Congressman Kennedy has been a steadfast advocate
for Rhode Island for 18 years, creating a proud record on the issues.
Congressman Kennedy served six years in the Rhode
Island General Assembly where he championed reform and open government
and he is now serving his tenth year as a leader in the U.S. Congress
on health care, education and public safety.
Having earned an early appointment to the Appropriations
Committee with his work for the DCCC, Congressman Kennedy continues
to work on the issues important to Rhode Island.
Utilizing his post on this committee, he helps decide
the federal government's funding priorities from the Department
of Defense, to procuring funding for local organizations and for
vital national programs.
Through his role on the Committee he has been a leading
advocate of funding for several important national programs, particularly
in health care, education, and small business outreach. These include
a $14 million increase to the Administration on Aging's Caregiver
Initiative for the caregivers of family members with long term
care needs, $2 million for the new Foundations for Learning Act
to provide grants for the promotion of emotional and social development
in young children, and $10 million for a new project at the Substance
Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to provide evidence
based mental health outreach and treatment services to the elderly.
He has also been an advocate for funding of Small
Business Administration (SBA) programs such as the 7(a) and 8(a)
loan programs, Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) and the
PRIME and MICROLOAN training and technical assistance programs.
For more information on Rhode Island specific initiatives
please see the links below.
Congressman Kennedy
makes RHODE ISLAND a priority in the U.S. Congress:
Healthcare
Kennedy sits on the Labor, Health and Human Services,
and Education Subcommittee of the House of Representatives Committee
on Appropriations. As a member of this subcommittee he has worked
on several initiatives to increase the federal funding of national
programs that effect our state such as seniors meals programs,
or meals on wheels, community health centers, and the National
Institutes of Health.
[ read more ]
Economy & Jobs
Kennedy sits on the Science, State, Justice and Commerce
Subcommittee of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations
In that role he and his colleagues have oversight of several programs
that assist companies and entrepreneurs in Rhode Island such as
the Manufacturing Extension Partnership and the Small Business
Administration. Kennedy’s leadership has helped to bring
federal funds for several projects that will enhance job growth
in our state and help many with employment training.
[ read more ]
Defense & Homeland Security
Congressman Kennedy was successful in advocating
for nearly $ 140 million in the federal budget for
defense related projects in the 2005 and 2006 Department
of Defense Appropriations Bills, benefiting numerous contractors
in the state.
[ read more ]
Other Issues in Appropriations
Kennedy has helped to secure funding for several
other initiatives in our state. Some examples are provided below
of the funds he has been able to bring back to our state in the
areas of education, public safety and law enforcement, and the
environment.
[ read more ]
Healthcare
Kennedy sits on the Labor, Health and Human Services,
and Education Subcommittee of the House of Representatives Committee
on Appropriations. As a member of this subcommittee he has worked
on several initiatives to increase the federal funding of national
programs that effect our state such as seniors meals programs,
or meals on wheels, community health centers, and the Nationals
Institutes of Health.
Close to home he has secured several millions of
dollars for various critical health care programs and providers
in our state. In the area of community health care and public health
he secured funding for the Thundermist Health Associates in Woonsocket
for the renovation of a community health clinic, the Rhode Island
Cancer Council in Pawtucket for public health cancer education
and professional development, RI Kids Count Dental Project,Pawtucket
Smiles, Travelers Aid, and the Neighborhood Health Plan Asthma
Program.
Kennedy has been an advocate in Congress for mental
health services, particularly treatment and prevention funds. He
has used that leadership to bring funding to several local mental
health service providers such as Bradley Hospital in East Providence
for the modernization of three youth residential mental health
treatment facilities and for a school based adolescent mental health
initiative. He also has been a leader in the funding for the Rhode
Island Family Court Mental Health Court and its programs in conjunction
with Phoenix House of Burrillville.
He also has worked extensively with the hospitals
in the state, providing funding for the cardiac care center at
Landmark Hospital of Woonsocket, the emergency room at Memorial
Hospital in Pawtucket, a critical care unit for the Rhode Island
Hospital (southeastern New England's Level One Trauma Center) and pediatric
imaging at the Hasbro Children's Hospital as well as several other
initiatives.
Some other health related projects that Kennedy has
secured federal funds for include, $1 Million for Salve Regina
University in Newport for a nursing education and minority workforce
training program, $200,000 to the Occupational and Environmental
Health Center of Rhode Island for research, tracking and investigation
of employment related disease, $250,000 for the Agape
Center/ Family Resources Community Action for AIDS programs, $1
million for Pediatrics at Hasbro Children’s Hospital, and
$400,000 for Meeting Street Center.
Economy & Jobs
Kennedy sits on the Science, State, Justice and Commerce
Subcommittee of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations
In that role he and his colleagues have oversight of several programs
that assist companies and entrepreneurs in Rhode Island such as
the Manufacturing Extension Partnership and the Small Business
Administration.
Kennedy’s leadership has helped to bring federal
funds for several projects that will enhance job growth in our
state and help many with employment training. Examples of projects
in this area include $4 Million for the Rhode Island School of
Design for the modernization of the Mason Building and its
small business incubator, $2 Million for transit assistance in
Welfare to Work opportunities from the Jobs Access and Reverse
Commute Program, $250,000 for the Institute for Labor Studies,
Learning on the Roll
program of job training and language skills, $1 million for
the University of Rhode Island Nursery Industry Project and
over $2 million for an Environmental Biotechnology multi
year project. A new initiative that the Congressman is working
on is the Northern Rhode Island Project Flip, an effort to increase
employment opportunities in the Blackstone Valley through a partnership
of Rhode Island College and the Northern Rhode Island Chamber of
COmmerce. He has secured over $150,000 for this ongoing project.
