Congresswoman Ann McLane Kuster

September 21, 2024

Hello Friends,

I hope you are having a safe and wonderful weekend! You may have seen in the news that Congress’ September 30th deadline to pass a budget agreement or short-term funding package is quickly approaching, so I want to update you on where things stand.

Republicans and Democrats need to compromise and pass a short-term, bipartisan stopgap funding package.

This week, Republican leadership put the well-being of hardworking families and our economy at risk by pushing a hyper-partisan government funding package that would:

Jeopardize veterans’ access to medical care at VA facilities;
Force the Social Security Administration to reduce hours or close field offices;
Threaten national security and military preparedness by freezing the Department of Defense’s operating budget; and
Put FEMA’s disaster recovery efforts at risk and defer long-term public assistance recovery and hazard mitigation projects.

The Republican proposal also included legislation that would make it harder for Americans to exercise their right to vote by requiring proof of citizenship to cast their ballots even though it is already illegal for noncitizens to vote in our elections. Republicans know that this extreme proposal is a non-starter in the Senate, but wasted precious time playing political theater with the budget.

Government funding bills are typically bipartisan because they have to be, especially in a divided Congress. My Democratic colleagues and I are ready, willing, and able to work with reasonable Republicans to pass a bipartisan, short-term funding deal that keeps the government open and working for the American people.

You can read my full statement here.

Tackling the Addiction and Overdose Crisis

With overdose deaths finally falling, we need to keep working to connect people with the resources and treatment they need to recover.

The addiction and overdose crisis has impacted every community across the country. But this week, new data shows that overdose deaths declined by as much as 10.6% over the last year—this translates to nearly 20,000 averted deaths.

I founded my Bipartisan Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Task Force to bring together Democrats and Republicans committed to combatting the devastating opioid and substance use disorder crisis in our communities.

Thanks to our bipartisan work to expand access to treatment and recovery services, stop the flow of dangerous drugs into our communities, and make over-the-counter overdose reversal medications like Narcan more accessible, we’re finally seeing progress in our fight against this tragic epidemic. While more work remains to save lives, this news represents a positive step in the right direction.

Building a 21st-Century Workforce

Creating good-paying jobs is one of my top priorities in Congress.

Here in New Hampshire and across the country, dedicated and hardworking Americans are striving to build their own American Dream, but they’re being held back by a workforce system that doesn’t uplift and empower them.

This week, as Chair of the New Democrat Coalition, I was proud to help unveil our Jobs Action Plan, which will help address labor shortages, reward hard work, and strengthen our economy. I’ll keep working to build an economy that benefits everyone and equips them with the tools and skills they need to succeed.

Growing Our Economy from the Bottom Up and Middle Out

I’ll keep working to build an economy that benefits hardworking, middle-class families.

As inflation continues to cool, the stock market hits record highs, and costs decrease, this week, the Federal Reserve announced its decision to cut interest rates for the first time in more than 4 years.

This decision is a welcome step in the right direction and marks the strength of our economy. While more work remains to lower costs across the board, this rate cut will provide much-needed breathing room for hardworking Granite State families.

My Commitment to New Hampshire Women

To every Granite State woman and her family: I see you, I hear you, and I am fighting for you.

With extreme attacks on women’s reproductive freedom and economic security on the rise, I was proud to stand with my Democratic Women’s Caucus colleagues this week to unveil our Commitment to America’s Women.

While extreme, far-right Republicans push policies that criminalize abortion and restrict access to birth control and fertility care, give tax breaks to the ultra-wealthy and big corporations, and cut funding for workforce development, the Democratic Women’s Caucus is committed to restoring and protecting your reproductive freedoms, lowering your everyday costs, and raising your wages so that you and your family can thrive.

News You Can Use

Graphic courtesy of travel.state.gov.

Online Passport Renewal: Exciting news, Granite Staters—renewing your passport just got easier! This week, the State Department launched its Online Passport Renewal (OPR) system, allowing you to securely renew your passport online from the comfort of your home!

You can learn if you qualify for online renewal here.

To stay updated on my work in Congress and around the Granite State and for important information and resources, like my page on Facebook and follow me on Twitter.

I hope you have a safe and wonderful weekend!

Be bold, be brave, be kind.

Sincerely,

Annie