{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where chamber = \"Senate\", state = \"NH\" and year = 2020 sorted by date descending", "rows": [["https://kuster.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/kuster-meets-virtually-with-nh-banks-to-discuss-receive-updates-on-covid", "Kuster Meets Virtually with NH Banks to Discuss, Receive Updates on COVID-19 Relief Efforts", "2020-10-07", "2020", "2020-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "NH", "Ann Kuster", "K000382", "kuster.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC - Today, Rep. Annie Kuster (NH-02) met virtually with leadership from New Hampshire banks to hear about their experiences with COVID-19 funding relief programs. Kuster co-sponsored the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act, which became law in June and provides flexibility to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to make critical funds more accessible to small businesses that are facing economic challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She also co-sponsored the Paycheck Protection Small Business Forgiveness Act, which would streamline forgiveness of PPP loans under $150,000. Kuster held a virtual discussion with NH Bankers and local businesses in August to discuss relief funding.\nThe COVID-19 pandemic has hit Granite State small businesses hard, forcing some business owners to lay off employees or close their doors, said Kuster. Throughout this unprecedented public health and economic crisis, I have worked hard to secure federal funding that, with the help of our bankers across the state, has brought over $2.5 billion in aid to New Hampshire businesses. I look forward to sharing the insights I heard today with my colleagues as we consider additional COVID-19 relief legislation, and will continue to act as a resource for businesses across the state. By working together, we can ensure a strong economic recovery and move forward from this crisis.\nWe are grateful to Congresswoman Kuster for keeping the lines of communication open with our bankers during the pandemic, to engage with us and understand the industry challenges as bankers do their best to support their customers and communities, said Kristy Merrill, President of the NH Bankers Association. We are especially grateful for her support and co-sponsorship of legislation to streamline PPP forgiveness for loans less than $150,000 to the benefit of our small Granite State businesses. We look forward to our work together to continue New Hampshire's economic recovery.\nDuring the discussion, Kuster heard from:\n Rick Wallis, President & CEO, Piscataqua Savings Bank, Chair of NH Bankers\n Reginald Greene, President & CEO, Claremont Savings Bank, V Chair of NH\n Bankers\n Ron Magoon, President & CEO, Franklin Savings Bank, Treasurer of NH Bankers Association\n Linda Lorden, President & CEO, Merrimack County Savings Bank, Secretary of NH Bankers Association\n Clayton Adams, President & CEO, Mascoma Bank\n  Brian Bozak, Executive VP, COO & CFO, Franklin Savings Bank\n James Graham, President & CEO, Woodsville Guaranty Savings Bank\n Ryan Hale, VP Government Relations, NH Bankers Association\n Jocelyn Kelly, State Government Relations Manager, Citizens Bank\n Ann Lally, President & CEO, Salem Cooperative Bank\n Kristy Merrill, President, NH Bankers Association\n Daniel Morrison, CEO, Cambridge Trust New Hampshire\n  Ann O'Clair, SVP, COO, CFO, Sugar River Bank\n Ryan Pope, VP Office Manager, Cambridge Trust\n  Ken Sheldon, NH Market President, Bank of America\nKuster worked with her colleagues in Washington to secure federal funding that led to more than 24,000 PPP loans that brought over $2.5 billion to NH businesses. She also supported the CARES Act, which provided funding for the state's creation of the Main Street Relief Fund, Self Employed Livelihood Fund and the GAP fund, all of which provided critical funding to Granite State businesses, entrepreneurs and nonprofit organizations. In May, Kuster voted in favor of the HEROES Act, which provides businesses greater flexibility to use PPP and additional funding for EIDL. The House passed an additional COVID-19 relief package  an updated version of the HEROES Act  last week, and negotiations with Senate Republicans were ongoing until President Trump announced last night that negotiations were over until after the November 3 election.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://kuster.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/kuster-statement-on-president-trump-ending-covid-relief-negotiations", "Kuster Statement on President Trump Ending COVID Relief Negotiations, Postponing Until After Election", "2020-10-06", "2020", "2020-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "NH", "Ann Kuster", "K000382", "kuster.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Hopkinton, NH  Today, Rep. Annie Kuster (NH-02) released the following statement after President Trump announced on Twitter that he has instructed his administration to stop negotiating on a COVID-19 relief package until after the election:\nGranite Staters and Americans across the country are hurting and they need relief  that's why we passed the HEROES Act in the House nearly five months ago. The health and economic crisis caused by COVID-19 didn't have to be this bad, but Senate Republicans and President Trump refuse to provide Americans the support they need.