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Congressional Record—Senate S11201

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Congressional Record—Senate S11201 November 5, 2009 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S11201 their income tax liability. For a corporation Bobby and his grandfather, John F. A year ago Teddy was diagnosed with brain whose taxable year is a calendar year, these Kennedy, had once served. When young cancer. A person who never made me sad, estimated tax payments must be made by Jack returned to school this fall, he and never seemed weak, was said to have April 15, June 15, September 15, and Decem- had a chance to reflect on all that had months to live. At first I was more baffled ber 15. In the case of a corporation with as- than I was upset. We were not talking about sets of at least $1 billion (determined as of happened during his summer in Wash- your average person, this was Teddy. He was the end of the preceding tax year), payments ington, but mostly he thought about not someone who came and went, he simply due in July, August, or September, 2014, are his Uncle Teddy. He wrote about it in was always there. This was the first time I increased to 100.25 percent of the payment an essay he titled ‘‘EMK.’’ saw him affected by anything, and I was so otherwise due and the next required payment Jack shared his essay with me, and I confused by his vulnerability. My view of is reduced accordingly. would like to share it with the Con- Teddy changed completely without any EXPLANATION OF PROVISION gress, because it reflects not only what interaction with him. I suddenly became The provision increases the required pay- a tower of strength Teddy was to his endlessly interested in his life. I read about ment of estimated tax otherwise due in July, him, I followed his policy and studied his family, but also the extraordinary speeches. Soon after his diagnosis my family August, or September, 2014, by 33 percentage qualities of Ted’s loving nephew, Jack points. and I went to visit Teddy in Florida. For the Schlossberg. first time, I was aware of who Teddy was EFFECTIVE DATE Mr. President, I ask unanimous con- when he was not with me. In Florida, I asked The provision is effective on the date of sent that Jack’s essay be printed in the him about his life and his politics, something the enactment of this Act. RECORD, and I recommend that it be I had never done before. He explained how he f read by all who knew Ted, all who was seven years old (in the eighth grade be- cause he was sent to school with his older SETTLEMENT STATEMENTS AND called him their friend, all who bene- fited from his extraordinary career in brother) and his classmates stole his turtle MANUFACTURED HOUSING and buried it: ‘‘I cried for hours and ran out- the U.S. Senate: Mr. NELSON of Florida. Mr. Chair- side to dig him up,’’ he said with a grin. There being no objection, the mate- ‘‘They were so mean over there at River- man, the amendment requires the tax- rial was ordered to be printed in the payer to provide a settlement state- dale.’’ Although he could not express himself RECORD as follows: the way he wanted to at all times, he still ment to the IRS as proof that a home EMK stunned me with stories about civil rights was purchased. While I support that re- (By Jack Schlossberg) and Lyndon Johnson. He also triggered the quirement, the fact is that there is no When I was little, I could only remember same emotions he always had. As he and his settlement statement in the case of a general things about him, like the way his wife, Vicki, sat down to watch ‘‘24’’ one manufactured home that is purchased voice sounded, or the feeling I got when we night, I saw Teddy as himself. I sat next to and will be either sited on land already went sailing on his boat. As I grew up I start- him as he commented on the show: ‘‘She’s al- owned by the home buyer or sited on ed to understand what Uncle Teddy was say- ways cross,’’ he said about one character. He made joke after joke about every possible land to be leased by the home buyer. In ing to me and what he meant. As Teddy be- came sick, I understood him differently. He thing he could and had everyone in the room those instances, a retail sales contract laughing. This was Teddy’s way. It was not is used to purchase the home. This con- was still at times the same person I knew and loved, but his imperfections startled me. as if every word he said was brilliant, but his tract contains all of the truth in lend- During his last few months I began to study way as a person was truly unique. He could ing disclosures, as well as all the every word he said. I idolized him in a way make a very depressing evening hilarious itemized disbursements relating to the I never had before. No longer was my Uncle just by cracking a few jokes. My final memories of Teddy are not really transaction. Mr. Chairman, is it the Teddy a summer memory or someone I heard of him, but of what I learned about him. His about from my mother; he meant something view of the Senate that the IRS should death was both upsetting and uplifting. At to me. As I watched him go through Boston accept retail sales contracts as proof of first I only thought of how I would miss him for the last time in August, I realized that I purchase in the event that a settle- and how unfair it was that he was gone. But, was not the only person who grew up with as I went through Boston with him for the ment statement is not available to the him this way, and that multiple generations taxpayer? had. Hundreds of thousands of people knew last time, I realized that many others loved Mr. BAUCUS. The Senator from Flor- Teddy as the loving man who had always him too. The drive started slowly as we went ida is correct. The purpose of the legis- been there, and who never disappointed through Hyannis and waved to the people we lation is to eliminate fraud by requir- them. passed on the street. The crowds got bigger It was my first year playing basketball and as we approached Boston, and as we passed ing documentation of the proof of pur- Teddy’s famed ‘‘Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy chase. It is the Senate’s intent that the my team had made it to the championships. I was ten years old and I had never been Greenway’’ the crowd was enormous. The IRS should accept retail sales con- more excited in my life. It was a tie game signs people held that said ‘‘We love you tracts from taxpayers as proof of pur- well into the fourth quarter when Teddy Teddy’’ struck deep in my heart. We drove chase of a manufactured home in the showed up. He came barreling into the through all of Boston as people lined the event that a settlement statement is gloomy PS 188 gym and sat down with my streets everywhere. There was no animosity, not available. mother and father on the sidelines. He did no hatred, just appreciation and love for Mrs. LINCOLN. I thank the chairman not cheer too loud or even make himself Teddy. This made me realize that I was not very much for that important clarifica- heard, he just sat there and watched me. the only person who loved him, and that the same effort he had made for me, he had made tion which will provide more certainty After my team’s victory, he got up and gave me a great big hug. Soon after, he left and for everyone. He is the only person I know for our constituents who wish to pur- went home, as did I. I did not think twice who was capable of making the type of effort chase a manufactured home. about him coming to my game. I had not he made. Whether it was my basketball game f told him about it—he probably asked my or grandparents day, Teddy showed up and mother what time and where it was, and made you laugh. A NEPHEW’S MEMORIES OF moved everything that he was doing that The drive continued as we pulled into the ‘‘TEDDY’’ day around my 11:00 am basketball game. JFK Library and saw news cameras, photog- Mr. KERRY. Mr. President, during That night I got a call from him: ‘‘The game raphers, and another gigantic crowd. It be- his long illness, the Senate missed Ted of all games,’’ he shouted into the phone. came clear to me then that in both political and personal life, he had something only few Kennedy and Ted Kennedy missed the ‘‘And you scored the winning shot. I can’t be- lieve it. I just can’t believe it,’’ he said. Of have: people trusted him. Everyone who Senate. But Ted was especially missed course, I had not actually scored the winning came out to see Teddy trusted that he was by a young Senate page with whom he shot, but all of sudden I believed I had. going to take care of them, because he al- had a special connection—his nephew, Teddy was always there to make your story ways had.
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