Combating the Opioid & Heroin Epidemic

COVID-19 has brought tremendous challenges for people in New Hampshire and across the country, and the isolation has exacerbated the ongoing substance use crisis. It’s critical that Congress continues to support those in need — that’s why I founded the Bipartisan Addiction and Mental Health Task Force.

The Bipartisan Addiction and Mental Health Task Force merges the Bipartisan Opioid Task Force, founded in 2015, with Rep. David Trone’s (D-MD) Freshmen Working Group on Addiction. The purpose of the new Task Force is to combine efforts to make the most progress possible on addiction and mental health in the 117th Congress. 

In the 117th Congress, I am working across the aisle with my fellow co-chairs to advance evidence-based policies to end the addiction and mental health crises in America through prevention and treatment. Already we are working on legislation to eliminate Medicaid exclusions and make it easier for everyone in need to access the treatment and support they need, regardless of their justice or socioeconomic status.

Conserving Our Environment

In New Hampshire, we are blessed with incredible mountains, lakes, and forests. I come from a family that has a long history of supporting conservation and wildlife in New Hampshire, and I cherished growing up spending time on Newfound Lake and enjoying all four beautiful seasons in the North Country. My family continues to appreciate the natural beauty of our state and I am passionately committed to preserving the pristine environment of the Granite State.

The Granite State is home to two National Parks, one National Heritage Area, eleven National Natural Landmarks, and 22 National Historic Landmarks. This rich natural and historical heritage plays a leading role in the tourism industry that is a main driver of the New Hampshire economy.

Conservation is also a hallmark of New Hampshire history and an important part of managing our forests and farmlands. I believe that we have a generational responsibility to protect our environment and ensure that our children and grandchildren are left with clean air and clean water. But I also believe that this important goal will help us strengthen our economy and create jobs right here in America.

That is why I am working with Republicans and Democrats to find commonsense solutions like these that will continue to grow our economy while preserving the health and beauty of our environment

• Defending Wildlife Habitat Grants: I introduced an amendment to the Farm Bill to increase funding for grants to protect wildlife habitat in forests and farmlands. Although my amendment did not initially pass in the Agriculture Committee, I continued to work with Republicans and Democrats, and my amendment was passed by the full House of Representatives to ensure that farmers and foresters can still count on the support provided by the Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP).

• Protecting Conservation Easements: I am a cosponsor of the Conservation Easement Incentive Act (H.R. 2807) which would make tax deductions and incentives permanent for landowners who permanently retire development rights on their lands. This will help protect forests, fields, and farms in New Hampshire and ensure that we maintain the natural landscape that defines the Granite State.

• Strengthening the Land and Water Conservation Fund: The Land and Water Conservation Fund is an important tool in protecting sensitive lands, wetlands, and water bodies—and at no cost to the taxpayers. I support robust funding for the LWCF and was proud to join many of my colleagues in urging the House Appropriations Committee to support this important program.

• Ensuring the Quality of Our Drinking Water: Clean drinking water is essential to good health. In July 2016, I cosponsored the Water Quality Protection and Job Creation Act (H.R. 2430), which would invest $20 billion over five years in wastewater infrastructure through the Clean Water State Revolving Fund.

• Using Sustainable Energy: I am a cosponsor to a Climate Resolution that supports 50% renewable energy by 2030. This bill expresses the need to establish a national goal of more than 50% clean and carbon-free energy by 2030 for the purpose of avoiding the devastating impacts of climate change.

To further my commitment to conserving our environment, I am also a member of the Congressional Bike Caucus, the High Performance Building Caucus, and the National Parks Caucus.

Ending Sexual Violence

Sexual violence cuts across party lines and affects women, men, and families in every single part of this country. It’s also an issue that’s deeply personal for me. In 2016, for the first time, I shared my own experiences with sexual violence. Doing so was not easy. The stigma that surrounds this issue has silenced many survivors, but it's long past time we shatter that silence.

