Summary

News

Jack Reed

Current Position: US Senator since 1997
Affiliation: Democrat
Candidate: 2020 US Senator

In 1996, the people of Rhode Island elected Jack Reed to succeed Claiborne Pell as Rhode Island’s 46th United States Senator.

Today, Reed is a national leader on consumer protection, defense, education, and economic issues.  He has led efforts to promote responsible budgets, create jobs, and strengthen our economy.

As one of just eight Senators in U.S. history to graduate from West Point, Time magazine noted: “Reed is a serious, intellectually honest veteran and an expert on defense issues in the Senate,” and the New York Times describes him as “a quiet dealmaker respected by colleagues in both part

For more information, see this Jack Reed post.

Allen Waters

Affiliation: Republican
Candidate: 2020 US Senator

Allen Waters’ goal is to be your next U.S. Senator from Rhode Island. A middle class family man with blue-collar roots, Allen defines himself as a “People’s Candidate.”

He is fiscally responsible, socially conscious, believes in traditional American Values, follows the Constitution, and is a strong advocate for ordinary Americans like himself.

For more information, see this Allen Waters post.

Issues

Civil Rights

ALLEN WATERS 

2nd Amendment

I am a strong supporter of the 2nd Amendment, private gun ownership, and enforcing existing laws.

JACK REED 

Senator Reed is dedicated to protecting the rights of Americans and promoting fairness and equal treatment under the law.

Rhode Island has a long, important tradition of tolerance and respect for others.  In keeping with that history, Senator Reed is committed to fighting discrimination, believing that no American should be discriminated against on account of race, gender, religion, identity, or sexual orientation.

When the Supreme Court considered the constitutionality of the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) that prevented same-sex marriage, Senator Reed signed an amicus brief to the Court defending marriage equality and urging them to strike down the law as unconstitutional.  He also cosponsored the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) to prohibit workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.

Senator Reed is a leader in the fight to enact the Paycheck Fairness Act, believing that everyone deserves equal pay for equal work.  He was also an original cosponsor of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which was signed into law in 2009.  This important legislation helps to fight wage discrimination in the workplace and promote equal pay for equal work, regardless of gender.

Economy

ALLEN WATERS 

N/A

JACK REED 

Jobs & Economy

Rhode Island has been hit especially hard by the economic downturn, and Senator Reed is working hard to help save and create jobs to get our economy back on track.  He has led efforts to restore emergency unemployment benefits for jobseekers, and to help make health care, college tuition, and energy more affordable for working families.

As a member of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Reed has directed critical federal funding back to the state to improve our infrastructure, put more people to work, and lay the foundation for future economic growth.  He continues to push for job creation legislation and a reformed tax code that is fairer for low and middle income Americans.

Education

ALLEN WATERS 

School Choice

School choice is about a fundamental right for parents to have access to an educational environment that serves their children best. I believe taxpayer dollars should fund all educational options. Rhode Island parents, and parents across America, should have a wide range of high-quality schools to choose, like traditional public schools, charter schools, private and religious schools, or virtual learning online. I support the Education Freedom Scholarships and Opportunity Act in Congress.

Higher Education

Anytime the government injects itself into the free market between buyers and seller, such as helping more students be able to pay for college by applying for government back loans, it creates market distortions. And, let’s face it, after more than a couple of decades of college costs rising, often well above inflation, the result of the stimulus created by liberal lending policies is U.S. higher education is one of the greatest bubbles in modern times. Students and families continue to take on higher and higher amounts of student loan debt to pay for, what is almost mandatory today, a college degree. Of course, the hard reality is some college majors are more lucrative then others in terms of future income potential and career growth. Less financially rewarding majors leave many American college graduates saddled with debt that will take many years to pay off.

One of the ways to reduce the inflationary effect of government backed student loans on rising college costs is to phase the government out of student lending, leaving it to the private sector, such as banks.

As the future U.S. Senator, I don’t advocate free tuition which only shifts the burden of cost to taxpayers who are forced to comply. I do believe that free market forces without government intervention, such as government backed student loans, will force colleges and universities to align their pricing and affordability to the ability of students and families to pay.

JACK REED 

Good schools are essential to our communities and our economy, and Senator Reed is working hard to help all our schools strive and succeed.  This means strengthening education at all levels, through college and beyond.

Parents are children’s first teachers, and Senator Reed continues to work to strengthen family engagement in education.  Senator Reed introduced the Family Engagement in Education Act to ensure that schools have the tools they need to effectively partner with parents.  He also fights for child care, school construction, Head Start, and other initiatives so that all children have access to safe, affordable, and high quality care and education.

Senator Reed strongly believes that every student with the drive to attend college should have the opportunity to go. He has been on the front lines of the fight to ease student loan debt burdens and keep interest rates low.  He is a champion for the Pell Grant and has authored legislation to incentivize states to provide more need-based grant aid for college.

