Dear Friend,

My thoughts are with the families and loved ones of the nearly 200,000 Americans who have died from COVID-19 as our country reaches this grim milestone. It's encouraging to see that our work to slow the spread of coronavirus here in New Hampshire has been effective, but we must stay vigilant. National cases of COVID-19 are on the rise as the number of infections climbs to nearly 7 million. If we continue to take precautions including wearing face masks, physical distancing, and frequent handwashing, we can get through this.

This week, I joined C-SPAN's Washington Journal to discuss vaccine development, our nation's response to COVID-19, and political interference at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In February in a hearing in the Energy and Commerce Committee, I told Health and Human Services (HHS) Director Alex Azar that the key to our response to the public health crisis is trust and credibility. We must provide honest, truthful information to the American people as best as we know it because maintaining that trust is crucial as we face this pandemic.

Unfortunately, the Administration, this President, and the political appointees have been changing scientific advisories and the information that the American people receive. That has eroded our trust. If Americans don't have faith and confidence in the vaccine, people will be disinclined to take the vaccine and we will have a much lower rate of “uptake.” The way the vaccine works best is if enough people take the vaccine that we stop the spread of COVID-19.

We need to be patient, we need to stop politicizing the vaccine, and we need to wait until the scientists tell us we have a safe and effective vaccine. Then we need to encourage everyone to take it.

Yesterday, the House passed the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, a bipartisan bill to establish a pregnant worker’s clear-cut right to reasonable workplace accommodations, provided they do not impose an undue burden on their employer. I'm proud of our bipartisan work to pass this legislation to ensure that pregnant employees have the right to reasonable workplace accommodations.

When pregnant women are forced to work without these protections, the outcome can be tragic. This commonsense legislation provides necessary, long-overdue safeguards for pregnant workers. Pregnant women are at heightened risk of serious complications from COVID-19, so these protections are more important than ever as the virus continues to spread in communities across the country. I urge the Senate to swiftly take up this bipartisan bill.

This week, I joined my colleagues in introducing the I Am Vanessa Guillén Act in honor of the late Army Spc. Vanessa Guillén. This bipartisan legislation would make it easier for those in the military to report sexual assault and sexual harassment and get the justice they deserve. I look forward to supporting this important measure on the House floor in the coming weeks.

As the founder and co-chair of the Bipartisan Task Force to End Sexual Violence, I have been working on solutions to prevent and address sexual assault and sexual harassment in the military and throughout our communities.

Granite Staters depend on the U.S. Postal Service for life-saving medications, Social Security checks, voting, and so much more - especially during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Today, I toured the U.S. Postal Service’s Logistics and Distribution Center in Nashua with Rep. Chris Pappas to learn about its operation and underscore the importance of protecting the USPS from ongoing Administration efforts to slow service and undermine confidence in this public service. Thankfully, a federal judge stepped in yesterday to block USPS changes made by the Postmaster General that slowed mail.

While misguided operational changes made by the Postmaster General have resulted in mail delays here in New Hampshire and across the country, I am grateful to the hard-working USPS employees for their tireless work to continue providing essential services to the American people. I have helped to pass legislation to provide much-needed support to USPS, and I will continue working to defend the Postal Service and provide critical funding to this important institution.

The health and economic crisis caused by COVID-19 has made recovery that much more difficult for those living with mental health and substance use disorders. On Wednesday, I joined my colleagues in wearing purple to recognize National Recovery Month. Together, we can end the stigma surrounding mental health and addiction.

COVID-19 testing is available at many locations throughout the Granite State - click here for a list of testing sites (and see map below).

It is important to remember that even if you feel fine and aren’t showing any symptoms, you still could have COVID-19 and infect others, so it is critical to wear a mask to help prevent the spread of the virus. In addition, keep a safe distance from others at public gatherings, wash your hands thoroughly and frequently, and avoid crowds. Click here for information about how to properly use cloth face coverings to stop the spread of coronavirus.