In April 2017, I launched the Bipartisan Task Force to End Sexual Violence with my colleagues and co-chairs, Representatives Jackie Speier (CA-14) and David Joyce (OH-14). Since then, Representative John Katko (NY-24) has joined us as a co-chair. In the 117th Congress, I’m focused on supporting survivors in the Granite State and across the country and advancing critical legislation to ensure no one is left behind.

COVID-19 was challenging for many in New Hampshire and across the country, but for millions of domestic and interpersonal violence survivors trapped inside with their abusers, it was a nightmare. Assisting these survivors is truly a matter of life or death — and I’m proud to be a founder and co-chair of the Bipartisan Task Force to End Sexual Violence to ensure survivors have a voice in Congress.

Focusing on Fiscal Responsibility

I firmly believe that government governs the best when it does so within its means. We must make fiscally responsible decisions so we can continue to afford critical investments in our future. By cutting wasteful spending, streamlining duplicative programs, and finding inefficiencies throughout government, we can reduce the deficit in a balanced way that protects priorities such as education, research, and health care.

I am committed to working with Republicans and Democrats in Congress to curtail excessive spending, close tax loopholes, and end wasteful subsidies. If both parties come together to focus on finding creative solutions instead of dwelling on ideological disagreements, we can reduce the deficit, get back to balanced budgets, and continue to move our country forward.

That is why I support the following common sense reforms:

• Cleaning Up the Federal Balance Sheet: I introduced the CLEAN Act, bipartisan legislation (H.R. 1856) to force federal agencies to close long-empty bank accounts that cost millions of dollars to maintain while serving no purpose. In 2012, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported that the federal government was spending roughly $173,000 per month to maintain more than 28,000 empty bank accounts at an annual cost of over $2 million. I introduced the Closing Long-Empty Accounts Now Act in response to this report that thousands of empty accounts remained open for no reason, racking up expensive service fees for taxpayers. No family or business would knowingly tolerate that type of waste, and neither should the federal government.
• Cutting Wasteful Spending: I helped introduce the Sugar Reform Act (H.R. 1714), legislation that would reform the federal sugar program to lower costs to taxpayers, increase competition in the market, and lower costs for manufacturers. I also cosponsored the Savings, Accountability, Value, and Efficiency (SAVE) Act (H.R. 1999), to cut hundreds of billions in federal spending by reducing waste and increasing efficiency. This bipartisan bill would take commonsense steps, such as eliminating a costly and duplicative catfish inspection program, consolidating federal data centers, and increasing competition in federal contracting.
• Adopting Biennial Budgeting: I am a cosponsor of legislation (H.R. 1869) to adopt a two-year budget cycle for the federal government. Following the example set by New Hampshire and other states, this bill would free up more time for congress to conduct oversight and ensure tax dollars are spent wisely or not at all.
• Improve the Veterans Affairs Budget: I signed on as a cosponsor to the Department of Veterans Affairs Budget Planning Reform Act of 2015 (H.R. 216), which would reform the VA budget process through four major components through the Future-Years Veterans Program: a five year budget program, the Quadrennial Veterans review, ensuring accountability over VA’s longer-term strategic outlook, and to designate a Chief Strategy Officer to provide the VA Secretary with long-range strategies and implications.
• Eliminating Duplication: I helped introduce H.R 937, the Regulatory Improvement Act, which creates an independent commission to propose to Congress certain unnecessary, outdated, and overburdensome regulations for elimination. In 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 the GAO released reports outlining wasteful and duplicative government programs that should be consolidated or eliminated. For example, these reports highlight overlap between 53 federal programs to assist entrepreneurs and small businesses, twenty entities that provide housing assistance, and over 200 Department of Justice grant programs. Implementing these expert proposals won’t solve all of our fiscal challenges, but they are sensible steps that will make our government more efficient, effective, and accountable to the American people.

I am also a cosponsor of legislation (H.R. 530) to help the government save billions of dollars, cut wasteful spending, and consolidate duplicative programs. The bipartisan Government Waste Reduction Act would advance a series of expert waste-cutting recommendations that were included in recent Government Accountability Office reports but were never acted on by Congress.

