Patrick Kennedy cancels forum on health-care reform

Published Aug. 31, 2009 at 11:15 p.m.

By Steve Peoples
Providence Journal State House bureau

In the wake of his father's death, Rhode Island Congressman Patrick Kennedy has canceled all public events this week, including a forum on national health-care reform expected Thursday.

The congressman's father, longtime Massachusetts Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, died last week of brain cancer...The death of the patriarch of the Kennedy political clan was followed by days of ceremony culminating in his burial Saturday.

The forum would have been the younger Kennedy's first public appearance on the explosive health-care debate. The rest of Rhode Island's delegation has met with constituents on the issue in recent weeks -- drawing heated responses in some cases -- during Congress' August recess.

Congressman James Langevin will host his second public meeting Thursday from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at the Esplanade in Westerly's Wilcox Park.

Congress is expected to return from vacation next Tuesday, meaning that Kennedy will not address the issue with constituents during the summer break. The Thursday meeting has not been rescheduled, according to spokeswoman Kerrie Bennett.

"It has been a bit hectic as you can imagine," she said.

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