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Dear John,
As we head into the weekend, my thoughts and prayers are with the people of the United Kingdom as they mourn the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
Queen Elizabeth II’s legacy will long be remembered by the British people and the global community. Throughout her seven decades-long reign, she has stood as an example of dignity, grace, and dedication to country and public service that will continue to inspire her family as they carry on the traditions of the monarchy.
Updates from Rhode Island
Additional $2.1 Million for Fire Departments
Seven fire departments throughout Rhode Island have been awarded $2.1 million in federal grants to bolster training, acquire equipment, and increase safety – building on the more than $2.1 million grants announced last month.
More than $1.76 million in Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) will be disbursed to the Smithfield Fire Department, Lime Rock Fire District, Tiverton Fire Department, Western Coventry Fire District, Cumberland EMS, and Exeter Fire Department, Division of EMS. The North Kingstown Fire Department will receive $360,000 through the Fire Prevention and Safety Grant Program.
The $2,128,489.96 is awarded to:
- Smithfield Fire Department: $626,000 for technical rescue training. This is a regional award also benefitting Lincoln Fire Department, Cumberland Fire Department, Harrisville Fire Department, North Providence Fire Department, Woonsocket Fire Department, Lime Rock Fire Department, and North Smithfield Fire Department.
- Lime Rock Fire District: $586,363.63 for vehicle acquisition – air/light unit. This is a regional award also benefitting Central Falls Fire Department, Cumberland Fire Department, Harrisville Fire Department, Lincoln Fire Department, Manville Fire Department, North Providence Fire Department, North Smithfield Fire Department, Oakland Mapleville Fire Department, Smithfield Fire Department, and Woonsocket Fire Department.
- Tiverton Fire Department: $339,546.66 for radios – mobile, portable and mobile repeaters.
- Western Coventry Fire District: $11,618.57 for firefighter training.
- Cumberland EMS: $74,519.27 for CPR chest compression devices.
- Exeter Fire Department, Division of EMS: $129,571.35 for vehicle exhaust removal system, power cots, and power lift systems.
- North Kingstown Fire Department: $360,870.48 for lock box emergency access program.
$10.5M to Help Children and Families
As we focus on building a more equitable, better future for all Rhode Islanders, we need to make sure that our children and families facing unique and serious behavioral and emotional health challenges are given the support they need and deserve.
This week, the Rhode Island Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) will receive more than $10.5 million from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) for their Behavioral Health System of Care for Children, Youth, and their families. This grant will bolster programming, address systemic gaps, and allow the state to better service families and provide early, streamlined interventions.
New COVID Booster
The new COVID-19 bivalent booster, which protects against two different strains of COVID-19, is now available in Rhode Island. You can speak with your primary care provider or local pharmacy to see if and when they will be offering these new vaccine doses.
More information is available here.
Our Lady of Fatima Feast
Thank you to all the volunteers and Our Lady of Fatima Church for a great Our Lady of Fatima Feast this past weekend. It was great to see so many of you in Cumberland on Saturday.
Ivy Place Groundbreaking
Housing is one of our most basic needs, but we know that far too many struggle to access quality, healthy, and affordable homes – a serious problem that was exacerbated by the COVID pandemic and the resulting economic impacts.
Recognizing the nationwide housing crisis, Congress made funds available through the American Rescue Plan and other COVID relief measures to not only respond to the immediate housing challenges created by the pandemic but also to support long-term growth and opportunity.
This week, I joined with Governor McKee, Senator Reed, Senator Whitehouse, East Providence Mayor DaSilva, and other local leaders to break ground on the new Ivy Place project. This new mixed-use building will provide 10 units of affordable housing and good-paying construction jobs for Rhode Islanders. When Congress passed COVID relief, these are the types of projects we envisioned as investments in Rhode Island’s future.