Fostering Job Creation and Economic Opportunity

From day one, my top priority in Congress has been helping create jobs and opportunity for middle class New Hampshire families. Since taking office, I have traveled to every corner of the second district to hear from educators, entrepreneurs, workers, and families about how Congress can help create jobs and grow the economy. Their thoughts and ideas form the foundation of the Jobs and Opportunity Agenda, which outlines a series of common sense, bipartisan steps – ranging from doubling down on investments in innovation and job training, to streamlining government programs – that Congress can take to help small business owners and middle class families achieve their goals.

This plan takes ideas from all across New Hampshire’s second district and shapes them into a cohesive vision that can help to create jobs and grow the economy, both here in the Granite State and all across the country. From supporting small business to reducing the deficit in a balanced way, the Jobs and Opportunity Agenda touches on a wide range of issues. It includes proposals to increase investments in workforce development; protect access to affordable higher education; and provide tax credits to companies relocating to the United States, among many others. Please take a moment to read the full text of my Middle Class Jobs and Opportunity Agenda, which is available here.

Some highlights from my Middle Class Jobs and Opportunity Agenda are listed below:

My top priority in Congress is to help create jobs and opportunity for hard-working middle class New Hampshire families. While our nation’s small businesses drive job creation and economic growth, our government plays a critical role in fostering the conditions businesses need to grow, thrive, and create jobs. As a member of the Small Business Committee, I am actively working to support innovation and the expansion of economic opportunity in our country.

To help workers, entrepreneurs, and employers compete and succeed, I am taking the following actions:

• Promoting Exports: I introduced the Small Business Growth through Exports Act (H.R. 3115), legislation to extend and expand the State Trade and Export Promotion Program, which has helped dozens of Granite State companies expand their exports, create jobs, and grow New Hampshire’s economy. This program helps businesses attend international trade shows, supports export training programs, and assists with the development of international marketing materials, among other efforts to boost American exports. I also hosted an Exporter Forum to discuss strategies for boosting international sales.
• Encouraging Public-Private Partnerships: To bring people together to improve workforce readiness, I introduced the Workforce Development Investment Act (H.R. 1747), a bill that would provide tax incentives to businesses that partner with community colleges and other educational institutions to improve job training for students. Through this legislation tax credits would be made available to employers who collaborate with educational institutions to equip students with the skills they need to compete for well-paying jobs.
• Hearing from New Hampshire Leaders: I know the best ideas don’t come from Washington—they come from employers, educators, and other stakeholders hard at work in New Hampshire and communities across our country. That is why I launched my “Congress At Your Company” series to hear directly from businesses leaders about how the federal government can better support economic growth and job creation in the Granite State. I have also brought together employers, students, teachers, and others through a series of roundtables to discuss how to best prepare students and workers for the 21st Century economy.
• Bringing Together Employers and Job Seekers: To connect Granite Staters with businesses looking to grow and hire new workers, I hosted a Career and Opportunities Fair. This successful event attracted more than two dozen employers and professional groups, as well as nearly 300 job seekers.

• Improving Access to Capital: Along with colleagues on the Small Business Committee, I helped introduce the Small Business Investment Company Modernization Act (H.R. 1106). This bipartisan legislation would expand the SBIC program, an important tool that leverages private funding to increase investments in small businesses. This program has operated successfully since 1958 and operates at zero cost to taxpayers.
• Encouraging Research and Development: I know the future of New Hampshire’s economy depends on continued investments in cutting-edge research. That is why I am fighting to expand and make permanent the research and development tax credit, an essential tool that helps maintain our nation’s leadership in the global innovation economy.

• Investing in Infrastructure: Our roads, bridges, airports, electrical grid, and other components of our national infrastructure are the foundation on which our economy is built. For American businesses to expand and hire, we must repair and strengthen the shared infrastructure needed to transport goods, people, and power. That is why I am a cosponsor of the Partnership to Build America Act (H.R. 2084), bipartisan legislation to leverage private investments to fund an Infrastructure Bank for financing public works projects.

