Ted Kennedy Remembered on Day of Health Care Bill Signing

Before signing his landmark health care legislation today, President Obama took a moment to remember the late Sen. Ted Kenney (D-Mass.), a lifelong champion for universal health care.

"He was confident that we would do the right thing," the president said.

And so, after signing the comprehensive health care overhaul, Mr. Obama gave Kennedy's widow, Vicki Kennedy, one of the pens with which he signed the historic legislation.

In all, Mr. Obama used 22 pens to sign the bill into law. It is standard procedure for the president to use multiple pens for such legislation and give them as keepsakes to the people he wants to thank.

Two of the pens used today will go to the National Archives. Besides Kennedy and Mr. Obama himself, those who received a pen include: Vice President Joe Biden; Sens. Harry Reid, Dick Durbin, Max Baucus, Tom Harkin and Chris Dodd; House Speaker Nancy Pelosi; Reps. Steny Hoyer, James Clyburn, George Miller, Henry Waxman, Sander Levin, John Dingell and Charles Rangell; Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius; director of the White House Office of Health Reform Nancy-Ann DeParle; the president's legislative affairs assistant Phil Schiliro; and Sister Carol Keehan, president and CEO of the Catholic Health Association.

The president also showed special thanks to the late Ted Kennedy by wearing a blue "Tedstrong" bracelet (visible in the picture above), similar to cyclist Lance Armstrong's yellow "LiveStrong" bracelets, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs noted on Twitter.

On Monday morning, Kennedy's youngest son, Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-R.I.), visited his father's gravesite in Arlington National Cemetery and left a hand-written note that read: "Dad, the unfinished business is done," the Washington Post reports.

More Coverage of Health Care Reform:

Health Care Bill Signed by Obama
Senate Showdown over Health Care Reconciliation Begins
Biden Swears at Bill Signing: Just Biden Being Biden?
Poll: Most Say Health Care Fight About Politics, Not Policy
Poll: Most Give Obama Credit for Health Care Bill
GOP Looks to Courts, Polls to Repeal Health Care Bill
Obama Has Work Cut Out for Him to Sell Health Care Bill
RNC's Steele: Dems Thumbed Their Nose at America
Health Care Reform: Which Party Comes Out on Top?
Marc Ambinder: Nine Events That Led to Passage of Health Care Reform
Mark Knoller: Health Care Debate Shows Ideological Split
The Historic Health Care Push: A Look Back
Rush Limbaugh: "America is Hanging by a Thread"
CBSNews.com Special Report: Health Care

Details of the Bill:
Summary of What's in the Bill
Provisions Which Take Effect in Short-Term
Uninsured? What the New Bill Means for You
Already Insured? Get Ready to Pay More
Calorie Counts Coming to Many Food Menus
College Aid Reform Passes with Health Bill
Read the Text (PDF): Complete Senate Bill | Reconciliation Measure

[pasmalltown]

So insulting the dead and presuming to know where they reside is a sign of being a "real American"? Wail on with your opinions and continue to believe that you're offending others, afterall it is your "right"....One step down from "baby killer" and one step above Sarah's med"evil" clarion call"...........

[FauxNews]

We're not insulting the dead. In fact, we all have a better opinion and higher level of trust for Kennedy now that he is dead.

[pasmalltown]

by FauxNews March 24, 2010 2:20 PM EDT -
So let me get the "right", you're not insulting the dead, just one of them? Any way you slice, it your "bread", I mean breed is moldy.

[endurorob_5]

Oh good. The dems once again honor their facorite coward.

[endurorob_5]

Sorry, favorite.

[jgg000101]

cue the violins.

[hateisafourletterword]

How sweet. I wonder if they held a moment of silence for Mary Jo too?

[liannathinking]

this new bill that's trying to be passed, I don't agree to it at ALL. It's going against our rights as citizens also think about the people that don't have jobs or that can't a ford health care? we can't fine them, it's mostly punishing the people that can't a ford the health care and also us as the people that can! We need to have our own decision to get health care or not to! also this other bill trying to be passed about the teachers! there are lots of Constants, like for kids that aren't learning as fast as others, have disabilities like reading disabilities or antistatic children. also more and more students are not trying as hard in work(including the FCAT) and don't care as much so why should you punish the teachers for students mistakes but don't think you can punish the students for it either! The teachers mostly the people that care about the students education some parents don't care about the education at all! Also some students don't do as much on test because they have test anxiety. Well that's what I'm thinking and I'm very concerned about the people for the health care and about the teachers losing money for the student's fault and the FCAT is very hard too. Teachers already don't get enough money in their pay checks to take more from them because of the big test at the end of the year! I even thought of moving to a different country and probably will just to get away from this government worsening and falling all apart!

[RobAla]

My first thought, as well. I wouldn't have voted for him to be dog catcher, after he did that. He was certainly given a pass.

[sjc_1]

Get a life jerk weed.

[hateisafourletterword]

poor little sj(erk)c. Wake up on the wrong side of the bed today or did you realize how damn hot it is in the place Kennedy is at?

[FauxNews]

Wow, blue commie wristbands, how sweet. What's your gang color?

[RobAla]

Probably has "In Stalin I trust" written on it.