of the American middle class.” –Tristan Takos | Permalink Kennedy on Defeat of Republican TrifectaThu Aug 3, 10:13 PM
Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy released the following statement: “Tonight the Democrats defeated a cynical ploy to strong arm outrageous tax breaks for the wealthy through Congress on the backs of America’s hardworking, low-wage workers. Everyone in America knows that after 10 long years without one, minimum wage workers deserve a raise. But Republicans decided it was good politics to hold millions of minimum wage families hostage to provisions that increase the fortunes of a few thousand of the richest families by $753 billion. Talk about a trifecta: this Republican plan was cynical, it was contemptible, and it was cowardly. I applaud my Democratic colleagues for blocking it and I look forward to the next opportunity to bring up a straight up or down minimum wage vote.” –Tristan Takos | Permalink Kennedy Statement Opposing Cuts to Estate TaxThu Aug 3, 03:23 PM
“We have seen many outrages from this Congress, but none of them demonstrates the utter contempt that the Republican Majority has for the American people as clearly as the decision to hold a long overdue increase in the minimum wage hostage to a drastic cut in the inheritance tax. It may be a political game for Republicans, but it’s a hard reality for low wage workers who worry every day if they can pay the bills. Minimum wage families are struggling to rise above the poverty line. They have not had a wage increase in nearly a decade. For years, the Republican leadership has repeatedly said “no” to these families.But now the Republican leadership is running for political cover – trying to trick the American people into forgetting their decade-long crusade against a fair minimum wage with a fraudulent vote on a tax giveaway bill. It’s a sham hiding an insult, and we cannot tolerate it.” –Tristan Takos | Permalink Kennedy Supports Pensions BillThu Aug 3, 03:04 PM
As the Senate prepares to take up the pension reform bill passed by the House, Senator Kennedy stated his support for this important legislation, which reflects key pension policies that he fought for in conference. The legislation will strengthen the financial state of workers’ pensions, protect older workers’ early retirement benefits, and expand and increase workers’ retirement savings. “Too many Americans lie awake at night worrying about how they can afford retirement. Too many workers have seen their pensions fail in recent years. And fifty percent of Americans have no pension at all at their job,” Senator Kennedy said. “Key provisions of this bipartisan plan will help safeguard the retirement security of over 100 million Americans, ensuring that the money is there to pay for workers hard-earned savings,” Kennedy continued “They will open up important new ways for all Americans, including the middle class workers, to save more for retirement. Workers will have expanded access to investment advice to help them manage this money. The retirement benefits of older workers will be protected when companies switch to new types of pensions. And the bill will strengthen women’s retirement security. I urge the President to sign it into law immediately.” Click here to read the key pension provisions in the bill –Tristan Takos | Permalink Kennedy on 10 Year Anniversary of Minimum Wage VoteWed Aug 2, 11:29 AM
With Republicans in the U.S. Senate pushing a sham minimum wage plan that would cut the wages of workers across America in an attempt to pass a near-trillion dollar giveaway to the wealthiest Americans, Senator Edward Kennedy, Assistant Democratic Leader Dick Durbin, Senator Charles Schumer, and Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton today called for a real increase in the minimum wage. On the tenth anniversary of the last time Congress passed an increase in the minimum wage, the Democratic Senators joined with Jeanelle Williams, a minimum wage worker from Baltimore, MD, and Sister Simone Campell to demand the Republican Congress put working families before the multi-millionaires and pass a real increase in the minimum wage. “This Republican bill is a cynical ploy to strong arm outrageous tax breaks for the wealthy through Congress on the backs of America’s hardworking, low-wage workers,” Senator Kennedy said. “And what’s worse, this Republican bill takes money right out of the pockets of more than one million workers in seven states that do not count tips toward the minimum wage. It’s a pay cut for maids, waitresses, and other Americans who rely on tips to make a living. It violates the values that are the bedrock of American strength – fairness, equality of opportunity, and respect for hard work.” –Tristan Takos | Permalink Republican Bill is a Pay Cut for Workers Who Depend on Tips to Make a LivingTue Aug 1, 02:35 PM
