[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 134 (Tuesday, September 22, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9651-S9652]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 REMEMBERING SENATOR EDWARD M. KENNEDY

  Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. President, I rise today to give tribute to 
Senator Edward Kennedy.
  It is impossible to sum up Senator Ted Kennedy in words or a speech. 
His life and work touched so many diverse interests and issues. Senator 
Kennedy was larger than life. He was a champion for the underdog--those 
in our society who just needed a hand up. For close to five decades, 
Senator Kennedy championed policies for American workers, minorities, 
parents, immigrants, gays and lesbians, people with disabilities and 
illnesses, among others. And I think I can safely say he was the 
greatest legislator in the history of the Senate.
  In the words of Senator John McCain during his presidential bid, ``I 
have described Ted Kennedy as the last lion in the Senate . . . because 
he remains the single most effective member . . . if you want to get 
results.''
  While he was known as a champion for liberal causes, Senator 
Kennedy's hallmark was to reach across the aisle, passing legislation 
with his Republican friends, such as Orrin Hatch and John McCain. He 
never let partisanship stop him from doing what is right for the 
American people.
  But his most important role was that of the patriarch of the Kennedy 
family a family that faced tragedy that most of us never will 
experience and can never fathom. Despite the loss of three brothers, 
taken long before their time, and the loss of a nephew a rising star, 
Ted Kennedy rose above the burdens of life and became the rudder of the 
Kennedy ship, the driving force of the family a family dedicated to 
public service. Fortunately for all of us, that dedication has been 
passed on to the next generation and it has influenced families across 
our Nation, including mine.
  The Kennedy family and my own family first crossed paths decades ago, 
and our family stories continue to be intertwined. My dad, Mo Udall, 
and uncle, Stewart Udall, supported John Kennedy in his race for 
President. Ted Kennedy was JFK's man on the ground in the southwest 
states.
  In fact, the Udalls have been called the ``Kennedys of the West.'' 
And as my Aunt Elma says, ``we are flattered'' by that comparison.
  In many ways we are as different as they come. Kennedys are the East. 
Kennedys are the ocean. Kennedys are Catholic immigrants. Udalls are 
the West. Udalls are the desert. Udalls are Mormon dirt farmers.
  But it is true that my family was drawn to the Kennedys' deep 
commitment to religious freedom and dedication to public service. My 
family also shares a commitment to public service. My Uncle Stewart 
served as President

[[Page S9652]]

Kennedy's Secretary of the Interior. And my father ran for and won in a 
special election in 1960 Uncle Stewart's congressional seat. Some claim 
that his race was a referendum on the fledgling Kennedy administration, 
and that his victory was an affirmation of America's support for the 
goals of his presidency.
  Whether that is true, it has proved to be a connection that would 
keep our families close for decades. And what binds the two families 
are the friendships that have been fostered over decades since 
friendships that cross generations and hopefully will continue into the 
next.
  In 1971, my father ran for majority leader of the House of 
Representatives and lost. The same year, Senator Kennedy lost his bid 
for Senate whip. Soon after came a note to my father from Senator 
Kennedy which said, ``Mo, as soon as I pull the liberal knives out of 
my back, I'll help you dig out the liberal buckshot from your 
backside.''
  My dad supported Ted Kennedy in his primary bid to become President 
in 1980.
  He and Ted were friends for many decades, and in many ways, they were 
kindred spirits. They loved the outdoors, national parks, skiing in 
Colorado, and family touch football. We all will remember the 
photographs of Ted on his sailboat with his family his love of the 
ocean and boating and sharing it with generations of Kennedy children.
  A few years after my dad lost his battle with Parkinson's disease, 
Senator Dennis DeConcini of Arizona sponsored legislation to establish 
the Morris K. Udall Foundation. Senator Kennedy joined in sponsoring 
the measure. In speaking about my dad, he noted: ``He will rank as one 
of the greatest Members of the House of Representatives of all time, 
and also as one of the most beloved . . . Somehow, for 30 years, 
whenever you probed to the heart of the great concerns of the day, you 
found Mo Udall in the thick of the battle, championing the rights of 
average citizens against special interest pressures, defending the 
highest ideals of America, and always doing it with the special grace 
and wit that were his trademark and that endeared him to Democrats and 
Republicans alike.''
  If my dad were alive today, I think he would use the same words to 
describe Senator Kennedy. They both brought people together to do what 
is right for our country.
  Recently, as I have thought about Senator Kennedy's legacy, I have 
remembered my dad's 1980 speech at the Democratic National Convention. 
After a tough primary battle, the Democrats were digging in and 
fighting among themselves. They needed to set aside their differences 
and join together to win the election. My dad rose to give the keynote 
address to remind Democrats that they were in this fight together. ``We 
do fight and we kick and yell and scream and maybe even scratch a bit, 
but we fight because we are a diverse party and because we've always 
tried to listen up to new ideas.''
  He concluded the speech with these comments: ``This nation that we 
love will only survive, if each generation of caring Americans can 
blend two elements: change and the ability to adjust things to the 
special needs of our times; and second, stability, the good sense to 
carry forward the old values which are just as good now as they were 
200 years ago.''
  These elements epitomize Ted Kennedy's legacy. He knew when a person 
or group of people needed a change in their circumstances.
  His strong Catholic faith was the compass that guided his life. It 
was the driving force that led him to fight to make a difference in 
other people's lives, particularly those who were less fortunate.
  Ted Kennedy's legislative successes are numerous and unquestionably 
have changed lives for the better. He fought to pass the Civil Rights 
Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965. In the 1990s, he labored to 
pass the Family and Medical Leave Act. And he and Senator Hatch worked 
across the aisle to pass the Ryan White CARE Act. And it is his 
lifelong battle for universal health care coverage for Americans that 
he is best known for today.
  The Kennedy and Udall ideals can live on through the younger 
generation. My cousin Tom and I served in the House of Representatives 
with Patrick Kennedy. Not only were we colleagues, but we are friends. 
We grew up in political families and from an early age, public service 
was a way of life. I was a proud supporter of Patrick's crusade to pass 
mental health parity legislation in the House. Fortunately, Senator 
Kennedy lived to see his son's work come to fruition, keeping faith 
with the special Kennedy credo: aid those who need a helping hand.
  Tom, Patrick and I, as well as the rest of the Kennedy and Udall 
family members, have big shoes to fill. Whether we can actually fill 
them remains to be seen, but we must certainly push the trail blazed by 
our aunts and uncles, fathers and mothers as far as our endurance 
allows.
  Senator Ted Kennedy surely will be missed not only on the Senate 
floor, but in our lives. I deeply regret I will not serve with him in 
the Senate. He was a champion, a fighter, and a friend. I want to say 
``goodbye'' not only for me, but for my dad his friend. And I send my 
thoughts and prayers to Vicki, Patrick, and the rest of the Kennedy 
family.

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