[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 145 (Tuesday, October 13, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2121]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          TRIBUTE TO JOSEPH P. KENNEDY, II, MEMBER OF CONGRESS

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. RICHARD E. NEAL

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, October 12, 1998

  Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take a few 
moments today to pay a special tribute to a colleague of mine who at 
the end of this legislative session will be retiring after a long and 
distinguished career from the United States House of Representatives.
  Congressman Joseph P. Kennedy, II, a native son of Massachusetts and 
the eldest son of Ethel and the late Robert F. Kennedy, will soon be 
returning to our great State to, along with other pursuits, run 
Citizens' Energy Corporation, the low-income assistance program he 
founded in the early 1980's. Before he departs, I would like to take a 
few moments today to honor his accomplishments here in the House and to 
tell you more about the man I regard as my friend.
  Joe Kennedy roots for the underdog and leaves behind in Washington a 
long track record of standing on the side of people who don't view 
government as an intrusion, but instead, as a means for achieving 
justice and dignity in life.
  Whether working to assist the homeless, children, the poor, the 
elderly or the disabled, Joe Kennedy has always brought a special 
earnestness and passion to his work. As a result, his legislative 
achievements on the Banking Committee and in the House have been many, 
and the impact of his charitable and meaningful work will continue to 
be felt for years to come.
  Since 1986, his constituents in the 8th District of Massachusetts 
have known of Congressman Joe Kennedy's dedication. They, like those of 
us who work with him regularly, also know of the many endearing 
qualities he brings to the table.
  Joe Kennedy is a remarkably kind man, and it is his heart, not 
political polls or newspaper headlines, that is the compass that guides 
him in here in Washington. Congressman Joseph P. Kennedy, II has 
continued the great legacy of his father and his uncle, and it is his 
heart and his commitment to what is right and just that people from 
Massachusetts and across the Nation will miss most.
  I would like to take this opportunity to thank Joe Kennedy, my 
friend, for his many years of hard work in the United States Congress. 
I wish Joe and his wife Beth all the best on the road that rises to 
meet them in the years that lie ahead.

                          ____________________