Inductee Details
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Sen. John Francis "Jack" Reed
(1949-) ~ Inducted 2008U.S. Senator Jack Reed was born in 1949 and raised in Cranston. His father, Joe, was a Cranston school janitor who worked his way up through the ranks to become the custodial supervisor of the city's school system.
Jack credits his parents, Joe and Mary Reed, for his values and for the work-ethic that helped him excel at LaSalle Academy in Providence and earned him an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point where he was awarded a Bachelor of Science degree in 1971.
After graduating from West Point and receiving an active duty commission in the United States Army, Reed attended the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University earning a Masters of Public Policy degree. Becoming an Army Ranger and a paratrooper, Jack served in the 82nd Airborne Division as an infantry platoon leader, a company commander, and a battalion staff officer. He returned to West Point in 1978 as an associate professor in the Department of Social Sciences.
Reed resigned from the Army in 1979 with the rank of captain and enrolled at Harvard Law School. After graduation he served a year with the Washington, DC law firm of Sutherland, Asbill, and Brennan and then returned to Rhode Island to join the Providence law firm of Edwards and Angell. In 1984, Jack was elected to the Rhode Island state senate and served for three terms prior to his election to the U.S. House of Representatives from Rhode Island's 2nd Congressional District. During his tenure in the House from 1991 to 1997, Reed championed child health care, public libraries, and campaign finance reform. In 1996, Rhode Islanders chose Jack to succeed Clairborne Pell (D-RI) as Rhode Island's 46th United States senator.
As a member of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, Reed continues to work tirelessly to secure federal funding for the Ocean State. Through his sponsorship of anti-crime legislation, he has played a pivotal role in safeguarding our nation. Jack is also a senior member of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee and is a nationally-recognized authority on military affairs.
Senator Reed is married to Julia Hart Reed. They have a daughter, Emily, and make their home in Jamestown, Rhode Island.
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