Kennedy remembrances: Day 2

Rep. Maxine Waters:

It was with great sorrow that I learned of the passing of Senator Kennedy. I offer my condolences to his family and friends, and also to his millions of admirers and supporters, and I will keep them all in my thoughts and prayers.

There was no one else like Senator Kennedy, and there never will be. The causes he championed during almost half of a century of public service are strong proof that he kept the interests of the most vulnerable Americans in his heart and in his mind, and he applied his pen to these causes, authoring and helping to pass some of our nation's most important pieces of legislation.

He got right to work upon entering the Senate in the early 1960's and was instrumental in the passage of the Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights Act, and the Fair Housing Act - landmark laws that gave minorities a platform on which they could not only stand but from which they could hold their heads high and assert their political strength. Later in his career he helped establish the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, wrote the Americans with Disabilities Act and the bill to create the State Children's Health Insurance Program, and pushed legislation to raise the federal minimum wage.

As a California State Assemblywoman in 1980, I was impressed by Senator Kennedy's legislative record, his idealism, his concern for those in need, and because of his forward-thinking attitude about what our country could be, and therefore I decided to support him as he pursued the Democratic nomination for President of the United States.  I was a delegate at the Democratic Convention and I had the great of seconding his nomination.

When Senator Kennedy endorsed Barack Obama for President last year, he said '[Obama] is a fighter who cares passionately about the causes he believes in without demonizing those who hold a different view.' Those words could also have been used to describe Senator Kennedy. He was proud to champion liberal policies and passionate about the issues but always willing to listen to others respectfully and willing to negotiate to find common ground when needed.

My life was enriched by knowing and working with the 'Lion of the Senate'. Though deeply upset by his loss, I am comforted in part by knowing that his legacy will endure, and I will join with fellow progressives in carrying on his work, particularly fulfilling 'the cause of his lifetime' by passing meaningful health care reform.

My heart goes out to his wife Victoria, his children - including my colleague, Congressman Patrick Kennedy - his grandchildren, and the many other family members, friends, and supporters who are mourning his loss today.

Maria Elena Durazo, executive secretary-treasurer, Los Angeles County Federation of Labor:

Today, the over 800,000 workers of the Los Angeles Labor Movement mourn the passing of Senator Edward M. Kennedy.

The last time I met Senator Kennedy was during his visit to East Los Angeles College in February 2008, when we both were campaigning for President Obama-his mere presence told me that he was champion for working men and women.

No political leader of our time more selflessly defended over as many decades the civil and labor rights of minorities and all working people than Senator Ted Kennedy. Most recently, he co-authored the Employee Free Choice Act and actively fought for national healthcare reform.

Senator Kennedy also authored the comprehensive immigration reform bill for all immigrant workers with Senator McCain and was a leading author of the AgJobs immigration reform measure for farm workers.

From the 1960s on, Senator Kennedy and his late brother, Senator Robert Kennedy, never judged our struggles or tried to tell us what we should do or how we should do it. When they supported our cause, all they wanted to know was what were the problems and what we needed for them to do. That's how the Kennedy brothers earned the affection and respect of Latinos and other poor working people.

Senator Kennedy was a giant: one with great skills not surpassed by humility and tremendous personal and political resilience.  If there was ever an ambassador for the American people to the halls of legislative power, it was Senator Ted Kennedy.

Over a lifetime of service, Senator Kennedy's work, his commitment to everyday Americans and his unique political prowess produced a wealth of accomplishments that ranged from expanding children's healthcare to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and beyond, which are evident in neighborhood living rooms all across this country.

I first met Senator Kennedy (and his two dogs, Sunny and Splash) when I visited Washington as a member of the California State Assembly in April 2007.  After listening carefully about my district and our challenges, we ended the meeting with Sunny giving me his seal of approval by a kiss of support.

Later, when I was elected to Congress in September 2007, Senator Kennedy sent me a copy of the book Women in Congress 1917-2006, wished me well, and offered his assistance.  I was fortunate again to share a few moments with him in April of 2008 when Pope Benedict visited Washington, DC in the new stadium.  We talked about my family's origins from back east, my nephew being named after him and then we closed by worshipping and experiencing the historic moment together.

Senator Ted Kennedy has touched millions of lives throughout his historic career as a public servant and our country is a far better place today because of him.  My thoughts and prayers are with his devoted wife Vicki, his son and my colleague Patrick and the entire Kennedy family.