Kerry highlighting role as Mass. protector
Democrat John Kerry may travel the world and try to extinguish international hotspots, but he also works hard to remind Massachusetts residents he’s still their local representative in the US Senate.
A series of recent statements highlight the effort while simultaneously underscoring his assumption of the mantle as the state’s senior senator and political patron saint.
He inherited it from the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy, who used to have the ultimate responsibility for securing – and honor of announcing – any major federal support for the state.
What might be derided as pork elsewhere is often lauded as progress back home.
Late yesterday, for example, Kerry’s office announced that the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution would receive $509,840 from the US Department of Commerce for the institution’s Sea Grant program.
It supports projects that encourage the responsible use of coastal and ocean resources throughout Massachusetts.
“This investment helps keep Woods Hole on the cutting edge of research impacting our coastal waters and surrounding environments,’’ Kerry said in a statement.
Six hours earlier, in another statement, Kerry lauded his fellow Senate Democrat, Max Baucus of Montana, for preserving $400 million nationally in Medicare payments for medical imaging services. Baucus is chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, on which Kerry serves.
In a bit of circuitous logic, Kerry said that lowering the Medicare reimbursement for services such as MRIs would prompt doctors to hold onto their existing equipment longer, which would deny patients access to better diagnoses from the latest technology – and new equipment contracts for device manufacturers.
Therein lie the local rub, as the senator said medical imaging accounts for more than 10,000 jobs in Massachusetts and an even larger spin-off effect for the state economy.
The jobs list includes 3,093 employees with Siemens, nearly 5,000 employees with Phillips, over 1,000 employees with GE Healthcare, and 550 employees with the Shields Health Care Group, which is based in Quincy and has 30 facilities across the state.
“This was a good, open, fair process,’’ Kerry said in his statement. “Chairman Baucus kept an open mind, took a hard look at Massachusetts’ situation, and found a fairer way to pay for trade assistance for workers. I’m very grateful to the chairman for his flexible and collaborative approach.’’
On Wednesday, Kerry also issued a joint statement with his junior colleague, Senator Scott Brown, announcing that the Massachusetts Port Authority had been selected for the final round of applicants to win a $75 million loan to assist with its effort to build a consolidated rental car facility at Logan International Airport.
The projects will relocate eight on-and off-site airport rental car companies to a single car rental facility, known internally as the ConRAC. It will consist of a four-story garage for 3,200 vehicles, a customer service center, and maintenance facilities.
Advocates say its construction will create 1,000 jobs, while its completion will ease traffic congestion, streamline the car rental process, and contribute to a cleaner environment by reducing and replacing the existing diesel-powered shuttle bus fleet with a a single, diesel-electric hybrid fleet.
In the statement, Kerry said that Massport was one of 34 candidates to submit an initial application for the loan.
“Late (Tuesday), US Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood called Senator Kerry with news that the Massachusetts Port Authority is one of eight applicants selected to formally apply for a TIFIA loan,’’ the statement said. “The ‘invitation to apply’ is generally viewed as a formality and the Department of Transportation will now work with the Massachusetts Port Authority to finalize and disburse the loan.’’
Kerry added: “The secretary has been great hearing me out on why this is so important for Massachusetts. The ConRAC is shovel-ready and it’ll create jobs, and make New England’s busiest airport faster and more efficient.’’
In the statement, Brown noted his own role in the process and the job-creation element that he says is his central focus as a senator. The Republican is up for re-election next year.
“It was an honor to support Massport’s competitive application when they approached me a year ago with the ConRAC project, and believe this recent advancement speaks volumes of Massachusetts’ ability to create jobs and boost the local economy while also finding environmental and infrastructure solutions for Logan Airport,’’ said Brown.
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com