ICYMI: Senator Hassan Highlights Need for Less Talk, More Action from Trump Administration on Opioid Crisis

WASHINGTON – In response to the President’s State of the Union address, Senator Maggie Hassan highlighted the urgent need for less talk and more action from the Trump Administration on critical bipartisan priorities such as combatting the heroin, fentanyl, and opioid crisis.

Senator Hassan brought McKenzie Harrington-Bacote, who works to prevent substance misuse and support Laconia students impacted by the opioid crisis, as her guest of honor to the President’s speech in order to highlight the importance of getting more resources to those on the front lines of this devastating crisis.

Senator Hassan and Senator Jeanne Shaheen also encouraged their colleagues to wear purple ribbons distributed by Senator Shaheen to help bring awareness to the opioid epidemic and those struggling with substance misuse disorders.

Click here for Senator Hassan’s full response to President Trump’s speech and see below for highlights of the coverage:

Click here for a WCAX report on Senator Hassan’s State of the Union guest.

New Hampshire Senator Maggie Hassan says more resources are needed to combat opiates.

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She brought a school wellness director to hear the President’s State of the Union address.

[McKenzie Harrington-Bacote]“Students are coming to us and experiencing so many risk factors in their daily lives that if we are not helping them by supporting them and providing the services that they need to get through that, they’re never going to get to the place where they can learn.”

[Senator Maggie Hassan] “We can get better, but it does take resources on the front lines and so far we haven’t seen that from this Administration.”

WMUR: State of the Union: Hassan, Shaheen call for funds to back up Trump’s promise to fight opioid crisis

By John DiStaso

New Hampshire’s Democratic U.S. senators and House members reiterated their calls for President Donald Trump to deliver funding for treatment programs to combat the opioid epidemic after the president talked about the crisis in his first State of the Union address.

[…] U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan said Trump “once again failed to lead in calling for more federal resources to strengthen treatment, prevention, recovery and law enforcement efforts. Struggling families and communities don’t need words, they need real help.”

Both senators wore purple ribbons to the address to highlight the need to provide resources for combatting the opioid epidemic.

[…] Hassan said that while Trump “touched on many important issues tonight, we’ve unfortunately seen this script before from the president – lots of big promises, but little action to back them up.”

“Since taking office, the president has delivered huge giveaways to corporate special interests and the ultra-wealthy, but he has not come through for middle class families or for communities reeling from the devastating opioid crisis."

AP: NH reps say Trump needs to do more for opioid epidemic

New Hampshire's Democratic congressional delegation reacting to President Donald Trump's State of the Union appreciate his efforts to take on the opioid epidemic, but say he hasn't done enough to get funding.

[…] Trump also spoke of rebuilding highways, roads, and bridges. Sen. Maggie Hassan, a member of the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, says she looks forward to working in a bipartisan way to evaluate the proposal and ensure it would meet New Hampshire's needs.

Concord Monitor: Chessy Prout, opioid experts, Trump critic invited to State of the Union address

By Paul Steinhauser

As President Donald Trump delivers his first State of the Union Address on Tuesday night, two Granite Staters who are leaders in the fight against the heroin and opioid epidemic will be watching the speech from the gallery as guests of New Hampshire’s two U.S. senators.

[…] Hassan invited McKenzie Harrington-Bacote of Plymouth as her guest of honor. Harrington-Bacote focuses on preventing substance use among students as program administrator for the Laconia School District’s office of school wellness.

Hassan said she’s “inspired” by Harrington-Bacote’s efforts to help Laconia’s schools become a model statewide for “supporting students impacted by the substance misuse crisis.”

New York Times: What Were Those Purple Ribbons For at the State of the Union?

At least a dozen members of Congress wore purple ribbons at President Trump’s State of the Union address on Tuesday night to help raise awareness about the country’s opioid epidemic.

[…] Lawmakers who donned the purple ribbons included Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic leader, as well as Senators Maggie Hassan and Jeanne Shaheen, both Democrats of New Hampshire. Before the speech, Ms. Shaheen personally encouraged her colleagues in Congress to wear the ribbons, which her office distributed to lawmakers.

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