As the Senate prepares to vote this week on an estate tax/minimum wage package, Senator Kennedy reiterated his opposition to the measure noting that the Republican plan includes a pay cut for workers who depend on tips for a living. The bill would change the minimum wage for tipped workers seven states—- Alaska, California, Minnesota, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington- requiring them to be paid only the federal minimum wage (not the higher state minimum wage) until the state enacts a law with a tip penalty. The restaurant industry fought for this provision to be included in the Republican package. “The Republican bill would boost the bottom line for America’s restaurants, while taking money away from waiters and waitresses, parking attendants, bellhops and other hardworking Americans who depend on tips to support themselves and their families,” Senator Kennedy said. “Instead of denying millions of workers minimum wage protection, we should raise the wage and expand the protection. The people who work in our restaurants, carry our bags, and clean our hotel rooms are work hard for a living and they deserve a well-earned raise. I’m confident this cynical ploy will be rejected by the Senate.” Click here to view a fact sheet on the tip penalty –Tristan Takos | Permalink Kennedy to Oppose the Nomination of Paul DeCampTue Aug 1, 09:54 AM
Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy spoke out against the nomination of Paul DeCamp as Administrator of the Wage and Hour Division at the Department of Labor and released a new GAO report finding millions of workers are currently lacking key workplace protections. Mr. DeCamp, an attorney who has represented Wal-Mart, has a long and troubling record on worker’s rights. DeCamp has proposed overtime rollbacks for millions of workers, and has expressed his view that most claims for unpaid overtime are spurious. He now serves in a temporary position at the Department of Labor where he has been heavily involved in the Department’s disastrous failure to protect workers from abuses of wage laws and overtime protections in the Gulf Coast region. “Choosing Mr. DeCamp to enforce laws he doesn’t believe in and protections he doesn’t support seems to be a flagrant example of the fox guarding the henhouse. The safeguards of our nation’s wage and hour laws protect employees’ basic rights,” Senator Kennedy said. “We need strong leadership at the Wage and Hour division to make these rights a reality for all Americans.” Please click here to read Senator Kennedy’s complete statement. If you’d like more information on the GAO report, please click here –Tristan Takos | Permalink Kennedy on Minimum Wage/Estate TaxMon Jul 31, 02:56 PM
Today the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities released a report demonstrating the cost of the estate tax giveaway would be $753 billion in the first 10 years – AND that it would come directly from the pockets of the low wage workers that a minimum wage increase is trying to help. The House passed these two measures together early Saturday morning as a cynical ploy, led by a Republican leadership that has blocked an increase in the minimum wage at every turn over the past decade. This report confirms that not only is the House action a gimmick, but if passed by the Senate this week it will have a devastating impact on every working family in this country – especially those the minimum wage increase would help. “The Republican leadership’s bill is not just a shameful gimmick – it’s a threat to every working family in this country, and particularly to the hardworking people struggling to survive on the minimum wage. The GOP leadership is trying to trick the American people into forgetting their decade-long Republican crusade against a fair minimum wage with a sham vote on a tax giveaway bill.” Senator Kennedy said. “$753 billion price tag for the estate tax cut would come directly from the pockets of the low-wage workers that a minimum wage increase is trying to help. It’s political blackmail to say the only way that minimum wage workers can get a raise is to give tax giveaways to the wealthiest Americans.” Please click here to read Senator Kennedy’s full remarks –Tristan Takos | Permalink Kennedy on House Action on Minimum Wage and Estate TaxSat Jul 29, 12:30 PM
Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy released the following statement on last night’s House Action on minimum wage and the estate tax: “Last night the House Republicans played a cynical game of politics with the lives of millions of hardworking American families. I am confident the Senate will reject this political blackmail, as the House leadership is banking on. More than a majority of Senators have already voted in support of my clean measure to raise the minimum wage to $7.25, and time and time again we’ve rejected the estate tax repeal. Members of Congress raised their own pay – no strings attached. Surely, common decency suggests that minimum wage workers deserve the same respect.” –Tristan Takos | Permalink Kennedy on Possible House Vote on Minimum Wage/Estate TaxFri Jul 28, 02:50 PM
Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy released the following statement: “Republicans are playing politics with the lives of hardworking people who struggle each day to provide for their families. It may be a political game for Republicans, but it’s a hard reality for low wage workers who worry every day if they can pay the bills. It’s political blackmail to say the only way that minimum wage workers can get a raise is to give tax giveaways to the wealthiest Americans. Members of Congress raised their own pay – no strings attached. Surely, common decency suggests that minimum wage workers deserve the same respect.” –Tristan Takos | Permalink Kennedy on Republican Stalemate over Pension ReformFri Jul 28, 08:41 AM
Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy released the following statement on the Republican stalemate over pension reform: “Republican tax politics got in the way of progress for the retirement security of tens of millions Americans. There is no reason why the Conference Committee that has taken four and a half months is now at a standstill because Republicans are at a stalemate. Meanwhile, Americans continue to lie awake at night worrying about how they will pay for their expenses when they no longer can work. The House and Senate passed bipartisan pension reform bills with 97 Senators supporting our plan. We should be rising above politics. It is long past time that we get the job of strengthening America’s retirement security done—and get it done right.” –Tristan Takos | Permalink "The Plight of Gulf Coast Workers Continues to be Ignored"Fri Jul 21, 12:53 PM
As the rebuilding of the Gulf Coast continues, a new report released by the Advancement Project and the National Immigration Law Center details the ways in which the working men and women of the region have been victimized again. Based on interviews of more than 700 workers, the report shows workers are going without pay, are homeless or living in deplorable conditions, and aren’t provided basic workplace safety protections or health insurance. “While the images of the Gulf Coast storms have faded from our television screens, we cannot forget the men and women who continue to struggle in the rebuilding effort,” Senator Kennedy said, “I am deeply troubled by reports of appalling mistreatment of workers in the reconstruction area. These workers are performing dangerous and difficult work, but they’re not being paid the wages they’ve earned, and their lives are at risk every day. Violations of the law have reached epidemic levels, but Bush Administration continues to ignore the problem. We must do more to protect these hardworking men and women and give them the decent, safe working conditions they deserve.” Click here to see the text of the Dear Colleague letter sent by Senator Kennedy, the full report can be viewed at www.kennedy.senate.gov. –Tristan Takos | Permalink Kennedy Calls on Energy Secretary to Abandon Plan to Dismantle DOE Environment, Safety & Health OfficeTue Jul 18, 02:47 PM
Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy and Senator Jim Bunning sent a letter to Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman, asking him to refrain from taking any action to implement a proposed reorganization of the environmental, safety, and health programs and activities at the Department of Energy, until Congress has an opportunity to fully review and consider the proposal. Senators Kennedy and Bunning have been leaders in the effort to secure greater health and safety protections for Department of Energy employees, including cosponsoring legislation to establish enforceable worker safety and health standards at DOE facilities and to compensate them for occupational illnesses: “In releasing the letter, Senator Kennedy said, “By proposing to dismantle its worker safety and health office, the Department of Energy is putting the well being of its employees at grave risk. The Department has a terrible track record in caring for its employees’ safety and health. This reorganization moves the Department in the wrong direction – toward less oversight and accountability. I am pleased to join Senator Bunning in calling on the Department to abandon its ill-conceived plan.” Click here to read the full text of the letter. –Tristan Takos | Permalink Kennedy on Bush's Radio AddressSat Jul 15, 11:26 AM
Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy released the following statement on President Bush’s radio address on the U.S. economy. This week, Senator Kennedy released a report detailing how minimum wage families have been left behind as the pay of CEOs, Members of Congress and the President have soared. As worker productivity has increased, average working families have barely seen the fruits of their labor. Since the last time the minimum wage was increased (1997), CEO’s have seen a 73% increase in pay while the pay of members of Congress is up 24% and the President’s salary has increased 100%. The full report is available at www.kennedy.senate.gov, below is Senator Kennedy’s statement: “President Bush’s rhetoric on the strength of the US economy may resonate on Wall Street but is out of step with Main Street, revealing how out of touch the Administration is with the lives of working Americans — especially those making the minimum wage. Only this President and this Republican Congress would think that soaring gas prices, skyrocketing health care and education costs, stagnant wages, 37 million people in poverty and a $300 billion deficit add up to good economic news. Minimum wage workers do many of the hardest, and most important, jobs in our society and their lives are becoming more difficult each and every day. Yet, they are not getting their fair share of the benefits from their hard work. The paychecks of CEOs have soared by more than 73 percent since the last minimum wage increase, but the President and the Republican Congress refuse to give America’s workers the raise they deserve.” –Tristan Takos | Permalink Kennedy, Democratic Conferees Urge Completion of Meaningful Pension Conference ReportFri Jul 14, 02:29 PM
