Edward M. Kennedy Institute Hosts Reception with vice President Biden, Senators

Event draws over two dozen current Members of Congress to detail role they can play in dedication and grand opening.

Washington, D.C- On Tuesday, September 16th, the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate hosted a bipartisan reception for currently elected U.S. Senators in the historic Kennedy Caucus Room of the Russell Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C.

Senators from both sides of the aisle attended the event, which was highlighted by remarks from Vice President Joe Biden, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Ma.).

“We look forward to your ideas on how the Institute can collaborate with the United States Senate, and how the Institute can strengthen the Senate’s unique role in American democracy,” Victoria Reggie Kennedy, co-founder and president of the board of the EMK Institute said to the lawmakers gathered at the event. “The Institute is eager to tell your story, and the story of those who served before you – this is your Institute, dedicated to the pivotal role the Senate has played in our nation’s history.”

Former Senate Majority Leaders Trent Lott and Thomas A. Daschle, both members of the EMK Institute’s Board of Directors, also spoke at the event.

The event was held in the historic Kennedy Caucus Room, where brothers John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy announced their presidential candidacies and where Sen. Edward M. Kennedy held numerous important hearings.

The following Senators attended the event: Ayotte, Barrasso, Cardin, Cochran, Durbin, Enzi, Grassley, Hatch, King, Klobuchar, Leahy, Levin, Markey, McCain, McConnell, McCaskill, Mikulski, Reid, Schumer, Stabenow, Warren, Whitehouse and Wicker.

The Institute–located in Boston on Columbia Point–is a 68,000 square foot building located on the campus of the University of Massachusetts Boston (UMass Boston) and adjacent to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library.

A non-partisan center of learning, the Institute is dedicated to educating the public about our system of government, the legislative process and the United States Senate’s pivotal role in shaping public policy and the nation.

The Institute is set to open to the public in March of 2015.

The heart and soul of the Institute is a full-scale representation of the U.S. Senate Chamber with viewing gallery - a vivid expression of Senator Kennedy’s abiding commitment to public service. Senator Kennedy had a deep respect for the United States Senate and its unique role in our system of government. Inside the Chamber, a one-of-a-kind Senate simulation experience will enable visitors to debate, negotiate, and vote on legislation. Through this educational immersion and other programs, participants will learn about the legislative process, as well as the value of public debate, deliberation and civic engagement.