Keating: ‘Those ferries are the lifeline’

U.S. Rep. Bill Keating, D-Bourne, who represents the 9th Congressional District, including Martha’s Vineyard, held a virtual town hall Wednesday to discuss timely topics and answer questions.

More than 58 participants were in the Zoom town hall, and two pages of questions were submitted ahead of time by those who pre-registered. 

Along with talking about the general climate in Washington, and the many efforts of the House Democratic caucus, Keating touched briefly on the grave situation facing the Steamship Authority.

“This has been a priority for us, in the prior bill we put out we were able to get some money in,” Keating said. He explained that there is a coalition of House representatives that is working on getting financial assistance down to the local and regional transit authorities, instead of having those funds be consumed by larger corporations. 

“We want to make sure those monies make it down to the local and regional levels,” Keating said. 

According to Keating, $34 million in federal aid is being allocated to the Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority, which will then disperse funds to individual transit companies.

Keating said upwards of $10 million of that money will go to the Steamship Authority to cover the massive drop in ridership and other fiscal difficulties. 

But Keating said there is a timing issue involved with dispersing those funds.

“There is a significant time lapse, and we are pleading with transit officials to advance that money sooner. That money for the Steamship really cuts dry in May,” Keating said. “We are making an effort to front that money so it is coming sooner.”

He called the Steamship ‘the lifeline’ to Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, and noted the importance of being able to bring additional medical or emergency personnel on-Island, and transport critical patients off the Island in large numbers, should the need arise.

“We have been in discussion with the hospital. They are worried if they have to get people off the Island. We are medflying those people now, but if there is any kind of surge at all, how are we going to get people on and off?” Keating said.

In addition to providing essential transportation, Keating said the Steamship Authority is the only way currently that the Island can get food and other supplies that travel across on the freight boats.

He called the idea of the Vineyard only being home to wealthy people a myth, and said that for anyone with knowledge of the Islands in the offseason, it is very challenging to get by economically. 

Another issue that affects the Vineyard, which Keating identified, is the immigrant population in America. He said that he and his fellow House members have been trying to hold the White House administration accountable, and are “holding their feet to the fire” on assurances that immigration status would not affect an individual’s ability to be tested or treated for COVID-19.

“If people are coming forward for testing, is that going to expose them to any kind of immigration action? No matter what anyone thinks about immigration, we have a pandemic, and it’s so important that everyone get tested,” Keating said.

With some skepticism, Keating said he hopes the administration will hold true to their promises. 

Keating also spoke on college loans, and how so many students of higher education have had their careers put on hold.

“A lot of decisions are being made at the state college level,” Keating said. “They are doing their part, and making adjustments for students.”

Across the board, Keating said he would like to see the country implement a deferment on all student loans for the time being.

“I think a lot of that might be done as forgiveness, but there should be some assuredness federally,” Keating said. “I’ve seen too many people interrupt their higher education and never go back, that happens, it’s real.”

Keating said he doesn’t just want to provide short-term relief to students, but also to provide long-term support so their academic careers aren’t cut short.