American Legacy Foundation mourns the death of Edward Kennedy

Senator Edward M. Kennedy was a towering figure in the United States Senate for more than 40 years, fighting for many important issues, but top among them were public health and social justice.

Senator Kennedy fully understood the public health epidemic of tobacco use and fought at every opportunity to protect Americans from this devastating epidemic, which is the nation's number-one preventable cause of death.

Despite his own health struggles this year, Senator Kennedy shepherded the Family Smoking Prevention and Control Act through the United States Senate, which after nearly a decade of work, gave the U.S. Food and Drug Administration the authority to regulate tobacco. His commitment to advancing this legislation was unyielding, even as he battled cancer himself.

Senator Kennedy was also instrumental in the passage of the State Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act. This historic piece of legislation, which increased the federal tobacco tax, will have direct life saving benefits, since as the price of cigarettes increases, the number of smokers decreases.

Senator Kennedy's commitments to making positive change in this country related to tobacco prevention and cessation cannot be overstated and are a prominent part of his legacy. Countless lives are being saved as a result of these recent pieces of legislation and his valiant efforts were critical to their passage. The American Legacy Foundation's Board of Directors and staff convey their condolences to the Senator's family, staff and colleagues as the nation mourns his passing.