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Memorial Resolution on Senator Edward Kennedy

WHEREAS, Edward Moore Kennedy served in the United States Senate with distinction from November 1962 until his death on August 25, 2009, and

WHEREAS, Senator Kennedy became known as the “Lion of the Senate” due to both his long tenure and impressive list of legislative accomplishments, and

WHEREAS, the legislation he championed has touched the lives of every American, authoring approximately 2,500 bills of which more than 300 were enacted into law.  A few of the many bills he sponsored are the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, the National Cancer Act of 1971, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Ryan White AIDS Care Act in 1990, the Civil Rights Act of 1991, the Mental Health Parity Act in 1996 and 2008, the State Children’s Health Insurance Program in 1997, and the No Child Left Behind Act in 2002; and

WHEREAS, Senator Kennedy had a remarkable talent for reaching across the aisle to develop bipartisan support for numerous legislative initiatives, and

WHEREAS, Senator Kennedy was a stalwart champion for universal health insurance and he lived to see his principles embodied in The Affordable Health Choices Act reported out by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, which he chaired, on July 15,  2009, and

WHEREAS, after Senator Kennedy was diagnosed with cancer, he courageously battled that illness while continuing to serve our nation, and

WHEREAS, the Commonwealth of Virginia has officially honored Senator Kennedy by ordering flags to be flown at half mast, and

WHEREAS, Senator Kennedy was laid to final rest with great honor near his brothers in Arlington National Cemetery on Saturday, August 29;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the Arlington County Democratic Committee on September 2, 2009,

that we honor Senator Kennedy for his great accomplishments in advancing our shared Democratic values and extend our sympathies to his family; and