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Democratic

John “Jack” Reed

Jack Reed is a champion for middle-class families and a strong believer that all Americans should have the opportunity to build a better life.

Jack was born and raised in Cranston and grew up on Pontiac Avenue.  His father, Joe, was a World War II veteran and Cranston school janitor who worked his way up to become custodial supervisor of the city's school system.  His mother, Mary, was a homemaker who was unable to go to college herself, but made sure her three children studied hard and had the opportunity to pursue a higher education.  The Reed family benefited from the GI Bill – a program that helped countless veterans further their education and put a roof over their heads – and Jack’s parents instilled in him the importance of serving his country and giving back to his community.

TRANSPORTATION & INFRASTRUCTURE

Keeping RI Moving – Investing in Roads, Ports, and Mass Transit

Our transportation infrastructure is the backbone of our economy, affecting the way we live, work, travel, and do business.  In Rhode Island, Senator Reed has championed critical road, highway, bus, rail, and port projects to help improve its aging infrastructure. 

Senator Reed serves as Ranking Member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development, which controls funding for transportation and infrastructure projects.  He has delivered millions of dollars in federal funding to improve Rhode Island’s roads, repair its bridges, expand commuter rail service, modernize RIPTA buses, upgrade its ports and airports, and ensure access to high-speed rail. 

Rhode Island’s roads and bridges need to be repaired to help our economy grow.  That is why Senator Reed has fought to preserve Rhode Island’s share of federal funding, which currently totals an average of about $2.75 from the federal government for every $1 that Rhode Island pays into the transportation trust fund.

KEY PRIORITIES & ACCOMPLISHMENTS

  • Senator Reed worked with the Rhode Island Airport Corporation and the Federal Aviation Administration to develop a plan that will provide an estimated $100 million in federal funding to support runway safety and expansion projects at T.F. Green Airport.
  • Reed helped secure $32.9 million to expand commuter rail service to North Kingstown, which will help ease traffic in the southern half of the state and better connect all of Rhode Island.
  • To help create jobs and spur economic growth, Reed helped direct over $22 million in TIGER Grants to upgrade the Port of Davisville at Quonset Point and over $10 million for the Port of Providence.
  • Reed also worked to secure funding for TIGER grants for the Providence Viaduct and Apponaug Circulator in Warwick.
  • In 2010, Reed helped the state secure an estimated $28 million in high speed rail funding for improvements to the tracks near Kingston Station and to develop plans for facility improvements at Providence Station.
  • Reed also supported the reauthorization of the nation’s highway and public transportation law. The law sustained the federal investment in highway and transit, maintaining in part the work Reed did in 2006 to help increase federal funding for RIPTA by 71%.
  • In an effort to expand the state’s freight rail service, create jobs, and grow Rhode Island’s economy, Reed worked for over a decade to secure $55 million to make the Rhode Island Freight Rail Improvement Project (FRIP) a reality.
  • Senator Reed also worked to secure more than $50 million to dredge the Providence River to better serve the Port of Providence.