Dear Friend,

Last week, we learned that in a conversation with Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto, President Trump said that he won New Hampshire because “New Hampshire is a drug-infested den.”

I was disappointed, along with most Granite Staters, by these rude and ignorant comments. At a time when we need to be working together to address the opioid epidemic, Mr. Trump is making disparaging remarks about New Hampshire to foreign leaders while not taking enough action at home to promote policies that will help our response to the substance misuse crisis. Instead, he continues to promote efforts to roll back access to healthcare for thousands of Granite Staters. I’ve found willing partners in both Republicans and Democrats to work together in addressing the national opioid crisis by focusing on creating comprehensive and long-lasting solutions. The President’s comments show that he does not fully understand the gravity of this issue and the need to work together collaboratively on real solutions, and I ask him to apologize to all Granite Staters. 

I remain concerned with the current situation at the Manchester VA Medical Center and am committed to ensuring facilities are providing quality care to our veterans. On Friday, I met with Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin. I appreciate the Secretary’s visit to New Hampshire and the seriousness being given to allegations of quality of care issues at the Manchester VAMC. However, major questions remain. That’s why I announced last week that I will be convening a hearing of the House Veterans’ Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations in New Hampshire on September 18th. This hearing will examine quality of care issues at the Manchester VAMC as well as challenges in access to care for New Hampshire veterans. I have invited the whistleblowers who raised the issues of care at Manchester to testify. I’m hopeful that by bringing the Subcommittee to New Hampshire, we will be able to gain a greater appreciation for what went wrong in Manchester, how we can fix those issues, and how we can prevent this from happening elsewhere. Granite State veterans deserve better, and we must ensure that they are able to access the services and care they need. 

As your Congresswoman, I’m also committed to supporting our local farmers, who play a critical role in our state’s economy. Last week, I introduced the Homegrown Organic Act of 2017, a bill that will modify three existing conservation programs to incentivize farmers who wish to transition to organic agriculture.  Organic agriculture is the fastest growing sector of the U.S. food industry, with demand for sales far exceeding the domestic supply.  In New Hampshire, organic farms play a role in preserving our environment and natural landscape, as well as providing fresh quality food to thousands of consumers. My legislation aims to boost American production of organic products by assisting farmers who are working towards USDA Organic Certification, a process that can take up to three years. It’s my hope that we can expand organic farming in our state by encouraging more farmers to transition to organic. 

In addition to enjoying these beautiful summer days in the Granite State, I encourage you to use your voice and let your elected officials know what is on your mind. I look forward to hearing your concerns and ideas on how to make our state safer and stronger. You can always call my office with any questions, concerns, or ideas you have, as well. My Concord office can be reached at 603-226-1002 and my Washington, DC office at 202-225-5206. 

Thank you for everything you do to make our state such a wonderful place to work, live, and raise a family. I hope you have a great week!