Senator Reed believes the more we do to support effective teaching and effective school leadership, the better results we will get for students.  He has written legislation to improve the preparation, professional development, and mentoring of educators to strengthen teaching and learning in our schools.

Environment

ALLEN WATERS 

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JACK REED 

Senator Reed understands that a clean environment is important to our state’s economy and Rhode Islanders’ health and quality of life.  His conservation efforts have helped clean up and preserve Rhode Island’s open spaces, beaches, and waters, so future generations may appreciate the beauty of the state while living healthy, productive lives.

He also recognizes that our environment is under constant stress from a changing climate.  Warming temperatures and weather volatility pose a threat to our environment, economy, and national security, and Senator Reed believes that part of our mitigation strategy must include a national energy policy that limits carbon pollution, focuses on the development of clean, renewable energy sources that create jobs, and holds big polluters accountable.  He also believes that communities must take action to better adapt to a changing climate.  This includes the increase in resilience of our critical infrastructure and emergency preparedness.

Reed has fought efforts to gut the Clean Air Act, rejecting harmful policy riders and deep funding cuts that would weaken the EPA’s ability to address climate change and fight pollution that threatens public health.  He has also fought to maintain robust funding for the EPA Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds.  These key federal programs help states finance priority water and wastewater construction projects that support jobs, improve water quality, and safeguard public health and the environment.

Reed has also been at the forefront of a national movement to reconnect kids with nature and strengthen environmental education in America’s classrooms.  He is the author of the No Child Left Inside Act, which would support outdoor learning activities for Rhode Island’s students.

Governance

ALLEN WATERS 

Fair Tax

Allen Waters signed a pledge with the Americans for Fair Taxation (FairTax.org) to support The Fair Tax Act in Congress: Replace the federal income tax with a national sales tax and close the Internal Revenue Service.

JACK REED 

N/A

Health Care

ALLEN WATERS 

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JACK REED 

Senator Reed has supported efforts to improve the quality of our health care system and reduce costs for consumers, and has been nationally recognized for his work to provide all children with access to affordable health care.  He helped author key provisions of the health insurance reform law, the Affordable Care Act (ACA), to give individuals and families more choice and more control over their health care.

For the first time, insurance companies can no longer deny coverage for a pre-existing condition, charge women higher insurance rates, or put an annual or lifetime cap on how much they will pay for care.  The ACA addresses these unfair practices, gives more people the chance to afford insurance, as well as preserves and strengthens employer-based insurance and federal programs like Medicare.

Reed is also steadfastly committed to preserving and protecting Medicare and Medicaid, improving the health of Rhode Islanders and the quality of the care they receive, and lowering costs without slashing benefits.  Throughout his career, Reed has worked to support Rhode Island’s Medicaid and State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) program, RIte Care, with additional federal funds.  RIte Care provides over 200,000 Rhode Islanders with vital assistance.  Without this program, many would likely go without needed care or make costly trips to emergency rooms.

Reed helped broker 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 research.  And he has earned national recognition for increasing funds for vital immunization and disease prevention programs for children and adults, as well as for his work to expand healthy housing options and prevent lead poisoning.

Reed has delivered federal funds to help Rhode Island combat the opioid epidemic and ensure evidence-based education, treatment, and recovery programs that work.  He wrote the Overdose Prevention Act, which aims to decrease the rate of drug overdose deaths by improving access for first responders to the overdose antidote Naloxone, supporting overdose prevention programs, enhancing surveillance of overdose occurrences, and establishing a coordinated federal plan of action to address the opioid epidemic.

Immigration

ALLEN WATERS 

N/A

JACK REED 

Senator Reed believes we must have smart, fair, workable immigration policies that welcome into the United States those who embrace America’s ideals and values.  Yet our current immigration system hampers economic growth, weakens our ability to deter illegal traffic into the United States, and fails to meet that standard of fairness.  As such, Senator Reed supports comprehensive immigration reform that fixes our broken federal immigration system and protects our national security.

Throughout his time in the Senate, Senator Reed has voted to move forward with comprehensive immigration reform, including the 2013 Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act.  This bipartisan bill, which passed the Senate, would reduce our budget deficit and institute broad measures to secure our borders, deter employers from hiring those who come here illegally, and offer a tough but fair pathway to earned citizenship.  Fixing our immigration system also means supporting policies that foster innovation and growth, including a process to retain highly-educated individuals once they graduate from American colleges and universities, rather than taking their skills overseas.

Infrastructure

ALLEN WATERS 

N/A

JACK REED 

Transportation

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.

Safety

ALLEN WATERS 

N/A

JACK REED 

Defense & Foreign Affairs

As a graduate of West Point and a former infantry officer, Senator Reed appreciates the risks our Armed Forces face every day.  Through his work on the Armed Services and Appropriations Committees, he works tirelessly to ensure that America’s fighting men and women have the equipment they need and the benefits they deserve.