• Protecting the New Hampshire Advantage: Some in Washington are pushing legislation that would require Granite State businesses to collect and remit taxes on online sales on behalf of over 9,600 tax jurisdictions across the country. This mandate would burden our economy and harm job creation, which is why I am fighting against the so-called Marketplace Fairness Act, which would burden New Hampshire’s small businesses.

Improving Access to Affordable Health Care

It is my goal to help ensure that all Granite State families have access to affordable, quality health care. I am committed to working with the business community and all stakeholders in a fiscally responsible way to lower the skyrocketing cost of medical care. If both parties work together, we can crack down on waste, fraud, and abuse within the health care system, reduce overpayments to insurance companies, and start paying health care providers for how well they treat patients, rather than how often.

To improve access to health care for New Hampshire families, I am taking the following steps:

• Addressing the Opioid & Addiction Crisis: We are facing a public health emergency in New Hampshire with opioid and heroin addiction/overdose. That’s why I co-founded the Bipartisan Task Force to Combat the Heroin Epidemic in the last congress, and why I fought for passage of the landmark Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (S.524). I also fought to include funding to address the opioid crisis in the 21st Century Cures Act (H.R.6), and I introduced Carl’s Law (H.R. 5601), which would require any medication that contains an opiate to include a warning on its label identifying the presence of opioids and the possibility of drug-seeking behavior.

• Supporting Biomedical Research: Research done by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) helps develop better tools to effectively detect, manage, and potentially cure a wide range of diseases afflicting families in New Hampshire and across the world. I recognize that this funding is critical for NIH to sustain its mission of improving health through scientific breakthroughs and maintaining international leadership in biomedical and pharmaceutical research. That is why I urged congressional leaders to approve robust funding for the NIH and its critical mission, supported making the research and development tax credit permanent, and am fighting to reverse the damaging impact of sequestration on research programs. Additionally, I supported the 21st Century Cures Act because it included billions of dollars in additional funding to innovative and groundbreaking medical technology and techniques.

• Fighting Alzheimer’s Disease: Among the top ten leading causes of death in America, Alzheimer's is the only one without a proven way to prevent it, cure it, or even slow its progression. This disease is deeply personal to me and I coauthored a book with my mother, Susan McLane, about her experience with Alzheimer's. That's why I am a proud cosponsor of the Health Outcomes, Planning, and Education (HOPE) for Alzheimer's Act (H.R. 1507), which would improve access to diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, as well as to care planning services for newly diagnosed individuals and their families. As a member of the Bipartisan Congressional Taskforce on Alzheimer’s Disease, I will continue to work with my colleagues to advocate for robust funding for medical research and to increase support to Alzheimer’s patients and their caregivers. I also supported the nearly $2 billion of funding to the BRAIN Initiative found within the 21st Century Cures Act. This initiative would focus on finding cures and treatments to brain disorders, especially Alzheimer’s.

To help strengthen New Hampshire’s health care system, I am member of the Children’s Health Care Caucus, the Bipartisan Alzheimer’s Disease Task Force, the Congressional Mental Health Caucus, Congressional Military Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Caucus, and the Biomedical Research Caucus.

Investing in Education

Access to Early Childhood Education: Early Childhood Education (ECE) is the foundation for success upon which children can develop the skills to be life-long learners. During the first few years of life, a child’s brain is at its most flexible, making this a critical period for learning and growth. Waiting until kindergarten is too late—children who receive quality early education demonstrate greater cognitive and socio-emotional development than children who do not. Research has shown that children who participate in ECE programs have better short- and long- term economic outcomes, which means this investment pays for itself over time.

