Senator Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts, was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery on the evening of August 29, 2009. He was buried next to his brothers John F. Kennedy and Robert Kennedy. The burial followed an emotional funeral in Boston earlier in the day, in a church packed with political leaders, family, friends and well wishers. Senator Kennedy passed, after losing a battle with brain cancer.

Senator Kennedy sponsored the landmark legislation, The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, which has offered more accessibility and opportunities to millions of people with disabilities. He also sponsored many other laws that protect the civil rights of all Americans.

The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), the country's largest cross-disability membership organization, released a statement following the passing of Senator Ted Kennedy. The group calls him “an unequaled champion for civil rights in the United States Senate for half a century.”

"Ted Kennedy understood better than anyone how the struggle for equal opportunity for disabled Americans was an essential part of this nation's broader commitment to civil and human rights," said Tony Coelho, Chair of AAPD. "I have never worked with a more effective legislator, and I am deeply saddened to have lost a good friend," Coelho continued.

"AAPD joins our colleagues throughout the civil rights movement in mourning the loss of one our most effective champions," said Andrew Imparato, AAPD President and CEO. "His legacy will be felt for generations to come, as millions of Americans with disabilities and our families recommit ourselves to his vision of equality and full citizenship for all people."

For more on the disability community's reaction to the passing of Sen. Kennedy, please visit www.aapd.com.