He has also worked with other members of the Rhode
Island Congressional delegation to secure several million dollars
for the John H. Chafee Blackstone Valley National Heritage Corridor and
the Blackstone River Bikeway over the past several years. These
funds help to preserve the Blackstone Valley and provide vital
economic stimulus in Northern Rhode Island .
Defense & Homeland
Security
Congressman Kennedy was successful in advocating
for nearly $140 million in the federal budget for defense
related projects in the 2005 and 2006 Department of
Defense Appropriations Bill s benefiting numerous contractors
in the state. Some examples of funding that will help our national
defense and our Rhode Island military secured by Kennedy
since coming to Congress include:
- $9.6 Million for the Rhode Island National Guard
for the continued construction of its C130-J Hangar.
- $6.87 million for the Naval Station Newport Childcare
Development Center
- $2.55 million for the Naval Undersea Warfare Center
Gate 1 security
- Over $5 Million for the Rhode Island Disaster
Initiative /MedTeams for the improvement of emergency response.
- $ 90 million in federal funds was secured for
Raytheon's SPS-73 Surface Search Radar, Mark-54 Torpedo, Advance
Deployable System, Submarine Combat
System, AQS-22 Airborne Low Frequency Sonar and AQS-20 mine-hunting
sonar. In particular, Kennedy has worked to provide funding for
the Project Athena, a project of long range sensors, intelligence
information, unmanned systems and advanced decision support aids
to provide maritime surveillance coverage, securing $5 million
over 3 years.
He has also worked on several other initiatives to
support RHode Island Defense Community, including Anteon’s
submarine technologies such as the Submarine Tactical Warfare System, Beamhit’s
Laser Marksmanship Training Program for the Army National Guard
and for the Army Reserve and Digital Deployed Training Campus in
the Army National Guard and for Air Force, and General Dynamics/Lockheed
Martin's CAVES Submarine Acoustic System, Submarine Payload and
Sensors Program, Low Acoustic Signature Motor/Propulsion for Electrically
(LAMPrEy) Powered Undersea Vehicles and the Virginia-Class Multi
Mission Module program, and also for Rhode Island's KVH,
for a special forces electronic digital compass system.
Other Issues in
Appropriations
Education
Kennedy has worked extensively to bring Federal dollars
back to Rhode Island for teacher training, after-school programming
and mentoring programs.
Some examples include a unique mentor program
for principals throughout Rhode Island awarded to the Education
Partnership (formerly known as the Business Education Roundtable), specialized
teacher recruitment and professional development and the Pawtucket
Boys and Girls Clubs for academic and literacy programs called
After School Activity Program (ASAP) and the City of Cumberland
and the Cumberland High School for after school programs.
He also has worked with specific school districts
to assist them with particular needs such as math and science or
arts programming or for early childhood initiatives. These
include the East Providence School Department in East Providence
for instrumental music curriculum development and equipment
purchase, Providence School Departments for Science and Math Education
and the City of Newport for early childhood programs.
Public Safety and Law Enforcement
Kennedy sits on the Science, State, Justice and Commerce
Subcommittee of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations.
In that role he and his colleagues have oversight of Department
of Justice programs such as COPS, State and Local Law Enforcement,
Violence Against Women Act programs, and the Office of Juvenile
Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
He has been able to bring to Rhode Island several
projects in this area, including several million dollars from the
COPS Technology Program for the Smithfield Police Department,
Cumberland Police Department, East Providence Police Department,
Lincoln Police Department, Pawtucket Police Department, Portsmouth
Police Department, North Providence Police Department, Woonsocket
Police Department and the Rhode Island State Police.
He also has secured over $1 Million for the Roger
Williams University Justice System Research and Training Institute.
Kennedy is a strong advocate for juvenile justice
prevention programs, as well as gang prevention and delinquency
programs at the federal level. He is an outspoken advocate each
year for these programs at the Department of Justice. Locally,
he has worked to secure $250,000 for an At Risk Youth/ School Based
Initiative/ Bristol, $250,00 for the Barrington Police Athletic
League, $150,000 for afterschool program in Tiverton in conjunction
with the YMCA, $200,000 for the Woonsocket Boys and Girls clubs,
and $200,000 for an at-risk girls program in conjunction
with the Girl Scouts of Rhode Island.
Protecting the Environment
Congressman Kennedy has been an advocate of environmental
issues. He was proud to serve on the House of Representatives Resources
Committee for 5 years. In his work on the House Appropriations
Committee he has worked with his colleagues to secure significant
funds for the state’s parks, forests, waterways, bikeways,
and other environmentally significant projects including:
- Save the Bay for its environmental education and
outreach center from NOAA.
- Rhode Island National Wildlife Refuge Complex,
including Sachuest Point in Middletown from the Fish and Wildlife
Service.
- John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National
Heritage Corridor from the National Park Service for construction,
staff, park rangers, and technical assistance.
- Allins Cove and Boyd's Marsh Restoration in Portsmouth
from the Army Corps of Engineers.
- Narragansett Bay Commission for Combined Sewer
Overflow.
Water and/or sewer system upgrades for the towns
of Cumberland, Lincoln, Providence, North Providence, Warren, Woonsocket.
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