• That’s why I’m proud to co-sponsor the Universal Childcare and Early Learning Act. This legislation creates federally supported Early Childhood Education facilities across the country. All families living below 200% of the federal poverty line ($51,000 for a family of four) would receive free access to these facilities, which will have to meet strict quality standards. All other families would have access on a sliding scale, and no family would pay more than 7% of their income for ECE. This legislation also increases pay for Early Childhood Educators so they receive the compensation they deserve.
• I introduced the Early STEAM Achievement Act, which would provide funding for ECE providers to partner with local institutions of higher education to equip educators with the skills they need to teach STEAM to young children and develop curriculum to use in the classroom.

Federal Support for K-12 Education: Every student in New Hampshire deserves access to a high-quality public education, regardless of where they live.

Federal government meeting its obligation to NH schools

• I’m cosponsoring the Keep Our Promise to America’s Children and Teachers (PACT) Act, which puts the federal government on a ten-year glide path to fully fund Title I and IDEA. This will improve education in low-income school districts and relieve the high cost of educating students with disabilities.

Expand mental health care in schools

• I’m a cosponsor of the Increasing Access to Mental Health in Schools Act. 1 in 5 students experience a mental health problem that interferes with learning, yet only 20% receive adequate support. This legislation establishes a grant program to increase the number of mental health professionals at low-income schools by connecting them with institutions of higher education and creating partnerships to have graduate mental health students work in schools.

Addressing the Cost of Higher Education: Higher education has provided Americans with a pathway to improve their economic well-being. Unfortunately, the high cost of college is keeping Americans from obtaining this important education.

• Fixing public service loan forgiveness

I’m proud to cosponsor the What You Can Do For Your Country Act. The Department of Education’s failure to properly administer the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program has resulted in a 5% approval rate for borrowers that wish to participate in this program. This bill makes numerous reforms to PSLF to ensure students engaged in public service have their loans forgiven after ten years, as Congress intended when it created the program.

• Stop government from making money off student loan interest rates

I’m a cosponsor of the Student Loan Refinancing Act, which allows students to refinance their student loans at the 10-year T note rate, plus 1% and caps all future loans at this rate (3%). Direct loans carried a 5% interest rate for the 2018-2019 school year and direct PLUS loans (given to parents) carried a 7% rate. This bill will make borrowing more affordable for students and their families

• Improve transparency about outcomes

I’m also a cosponsor of the College Transparency Act, which requires colleges and universities to release accurate and complete information on undergraduate outcomes, such as graduation rates and employment results across all majors.

The Department of Education will compile this information on an easy-to-use website so parents and students can browse results and help inform what course of study they choose to pursue in college.

• Make graduate education more affordable

I was proud to introduce the Expanding Access to Graduate Education Act. All students are entitled to 12 semesters of Pell Grants. If a student graduates on time (after eight semesters), they still have remaining Pell eligibility. This legislation allows students to put remaining Pell eligibility towards their first graduate degree. This will make graduate school more affordable for low-income students.

Expanding Career and Technical Education: Employers in New Hampshire and across the country need workers with technical abilities to help their companies succeed. I have supported many pieces of legislation to improve access to career and technical education (CTE). These programs give students the skills they need to earn a respectable wage and raise a family, while providing businesses with the workforce they need to succeed.

• Improving CTE Programs

I was proud to introduce the Workforce Development Investment Act, which provides tax credits for employers to partner with CTE programs to create curriculum that teaches students the skills they need to get jobs in their local community.

• Make CTE programs more accessible and affordable

I am a cosponsor of the Skills Investment Act, which would update Coverdell Education Savings Accounts to allow funds to be spent on skills-based learning, career training, and workforce development programs. Currently, accounts can be used towards basic school expenses, like supplies and uniforms. These accounts function like a Health Savings Account. Workers can make tax-free contributions and tax-free withdrawals towards eligible expenses. The legislation also allows employers to make contributions towards employees’ accounts.