\nMore than 7.5 million Americans have tested positive for the virus, over 210,000 have died, and millions have lost their jobs. But today, President Trump demanded an end to COVID-19 relief negotiations, all while his administration is working to overturn the Affordable Care Act and jam through a SCOTUS nominee who would vote to strip health care from millions. Today, the President made it clear that he only cares about one patient: himself. He doesn't care about the economic fallout from this crisis or the pain it has caused countless families, small businesses, and workers.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://kuster.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/kuster-leads-efforts-to-streamline-and-improve-supply-chain-to-va", "Kuster Leads Efforts to Streamline and Improve Supply Chain to VA Hospitals", "2020-10-05", "2020", "2020-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "NH", "Ann Kuster", "K000382", "kuster.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Last week, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a reportoutlining recommendations to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to fix problems with its program intended to provide VA medical centers with medical and surgical supplies. In 2018, Rep. Annie Kuster (NH-02) led the effort to have GAO provide specific recommendations on how VA Medical Centers can better obtain the medical supplies necessary to care for Granite State veterans. In the report, GAO makes eight recommendations to the VA, including that it develop a plan for assessing the success of its DOD supply pilot program.\nThe VA MSPV program has a long history of many medical supply chain challenges, said Congresswoman Kuster. I am deeply concerned about the continued delays in delivery times, numerous reports of backorders, and limited selection of critical medical supplies for our nation's veterans. This GAO report outlines clear failures from VA leadership in making the needed improvements to the Medical Supply Vendor Program that would ensure VA medical centers have an efficient, cost-effective way to procure supplies. Instead, they are met with out-of-stock notices and further delays in meeting the health care needs of 9 million veterans. Though the VA plans to launch MSPV 2.0 in 2021, many of the issues that require attention will remain unaddressed unless further action is taken. It is my hope that VA leadership will take the recommendations in this report seriously and implement them before the launch of MSVP 2.0\nThe ongoing pandemic has dramatically exposed the longstanding supply chain issues within the VA that this report speaks to, said Congressman Pappas. Our veterans should never face delays in their care due to antiquated inventory systems and poor supply chain management with vendors that the VA has repeatedly failed to correct. The VA needs a modern and effective acquisition and inventory system to provide our veterans with the care they have earned, and I will continue working with my colleagues and the VA to ensure these recommendations are implemented.\nThe VA's Medical-Surgical Prime Vendor-Next Generation (MSPV-NG) program is intended to provide an efficient, cost-effective way for its 170 medical centers to order supplies. The VA aims to use the MSPV-NG program for 90% of medical supply purchases, but the GAO report found that only 11 percent of the centers meet that target. The VA has a 2.0 MSPV program planned, but it is only designed to solve some of these issues. The report also finds that under the 2.0 MSPV-NG program, about a third of supplies will continue to arrive through drop shipments  supplies shipped from manufacturers rather than local warehouses  which are often delayed. The GAO report is here, and a summary of highlights from the reporter is here.\nLast month, Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01), Chair of the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, held a hearing examining supply chain issues within the VA that continue to undermine the Department's response to COVID-19. These long standing supply chain issues have resulted in shortages of PPE at VA hospitals, forcing the Department to turn to the private sector for help.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://kuster.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/bipartisan-task-force-to-end-sexual-violence-holds-virtual-roundtable-on", "Bipartisan Task Force to End Sexual Violence Holds Virtual Roundtable on Addressing Human Trafficking in the U.S.", "2020-10-01", "2020", "2020-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "NH", "Ann Kuster", "K000382", "kuster.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Watch the roundtable discussion here.