Sen. Reed on energy, wages, terrorism...

  ·  Cassius Shuman, The Block Island Times
“This is the fabric of Rhode Island,” said U.S. Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.) about Block Island. “I often tell people to come to the island. It’s a wonderful place to live and visit. I think it’s one of the loveliest places in the country.”
 
Reed came to the island on Thursday, Oct. 9, as part of a Democratic campaign visit along with U.S. Representative Jim Langevin. Upon his arrival, Democratic supporter and resident Sean McGarry greeted Reed at the ferry dock.
 
“I came over on the ferry. That’s the way you have to travel to get over here,” Reed said, sporting a yellow windbreaker. He first visited Block Island in 1969 with his friends while he was attending West Point. “When I was a kid my folks would take us down to Point Judith during the summer to watch the Block Island boat come into Galilee. Then we’d get some ice cream, and that was a perfect Fridayafternoon.”
 
The Senator’s first stop was the office of The Block Island Times where he came to discuss a range of topics, from Deepwater Wind and renewable energy, to reducing rising college costs and his interest in increasing the minimum wage. International topics of increasing concern, such as the terrorist group ISIL and the spread of the deadly virus ebola were also discussed.
 
On the energy front, Reed believes that the state and the country have to move away from hydrocarbons and that the Block Island wind farm could provide significant savings to the island. He also talked about the cost of energy, not just on Block Island but in New England.
 
“I gathered my colleagues to write to Dr. Ernest Moniz, who is the Secretary of Energy, regarding the disparity in the high costs of energy in New England,” said Reed, who said the Secretary then visited Providence and assessed the situation. “We have to find answers in the distribution system. Our approach has to be multifaceted — a better energy distribution system while making things more energy-efficient. For instance, regarding the Deepwater Wind project, the process has to be very sensitive to local concerns. In terms of both the economy and environmental quality it has to be done in a way that enhances and doesn’t take away from the attraction of this island. I would hope that at end of the day it would be a project that would add to the economy of Block Island.”
 
He believes that demand reduction, awareness of climate change and alternative energy resources should be considered and implemented to support island economics.
 
“I think we’ve learned a really significant lesson,” Reed said, who in 1996 won election to the seat once held by Claiborne Pell. “When I came over here to the island as a kid you could build a shack on the ocean’s edge. Now with the CRMC (Coastal Resources Management Council) and better zoning they’re a lot more stringent. After Hurricane Sandy we were able to get resources to help the island and did a remarkable job rebuilding.”
 
Another area Reed said he has been focused on is the economy. There is an expansion project in the works for T.F. Green Airport. The runway is going to be extended and the airport will become an international destination.
 
The other thing Reed noted is that the Navy signed a $17 billion contract with Electric Boat, in Groton, Conn., to build 10 submarines in the next five years. As a result Electric Boat will be adding numerous jobs, and is reaching out to small businesses in Rhode Island for subcontracting services.
 
Reed emphasized his interest in infrastructure and said that there has been an extension of the highway bill until next spring. “Money has been provided to the Department of Transportation to fix roads,” Reed said.
 
Reed is also working with Sens. Dick Durbin and Elizabeth Warren, both Democrats, on addressing the rising cost of college costs related to student loans. He wants parents to be aware of low-rate federal loans versus the pricier school loans, and doesn’t want students to be burdened by debt after graduation from college.
 
“Woman should make the same wage as men,” said Reed, who is interested in equal pay for equal work and would like to increase the minimum wage nationally. “There should be a national standard that’s beneficial to hard working people.”
 
Reed also said that he’s been trying to figure out ways to capitalize on the Affordable Housing Trust Fund. The money from the Trust Fund could be utilized locally for building affordable housing.
 
Regarding the Ebola virus, Reed said that critical screening measures are being utilized at airports. And, he believes, that we need to adopt a pre-emptive, strategic approach concerning terrorists groups like ISIL to prevent them from attacking the United States through air strikes. (Reed was in the minority when he voted against the Iraq War because he felt that it took the focus away from Afghanistan. He said that we should be reluctant about committing ground troops in the fight against ISIL because it would be a costly enterprise.)
 
The Senator said he was disappointed that he couldn’t get the unemployment benefits extension passed through a polarized Congress. Reed explained that if Congress extended unemployment benefits an additional 250,000 jobs would have been generated nationwide.
 
Reed, as did Congressman Langevin, acknowledged that the challenges facing the island, the country and the world were daunting.
 
“I’m not discouraged because the stakes are too high,” said Reed.

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