Senator Hassan Secures Key NH Priorities in Bipartisan Government Funding Package
WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) helped secure key New Hampshire priorities in the bipartisan government funding package that passed the U.S. Senate today. The legislation, which now goes to President Biden’s desk to be signed into law, provides government funding through the end of September for the Departments of Agriculture, Veterans Affairs, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, Energy, Interior, Commerce, and Justice. It also includes measures that Senator Hassan championed to extend funding for community health centers and strengthen access to addiction treatment. The remaining government funding bills must be passed by March 22.
“I am glad to see critical priorities for the Granite State included in this first set of government funding bills as part of our bipartisan work to keep the government open and working for the American people,” said Senator Hassan. “This bipartisan legislation will help more people access addiction treatment, provide services to veterans that they have earned and deserved, and strengthen our economy. I hope that the House will continue working with the Senate on a bipartisan basis to pass the remaining government funding bills to help tackle the urgent priorities that Americans are facing.”
The government funding package includes a number of key New Hampshire priorities that Senator Hassan advocated for and supported, including:
- Combating the fentanyl epidemic:
- Senator Hassan’s bipartisan bill with Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) to permanently require coverage for medication-assisted treatment for substance use disorder under Medicaid
- Senator Hassan’s bipartisan bill with Senator John Thune (R-SD) to expand access to short-term inpatient treatment at addiction treatment facilities under Medicaid
- Grants to support specialized court programs like drug, mental health, and veteran courts as well as addiction treatment programs in state and local jails and prisons
- Funding NH community health centers and medical services: A 10 percent funding increase for community health centers through December 31. Ten community health centers receive federal funding in New Hampshire, and all of New Hampshire’s health centers offer addiction treatment and mental health services on-site in addition to primary physical health care. Additionally, the package includes funding for the National Health Service Corps – doctors, including 45 in New Hampshire, who commit to work in areas with health professional shortages such as rural communities
- Providing veterans the benefits that they have earned: Funding to support veterans in rural communities and veterans experiencing homelessness, as well as funding to support veteran mental health, suicide prevention outreach through the 9-8-8 hotline’s Veterans Crisis Line, and PFAS environmental remediation
- Investing in local police departments: An increase to the Community Oriented Policing Service (COPS) grant program, which will support an additional 2,000 police officers in communities nationwide
- Prosecuting violence against women: Historic funding for the Office of Violence Against Women, which supports victims and survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking
- Supporting domestic manufacturing of high-tech semiconductors: $10.6 billion for implementation of the CHIPS and Science Act, bipartisan legislation that Senator Hassan helped develop and pass into law to support high-tech domestic manufacturing of semiconductors to lower costs and outcompete China
- Supporting rural economies: $41 million for the Northern Border Regional Commission, which provides critical infrastructure investments and economic development assistance to New Hampshire and other states
- Maintaining the Appalachian National Scenic Trail: Funding to support operations and maintenance of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail for visitors
- Improving access to affordable housing: More than $1.6 billion in rental assistance for Americans living in rural areas to make housing more affordable, and continued funding to build and repair houses, rental units, and support manufactured housing communities – an increase from last year
- Funding food security programs: Full funding for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children — known as WIC —which provides nearly seven million women and kids nationwide essential food and nutrition assistance
- Modernizing outdated government IT systems: Funds to improve information technology systems at the VA, including technology to improve customer service and electronic health records for veterans
###