\nWashington, DC - Today, the Bipartisan Task Force to End Sexual Violence, led by Representatives Annie Kuster (D-NH), Jackie Speier (D-CA), Dave Joyce (R-OH), and John Katko (R-NY), held a virtual roundtable discussion on addressing human trafficking in the United States. According to Polaris, which runs the National Human Trafficking Hotline, 2019 saw a 20% increase in reports to the hotline from victims and survivors directly. The average age at the time the trafficking situation beganof survivors of sex trafficking who were identified in 2019 was just 17. Cases of trafficking and sexual exploitation increase in times of crisis, with crisiscalls to Polaris increasing by over 40% in the month following the COVID-19 National Emergency declaration.\nThe Task Force Members and panelists discussed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the rates and prosecution of human trafficking crimes - specifically, the implications of students utilizing online learning, prisons being emptied to reduce transmission, and the financial impacts of the pandemic on vulnerable populations and those at risk of trafficking. The connection between pornography and trafficking, the need for affordable housing to reduce trafficking, and the impact of trafficking on children and minors specifically were also topics discussed on today's roundtable.\nThe Task Force was joined by:\n Catherine Chen, CEO Of Polaris\n\tYasmin Vafa, Executive Director of Rights4Girls\n\tEleanor Kennelly Gaetan, Ph.D., Director of Public Policy at the National Center on Sexual Exploitation\n\tEric Smith, Special Agent In-Charge of the FBI Field Office in Cleveland, Ohio\n The COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated the serious problem of human trafficking, which already was not getting the attention it deserved before this health crisis began, said Kuster. In addition to the serious health consequences, the pandemic has also led to significant increases in unemployment, causing more people to be vulnerable to trafficking. Today's discussion reinforced that law enforcement alone is not the answer to this problem. As Polaris's Catherine Chen said, We cannot arrest our way out.' If we want to make a substantial impact and eliminate human trafficking, we must tackle the systemic issues that make people vulnerable to trafficking in the first place, such as housing insecurity.\nKuster continued, While Congress has taken action to provide assistance to those who are struggling, we need to do more. We must continue working to prevent people from losing their homes, and it is imperative that we pass the HEROES 2.0 Act to provide the stimulus payments, unemployment assistance and homeowner/renter insurance people need. I deeply appreciate hearing from today's panelists on this important issue, and I look forward to sharing their insights with my colleagues as we continue our efforts to combat human trafficking and ensure Americans have the support they need to get through the COVID-19 crisis.\nHuman trafficking traps victims in a heartbreaking cycle of abuse and exploitation, Rep. Speier said. Although we are living through unprecedented challenges, Congress cannot lose sight of the critical fight to eradicate the epidemic of human trafficking. In fact, COVID-19 has made at-risk populations even more vulnerable to trafficking and reduced access to services for survivors. Now more than ever, it is imperative that Members of Congress and experts in the field work together to examine how we can better address the root causes of trafficking, support survivors, and adapt to the increasingly technological nature of this crime. I look forward to working with my Task Force Co-Chairs to end this scourge.\nHuman trafficking is one of the fastest growing forms of transnational crime, said Congressman Dave Joyce (OH-14). It's estimated that over 40 million people are victims of human trafficking each year, resulting in profits exceeding those earned by Starbucks, Google and Nike combined. Sadly, the ongoing pandemic has exacerbated many of the circumstances that allow these crimes to happen. In April, the National Human Trafficking Hotline saw the number of reported trafficking situations increase by more than 40%. All of those statistics go to show how critical any and all efforts to eliminate these crimes are. I'm proud to join my colleagues on the Bipartisan Task Force to End Sexual Violence in standing with our panelists in their fight to combat human trafficking. We will continue to do everything in our power to support their efforts at the federal level.\nAs a former federal prosecutor, today's discussion hit close to home, said Rep. Katko. I saw the heinous consequences of human trafficking firsthand during my time on the Northern and Southern border. I firmly believe we must employ a systemic approach to recognizing and protecting victims among us. As a starting point, I was proud to have legislation I introduced signed into law that permanently disqualifies any individual who has been convicted of a human trafficking crime from operating a commercial motor vehicle. I'm also grateful for the work of McMahon/Ryan Child Advocacy Center, Vera House, and other organizations in Central New York that are on the frontlines of the fight against human trafficking. Moving forward, I intend to continue my work across the aisle to combat these crimes in the U.S. and around the world.