[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 42 (Friday, April 3, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S3224]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 TRIBUTE TO JOSEPH P. KENNEDY II UPON HIS RETIREMENT FROM THE HOUSE OF 
                            REPRESENTATIVES

 Mr. DODD. Mr. President, several days ago, our colleague in 
the other body, Representative Joseph P. Kennedy II, announced his 
retirement after 12 years of service. Representative Kennedy has been a 
tremendous advocate on behalf of the nation's working families, and I 
want to take this opportunity to say a few words about my friend from 
Massachusetts.
  Joe Kennedy has brought an uncommon enthusiasm and an intensity to 
his work here in the Congress. As a member of the Committee on Banking 
and Financial Services, he mastered the arcane details of banking, 
insurance, securities, and housing law to achieve great success in 
reforming our nation's financial institutions to be more responsive to 
the needs of working families.
  In 1989, he authored amendments to the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act 
and the Community Reinvestment Act. These amendments have been 
responsible for leveraging hundreds of millions of dollars in credit to 
help people of modest means purchase a home.
  As the Chairman of the former Subcommittee on Consumer Credit and 
Insurance, he worked on legislation to reform the Fair Credit Reporting 
Act, so that consumers will be better protected from unwarranted uses 
of their most private financial information and will have a greater 
ability to safeguard the confidentiality and accuracy of that 
information.
  More recently, as Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Housing and 
Community Opportunity, he has continued to champion affordable housing 
for the elderly and others on fixed incomes. Thanks to his efforts, 
many more Americans own a home and have a decent, affordable place to 
live.
  Congressman Kennedy has distinguished himself in other ways, as well. 
He has been a consistent and articulate voice for peace and justice in 
places like Northern Ireland, Haiti, and the Mexican state of Chiapas. 
He has been a staunch supporter of civil rights for women, the 
disabled, and minorities. He has also worked hard to balance our 
nation's budget without compromising our commitment to protect our most 
vulnerable citizens.
  Prior to his election to the House, Congressman Kennedy built a 
successful company that provides low-cost heating oil and other 
services to low and moderate income Americans. It is to that company 
that he will soon return.
  I have no doubt that although he is leaving public office, Joe 
Kennedy will continue to serve the public interest. I know I speak for 
many of my colleagues in wishing him and his family well in this new 
endeavor, and in saying that, we in the Congress will miss his vitality 
and vision of a more just and prosperous America.

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