Senator Jack Reed (RI) awarded the Grand Cross of the Order of Prince Henry by Portuguese government

Senator Jack Reed (RI) was awarded the Grand Cross of the Order of Prince Henry on March 19 by H.E. Nuno Brito, Ambassador of Portugal to the U.S., on behalf of the President of Portugal at ceremonies at the Rhode Island State House. The Grand Cross is the highest degree of a five-tier order, whose titles are awarded “for relevant services to Portugal and for services in the expansion of the Portuguese culture, its history and its values”.

Senator Reed has long been a supporter of Portuguese-Americans in Rhode Island and of bi-lateral U.S.-Portugal relations in the U.S. Senate. He has served for many years as the co-chairman of the caucus, Friends of Portugal in the U.S. Senate.

A former Army Ranger, Reed is a national leader on defense, housing, and economic issues. He has led efforts to promote responsible budgets, create jobs, and strengthen our economy.

As a senior member of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, Reed authored several key pieces of the historic Wall Street reform bill and has been nationally recognized for his dedication to protecting U.S. consumers. When taxpayers were forced to invest in banks to save the economy from total collapse, Reed wrote the law ensuring they would share in the rewards when the banks recovered. As a result of Reed’s efforts, $9 billion and counting has been generated for taxpayers.

Recently, he authored laws to create a new affordable housing trust fund, improve consumer disclosures on mortgages, and address the needs of middle-class families who are struggling with the fallout from the housing crisis.

Jack Reed was born and raised in Cranston, Rhode Island. He and his wife Julia Hart Reed have a daughter, Emily.

Today, Senator Reed continues to utilize the lessons he learned growing up in Cranston, which were deepened in the Army and tested in the halls of Congress, to stand up and speak out for the hard-working families who are the heart and soul of our country.