Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W.V.), one of the few to have served in the Senate longer than the late Sen. Ted Kennedy, said in a statement today that health care legislation should be named in his honor.
Kennedy famously called health care reform "the cause of my life." He set the tone for the current health care debate in Congress and worked to pass a number of monumental health care-related bills while in the Senate.
"In his honor and as a tribute to his commitment to his ideals, let us stop the shouting and name calling and have a civilized debate on health care reform which I hope, when legislation has been signed into law, will bear his name for his commitment to insuring the health of every American," Byrd said in his statement. (CBS News)
Huh, I though the 'cause' of "Off the Bridge" Ted's life should have been making scuba gear mandatory for all automobiles.
Here's an excellent article outlining Kennedy's stance over the years on the issues. While this article is mostly a criticism of his "catholic" funeral, it points out some very important issues that he championed as a liberal dem.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.myfoxboston.com/dpp/news/politics/senator_ted_kennedy/catholic_action_league_calls_funeral_a_scandal_082909