Hi All!

I hope you all had a fantastic weekend. Last week, I worked on several issues that I know have a major impact on the lives of Granite Staters.

For example, I introduced a bill to improve access to affordable health care for families, and I questioned Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) officials at a Veterans’ Affairs Committee hearing on the importance of improving health care for our nation’s veterans.

Helping Families Afford Health Care

Recently I introduced the Family Coverage Act, a bill to fix a glitch in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that prevents thousands of families from accessing affordable health coverage. The Family Coverage Act will help ensure that employees who do not have access to affordable job-based coverage for their families can receive premium tax credits to help pay for family coverage.

I’ve always said the Affordable Care Act is far from perfect. The ‘family glitch’ is just one example of how this law needs to be fixed. We need to improve access to affordable health care coverage for all Granite State families, which is why I was proud to introduce the Family Coverage Act. 

This bill would increase the number of families in New Hampshire that have access to premium tax credits, so they can afford high-quality health insurance. I urge the House to swiftly pass this legislation, which could increase coverage for more than 460,000 children. Furthermore, I will continue to work across the aisle to push fixes to the ACA, so that every Granite Stater can access the affordable coverage they were promised when this bill was signed into law.

Pushing for Answers at the VA

At a Veterans’ Affairs Committee hearing last week, I questioned private health care consultants and VA officials about how to immediately fix and solve wait time problems that have recently been uncovered at VA medical centers across the country. Since the wait times and secret wait lists were discovered, I have been speaking out on the need to immediately resolve these problems and ensure that no veteran faces any obstacle to receiving care. From bringing more doctors in to increasing access to telemedicine and building new clinics, VA facilities across the country must take the lead in cutting down on bureaucracy and prioritizing quick, efficient delivery of care.

I have sought to provide strict oversight of the VA medical centers serving New Hampshire veterans, and I am working with NH veteran leaders to find ways to cut down on bureaucracy in the state’s VA system. I recently sent a formal letter to the New England VA Network Director urging a complete review of wait times to ensure that no Granite State veteran has trouble accessing the care he or she needs, and I asked for whistleblower protection for staff who come forward with information. Recently, I held a roundtable discussion with Veteran Service Organizations and veteran leaders to hear about their experiences at local VA medical centers and any issues they may have experienced. I will continue to be in touch with veteran leaders to help ensure the problems happening on the national level are not occurring in New Hampshire.

Rebuilding the American Manufacturing Industry

I was proud to show my continued support last week for the "Make It In America" initiative to strengthen the American manufacturing industry. These proposals are focused on training a 21st century workforce, encouraging innovation, and bringing jobs back to the U.S. from overseas. As part of this Make It In America plan, I introduced myWorkforce Development Investment Act to provide tax incentives to businesses that partner with community colleges to strengthen workforce development for students. This year's plan also includes my Small Business Growth and Investment Act to free up capital to help small businesses expand their operations.

Have a good week and thanks for everything you do to make New Hampshire such a wonderful place to live!