New Community Van for the Leon Mathieu Senior Center
On Tuesday, I joined with Senator Reed, the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA), and Pawtucket Mayor Grebien to welcome a new community van to the Leon Mathieu Senior Center. This new van, and the others purchased with the help of congressionally-directed and federal funds, will help older adults and those with disabilities get to their medical appointments, grocery stores, and social gatherings. Investments like these have a direct impact on the quality of life for Rhode Islanders and are a prime example of the good we can accomplish when local, state, and federal leaders come together.
Updates from Washington, D.C.
Competitive Prices Act
We cannot allow big corporations to continue to jack up prices arbitrarily and without restraint on basic needs. Far too many hardworking Americans and families are struggling as we continue to recover from the economic downturn caused by the COVID pandemic and unchecked corporate greed is only making things more difficult.
I recently joined with Congresswoman Katie Porter to introduce the Competitive Prices Act so that we can finally hold big corporations that engage in coordinated price hikes accountable and protect consumers.
Court Ruling in HIV Medication Case
This week, a federal judge allowed bigotry and homophobia to win when they ruled that employers could deny health care coverage of for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) medication – prescription medication that is a key tool in preventing the spread of HIV.
Not only is this deeply concerning, but the decision also stands in stark contrast to Congress’ stated goals in passing the Religious Freedom Restoration Act in the first place. The Religious Freedom Restoration Act is meant to protect free exercise and religious minorities, especially the religious freedom of often persecuted peoples. It is not a tool to discriminate and deny critical medicine and medical treatment to employees. Wednesday’s ruling is a direct attack on the LGBTQ+ community, and, if it stands and is applied broadly, will have a devastating impact on people’s health and safety, especially members of the LGBTQ+ community.
Scam Alert: Student Loan Forgiveness
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued a Consumer Alert warning Americans against potential scams related to President Biden’s student loan forgiveness executive order.
The student loan forgiveness program is free.
As the FTC has stated, “[a]nyone claiming to be able to sign people up for the program, get them in early, or guarantee eligibility is a scammer. Never pay someone who promises early or special access, or guaranteed eligibility for the program. Those are scams and should be reported at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.”
More information is available here.
Uniting for Ukraine: Welcoming Refugees
On April 21, as part of fulfilling President Biden’s commitment to welcome up to 100,000 Ukrainians fleeing Russia’s invasion, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced the United for Ukraine program.
This program will enable Ukrainian citizens and their immediate family members who are outside the United States to come to the United States and stay temporarily in a two-year period of parole. To qualify for the program, Ukrainians must have a supporter in the United States. These supporters are responsible for providing their Ukrainian sponsors with financial support throughout their time in the United States.
You can learn more about the program, and becoming a sponsor, here.
Free Over-the-Counter COVID-19 Tests for Medicare Beneficiaries
More than 59 million Americans with Medicare Part B, including those enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, are eligible to receive Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved, authorized, or cleared over-the-counter COVID-19 tests at no cost. You can learn more about the program here and find participating pharmacies here.
Shields Up: Guidance from the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency
The Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is advising all US organizations, of all sizes, to be prepared to respond to any disruptive cyber security. CISA is reporting that "[e]volving intelligence indicates that the Russian Government is exploring options for potential cyberattacks."
CISA has launched the Shields Up program to help organizations prepare for, respond to, and mitigate the impacts of any attack.
Any abnormal cyber activity or incidents should be reported to [email protected] or 888-282-0827.
You can learn more about Shields Up and the support CISA can provide here.
Important Passport & Travel Reminder
As more Rhode Islanders and people around the world get vaccinated and boosted, we are seeing an increase in both domestic and international travel. With travel resuming, many folks are looking to renew passports and this uptick in requests has led to a backlog at the State Department. Turnaround time for expedited processing is now at 4-6 weeks and regular processing is taking 7-10 weeks from submission to receipt.
Before booking international travel, please remember to check the expiration date on your passport and plan accordingly. Passports last for 5 or 10 years, depending on your age when the passport was issued. Some countries require that your passport be valid at least six months beyond the dates of your trip. Some airlines will not allow you to board if this requirement is not met.
You can learn more from the State Department here.
As always, I am here to serve you. If there is anything I can do, please call my office at 729-5600 or send me an email at [email protected].
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