Today Democratic Pension conferees sent a letter to Majority Leader Frist and Speaker Hastert criticizing the continued failure of the Republican Congress to make progress on a pension reform bill to protect American workers and retirees. The bill has languished, with no meeting of the full conference for over three months. Senator Edward M. Kennedy said, “It is unconscionable that Republicans have allowed this pension bill to founder. There is no excuse for the way this Administration and the Republican Leadership in Congress are failing working families. It is past time for us to pass legislation that protects the retirement benefits workers have worked hard to earn. We must strengthen funding rules and help financially troubled pension plans to recover. We must also safeguard the pensions of older workers and prevent pension industry insiders from unfairly enriching themselves off workers’ retirement. I urge the Republican leadership to immediately engage with all the conferees so we can get a strong and fair pension bill to the President’s desk this month.” The Senate passed pension reform by a vote of 97-2 in November, 2005, demonstrating overwhelming bi-partisan support for addressing critical retirement security challenges. Democrats strongly believe that any bill must safeguard workers’ retirement through stronger protections for workers and retirees. Click here to read the full text of the letter –Tristan Takos | Permalink Kennedy on House Vote on Minimum WageWed Jul 12, 04:11 PM
Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy released the following statement on the House vote on minimum wage: “I applaud the House’s strong showing of bipartisan support for a higher minimum wage. It is now abundantly clear that bipartisan majorities in both the House and Senate support our plan to raise the minimum wage to $7.25 an hour. It is time for the President and the Republican leadership to stop blocking the will of the American people. The American people understand fairness – and a fair increase in the minimum wage is long overdue.” –Tristan Takos | Permalink CEO, Congressional and Presidential Salaries have Soared while the Minimum Wage Stays the SameWed Jul 12, 12:47 PM
Today Senator Edward M. Kennedy joined Senators Clinton, Schumer, Menendez, for a press conference to release a new report detailing how minimum wage families have been left behind as the pay of CEOs, Members of Congress and the President have soared. The report, entitled “Their Fair Share,” shows worker productivity has increased while average working families have barely seen the fruits of their labor. Since the last time the minimum wage was increased (1997), CEO’s have seen a 73% increase in pay while the pay of members of Congress is up 24% and the President’s salary has increased 100%. “Only this President and this Republican Congress would think that soaring gas prices, skyrocketing health care and education costs, stagnant wages, and a $300 billion deficit add up to good economic news,” Senator Kennedy said. “This new report also shows who Bush economy has been working for – those at the very top of the economic ladder. Executive pay is up 73 percent, the average CEO makes more before lunch on the first day of the year than a minimum wage worker makes in an entire year.” Kennedy announced that he will keep offering his amendment to raise the minimum wage to $7.25 again and again; Congress plans to raise its own pay again on the Transportation Appropriations bill and Senator Kennedy intends to use this opportunity to hold Republicans accountable for ignoring working people. Click here to read Senator Kennedy’s full remarks –Tristan Takos | Permalink Kennedy on Unemployment of Katrina SurvivorsFri Jul 7, 02:50 PM
Today the Bureau of Labor Statistics released their June employment numbers, illuminating the continuing difficulties faced by Hurricane Katrina evacuees more than ten months after the storm. The overall unemployment rate among Katrina evacuees was 13.4 percent, with an even higher rate of 25.9 percent among evacuees who have not yet been able to return to their homes. Senator Kennedy issued the following statement calling for prompt action to reinstate unemployment benefits for storm survivors. “Today’s shocking unemployment rates for Katrina survivors ought to convince even the most recalcitrant Republicans in Congress that survivors’ unemployment benefits deserve to be extended. It’s been over two months since disaster unemployment assistance ran out, yet they continue to face immense hardships as they struggle to find jobs and recover from that massive tragedy. Congress can’t continue to ignore the needs of those who have lost so much. Their unemployment benefits should be extended immediately, including retroactive coverage for those whose benefits expired.” –Tristan Takos | Permalink Kennedy on Reauthorization of the Workforce Investment ActThu Jun 29, 11:21 PM
“The reauthorization renews our commitment to raising the skills of the American workforce and helping workers compete in the job market. The bill will increase opportunities for workers to find new or better jobs, enable them to hold the good jobs of the future, and help the nation maintain its leadership in the global economy. The bill strengthens the so-called “One-Stop” system, which is a comprehensive service delivery system for job-seekers and employers. The system is a lifeline for workers who have lost their jobs and need assistance and training to get back on track. It creates stronger partnerships with businesses to recruit new workers and train current workers, so that many more people can be served. It improves opportunities for career ladders and enables job training centers to work with local leaders and businesses to meet the changing needs of their community. The services that one-stops deliver are needed now more than ever as Americans struggle to adjust to the forces of globalization transforming our society and our workforce.” –Tristan Takos | Permalink "There's No State in America Where $5.15 an Hour Meets the Basic Needs of a Working Family"Thu Jun 29, 01:56 PM
Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy today issued a report addressing the importance of increasing the minimum wage for workers in states across the country. The report, “When Work Doesn’t Pay: Minimum Wage Families in America” examines the economic hardships faced by minimum wage workers in the 30 states where the minimum wage remains at the federal level of $5.15 an hour. “There’s no state in America where $5.15 an hour meets the basic needs of a working family,” said Senator Kennedy. “We have waited far too long to give these hardworking men and women a raise. The Republican leadership keeps using procedural roadblocks to stop our efforts. No one who works for a living should have to live in poverty.” Kennedy’s bill, the Fair Minimum Wage Act (S.1062), will raise the minimum wage to $5.85 60 days after enactment, to $6.55 one year later, and to $7.25 one year after that. A majority of the Senate, including eight Republicans, are on record in support of Senator Kennedy’s proposal. Click here to read Senator Kennedy’s statement –Tristan Takos | Permalink Kennedy on the Majority of the Senate Voting for Minimum WageWed Jun 21, 05:33 PM
Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy released the following statement on today’s minimum wage vote: “Today’s vote clearly demonstrates that the Republican leadership cannot stand in the way of fairness for America’s low wage workers forever. We have been fighting for nearly a decade to give minimum wage workers a fair raise. And today, a majority of the Senate now agrees with the majority of Americans that an increase in the minimum wage is long overdue. Fifty-three senators stood up and fought for fairness. We stood up and fought for the dignity of hard working men and women. We stood up for their children, who are forced to live in poverty while their parents struggle to make ends meet. We stood up and fought to make right an immoral wrong in our country. This battle will continue all across America until at long last justice is done. It’s time for the Republican leadership to stop its obstruction and get out of the way.” –Tristan Takos | Permalink Kennedy Continues Fight for Increased Minimum WageWed Jun 21, 05:30 PM
“For nine years, Democrats have been trying to pass an increase in the minimum wage from its current level of $5.15 an hour. For employees working 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year, that’s $10,700 a year – almost $6,000 below the poverty line for a family of three. Americans believe that no one who works hard for a living should have to live in poverty. A job should lift you out of poverty, not keep you in it. That’s why I’ve offered an amendment which will raise the minimum wage to $7.25 an hour in three steps. My amendment will help almost 15 million Americans put food on the table, pay bills, and build a better future for their families.” –Tristan Takos | Permalink Kennedy, Colleagues Discuss Momentum for Minimum Wage IncreaseTue Jun 20, 02:56 PM
The minimum wage is currently $5.15 an hour. Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA) and Rep. George Miller (D-CA) have co-authored a bill to increase it to $7.25 over three years that has bipartisan support in Congress- and overwhelming support across the country. But the Republican leadership is pulling out all the stops to keep this plan from becoming law by blocking it from coming to the floor in the House and attaching poison pills to it in the Senate. Last week, the House Appropriations Committee voted 32 to 27 to attach the Kennedy-Miller plan to increase the minimum wage to the FY 2007 Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations bill. The House was expected to consider the annual funding bill this week, but House Republican Leadership has put it on hold as they scramble to find a way to kill the measure. Read Senator Kennedy’s Statement at the Minimum Wage Press Conference –Tristan Takos | Permalink Kennedy on DOE's Decision to Withdraw Harmful Pensions PolicyTue Jun 20, 09:30 AM
This spring, the Department of Energy issued Notice 351.1, which would have forced contractors to abandon secure defined benefit pensions and drastically cut healthcare. The policy received widespread criticism from business, labor, and retirement groups. Senator Kennedy and other Democrats introduced legislation to force the Department of Energy to withdraw this harmful notice (S. 2794, the Department of Energy Contractor Employee Equitable Treatment Act of 2006) and he was prepared to offer an amendment this week to the Defense Authorization Act to require DOE to suspend its notice for one year. Yesterday, responding to increasing pressure, DOE voluntarily withdrew the notice for one year, to further study and listen to stakeholder comment on this issue. Senator Kennedy stated: “I am pleased that Secretary Bodman has retracted this harmful policy that would have stripped workers of the secure pensions they deserve and undercut good healthcare. The Administration should be working to strengthen pensions for all Americans rather than moving in the wrong direction with policies that unfairly penalize working men and women.” –Tristan Takos | Permalink Kennedy Fights War on Poverty and Offers Minimum Wage IncreaseMon Jun 19, 02:52 PM
Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy continued his fight on the war on poverty by offering an amendment to the Department of Defense Appropriations to raise the minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 an hour in three steps. Last week the House Appropriations Committee passed a similar plan, yet Republican leadership is refusing to bring the measure to the House floor despite its strong bipartisan support. Across the country, the momentum is building as 21 states have higher rates and over 100,000 Citizen Co-Sponsors joined on in support of Kennedy’s Fair Minimum Wage Act “Raising the minimum wage is a moral issue. It’s wrong that hard-working men and women cannot afford to put food on the table or heat their homes.” Senator Kennedy said. “It’s deeply wrong to give billions upon billions of dollars in tax relief to the wealthy and give annual pay raises to senators, but turn our backs on the hard-working families who live in poverty each day, and the 14 million children who go to bed hungry each night.” During the bankruptcy bill debate in March of last year, 50 United State Senators expressed their support for Kennedy’s plan to provide long overdue help for the millions of working Americans who are living in poverty. Five Republicans supported Kennedy’s measure, while only 38 senators voted for the competing proposal, offered by Senator Santorum. Read Senator Kennedy’s Floor Statement on Raising the Minimum Wage The Miner Act Takes Mine Safety into the 21st CenturyThu Jun 15, 10:58 AM
U.S. Senators Edward M. Kennedy and Mike Enzi today praised President Bush for signing into law the first major overhaul of mine safety laws in 28 years – a sweeping bill that will reduce safety risks for miners across the country in response to the tragedies in West Virginia and Kentucky early this year. The bill, the “Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response Act of 2006” (MINER Act), S. 2803, approved unanimously by the Senate on May 24th, adopts a range of new regulations that reflect the demands of today’s workplace and promote use of world-class, 21st Century technologies aimed at reducing safety risks to the nation’s coal miners. The House passed the bill on June 7 by a vote of 381 to 37. Senator Kennedy said: “This historic legislation will provide dramatic and long overdue improvements in mine safety. The families of the brave miners who died this year became the conscience of the nation, inspiring us to try to make the nation’s mines the safest in the world. We owe all miners and their families nothing less.” –Tristan Takos | Permalink Kennedy on Congressional Pay VoteWed Jun 14, 04:49 PM
Yesterday, House lawmakers voted to approve a $3,300 Congressional pay increase. If this raise is approved by the Senate, it will be the eighth Congressional pay increase in 10 years. Senator Kennedy issued the following statement calling on Congress to give the same consideration to the rising cost of living for low-wage workers, and act immediately to raise the minimum wage. “It is the worst kind of hypocrisy for Congress to vote itself another pay increase this year while continuing to ignore the hardworking families struggling to survive on the minimum wage. With this proposed increase, Congress will have increased its own salary by more than $34,000 in the last nine years, while minimum wage workers have not seen another cent in their paychecks. How can Congress keep saying yes to itself, and no to these millions of deserving working families? It’s long past time for Congress to give these hardworking Americans a raise.” –Tristan Takos | Permalink "All Americans Should Have Equal Access to Modern Telecommunications Technology"Wed Jun 14, 09:29 AM
Transcript of Senator Kennedy’s Remarks Before the Senate Judiciary Committee “Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for calling this important hearing on reform of our telecommunications laws. All Americans should have equal access to modern telecommunications technology and should be able to enjoy the lawful Internet content of their choice. Consumers should also be able to shop around and find the best price – and the best product – to fit their needs. It’s a fundamental – and critical – part of our economic growth.” –Tristan Takos | Permalink Kennedy on House Vote in Support of a Minimum Wage IncreaseTue Jun 13, 06:31 PM
Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy released the following statement on the U.S. House of Representatives vote in support of a minimum wage increase: “It is an absolute travesty that a family of three earning the minimum wage works five days a week all year round yet still lives far below the poverty line. Today the House made a bold statement on behalf of the millions of Americans who are working in poverty. Our plan to raise the minimum wage to $7.25 has the bipartisan support of 50 Senators, but continues to be blocked by Republican leadership. Action is long overdue as year after year Congress increases their own wages while leaving hardworking people out in the cold.” –Tristan Takos | Permalink Kennedy on Frist's Decision to Pull Stickler VoteTue Jun 13, 02:49 PM
