Funds coming to the Steamship Authority from the Federal Transit Authority have been put on an accelerated timetable thanks to efforts by U.S. Rep. William Keating, D-Bourne. As SSA general manager Bob Davis told the ferry line board Tuesday, a relationship with the Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority (FTA) has helped the SSA garner annual transportation funding and special CARES Act funding this year. This year the annual funding amounted to $2.4 million. The CARES Act funding came to $9.8 million.
Davis told the board the funds were expected in “three to five weeks.”
Keating managed to get the funds expedited so they will be tendered “within two weeks,” according to a press release from Rep. Keating’s office. The funds are expected to keep the SSA afloat until August 1, the release states. Keating also ensured the SSA maintained its status as a transit agency able to receive funds from the FTA.
“[E]arlier this year, the FTA announced that they intended to decertify the Steamship Authority as a commuter service,” the release states. “Working closely with officials from both the Steamship Authority and the Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority, Congressman Keating was able to intercede with the FTA providing them new evidence of the commuter traffic on the island ferries. This work was successful and ensured that the Steamship Authority retained its commuter service status. Without this commuter status the Steamship Authority would not have been eligible for the CARES Act stimulus funding.”
“These funds will be critical to bridging the cash flow gap for the Steamship Authority this summer,” Keating said via the release. “The COVID-19 pandemic has affected every one of us deeply. The Steamship Authority is no different, and has been dealing with unprecedented loss of ridership this spring due to the virus and stay-at-home advisory. I fought for funds for Regional Transportation Authorities to be included in the CARES Act knowing that they would need support in these trying times. The $12 million in FTA funding for the Steamship Authority should help to fund operations through August when I hope that the Steamship Authority will have recovered to ridership levels that support their mission of maintaining access to Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket.”
“This is a much better result than we could have expected without Congressman Keating’s intervention,” Davis said via the release. “Congressman Keating has always tirelessly advocated for the Steamship Authority and those we serve, and we are grateful that he has been able to expedite the delivery of this funding, which will help us fund operations into the heart of the summer season.”
“These funds would not have been available today had Congressman Keating not worked with the CCRTA and Steamship Authority to ensure that the Steamship Authority remained certified as a commuter carrier this spring,” Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority executive director Tom Cahir said via the release.
Now, here is someone who actually wants the commuters, seasonal homeowners and daily visitors to come back.
Weeeeee… here we come baby!
Good. We need the SSA. They are our survival.
MV Dems, Please find somebody else to replace him. Island Veterans have had problems with him from day one!
What is he not doing for Vets?
MV Dems make up less than 8% of the population of his district.
Tiz, I’m an island vet and I’ve had absolutely no problems with him.
Called his office about an issue, received a call back about 90 minutes later and with 36 hours the problem was solved.
I’m pretty sure if Keating was a republican you wouldn’t have any issues with him at all.
tiz– I have done a little research about Mr Keating.
He is on:
THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS
The Foreign Affairs Committee oversees the US Department of State and handles legislation relating to international relationships and diplomacy; enforcement of United Nations sanctions; the Peace Corps; national security developments affecting foreign policy; embassy security; and issues relating to the Arms Export Control Act.
Foreign Affairs Subcommittees on which Bill Serves:
Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia, Energy, and the Environment: CHAIRMAN
Subcommittee on Middle East, North Africa, and International Terrorism
THE HOUSE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE
The Armed Services Committee oversees the US Department of Defense and military branches and handles legislation relating to the deployment of the United States Armed Forces; the defense budget; and the well-being of service members.
Armed Services Subcommittees on which Bill Serves:
Subcommittee for Intelligence and Emerging Threats and Capabilities
Subcommittee on Strategic Forces
https://keating.house.gov/policy-work/committees-and-caucuses
He has introduced 7 bills concerning veterans affairs
https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/browse?sponsor=412435&subject=5852
Most have been allowed to die without a vote from the republican senate or are pending. You repeatedly rail against his veteran’s record, but offer nothing but an apparently biased opinion about democrats. Two island veterans right on this article state they have no problem with him.
Other than the possibility that you think all “dems’ are dim, hate freedom, and loath the military,and therefore are unfit to be on a VA concerned committee, what is the problem.? ( Andrew would be so proud of me for telling you what you think )
Please be specific.
Tis Native—- did you see this article about FEMA confiscating 5 million protective masks that were headed to the VA ?
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/fema-hijacks-masks-for-veterans-hospitals_n_5ea4c72dc5b6805f9ece2bc3
The director of FEMA is Pete Gaynor , a lifelong republican and a veteran who was appointed by Trump–
Also, the first letter of FEMA stands for “Federal”, as in the trump regime ..
It’s not fake news, but you won’t hear about it on fox.
And nobody knows where the masks are going..
Maybe they are getting stamped with a maga label to be sold at trump resorts..
I wrote to Mr. Keating and am awaiting a response
With this windfall this is a chance tor the SSA to do things like take temps of passengers before boarding. Is that asking too much?
Is asking passengers to take their own temperatures too much?
Can we depend on passengers not boarding with elevated temperatures?
About as much as we can depend on the SSA?
This is what it looks like when a politician is doing their job.
well, there you go. Tis Native, not a dem, first to put politics into the mix by criticizing Keating just because he’s a democrat. He seems to have a case of DDS (democrat derangement syndrome)
Let a page from trump here and say to Tis “why don’t you just thank him for doing a good thing here.
I am an “island veteran” (note “veteran” is not capitalized) , and I voted fro him– no problems. Speak for yourself. Most people judge the man on what he does, not his political persuasion or a laser focus on one issue.
In this case, he did his job– His constituents will benefit.
Would it be too much for you to give him some credit ?
This is what it looks like when the Island’s lackey sticks his nose in the federal trough to keep afloat a boat line that islanders love to hate.
What does this even mean? That “federal trough” is OUR TAX MONEY.
Thank You Bill for pushing this along.
Well done Sir.
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