Overview: Reed's Record in the U.S. Senate
Jack Reed has earned a reputation for being a thoughtful, effective legislator who delivers for Rhode Island.
The non-partisan Congressional Quarterly notes: “Serious and hard-working, Reed has won bipartisan respect in the Senate and become a crucial ally of President Obama on two of the administration’s most vexing policy issues: the war in Afghanistan and Wall Street regulation.”
And Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada offered this praise: “Senator Reed is one of the most respected members of the United States Senate and a tireless advocate for the people of Rhode Island. He has been a leader in protecting the rights of working Americans on issues ranging from health care and education to keeping struggling homeowners in their homes, and he has been among the strongest supporters of our brave men and women in uniform.”
Reed serves on three key committees: Appropriations; Armed Services; and Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
Expanding Economic Opportunity
Senator Reed has a track record of fiscal responsibility and supporting tax cuts for working families and small businesses. He took tough votes to help balance the national budget and create record surpluses. And he opposed the unfunded Bush tax cuts for the rich, the Iraq war, and special interest giveaways that led to record deficits.
Through his work on the Appropriations Committee, Reed has sought to invest in Rhode Island’s infrastructure and schools to help create good-paying jobs and build a strong foundation for future economic growth. He has secured hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding for innovative infrastructure and community development projects to help improve the quality of life in Rhode Island and bolster the local economy.
After the Bush recession, Reed voted for the Recovery Act to help fix it by cutting taxes for 95% of American workers, investing over $2 billion in Rhode Island which saved over 12,000 jobs throughout the Ocean State.
To further spur small business investment and put more Americans back to work, Reed helped pass the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act and the Small Business Jobs Act, which included tax breaks for businesses to hire unemployed workers as well as purchase new equipment.
To help those hit hardest by the economic downturn and boost Rhode Island’s economy, Reed championed the extension of unemployment benefits and an increase in the minimum wage. He also called for Congress to take proven, cost-effective steps to prevent more layoffs through innovative state programs like work sharing, which enables employers to weather economic storms by reducing employees’ hours while ensuring they can receive unemployment insurance to cover some of their lost wages. This way, workers keep their jobs and companies are able to remain competitive by lowering costs and maintaining a skilled work force so they are poised to expand as the economy recovers.
And as we face difficult budgetary constraints, Senator Reed has voted to cut billions of dollars from the budget while also seeking to protect critical programs such as Pell grants and Medicare that are vital to Rhode Island families.
In 2008, when Americans were forced to bailout major companies to prevent the collapse of the entire financial system, Reed fought to include a provision in the law giving taxpayers stock options in the firms they saved. Thanks to Reed’s law, as the companies recovered, not only did they repay their original loans, but taxpayers earned an additional $9 billion in dividends on their investment – money that would have otherwise been kept by the banks.
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. Senator Reed has championed critical road, highway, bus, rail, and port projects in Rhode Island. Reed has delivered millions of dollars in federal funding to improve Rhode Island’s roads, repair our bridges, expand commuter rail service, modernize RIPTA buses, upgrade our ports and airports, and ensure access to high-speed rail.
Reed helped write the last major surface transportation bill (known as “SAFETEA-LU”), which included over $1.2 billion for Rhode Island and ensured the state receives about $3 in federal transportation funding for every $1 Rhode Islanders pay in gas taxes. Reed also helped increase the funding available to densely populated states, like Rhode Island, where bus and rail programs play a vital role in helping people travel to and from work and other destinations.
In an effort to expand our state’s freight rail service, create jobs, and grow Rhode Island’s economy, Reed worked to secure $55 million to make the Rhode Island Freight Rail Improvement Project (FRIP) a reality. The Boston Globe said the project “was a pipe dream until Reed began to lobby Representative Bob Carr, the Michigan Democrat who was chairman of the subcommittee with jurisdiction over such projects.”
To help create jobs and spur economic growth, Reed helped direct over $22 million to upgrade Quonset’s Port of Davisville and over $10 million to help transform the Port of Providence into a modern marine cargo center that will diversify shipping options in the region. Together with the significant investments Reed secured for road, pier, and freight rail improvements, these projects are helping to make Rhode Island an increasingly important shipping hub. And thanks to Reed’s efforts, Quonset Point’s automobile terminal has quadrupled its business.
Reed has also worked to expand commuter rail service to South County, which will help ease traffic in the southern half of the state. He has secured over $32.6 million for a commuter rail project that will have stops at T.F Green Airport and Wickford Junction. And after the Governor of Florida turned down federal high-speed rail funding, Reed moved quickly to help redirect $28 million of that money to upgrade Rhode Island train stations and railways.
He also helped secure over $84 million to enable RIPTA to modernize its bus fleet and expand public transportation options throughout the state.
Protecting Consumers and Holding Wall Street Accountable
Reed is a champion of consumer rights and has fought hard to protect Americans from predatory marketing and lending practices.
As Chairman of the Banking Subcommittee on Securities, Insurance, and Investment, Reed has focused on strengthening investor protections, ensuring the transparency of complex financial markets and products, and improving federal oversight of investment banks and securities firms.