Senator Reed firmly believes that the deployment of our men and women in uniform is a decision not to be taken lightly, and that military force represents only one tool in our nation’s international affairs arsenal.  That is why he voted against the Iraq War.  He also believes that the United States should be engaged in diplomacy to support our allies and build stronger relationships with emerging nations.  He has focused on arms control and non-proliferation efforts to keep weapons of mass destruction out of the hands of terrorists, and continues to support expanding our international development programs, which greatly contribute to global security and stability.

Reed has also secured billions of dollars in federal funding to modernize our military and bolster Rhode Island’s defense industry to create more high-paying jobs and expand opportunities for local businesses.  Rhode Island’s 16,000 defense workers make a valuable contribution to our national security and generate more than $1.75 billion in local economic activity each year.  Reed has worked hard to maintain and expand the U.S. Navy’s presence in Rhode Island by bringing additional commands, institutions, and projects to Naval Station Newport and Quonset Point.

Social Security

ALLEN WATERS 

N/A

JACK REED

With more than 16 percent of its population over 65, Rhode Island has one of the highest proportions of seniors in the country.  Senator Reed believes that we must meet the unique needs of older Americans and protect the programs that they paid into, like Social Security and Medicare.

Senator Reed is committed to ensuring that Social Security remains strong and viable for millions of Americans.  Today, nearly 220,000 Rhode Islanders receive Social Security benefits.  Throughout his career, Reed has repeatedly voted to keep Social Security on sound financial footing and strongly opposes efforts to privatize the program or use it to pay for new tax breaks.  He successfully fought efforts to use the Chained CPI to determine cost-of-living adjustments, which would have cut Social Security benefits.

Given its structure and design, Social Security cannot contribute to the federal deficit.  Senator Reed has worked to protect the Social Security Trust Fund from being diverted to other programs or used for government spending.  To help stabilize the Trust Fund for future generations, Reed supports including annual income above $117,000 in the wage base for Social Security contributions to help ensure that high-income earners contribute a fair share to the system.  That kind of step points Social Security toward even stronger financial solvency.

Senator Reed strongly believes we must encourage more personal savings and investment for retirement.  However, it should not be at the expense of Social Security, the one program that offers stable, guaranteed income security to the elderly, disabled, widows, and children of deceased or disabled workers.

He also vigorously opposes the Republican plan to dismantle Medicare and Medicaid.  Ending Medicare as we know it would destroy people’s ability to pay their bills and save for retirement, college tuition, or anything but the medical insurance they will need as they get older.  In fact, Reed supported the Affordable Care Act (ACA) because it makes key improvements to Medicare that strengthen its long-term solvency and increase benefits.  The ACA also increases access to the Medicaid program, which provides critical long term and nursing home care to seniors.

Reed knows how important it is for retirees to be able to access care.  He is committed to giving better certainty to Medicare patients and providers by ensuring that doctors are fairly reimbursed under Medicare.  At the same time, he also knows how important it is to prevent poor care and fraud under Medicare, and has supported efforts to prevent them and make sure those who commit such crimes are held accountable.

Senator Reed also supports programs that allow older Americans to maintain their independence and contribute to their communities, like home-delivered meals initiatives, the Senior Community Service Employment program, and the Section 202 Housing for the Elderly program, which provides affordable housing options for certain low-income seniors.

Veterans

ALLEN WATERS 

There are few things more shameful in America than the sorry state of Veterans Affairs from the waste, fraud and abuse, to the seemingly never ending news of poor treatment of the men and women who have served us in the Armed Forces. America belongs to the people, and it is time for our elected politicians in Congress to do the business of the people and clean up the swamp of poorly managed government departments like VA.

JACK REED

As a former Army Ranger and company commander, Senator Reed knows what it means to serve, and he understands the dedication of so many men and women who make great sacrifices to defend our nation in uniform.

Reed believes it is imperative to fix the VA health care system so our veterans and their families have access to the quality services they have earned and deserve.  That is why he supported the bipartisan Senate legislation to help rectify the systemic issues in the VA health care system and address the excessive wait times veterans have faced when trying to schedule an appointment with VA doctors.  The legislation accomplishes this by giving patients the option to seek care at community health centers, military hospitals, or private doctors when wait times or distance to a VA facility are too great, authorizing emergency funds to hire new doctors and nurses, authorizing leases for 26 additional VA facilities, and giving the VA Secretary the authority to dismiss senior executives for poor job performance while safeguarding against political or scapegoat firings.

As a member of the Appropriations Committee, he helped pass the largest veterans budget in history in 2014, which significantly improved resources to process disability claims and treat Traumatic Brain Injury and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder for those returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.  Reed also helped pass the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill, providing better tuition benefits to veterans and their families for college and job training after their service.

Senator Reed knows that we ask a great deal of those in uniform and their families and he is committed to making sure they are not left behind.