Promoting Local Agriculture and Rural Development

In New Hampshire, the agricultural industry contributes nearly one billion dollars to our local economy every year. With over 400,000 acres of land across the Granite State devoted to everything from timber operations and greenhouses to dairy farms and apple orchards, agriculture is an integral part of our landscape and history. I was proud to be the first Representative from New Hampshire to serve on the House Agriculture Committee in decades, and honored to be named as a Conferee to the Farm Bill Conference Committee in July 2018. This committee had the task of reconciling the House-passed and Senate-passed Farm Bills into the final 2018 Farm Bill, which was signed into law in December 2018.

In my role on the Conference Committee, I advocated for priorities to be included in the Farm Bill that would benefit small family farms in New Hampshire, rural communities, and vulnerable New Hampshire residents who need food assistance. In addition, I highlighted the importance of working across the aisle to protect New Hampshire’s dairy producers, enhance conservation efforts, invest in USDA-Rural Development and protect the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

I also fought successfully to include key provisions from my legislation, the Homegrown Organic Act of 2017, in the final Farm Bill. One of these provisions removes a separate payment limit for the Environmental Quality Incentives Program Organic Initiative (EQIP-OI), which provides financial assistance to implement environmentally friendly conservation practices for organic producers. Practices administered through EQIP-OI can help improve soil quality and enhance nutrient management, and this provision provides additional financial support to producers who wish to transition to organic. The other provision adjusts the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) by directing the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a “bundle” of conservation practices that is dedicated to organic transition. Both provisions will help decrease our country’s reliance on imports of organic food, which is a win-win for our economy, environment and families nationwide.

Additionally, I was proud to work with Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) to secure provisions in the Farm Bill to strengthen the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) and expand the reach of the program into Cheshire and Belknap counties. The NBRC has a proven track record of supporting rural development projects that are having a positive impact on communities in northern and western parts of New Hampshire and expanding NBRC’s reach will allow more Granite State communities to grow and thrive.

I also used my role on the Conference Committee to advocate for New Hampshire’s dairy producers, fighting successfully to repeal the flawed Margin Protection Program and replacing it with a program in the Farm Bill that offers flexible options and lower costs for dairy producers.

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Protecting Seniors

For decades, Medicare and Social Security have been economic pillars in supporting our middle class seniors. Granite State seniors have worked hard their entire lives as they raised their families, strengthened our country, and paid into these vital programs.

I am committed to working towards sensible steps to ensure Social Security’s solvency long into the future. There are almost 200,000 people over the age of 65 in New Hampshire – a significant population that deserves the respect and attention of its representatives and lawmakers. Social Security benefits alone add more than $2 billion dollars annually to the New Hampshire economy. Social Security has lifted millions of senior citizens out of poverty and provided financial security for generations of widowed spouses, children, and people with disabilities.

Ensuring seniors and individuals with disabilities have access to quality and affordable care is one of my primary concerns. By enacting smart fiscal reforms we can preserve the future of Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security without compromising the benefits on which senior citizens and vulnerable families rely.

That is why I am taking the following steps to stand up for New Hampshire’s seniors:

• Defending and Strengthening the Social Safety Net: Our nation’s commitment to Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security reflects our commitment to the sick, elderly, and vulnerable among us. Shortly after taking the oath of office, I told the President that I will reject cuts to benefits for Americans in these critical programs. I also am a cosponsor of the Seniors Have Eyes, Ears, and Teeth Act (H.R. 3308), which would expand Medicare coverage to include eyeglasses, hearing aids, and dental care; as well as a cosponsor to the FAST Act (H.R.2799), which would expand access to telehealth services for stroke victims under Medicare to urban and suburban areas.

• Supporting Independent Living: I am a cosponsor of the Senior Accessible Housing Act (H.R. 5254), which would create a nonrefundable personal tax credit of up to $30,000 for senior citizens who modify their residences to enhance their ability to remain living safely, independently, and comfortably in their home.

• Standing up for Social Security and Veterans Benefits: I will not vote to cut benefits to these vital social programs. Working together, both parties must ensure that New Hampshire families can continue to count on these programs for generations to come. I am a cosponsor of a resolution (H.Con.Res 34) expressing that the Chained Consumer Price Index, which would lower benefits for seniors, should not be used to calculate cost of living adjustments for Social Security and veterans benefits.

