Tobacco.org

Campaign Mourns the Death of Senator Edward M. Kennedy 

The incomparable legacy of Senator Edward M. Kennedy in the protection of America's public health is a lasting tribute to his memory. Senator Kennedy was among the first in Congress to fully comprehend the devastating effects of tobacco use in the U.S. He was in the vanguard of supporters of FDA regulation of tobacco at a time when it was political anathema to even suggest government regulation of an industry which had always been protected by powerful friends in Congress. But Ted Kennedy knew it was the right thing to do.

After the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2000 that the authority to regulate tobacco had to be expressly granted by Congress, Senator Kennedy took action. He worked unstintingly, in many cases reaching across the aisle, to craft legislation to empower the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to regulate tobacco. He wrote and spoke eloquently about the need to stop the tobacco companies from targeting children. He reminded his colleagues about the terrible toll of tobacco addiction and disease on America's families. And slowly but surely, his message began to break through.

In 2004, despite White House opposition, Senator Kennedy succeeded in getting the Senate to pass the FDA tobacco legislation but the House leadership was able to kill the bill in a conference committee. Where lesser men would have given up the fight, Senator Kennedy only strengthened his resolve to pass the tobacco bill. He never lost hope. He said he'd get it done, and five years later, he did.

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