\nEven before the COVID-19 pandemic, Black, indigenous and communities of color, young people without parental support, and LGBTQ young people were more likely to be targeted for sex and labor trafficking, said Catherine Chen, CEO of Polaris. COVID-19 and the resulting economic impacts have disproportionately affected these same groups, increasing their vulnerabilities. As people continue to lose loved ones and caregivers, their jobs, face evictions and housing instability, and more, these situations become fertile ground for traffickers who prey on the most vulnerable for their own profit. Polaris is grateful to Representatives Kuster, Speier, Joyce, and Katko for hosting this critical conversation on combatting sex and labor trafficking in this unprecedented time and we look forward to working together to ensure this health and economic crisis does not exacerbate the ongoing tragedy of human trafficking.\n\"The National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE) was so grateful to be invited by Rep. Ann Kuster to participate in the task force's human trafficking briefing,\" said Eleanor Gaetan, NCOSE Public Policy Director. \"She and the bipartisan task force are driving for solutions--not just more talk on how bad trafficking is.\"\nWe're honored to join today's discussion on how Congress can help prevent human trafficking as part of the Bipartisan Task Force to End Sexual Violence, said Yasmin Vafa, Executive Director of Rights4Girls. We're grateful to Congresswoman Kuster and the Task Force co-chairs for hosting this critical discussion examining the ways in which the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated sex trafficking and heightened the vulnerability of women and children across the country. At a time where so many of our nation's children are facing increased violence and exploitation, the work of the Task Force is essential to helping identify solutions Congress can take to improve the safety and well-being of our youth.\n\"Human trafficking remains a concern for law enforcement and communities nationwide. The use of the internet remains at the heart of these crimes, said Eric Smith, Special Agent In-Charge of the FBI Field Office in Cleveland, Ohio. The recruitment and subsequent grooming of victims is often accomplished through use of social media. Over time, the applications used by traffickers and their techniques have changed but the premise is the same. Gain the trust of a potential victim, offer them affection, money, or material items and then introduce them to the world of sex trafficking. The FBI remains committed to working with our law enforcement and community partners to identify and prosecute traffickers and provide victims the assistance they need.\nToday's virtual roundtable can be viewed here.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://kuster.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/kuster-backed-legislation-to-protect-young-athletes-passes-house-goes-to", "Kuster-Backed Legislation to Protect Young Athletes Passes House, Goes to Presidents Desk", "2020-10-01", "2020", "2020-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "NH", "Ann Kuster", "K000382", "kuster.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC  Today, the House of Representatives passed the Empowering Olympic, Paralympic, and Amateur Athletes Act, which Congresswoman Annie Kuster (NH-02) helped introduce. This legislation is targeted to help eliminate sexual violence and harassment in athletics. It will create a Congressional commission to assess how the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) and national governing bodies can best protect athletes, increase athlete representation on governing boards within USOPC, protect survivors from retaliation, and fund the Center for SafeSport at $20 million per year.\nOur young athletes are some of the very best our country has to offer, and coming from a family deeply involved in winter Olympic sports, their safety is very personal to me,\" said Kuster. \"These athletes and their families put their complete trust in USOPC and its personnel, and tragically that trust has sometimes been violated. With passage of this legislation, Congress is making clear that abuse of athletes will not be tolerated nor swept under the rug. I'm committed to working with the countless members of the Olympic community who have dedicated themselves to keeping our athletes safe as we look ahead to the games in 2021. As these young people represent our nation in competition around the globe, we owe it to them to have their backs and protect them from violence and harassment.\"\nIn the aftermath the arrest and investigation of USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar, Congress created the Center for SafeSport in 2017. The center is tasked with both investigating allegations brought forth by athletes and Olympic personnel as well as proactively conducting education and outreach efforts to prevent this abuse from continuing to occur. In 2018, Rep. Kuster joined with then-Rep. Ted Poe to introduce bipartisan legislation, the Keep Young Athletes Safe Act, which helped secure an additional $2.5 million per year to support SafeSport's education and prevention work. Rep. Kuster is also a founder and co-chair of the Bipartisan Task Force to End Sexual Violence.