• Negotiating for Lower Prescription Drug Prices: One reform we should make is to allow the federal government to negotiate for cheaper prescription drug prices for Medicare beneficiaries. I am a cosponsor of the Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation Act (H.R. 1102), which would make this common sense and fiscally responsible reform.

• Cracking Down on Fraud: I am a cosponsor of the Savings, Accountability, Value, and Efficiency (SAVE) Act (H.R. 1999), bipartisan legislation to cut wasteful federal spending by tens of billions of dollars. Among its many reforms, this bill would empower the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to better find and eliminate fraud through data collection and analysis. In addition, I voted yes on the Ensuring Terminated Providers are Removed from Medicaid and CHIP Act (H.R. 3716), which would require states to notify the Health and Human Services Department of health care providers who are terminated from the State’s Medicaid or Children’s Health Insurance (CHIP) program because of fraud.

Pursuing Smart Energy Policies

New Hampshire must pursue smart energy policies that both protect our environment and lower costs for Granite State families and businesses. That’s why I have taken the following steps:

• Incentivizing and Promoting Clean Energy: I am a cosponsor of the Prioritizing Energy-Efficient Renewables Act of 2015 (H.R. 3733). Sponsored by Rep. Jan Schakowsky, this bill would make permanent the production tax credit (PTC) for wind, solar, hydro, geothermal and marine renewable energy production, while repealing the tax deductions for oil and gas development. I also helped introduce the New Energy of America Act (H.R. 2412), which would extend through 2021 two important tax credits for residential and commercial solar energy development: the section 25D tax credit for residential energy efficiency and the section 48 commercial investment tax credit (ITC). Additionally, I signed a letter led by Rep. Tsongas (D-MA) and Rep. David Price (D-NC) to the Secretary of the Interior in opposition to opening portions of the Atlantic coast for offshore oil and gas drilling.

• Helping Low-Income Families with their Fuel & Energy Needs: I joined over 50 Members of Congress in sending a letter to Health & Human Services (HHS) Secretary Sylvia Burwell, requesting that HHS release as much Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) funding as possible under the current continuing resolution (CR). This program is critically important to NH District 2 residents as they prepare for the winter season.

To further help New Hampshire pursue smart energy policies, I am a member of the Energy Savings Performance Caucus, the High Performance Building Caucus, and the House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC).

Strengthening Bipartisan Cooperation

Granite Staters don’t expect Members of Congress to agree on everything, but they do expect us to work together and put solving problems ahead of partisanship. At a time when we face major obstacles in New Hampshire and as a country, we must bring people together to find common sense solutions. While both parties have real differences and will disagree on some issues, Congress owes it to the American people to work together on the things we can agree on.

That is why I joined with a group of Democratic and Republican colleagues who are committed to working together to solve our economic challenges. Early in 2013, we created the United Solutions Caucus to focus on balanced ways of addressing our nation's fiscal challenges. I am proud to be a founding member of this coalition of new Representatives from both sides of the aisle who share my commitment to finding common ground and breaking through the gridlock to solve the problems facing our country. That’s what New Hampshire families expect and deserve.

And that is why I am taking part in the following efforts to increase bipartisanship in Congress:

• Founding United Solutions: I am a founding member of the United Solutions Caucus, a bipartisan coalition of New Representatives focused on finding common ground.
• Pushing for Bipartisan Budget Talks: At the beginning of the 113th Congress, I led a push for congressional leadership to meet with new members of both parties to forge a bipartisan budget agreement. I have repeatedly pushed for increased bipartisan dialogue and reiterated this call when working to avoid a disastrous government shutdown.
• Working Across the Aisle: As part of my commitment to working across the aisle, I have introduced and advocated for a number of bipartisan bills, including legislation to:

• Facilitate the adoption process (H.R. 2439);
• Close costly and long-empty federal bank accounts (H.R. 1856);
• Improve veterans benefits for survivors of military sexual trauma (H.R. 2974);
• Improve whistleblower protections for individuals who report sexual assaults in the military (H.R. 1864);
• Encourage the greater use of automation to improve the processing of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) disability compensation claims (H.R. 1805);
• Repeal a costly and duplicative catfish inspection program (H.R. 1313); and
• Expand access to capital for small businesses (H.R. 1106).

