Hi All!

I hope you all had a great weekend.  I spent last week fighting to protect medical professionals in New Hampshire from tax fraud and meeting with constituents in Washington.

Preserving Cybersecurity for Granite Staters

Following reports that over 140 medical professionals in New Hampshire had been victims of tax fraud over the last year, I called on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to work with the Secret Service and the Internal Revenue Service to identify and swiftly remedy any vulnerabilities in their cybersecurity systems. Criminals somehow obtained the Social Security numbers of doctors, dentists, and nurses, and used them to falsely file tax returns in their names, presumably in an attempt to steal tax refunds.  In my letter to CMS and DEA, I expressed deep concern over how these criminals were able to obtain the Social Security numbers.

These reports are gravely concerning and have impacted the ability of medical providers in our state to file their tax returns.  In addition to these affected individuals, I am very concerned that many more of our neighbors may have become targets for tax fraud. New Hampshire taxpayers deserve to live their lives without fear of tax fraud and abuse. 

Meeting With NH First Responders

Last week, I had the pleasure of meeting with NH Fire Marshal Bill Degnan and other firefighters from the Granite State.  We discussed the many ways in which fire departments in New Hampshire are working to innovate and better protect our communities.  We must support our first responders by ensuring they have the resources and equipment they need to perform their important duties.  That is why I was proud to advocate for robust funding for the SAFER and AFG grant programs, which provide assistance to fire departments in New Hampshire and across our country.

Welcoming the Secretary of the Air Force to NH

Friday morning, I joined Senators Shaheen and Ayotte at Pease Air National Guard Base to welcome Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James to New Hampshire.  We had the opportunity to tour the base, including the KC-135 refueling tanker, before a Wing All Call in the hangar.  Secretary James gave an informative update on her work to ensure that our Air Force and Air National Guard have what they need to continue keeping our country safe, and commented on how impressed she was with the facilities and personnel at Pease.  It was wonderful having her here to see all of the exciting things happening in the Granite State!

Celebrating Talented Artists in the Granite State

Later on Friday, I hosted a reception at the Kimball Jenkins School of Art in Concord to announce the winner of the 2014 Congressional Art Competition. I am proud to announce that Peterborough student McKenzie West has won this year’s art competition.  McKenzie is a senior at ConVal High School in Peterborough. Her winning painting, Great Horned Owl, will be displayed at the U.S. Capitol, and McKenzie has been invited to attend a reception in Washington, D.C. later this month to view the display in person. During the reception, I also presented certificates to other Second District students who participated in the competition in recognition of their accomplished submissions.

 I’m so proud of McKenzie and all the students who took part in this year’s Congressional Art Competition.  So much talent, passion, and creativity shone through each of the pieces of art they submitted for the competition, and I congratulate all the students for putting in so much hard work and effort. We must support arts education programs in schools so we can to continue to encourage the extremely talented, creative young minds we have here in the Second District.

Helping Granite Staters

Earlier this year, I was contacted by a constituent named Frederick Prevo from Nashua who needed a copy of his military service record in order to apply for benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs.  My staff was able to work with the National Personnel Records Center to expedite the process and obtain a copy of the necessary records for Frederick.  If my office may ever be of assistance with a problem you are facing, please contact my staff at 603-226-1002 so we may help you resolve your problem or get you the information you need. 

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