In defense of Ted
Grrr… I am so annoyed with people bringing up chappaquidick as the only thing the man ever did. Both from the Left and the right… My god, like you have never made a mistake. Ever. Yes, he had big time rich white man priveldge… he knew it.. He used his powers for good not evil… dammit. Id like to see you work endlessly for the underserved after seeing 3 older brothers and older sister die, a younger sister get lobotomized, be the only surviver from a plan crash, have you wife experience 3 misscarriages, both your children struggle with cancer, your oldest sun loose a leg…
Yeah, most people wouldnt be able to hold a job after all that, let alone make time for anyone that needed his help, and work for progressive change in this country that is felt by EVERYONE who isnt a rich white man.
Highlights from a 50 page document that goes over breifly 25000 bills he worked on
Gender Equity: Kennedy saw the Senate of the Equal Rights Amendment in
1972, which aimed to make men and women equal in the constitution. He
reintroduced the legislation again this congressional session, but it
has yet to make it into the constitution.
Kennnedy championed Title IX of the Civil Rights Act in 1972, which
prevented educational institutions from discriminating against women
(afterward, colleges and universities integrated, paving the way for
women like Sonia Sotomayor and Hillary Clinton to attend Ivy League
institutions), as well as requiring equitable athletic opportunities.
Civil Rights: Kennedy saw the passage of the Civil Rights Restoration
Act of 1988 as committee chairman, which strengthened the Civil Rights
Act of 1964. Afterward, then-executive director of the Leadership
Council on Civil Rights Ralph Neas said, “Now you see what happens
when you have a civil rights champion in charge of the committee.”
He was also chief sponsor on the Civil Rights Act of 1991, which
addressed intentional discrimination and harassment in the workplace.
He was also a key sponsor of legislation by the same name in 2008,
which sought to restore civil rights protections stripped by Supreme
Court rulings in recent years (like the Lilly Ledbetter case).
Pay Equity: Kennedy worked on the Fair Pay Restoration Act, which
sought to restore the rights of women to sue with each discriminatory
paycheck, overturning the Supreme Court ruling in Ledbetter v.
Goodyear.
Voting Rights: Kennedy worked on the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which
allowed equal access to voting as part of the Civil Rights movement.
He also worked to add amendments in 1982 that expanded voting access
to Native Americans, Latinos, and others who required language
assistance.
Affirmative Action: Kennedy helped defeat legislation that would have
ended federal affirmative action in 1998 and joined his colleagues in
the Senate in filing a brief urging the Supreme Court to uphold
affirmative action in 2003.
LGBT Rights: Kennedy has been the chief sponsor of the Employment
Non-Discrimination Act since 1994, which would make it illegal to
discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation in the workplace. The
bill has yet to pass.
Hate Crimes: Kennedy worked on the Matthew Shepard Local Law
Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act in 2007, which would implement
more severe penalties for crimes against women, gays, lesbians, and
transgender persons. The bill was vetoed by President Bush in 2007,
but the legislation has been reintroduced in the 110th Congress.
HIV/AIDS: Kennedy introduced what became the Ryan White CARE Act,
which addressed thirteen cities hit hardest by the HIV/AIDS crisis in
1990. When it was up for reauthorization in 2000, it provided nearly
$9 billion in HIV/AIDS services over the following five years.
Domestic Violence: Kennedy worked with Vice President Joe Biden on the
1994 Violence Against Women Act. He also worked on its reauthorization
in 2000, which allowed immigrant women to apply for permanent status
in the United States without their abusive partners.
Disability Equity: Kennedy worked to pass the Americans with
Disabilities Act in 1990, which provided much-needed accommodations
for those with disabilities.
Minimum Wage: Kennedy worked with Congress in 2007 to pass the first
hike in the minimum wage in more than a decade. Women
disproportionately make up the population low-wage hourly workers.
Women in Combat: Kennedy championed the repeal a ban of women in
combat in 1991. Women are still technically barred from fighting on
the “front lines,” such stipulations are meaningless in modern combat.
By working for legislation that repealed archaic legislation, Kennedy
helped women achieve more equality in the military.
Military Child Care: In 1989, Kennedy saw the passage of the National
Military Child Care Act, which established the Department of Defense’s
child care program. This allowed working spouses of military members
and women who were enlisted themselves to have access to high-quality,
federally funded child care.
Health Insurance for Children and Pregnant Women: In 1997, Kennedy
co-sponsored the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP),
allowing families to have access to health care that previously
didn’t. Kennedy also introduced legislation that has yet to pass,
Affordable Health Care Act, which would expand Medicaid and SCHIP
coverage for children, pregnant women, and the disabled.
He saw the passage of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act in 1978, which
made it illegal for employers to fire women for leave taken due to
pregnancy. We still don’t require employers to provide paid maternity
leave.
Minority Health Care: Kennedy championed the The Minority Health and
Health Disparities Research and Education Act in 2000, which provided
funding for research for how to reduce disparities in cancer, heart
disease, HIV/AIDS, diabetes, and other severe health problems that are
found to be significantly higher in minority populations. In 2006, he
introduced the Minority Health Improvement and Health Disparity
Elimination Act, which would address inequalities in health care
access and treatment if passed.
The Inclusion of Women in Scientific and Medical Research: Kennedy
co-sponsored the NIH Revitalization Act of 1993, legislation that
called for the inclusion of women and minorities in federally funded
clinical research.