Supporting Veterans, Military Families, and National Security

As a member of the Veterans’ Affairs Committee for my first six years in office and as the daughter and daughter-in-law of WWII veterans, I am proud to advocate for the courageous veterans, service members, and military families who have sacrificed so much for our country. We have a fundamental responsibility to strengthen health care benefits, cut bureaucratic red tape, expand job opportunities, and properly honor the dedicated men and women who have worn the uniform of the United States.

As a nation, we have the duty to serve our nation’s veterans as well as they have served us, which is why I am taking the following actions:

Helping Veterans Access Affordable, Quality Care: As the Ranking Member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, I worked across the aisle with my colleagues on the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee to advance the VA MISSION Act in June of 2018. I was one of two House Democrats to co-sponsor this legislation, which will increase the number of veterans who are able to receive care in their community through the Choice Program. The bill also includes a provision I fought for that provides special eligibility for community care to veterans in a state without a full-service VA hospital, such as New Hampshire. Support for our veterans is not a partisan issue and I’m glad my colleagues and I worked together to advance this legislation that will improve services at the VA for the men and women who have served our nation in uniform.

Helping Veterans Secure Housing and Employment: I cosponsored H.R. 4451, the Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Programs Reauthorization Act, which passed the House in May 2018. The bill extended homeless veterans programs for five years. In addition, the legislation clarified that veterans receiving supportive housing vouchers are also eligible for job training services. Under current law, veterans who receive housing vouchers are not considered homeless and thus cannot receive job training through the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program.

Ending Military Sexual Trauma and Assault: As the founder and co-chair of the Bipartisan Task Force to End Sexual Violence, I am committed to making our military safer and removing barriers that have prevented military sexual trauma survivors from coming forward and seeking justice. That’s why I fought to include a provision in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that addresses what the military calls “collateral misconduct” –violations of military rules committed by sexual assault survivors, which are often minor offenses. Despite the comparatively inconsequential nature of offenses, collateral misconduct is “one of the most significant barriers” to service members reporting sexual assaults, according to the Department of Defense’s own policy, which has been in place since 2004. My provision requires the first ever large-scale and independent review of prosecutions and punishments that target service members who survive sexual assaults. The NDAA was signed into law by President Trump in late 2018.

Giving Veterans Access to Quality, Cost-Free Child Care: I cosponsored the Veterans’ Access to Child Care Act, which passed the House in early February 2019. This bill would expand and make permanent the VA’s Child Care Pilot Program, giving all veterans seeking mental health treatment with the VA safe, reliable, and free child care. The legislation also includes provisions from an amendment I introduced that would ensure VA accounts for any travel burdens, excessive driving or geographic challenges veterans may face in accessing these child care services.

Improving Accountability at the Department of Veterans Affairs: Veterans have faced unacceptable challenges in access to care, including here in New Hampshire. I was deeply disturbed by the 2017 reports of alleged mismanagement and poor quality of care at the Manchester VA Medical Center. Our veterans deserve much better, which is why I held a field hearing on care issues at the Manchester VA in September 2017 with my colleagues, Congressman Jack Bergman (R-MI) and Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan. I’ve also focused on advancing bipartisan legislation aimed at improving services for veterans, such as the VA Accountability First Act of 2017, which was signed into law in Summer 2017. This legislation—which includes a provision from an amendment I introduced to strengthen VA whistleblower protections—will give the Veterans Affairs Department the authority to fire, demote, or suspend employees for poor performance or misconduct using an expedited process.