by WPRI.com Staff

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) – Congressman Jim Langevin has been re-elected to a ninth term in the U.S. House of Representatives, Eyewitness News projects.

Langevin, a Democrat who has represented the 2nd Congressional District since 2001, defeated Republican Rhue Reis and two independent candidates, Salvatore Caiozzo and Jeffrey Johnson.

“We’ve got our challenges in the country right now, we’ve also got a find a way to come together in a strong bipartisan way,” Langevin told his supporters. “And I hope my colleagues around the country have heard the frustration of the American people, that they’re tired of the partisanship in Washington, the gridlock, that we need to get beyond what has been going on and find a way to come together.”

Langevin, a former state lawmaker and secretary of state, was always favored over Reis, who previously ran against him in 2014, but nevertheless spent money to air TV ads promoting his bid for another term.

All four members of Rhode Island’s congressional delegation are Democrats. Congressman David Cicilline was also re-elected Tuesday. U.S. Sens. Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse are not up for re-election again until 2020 and 2018, respectively.

Langevin thanked Rhode Islanders for their continued support in a statement Tuesday night.

“Serving the people of Rhode Island has been the greatest honor of my life, and I am so incredibly humbled and grateful that the voters have again put their faith in me. With the budget deadline looming and so many incredible challenges facing our nation – from income inequality to immigration reform – I am anxious to return to Washington and to get back to work on behalf of our great state. I also want to thank my General Election opponents, Rhue Reis, Sal Caiozzo, and Jeff Johnson. Putting yourself out there and running for office is not an easy thing to do. I applaud anyone who wants to pursue public service, including these three gentlemen.

“I got into public service because I wanted to give back to a community that had supported me and my family at a difficult time. The issues we face may seem different today than they were back then, but my reasons for pursuing this office have not changed. I love the State of Rhode Island and the people here, and I promise that I will continue to do my very best to represent you.”

by Tessa Roy

Rhode Island government officials united Thursday to celebrate the opening of Warwick’s new Marine Trades program. Mayor Scott Avedisian, Senator Mike McCaffrey, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, Senator Jack Reed, Representative Jim Langevin, Governor Gina Raimondo and members of Warwick’s City Council, School Committee, and school administration all appeared at Toll Gate High School to voice their support for the program.

“Warwick is proud to showcase our new Marine Trades CTE program, which already is offering an engaging, hands-on and directly relevant education to motivated students who will soon help Rhode Island meet the hiring needs of Electric Boat as well as marinas, boat builders and other maritime-related employers in Warwick and throughout the state,” Avedisian said.

The Warwick Area Career and Technical Center’s expanded Marine Trades CTE program now has five state-of-the-art welding booths, a curriculum approved by the American Boat and Yacht Council and National Center for Construction Education and Research, and new textbooks. It currently serves 30 students, 22 from Warwick and eight from West Warwick, and is open to public high school students from around the state.

General Dynamics Electric Boat (EB) is a partner in the program.

Sean Davies, General Dynamics Electric Boat Vice President – Quonset Point Operations said the program will provide EB with educated, motivated employees with the necessary skills to perform effectively at their jobs.

“We are proud to take part in this innovative effort, which represents the active roles Rhode Island, local school systems and industry are taking to build the educated work force required to compete and succeed in the 21st century,” he said.

Langevin agreed, saying EB would be helpful to students as well.

“Working with EB, students are going to be able to experience firsthand the opportunities that really do awaken right here in Rhode Island,” he said. “Graduates of this program will be able to identify the right path not just for a job, but for a career.”

Marine Trades instructor Christopher Bianco said the new Toll Gate location is beneficial since it is right next to the Career and Tech Center. Before, recruiting might have been difficult for them with students having to travel across the city on buses when they did their assessments, but now they are much closer.

Bianco said Toll Gate administration and Superintendent Philip Thornton have been supportive as the program transitioned from its former location at Warwick Vets.

“They’re behind us 100 percent. Basically whatever we’ve needed to make ourselves successful, they’ve been able to come forward and give it to us,” he said.

Thornton called Bianco “inspiring and tireless” and said he was proud to have the program expanding here in Warwick.

Raimondo’s central job-training initiative, Real Jobs Rhode Island, awarded a grant of $369,500 to an EB-led maritime sector partnership that helped fund Warwick’s new Marine Trades module. In addition, all levels of government, several funding streams, and other public and private educational partners have supported the new Warwick Marine Trades CTE program. These include $70,000 from The City of Warwick: $70,000, a $115,000 competitive grant from the Rhode Island Department of Education, $50,000 in Perkins Act funding from the U.S. Department of Education (This funding has been spread out over several years. Not all $50,000 has been spent just this year on just this project), and approximately $5,000 for Marine Trades textbooks (NCCER’s formal Marine Trades curriculum) from the U.S. Department of Labor – Real Jobs RI.

The Community College of Rhode Island, Rhode Island College, University of Rhode Island, and New England Institute of Technology (NEIT) all have contributed to and have roles in implementing RI’s strategic workforce plan for EB. In addition, instructors in the ship-fitting programs have received training from NEIT’s Shipbuilding Marine Trades and Advanced Manufacturing Institute, also in Warwick. All instructors have been certified in Maritime Trades from the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (US Department of Labor).

Governor Raimondo thanked those on all levels that worked on the program and said it would change lives.

“We’re all in for you guys. Your success is Rhode Island’s success, and your future is Rhode Island’s future,” she said.

by Matthew Enright

Congressman Jim Langevin is seeking a ninth term in office but, in order to get it, he will have to fend off three challengers as voters head to the polls Tuesday.

The senior member of the House Armed Services Committee and Homeland Security Committee, Langevin has been one of the leading proponents of cybersecurity for years and continues to emphasize it as one of his top legislative goals if given a return trip to Washington.

“Cybersecurity is the top security issue of the 21st century,” he said. “It’s both a challenge on the security side but also to our economy as well as protection of our privacy and civil liberties.”

He also points to creating an educated workforce as a focal point of his efforts.

“It’s either going to be going to a college or university will be essential, or it’s going to be an associate’s degree or advanced training and a career in tech,” he said. “Making sure young people are aware of these opportunities and to focus on them having the right support to go into these areas is something I’m going to continue to focus on,” he says.

While a strong supporter of Hilary Clinton in the presidential election, Langevin also touts his bipartisan record and willingness to cross the aisle. Among the Republicans he works with are Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-TX), Chairman of the Homeland Security Committee Michael McCall (R-TX) and Rep. G.T. Thompson (R-PA).

”At the end of the day, we’ve got to come together as a country, we have to reach out across the aisle and govern in a bipartisan way, it’s the best way to get things done.”

Langevin sees this upcoming election as a job application.

“I have to reapply for my job every two years, the voters have the prerogative of changing who represents them,” he said. “I’ve never viewed this seat or any elected position as anybody’s birthright. I am a steward of a position that belongs to the people, and it’s their decision as to who they want to hold that position and whether they want to see me re-elected or want to have a change.”