The Associated Press

Wed, May 21, 2008 (1:12 p.m.)

Some of the legislative achievements of Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass.:

_ Championed lowering the voting age to 18.

_ Chief sponsor of the Voting Rights Act amendments, which led to increased minority representation in Congress and state legislatures nationwide.

_ Co-sponsored the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), which provide health insurance coverage to children.

_ Introduced the Americans with Disabilities Act, prohibiting discrimination against any qualified individual with a disability in job application procedures, hiring or discharge, compensation, advancement or training.

_ Key Senate backer of Title IX, a 1972 amendment requiring colleges and universities to provide equal funding for men's and women's athletics.

_ Co-sponsored the first bipartisan campaign finance bill.

_ Co-sponsored the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, which later became the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which seeks to guarantees a public education to children with disabilities in every state.

_ Worked with Republicans to pass the No Child Left Behind Act, which was designed to help close the achievement gap in public schools and improve the quality of education.

_ Championed the Bilingual Education Act of 1968, which mandated schools to provide bilingual education programs.

_ Co-authored the Family and Medical Leave Act, requiring businesses to provide unpaid leave for family emergencies or after the birth of infants.

_ Co-sponsored the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which ensures access to health coverage for an estimated 25 million Americans who move from one job to another, are self-employed, or have pre-existing medical conditions.

_ Championed increases in the minimum wage, including the most recent that takes the minimum wage from $5.15 to $7.25 by 2009.

_ Key Senate backer of legislation to protect people from losing their jobs or health insurance when genetic testing reveals they are susceptible to costly diseases. President Bush signed it into law on Wednesday.

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Source: http://kennedy.senate.gov/senator/timeline.cfm