He helped write several key pieces of the historic Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act to bring transparency and accountability to Wall Street, including a provision establishing a new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau that will prevent deceptive practices and provide consumers with the information they need to make informed choices when shopping for mortgages, credit cards, and other financial products. He also created the independent Office of Financial Research to provide early warnings to regulators about financial problems so they can act on that information and keep pace with new products being packaged and sold on Wall Street.
Reed was also a key supporter of “swipe fee” reform, helping to pass a law that prevents credit card companies and big banks from imposing unreasonable fees on consumers and small businesses each time a customer uses a debit card.
Reed cosponsored the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility, and Disclosure (CARD) Act, which President Obama signed into law, establishing fair and sensible rules for how and when credit card companies can raise interest rates.
In recognition of his dedication to protecting U.S. consumers, the pro-consumer advocacy Consumer Federation of America honored Senator Reed with its Philip Hart Public Service Award for championing issues that better the lives of middle-class Americans.
Enhancing Our Security and Advancing America’s Interests
A leader on national security issues, Senator Reed is a former Army Ranger and a member of the Armed Services Committee. Reed voted against the Iraq war and supports the process of withdrawing our forces from Iraq and refocusing our efforts on Afghanistan and Pakistan. He works tirelessly to support America’s fighting men and women by providing them with the equipment they need and the benefits they deserve. He was one of the first to call for better body armor and bomb-resistant vehicles for our troops in the field.
Reed also believes that we must keep our commitment to our veterans and their families by helping them transition back to civilian life and ensuring they have access to the quality, affordable benefit programs they have earned. As a member of the Appropriations Committee, he delivered billions of dollars to increase veterans’ health care programs. He also helped pass the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill, giving substantially more benefits to veterans and their families for college and job training after their service.
Reed knows firsthand the power of U.S. military might, but he also knows that skillful diplomacy can influence nations and make America safer, noting: "It’s very impressive when you’re lighting up the night sky pretty quickly. But decisive action usually involves political, economic, social and cultural action as well. In many respects, military power buys you time to do everything else right."
Senator Reed believes the United States should be engaged in the world to support our allies and build stronger relationships with emerging nations. He has focused on arms control and non-proliferation efforts, including the ratification of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START), to keep weapons of mass destruction out of the hands of terrorists. Reed also continues to support our international development programs, which contribute to global stability.
Reed also believes that securing our homeland means more than just defending America against terrorist threats abroad. It means providing local law enforcement here at home with the tools they need to keep our streets safe and maintaining a strong, well-equipped National Guard that can rapidly respond to emergencies in Rhode Island and across the country.
Providing Access to Quality, Affordable Health Care
Senator Reed has supported efforts to improve the quality of our health care system and reduce costs for consumers. He helped pass the landmark health insurance reform law, which has provided over $50 million for Rhode Island to improve health coverage and wellness, and has been nationally recognized for his work to provide all children with access to affordable health care.
He brokered a bipartisan agreement that prevented over 600,000 children nationwide from potentially losing their health insurance and boosted SCHIP funding for Rhode Island from $13.2 million to $69.5 million – the highest percentage increase of any state.
He also wrote the Conquer Childhood Cancer Act, a law that expands research programs aimed at improving childhood cancer treatments and ultimately finding a cure for childhood cancer. And he earned national recognition for increasing funds for vital immunization and disease prevention programs for children and adults.
In May of 2007, President Bush signed Reed's Trauma Care Systems Planning and Development Act into law, establishing critical care networks nationwide, like the one being developed in Rhode Island, so that more paramedics and first responders can get trauma care patients to the right doctor at the right time.
Reed has worked on a bipartisan basis on laws to expand mental health care services and youth suicide prevention efforts, and to support the National Marrow Donor Program, which provides donor matching information for patients in need of a bone marrow transplant. He has also successfully pressured the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to strengthen labeling and testing standards for sunscreen products.
Investing in Education
Reed knows a quality education is the key to a strong middle-class and our country’s economic future.
Continuing the proud tradition of his predecessor, Claiborne Pell, Senator Reed has championed financial aid programs for students so that more young people can afford to attend college.
In 2010, he helped pass the largest investment in college aid in history. Reed helped end a flawed system that gave away billions in federal subsidies to private banks -- including some that fed the 2008 financial meltdown -- and instead put those taxpayer dollars directly in the hands of students to pay for their education. The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office estimated this student loan bill would save $61 billion over 10 years, providing an additional $36 billion to boost Pell grants while also contributing to deficit reduction. In an effort to make applying for student aid easier for students and their families, Reed wrote the law streamlining the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to ensure more students could complete the form and get financial aid.
Senator Reed believes that the more we do to support effective teaching and effective school leadership, the better results we will get for students. Reed authored legislation to improve the professional development and mentoring of educators. This builds on laws he has authored to reform the recruitment, training, and retention of teachers.
Parents are children’s first teachers, and Senator Reed continues to work to strengthen family engagement in education. He has authored legislation to ensure that schools have the tools they need to partner with parents to improve outcomes for students.
