Hatch Wishes His Good Friend Sen. Ted Kennedy a Speedy Recovery

Press Release

HATCH WISHES HIS GOOD FRIEND SEN. TED KENNEDY A SPEEDY RECOVERY

U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) today offered his heartfelt support and prayers for his good friend, Sen. Ted Kennedy, who has been diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor.

"My wife, Elaine, and I are very concerned about Senator Kennedy and want him and his wife, Vicki, to know they are in our thoughts and prayers," said Hatch, who has been in contact with the Kennedy family. "I've known Ted for 30 years, during which time I have come to respect him on a professional level as an outstanding legislator and to regard him on a personal level as a dear friend.

"Having been on opposite sides of many issues," Hatch continued, "Ted and I have sparred a lot. So I know firsthand what a formidable fighter he is, and I know that he will do all he can to battle this disease. I join my Senate colleagues, Massachusetts residents and a grateful nation in wishing him a full and speedy recovery. I look forward to working with him again."

Despite their political differences, the two senators have found common ground on several issues and often worked together to pass critical legislation that has benefitted millions of Americans, including the State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to provide health insurance to children of the working poor. They have further worked successfully on the Senate Health, Education and Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee to provide more affordable and available drugs to combat diseases such as multiple sclerosis and anemia.

Hatch also recently co-sponsored a successful bill, S. 2453, to rename the National Institute of Child Health and Development the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Development Act in honor of Sen. Kennedy's sister, Eunice Kennedy Shriver.

A partial list of some key legislation Sens. Hatch and Kennedy have worked on follows:

• The Orphan Drug Act of 1983- provides tax credits to encourage the development of medicines for rare diseases.

• State Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) - provides health insurance to children of the working poor.

• Ryan White AIDS Act - established the largest federally funded program for people living with HIV/AIDS. The act sought funding to improve availability of care for low-income, uninsured and under-insured victims of AIDS and their families.

• Americans with Disability Act - provided individual protections from discrimination against individuals with disabilities.

• FDA Revitalization Act of 2007 - addressed many critical issues, including the need for provide proper incentives and support for the development and review of pharmaceuticals and medical devices (including products for children), and the need for heightened efforts to assure the safety of medications.

• Health Centers Renewal Act of 2007 - reauthorizes the health center program for five more years and provides people with essential health care services but also ensures that the health centers will continue to have the funding necessary to provide these services. This legislation has been the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pension Committee.

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