Hi Everyone!

I hope you all had a great weekend.  I spent last week meeting with constituents and advocating for New Hampshire small businesses. 

It was wonderful to welcome so many Granite Staters to Washington last week.  Hearing your ideas and stories is one of the best parts of my job, and I look forward to continuing to discuss issues important to New Hampshire in the coming weeks and months.

Meeting the Red Sox in our Nation’s Capital

Last Tuesday, I was incredibly excited to meet the Boston Red Sox when President Obama welcomed them to the White House.  As a lifelong New Englander and Red Sox fan, it was quite a unique opportunity to meet the team we spend the spring, summer, and fall all rooting for.  It was wonderful to see members of both parties put aside their differences and enjoy each other’s company, while celebrating one of our country’s greatest pastimes.  Hopefully 2014 will be our year!

Focusing on Infrastructure and Education

On Friday, I was proud to offer an amendment on the House floor that emphasizes the importance of investing in education, infrastructure, and other programs that help hardworking New Hampshire families succeed.  While we must cut waste and spend responsibly, it is essential that we protect important investments that support the continued growth of our economy and lead to job creation.  Watch the video of my speech here!

Hearing From Environmental Advocates

On Wednesday, I met with the folks from the Nature Conservancy to discuss a number of important environmental issues.  They presented me with a beautiful photograph in recognition of my advocacy for the lands and water of the Connecticut River.  Last year, I joined my colleagues in sending a letter to Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell urging her to visit the Connecticut River and to support the National Blueways Program.  In New Hampshire, we are blessed with incredible mountains, lakes, forests, and rivers. Growing up, I cherished spending time on Newfound Lake and enjoying all four beautiful seasons in the North Country.  As your Representative, I will continue to work on behalf of the Granite State’s natural environment.

Granite Staters on the Cutting Edge

On Wednesday, I participated in a Small Business Committee hearing on the impact of bitcoin and other virtual currencies on small businesses.  One of the witnesses was Dr. L. Michael Couvillion, an Associate Professor of Economics at Plymouth State University, who testified about the possible benefits and obstacles presented by the growth of bitcoin.  While this technology is still being developed and defined, Bitcoin’s popularity in New Hampshire is rapidly expanding and Dr. Couvillion’s research is helping us understand this new and exciting trend, which could impact our state’s economy.  Granite State entrepreneurs and businesses are on the cutting edge of technology, driving our economy forward into the 21st Century

Helping Granite Staters

Earlier this year, I was contacted by the Haynes Library Association in Alexandria, NH, about an issue it was having with the Internal Revenue Service.  The Association had lost its 501(c)(3) tax exempt status, which made the future of the library very uncertain.  My office worked with the IRS to expedite this process, and on March 31, 2014, the application was approved.  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 a wonderful week and thanks for everything you do to make New Hampshire such a great place to live!