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://kuster.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-kuster-statement-on-passage-of-covid-19-relief-legislation", "Rep. Kuster Statement on Passage of COVID-19 Relief Legislation", "2020-10-01", "2020", "2020-10", "Democrat", "Senate", "NH", "Ann Kuster", "K000382", "kuster.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC - Today, the House of Representatives advanced additional legislation in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, passing an updated version of the HEROES Act, which first passed the House on May 15, 2020. This legislation includes a number of provisions proposed in Rep. Kuster's Roadmap to Recovery that would support New Hampshire's efforts to combat the pandemic and bolster America's economic recovery.\nThe COVID-19 pandemic has challenged our economy and public health infrastructure in unprecedented ways, and Granite Staters have stepped up to the plate to support their communities and neighbors during this health crisis, said Congresswoman Kuster. New Hampshire families, workers, small businesses, and communities are depending on Congress to take action to assist our state and local efforts to keep them safe, and that is exactly what the House did today. The new legislation we passed will deliver another round of direct economic impact payments to individuals and families, support small businesses, provide funding to schools and hospitals, restore unemployment benefits, and boost funding for the development and distribution of a COVID-19 vaccine.\nImportantly, this bill would direct over $800 million to New Hampshire towns and counties that have been on the frontlines of this pandemic, and creates a streamlined forgiveness system for businesses using the Paycheck Protection Program, which will cut red tape and make it easier for business owners to have their loans forgiven, Kuster continued. I was pleased to support this critical legislation, which includes several principles and ideas that I prioritized in my Roadmap to Recovery. I urge Senate Republicans and President Trump to join our efforts in delivering real relief for the American people.\nThe updated HEROES Act protects lives, livelihoods and the life of our democracy. To address needs that have arisen since the House first acted, the updated legislation includes:\n Strong support for small businesses, by improving the Paycheck Protection Program to serve the smallest businesses and struggling non-profits, providing hard-hit businesses with second loans, and delivering targeted assistance for the struggling restaurant industry and independent live venue operators.\n Additional assistance for airline industry workers, extending the highly successful Payroll Support Program to keep airline industry workers paid.\n More funds to bolster education and child care, with $225 billion for education  including $182 billion for K12 schools and nearly $39 billion for postsecondary education  and $57 billion to support child care for families.\n\nIn addition, it maintains key priorities from the version of the legislation that passed the House in May. Among the bill's many provisions, it:\n Honors our heroes, through $436 billion to provide one year's worth of assistance to state, local, territorial and tribal governments who desperately need funds to pay vital workers like first responders and health workers who keep us safe and are in danger of losing their jobs.\n Supports testing, tracing and treatment, through $75 billion for coronavirus testing, contact tracing and isolation measures, with special attention to the disparities facing communities of color, ensuring every American can access free coronavirus treatment, and supporting hospitals and providers. The updated bill also includes $28 billion for procurement, distribution and education campaigns for a safe and effective vaccine.\n Provides additional direct payments, cushioning the economic blow of the coronavirus crisis with a more robust second round of economic impact payments of $1,200 per taxpayer and $500 per dependent.\n Protects payrolls, by enhancing the new employee retention tax credit that encourages employers to keep employees on payroll.\n Ensures worker safety, by requiring OSHA to issue a strong, enforceable standard within seven days to require all workplaces to develop and implement infection control plans based on CDC expertise.\n Preserves health coverage, protecting Americans from losing their employer-provided health insurance by making unemployed Americans automatically receive the maximum ACA subsidy on the exchanges, as well as a special enrollment period in the ACA exchanges for uninsured Americans.\n Restores unemployment benefits, ensuring weekly $600 federal unemployment payments through next January and preventing unemployed workers from exhausting their eligibility, providing a vital safety net for the record number of Americans who are unemployed, including those connected to the gig-economy.\n Bolsters housing assistance, helping struggling families afford a safe place to live with tens of billions in new supports to assist renters and homeowners make monthly rent, mortgage and utility payments and other housing-related costs  preventing homelessness.