Kennedy Steps Down From Judiciary Panel

[tekisui]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Sen. Edward Kennedy said Friday he is stepping down from his Senate Judiciary Committee post to focus on achieving a breakthrough on health care reform. The Massachusetts Democrat said he was hopeful of achieving progress with President-elect Barack Obama taking over the White House. Kennedy, who is fighting a malignant brain tumor, chairs the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and was a strong Obama backer during the 2008 campaign.

"I expect to lead a very full agenda in the next Congress, including working with President Obama to guarantee affordable health care, at long last, for every American," Kennedy said in a statement. "This is the opportunity of a lifetime, and I intend to make the most of it."

Kennedy, 76, has championed universal health care coverage for more than four decades in the Senate. He has been consulting with staffers, other senators and health care advocates for months on a new blueprint for extending coverage.

Kennedy's statement also noted that Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada had asked Democrats to reduce their committee assignments to give junior lawmakers more opportunities.

Kennedy had a seizure in May and underwent surgery in June for the brain tumor. After undergoing chemotherapy and radiation, he has increased his public activity. He spent time working on health care reform while recovering at his Cape Cod and Washington homes. He has held several video conferences with lawmakers and staff on the issue in recent months.

He returned to work in the Senate last month for the first time since last summer. In July, he made a surprise return to Capitol Hill to vote on a Medicare bill.

Kennedy is vacationing with his family in Florida and expects to return to Washington when Congress reconvenes in early January.

As a senior member of the Judiciary panel, Kennedy has been a leader on civil rights issues and immigration issues. He played a key role opposing Robert Bork, the conservative whose Supreme Court nomination failed in 1987.

more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5j9ITSDd4Ztt7fvQ8jKapicYzsZvwD94SR8881

[Dennis Donovan]

1. Recommended!!! Thank you Senator Kennedy!!!

:patriot:

[stevedeshazer]

2. I am SO rooting for Ted Kennedy

This should be the lasting legacy of the Kennedy family: Health Care For ALL!

[kath]

3. well, hopefully it will be real health CARE for all (REALLY affordable care, with minimal

out-of-pocket costs, like the rest of the developed world) and not health INSURANCE for all, which is utter bullshit.
Get the blood-sucking insurance companies out of health care. NOW. They suck 30-35 cents out of every health care dollar, with one of their principle jobs being to DENY care.

[midnight]

4. I'm looking forward to seeing this blueprint......

[Hekate]

5. Bless his heart. I hope he lives to see UHC come to fruition & enjoy the celebration. nt

[madokie]

6. I love the lion

He seems to have always been on the same side of issues as myself. Senator Kennedy would have made a great President I'm convinced of that. The powers to be seen that and took him out when they had the opportunity, Chappaquiddick.