Today, Senator Frist moved to vitiate the cloture vote on Richard Stickler. Senator Kennedy opposed Senator Frist’s motion and demanded that the vote on Mr. Stickler’s nomination occur as planned or be assured that the Bush Administration would not recess appoint Mr. Stickler. This afternoon, Senator Frist agreed that if the White House were to move to recess appoint Mr. Stickler, that a vote in the United States Senate would occur first. Senator Kennedy said, “The Republican leadership’s decision to cancel the vote on the Stickler nomination today shows growing consensus that the nation’s coal miners and their families deserve much better. Mr. Stickler has a troubling history of bending the rules for mine companies and looking the other way when it comes to the safety of mine workers. Too many brave coal miners have lost their lives in recent months to allow a nominee with his record to go forward. I urge President Bush to reconsider and to nominate someone to this crucial position who is a proven champion for mine workers’ safety.” –Tristan Takos | Permalink Kennedy Stands with Victims' Families in Opposition of Stickler Nomination to Mine Safety PostMon Jun 12, 05:44 PM
As the nomination of Richard Stickler to the Mine Safety Health Administration approaches, Senator Edward M. Kennedy released the following letters of opposition written by family members of the Sago Mine victims and victims of the Jim Walters Resources tragedy in Brookwood, Alabama. Senator Kennedy and these families believe former coal-mining executive Richard Stickler’s close ties with the industry and poor record on mine safety raise concerns of Stickler’s ability to strictly enforce the provisions of the recently passed MINER Act. Senator Kennedy said, “Now more than ever, our nation’s miners need and deserve a strong leader at the head of the Mine Safety Health Administration. Mr. Stickler has an abysmal record on mine safety and he is not the right person for the job. During his career as a coal industry executive, he focused on profits and production, not on worker safety With the recent passage of the mine safety legislation, it is even more important that we have an Assistant Secretary who will vigorously lead the agency and put these new protections in place quickly. I will vote no on Mr. Stickler’s nomination and I will urge my colleagues to do the same.” Mines where Stickler was in charge had injury rates above the national average. When he was Senior Manager at the Eagle’s Next Mine in Van, West Virginia, the injury rate was almost three times the national average. While he ran the Marianna Mine from 1983 to 1987 the injury rate climbed dramatically during this tenure. And, two miners were killed at Mine 84 in Pennsylvania while he was in charge. At his Senate hearing, when Stickler was asked whether mine safety laws needed reform, he said that he “thinks the laws are generally adequate.” Read the text of the letters from victims’ families in opposition of Stickler’s nomination –Tristan Takos | Permalink Kennedy Calls on Congress to Restore Gulf Coast Unemployment BenefitsFri Jun 9, 03:09 PM
This week, more than 80,000 Gulf Coast evacuees who are still looking for work received the last of their unemployment benefits. The unemployment rate among Katrina evacuees who have not returned home is a shocking 25 percent. Yet a bill to restore those benefits and help those who are struggling to find jobs has been blocked by Republican leadership from moving forward. Senators Kennedy, Landrieu and Lieberman are championing the measure, and Senator Kennedy issued the following statement: “Instead of giving them the help they need to get back on their feet, the Republican Congress has abandoned them, choosing instead to offer huge new tax giveaways to the wealthiest Americans. It’s time to focus on our nation’s real priorities. Congress should act immediately to extend unemployment benefits for storm survivors for at least another 13 weeks.” –Tristan Takos | Permalink Blocking the Estate Tax RepealThu Jun 8, 11:13 AM
Today, Senator Edward M. Kennedy released the following statement in opposition of repealing the estate tax. The Senate today blocked repealing the estate tax in a vote of 57-41. Below is Senator Kennedy’s statement: “The audacity of the Bush Administration and their Congressional allies truly knows no limit. In spite of all of the urgent problems facing our nation – from the ongoing war in Iraq, to the devastating hurricane damage along the Gulf Coast that has not yet been repaired, to the outrageously high gasoline prices that are squeezing American families – the top Republican priority is eliminating the estate tax for the richest families in the country. President Bush’s policies have already added nearly $3 trillion dollars to the national debt in the last five years. Now, they are proposing more of the same, more tax breaks benefiting only the wealthiest among us.” More after the jump –Crystal Patterson | Permalink Sweeping Safety Reforms for MinersThu May 18, 08:43 AM
Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Ranking Member of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee (HELP) and Senator Mike Enzi, Chairman of the HELP Committee, today announced the passage of a sweeping reform bill to move mine safety and regulation into the 21st Century, reduce safety risks for miners across the country, and respond to the Sago and Alma mine tragedies in West Virginia. The legislation, the “Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response Act of 2006 (MINER Act), was approved unanimously by the Committee and is cosponsored by Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), Senator Robert Byrd (D-WV), Senator Johnny Isakson (R-GA) and Senator Patty Murray, (D-WA). Senator Kennedy said: “We cannot bring back the brave miners who have died this year. But we can and must honor their memory by making all our mines safer. I will do everything I can to get this bill to the President¹s desk to be signed into law this year.” –Crystal Patterson | Permalink Kennedy on Self-Petitioning for ImmigrantsThu May 18, 08:38 AM
“If we take away the right to self-petitions, the basic right to autonomy, then temporary workers have no ability to fight for their rights at the workplace. They will be forced to accept unfair working conditions, unfair pay, and unfair hours because the employer will hold the trump card in any negotiations at the workplace—the employer will hold the key to the immigrants future. Without the right to self-petition, temporary workers become victims at the workplace. When temporary workers lose, all workers lose.” –Crystal Patterson | Permalink Kennedy, Edwards Join forces on the Minimum WageThu Apr 6, 02:35 PM
“The issue resonates strongly with the people, because it’s fundamentally about fairness. Americans understand fairness. They know the difference between right and wrong,” Senator Kennedy said. “It’s wrong that hard-working men and women can’t afford to put food on the table or heat their homes. It’s wrong to give billions upon billions of dollars in tax relief to the wealthy, and then but turn your back on the hard-working families who live in poverty each day. It is wrong that in our prosperous nation, 14 million children go to bed hungry each night.” Kennedy and Edwards were joined by hundreds of grassroots activists that have been inspired to join the minimum wage fight, and have witnessed firsthand the popular outcry for a raise in the minimum wage. Building on this groundswell of public activism, Senator Kennedy and Senator Edwards called on the Republican leadership for an immediate vote on Kennedy’s bill to raise the minimum wage. Included below is a fact sheet on Kennedy’s plan and his remarks as prepared for delivery. More Work to Improve Safety for MinersThu Mar 2, 10:21 AM
“We must do everything in our power to see that not a single life is lost in mining because of ineffective enforcement, outdated technology, or inadequate safety standards. Twenty-four miners have already died this year, 21 of them in coal mines, just one short of the total number of coal mine deaths for all of last year. Today we must ask where we’ve gone wrong. Last month Senator Enzi, Senator Isakson, Senator Rockefeller and I went to Buckhannon, West Virginia, and met with the family members of the men who died in the tragic explosion at the Sago Mine. It was one of the most moving visits I have had in my time in the Senate. Each of us left West Virginia committed to improving safety and health conditions in the nation’s mines. We promised the families at Sago that we would strengthen safety protections, so that tragedies like this would never happen again and we have introduced legislation to establish stricter safety standards. But new laws are only part of the battle. We need adequate regulations and resources to enforce the law and to develop new s |
Senator Edward M. Kennedy issued the following statement condemning the Board’s decision:
Today, Senators Edward M. Kennedy, Dick Durbin, and Hillary Rodham Clinton decried the failure of this Congress to raise the minimum wage. Instead of passing legislation to help millions of working Americans, this Republican Congress has blocked it for more than nine years. In the face of continued Republican opposition to a minimum wage increase, the states have been forced to step in to give minimum wage workers the raise they deserve. Labor leaders, religious leaders, and community activists from groups like ACORN have pounded the pavements to pass ballot initiatives providing raises in state and local minimum wage rates. This fall, citizens of Arizona, Colorado, Missouri, Montana, Ohio, and Nevada will all have the opportunity to vote for a fair increase in the minimum wage. The Senators were joined by AFL-CIO President John Sweeney and Julie Smith, a former minimum wage worker from Ohio and ACORN activist. 
House and Senate Democrats today discussed recent successes in their attempts to increase the minimum wage and their strategy for getting an increase passed this year.
Today Senator Edward M. Kennedy and former Senator John Edwards celebrated the success of their month-long online initiative to recruit “Citizen Co-Sponsors” for the Senator Kennedy’s Fair Minimum Wage Act. Over 100,000 Citizen Co-Sponsors signed a statement supporting Kennedy’s Fair Minimum Wage Act and demanding a vote on the minimum wage as soon as possible. Over the past ten years, members of Congress have raised their own pay by $31,000, but the minimum wage hasn’t gone up a cent and remains more than $6,000 below the poverty line for a family of three
The HELP Committee continued its effort to improve safety for miners; Senator Kennedy gave the following statement in support of improving safety standards”