To help more children learn to read and ensure they gain critical career and college readiness skills, Senator Reed's Improving Literacy Through School Libraries program has provided over $100 million for school libraries to purchase books and computers, train librarians, and stay open longer so that more kids have access to educational opportunities.
In an effort to strengthen museum and library services across the nation, Reed also wrote the Museum and Library Services Act of 2010. This law, which had strong bipartisan support in Congress, authorizes nearly $300 million in federal assistance to museums and libraries nationwide. The bill helps provide funding for the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), a vital agency that helps museums and libraries of all sizes and types meet the needs of their communities. Rhode Island libraries and museums have received over $15 million in federal grants from these programs to leverage their resources and strengthen operations, upgrade technology, and expand access to services at the state and local level.
Ensuring Rhode Island Families Have Safe and Affordable Housing
As the New York Times noted: “Mr. Reed has had a passion for housing issues throughout his career. Beginning in the early 1980s when, as a young lawyer, he did pro bono work for Amos House, a Providence soup kitchen and social service agency, and continuing after his election to the Rhode Island Assembly, the House and finally the Senate.”
Senator Reed has been a champion of fixing America’s broken foreclosure process. In an effort to protect consumers and hold banks and servicers accountable for providing relief to qualified homeowners, Reed introduced the Preserving Homes and Communities Act. This bill would establish a clear set of rules and procedures in order to prevent more faulty foreclosures and to protect troubled borrowers who have been misled into expecting loan modifications that never materialized.
He also championed affordable rental housing through his efforts to successfully preserve the low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC), a program that has helped construct affordable housing for millions of Americans.
Recently, he authored legislation to create a new affordable housing trust fund and address the needs of families who are struggling with the fallout from the housing crisis.
To help protect home values throughout Rhode Island and provide qualified homeowners with additional resources to prevent foreclosures, Senator Reed has secured over $105 million in federal foreclosure prevention funds through the Hardest Hit program and Neighborhood Stabilization Program funds. The Hardest Hit program, which is administered by Rhode Island Housing, offers targeted foreclosure prevention assistance to qualified Rhode Islanders who are unable to make their mortgage payments due to a hardship such as job loss. The Neighborhood Stabilization Program funds help local communities acquire, redevelop, or demolish foreclosed properties and turn around distressed neighborhoods.
To reduce homelessness nationwide, Senator Reed wrote and passed the Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Act. This law helps provide billions of dollars for targeted homelessness assistance grant programs, consolidated programs, and allowed more funding to flow to communities that demonstrate a commitment to the goals of preventing and ending homelessness.
Reed also earned accolades for boosting funds to remove lead-based paint from homes, educate families about the dangers of lead poisoning, and train inspectors and workers to identify lead contamination in housing. Since 1998, Senator Reed has helped secure over $40 million for Rhode Island lead poisoning prevention programs.
Protecting the Environment and Increasing Energy Efficiency
As Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior and Environment, Senator Reed is deeply committed to preserving our natural resources. He was fortunate to grow up enjoying the wonders of Narragansett Bay and has worked hard to protect the environment for future generations.
Sound environmental policy also makes good economic sense. Rhode Island's beaches, parks and waterways are important to our economy, and Senator Reed has been successful in getting environmental groups and business leaders to agree on innovative “green” policy initiatives that promote both economic development and environmental restoration. For example, Reed secured $3.6 million in federal funding to initiate and provide ongoing support for the Rhode Island Aquaculture Initiative, which has increased the breadth and depth of the Ocean State’s aquaculture industry, helped create jobs, and promoted ecologically sustainable development. Due in part to these federal investments, in the past eight years the value of the Rhode Island aquaculture industry has increased five-fold and helped improve water quality.
He is the author of the proposed No Child Left Inside Act, which would help free up critical funding to support outdoor learning activities, reconnect more kids with nature, and strengthen environmental education in America's classrooms. Reed’s bill has the support of a grassroots coalition of over 1,300 organizations, representing nearly 50 million Americans, which include environmental advocates, wildlife and sportsmen organizations, educators, and businesses.
Senator Reed has fought for a national energy policy that creates jobs, saves families and businesses money through improved efficiency, invests in clean energy, increases American competitiveness, and reduces pollution.
He has also worked at the federal level to help consumers and businesses struggling with the rising cost of gas and oil. He cosponsored legislation to crack down on gas and oil market manipulation, which has contributed to inflated energy prices. Reed also succeeded in convincing the Bush and Obama Administrations to form federal task forces to help ferret out unscrupulous and excessive speculative conduct in the energy commodity markets. He has also cosponsored legislation to improve auto-fuel efficiency standards so that they will save consumers more than $3,000 in fuel costs over the lifetime of new vehicles.
Senator Reed is the leading champion of the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), a federal grant program that provides states with money to help seniors and low-income households pay their energy bills. Under Reed's leadership, LIHEAP funding has increased over the last decade and he has secured over $250 million to help Rhode Islanders heat and cool their homes.
Working for Rhode Island
Today, Senator Reed's leadership, dedication, and hard work in the U.S. Senate continue to help make a positive difference for families in Rhode Island and all across America.
To learn more about Senator Reed, please see his biography or read a profile about his work in the U.S. Senate.