Senator Jack Reed

Reed Presents Overdue Medals to WWII Veteran at Cranston Library

Senator Reed met with 91-year-old Coventry resident and WWII veteran James Dowling and presented him with medals he earned but never received for his service in World War II.  A veteran of the United States Navy, Mr. Dowling will receive an American Service Medal, among others.  

Reed Marks Completion of Restoration Project at Narragansett Fishing Area

Senator Reed joined the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) and others at a special ceremony to mark the completion of a $8.7 million restoration project at the Camp Cronin Fishing Area in Narragansett.  In 2012, Superstorm Sandy caused extensive damage to the area surrounding Camp Cronin and washed out a portion of the access road that runs from Ocean Road to the jetty.  The breakwater repair project was performed by DEM in partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and included construction of a 70-foot wide, 480-foot long hybrid stone revetment to stabilize the shoreline and restore safe public access to the fishing area.  The project also included repairs to the adjacent East Shore Arm Breakwater of the Point Judith Harbor of Refuge.  

Reed Helps Cut Ribbon at Opening of 3D Printing Facility

Alongside the North Kingstown Chamber of Commerce, Senator Reed helped cut the ribbon at the opening ceremony for R&D technologies in North Kingstown.  The facility will help R&D Technologies provide professional 3D printing consulting services for clients throughout New England.  

Reed Connects Local Veterans with Employers at Hire our Heroes Job Fair

Senator Reed addressed local veterans and employers at the Hire Our Heroes Job Fair in Warwick, where he discussed the benefits of hiring veterans.  Hiring Our Heroes is a nationwide initiative that works with local chambers of commerce and other partners in the public, private, and non-profit sectors to help veterans connect with employment opportunities.  In 2016, Senator Reed helped secure $250,000 in federal funding from the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Office of Veterans Business Development to expand the Veterans Business Outreach Center program in Rhode Island, which supports veterans and transitioning service members by providing free one-on-one business counseling, training conferences, and business workshops.  In 2015, he helped pass legislation to enhance and extend Work Opportunity Tax Credits to encourage employers to hire and retain veterans and individuals from other target groups.

Reed Helps Cut Ribbon at Newly-Opened Newport Transportation & Visitor Center

Senator Reed joined representatives from the Rhode Island Public Transportation Association (RIPTA) and Newport officials at a ribbon cutting to celebrate the restoration and redesign of the Newport Transportation and Visitors Center on America’s Cup Avenue.  The roughly $6 million project, funded mostly with federal grants, has repaired heavy storm damage that the facility sustained in 2012 during Superstorm Sandy.  The project also provides safety upgrades and improved aesthetics to the exterior bus, passenger and pedestrian areas of the busy facility.  As the Ranking Member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD), Senator Reed supported the establishment of a $3 billion competitive grant fund through the Federal Transit Association’s (FTA) Hurricane Sandy Resilience Program for public transportation resiliency projects in regions affected by the storm.

Reed Brings Head of FAA to RI to Help Celebrate Completion of Runway Extension at T.F. Green Airport

After working for years to help broker agreements and secure federal funding to extend the main runway by 1,500 feet and make other key improvements to T.F. Green Airport, Senator Reed led a celebration of the new and improved runway at T.F. Green Airport.

Reed, the Ranking Member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development and Related Agencies (THUD), helped direct roughly $110 million in federal funding to extend the runway and modernize the airport.  The longer runway has made it possible for the airport to accommodate larger aircraft and add non-stop service to Europe and the West Coast.  Senator Reed says the extended runway helps attract new tourism, jobs, and business to Rhode Island.