It is with sadness and appreciation that the Massachusetts High Technology Council notes the passing of Senator Edward Kennedy.  The Commonwealth's Senior Senator has an unmatched legacy of legislative accomplishments and responsiveness to the needs of his constituents.  His imprint can be found on nearly all of the major education, healthcare, economic, social and foreign policy initiatives of our time, as well as on countless, private efforts on behalf of Massachusetts residents in need of help.

Despite his status as "The Liberal Lion" of the Senate, Senator Kennedy was a quiet and effective advocate for providing the necessary resources for the U.S. Armed Forces to protect its servicemen and women and conduct its critical mission across the globe.  Whether you agreed or disagreed with his public policy positions, this quiet leadership earned Senator Kennedy the respect of military leaders in the Pentagon and throughout the military branches.

In the single-most impactful economic development challenge in the past 20 years, the Council witnessed firsthand Senator Kennedy's commitment to the mission of the U.S. military during the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure process, which put two of the Commonwealth's most critical military bases - Hanscom Air Force Base in Bedford and the Natick Soldier Systems Center - in jeopardy.  Co-chairing the Council-led Defense Technology Initiative (DTI), Kennedy worked tirelessly to reinforce the benefits of Hanscom and Natick - not just to Massachusetts, but the nation as a whole.  Through his efforts, Hanscom and Natick are still open and the more than 30,000 jobs associated with the bases remain in Massachusetts.  But more importantly, Hanscom and Natick are still essential contributors to the technology-focused mission of the U.S. military.

There is so much to Senator Kennedy's legacy that to identify one specific element of it seems almost trivial.  But to the members of the Mass. High Technology Council and Defense Technology Initiative, at least, his work on behalf of the Commonwealth and its military bases will not be forgotten.
 
Sincerely,

Christopher R. Anderson
President