\n Strengthens food security, addressing rising hunger with a 15 percent increase to the maximum SNAP benefit and additional funding for nutrition programs that help families put food on the table as well as targeted support for farmers and producers impacted by the crisis.\n Safeguards our democracy, with new resources to ensure safe elections, an accurate Census, and preserve the Postal Service.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://kuster.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/kuster-backed-legislation-to-support-live-music-venues-included-in", "Kuster-Backed Legislation to Support Live Music Venues Included in Latest COVID-19 Response Package", "2020-09-30", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "NH", "Ann Kuster", "K000382", "kuster.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC - Today, Representative Annie Kuster (NH-02) released the following statement upon the inclusion of the Save Our Stages Act in the updated Heroes Act. Kuster is a cosponsor of the Save Our Stages Act, a bipartisan, bicameral piece of legislation that would provide six months of financial support to keep independent live music venues afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic. Live music venues play an important role in downtowns and communities across New Hampshire and around the country. These businesses were among the first to close due to the pandemic and will likely be among the last to reopen, making it very difficult for them to survive the current health crisis.\nAs a passionate supporter of the arts and someone who loves live music, I feel strongly about the need to help our independent live music venues during this difficult time, said Congresswoman Kuster. In addition to providing general enjoyment to the public, these venues also play a meaningful role in the economic wellbeing of communities in New Hampshire and across the country. I'm proud to join my colleagues in support of this much-needed legislation, and appreciate its inclusion in the updated Heroes Act, which represents House Democrats' continued work to provide relief and support to the American people.\n\"Independent music venues are 'nonessential' businesses whose mission is to build and bind the community through large-scale gatherings, and COVID-19 has struck at the very heart of our work,\" said Joe Clifford, executive director of Lebanon Opera House. \"The nature of event planning dictates that we work months, sometimes a year, in advance. We simply cannot afford to cease the planning, booking, selling, and marketing of arts events  the very events that determine our livelihoods and allow us to deliver on our missions. We thank Congresswoman Kuster for her support of the Save Our Stages Act, which would provide much-needed funding to help live music venues like ours get through the pandemic.\"\nThe Save Our Stages Act (H.R. 7806) would:\n Authorize the appropriation of $10 billion for the Small Business Administration (SBA) run live music venue grant program.\n\tNarrowly define independent live venue operators, promoters, and talent representatives to prevent large, international corporations from receiving federal grant funding.\n\tDirect the SBA to make grants to eligible venues equal to the lesser of either 45 percent of operation costs from calendar year 2019 or $12 million.\n\tAllow the Small Business Administrator to issue supplemental grants in the future if funding remains available and applicants can demonstrate need.\n\tPermit recipients to use grants for costs incurred during the COVID pandemic.\n\tRequire recipients to return remaining funding after one year from the date of disbursement.\n\tPermit recipients to use grants for rent, utilities, mortgage obligations, PPE procurement, payments to contractors, regular maintenance, administrative costs, taxes, operating leases, and capital expenditures related to meeting state, local, or federal social distancing guidelines.\n ###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://kuster.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/kuster-questions-public-health-experts-on-plans-for-covid-19-vaccine-in", "Kuster Questions Public Health Experts on Plans for COVID-19 Vaccine in Virtual Energy and Commerce Committee Hearing", "2020-09-30", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "NH", "Ann Kuster", "K000382", "kuster.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC - Today, Rep. Annie Kuster (NH-02) took part in a virtual Energy and Commerce Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee hearing entitled, Pathway to a Vaccine: Ensuring a Safe and Effective Vaccine People Will Trust. In the hearing, Members examined the safety and efficacy, accessibility to, and the public's trust in potential vaccines for COVID-19. In response to a question from Rep. Kuster on the lessons learned about mass distribution of a vaccine from past vaccination programs, one of the witnesses, Dr. Ali S. Khan, M.D., MPH, MBA, explained that it starts with appropriate messaging and good planning. In June, Kuster introduced legislation to expand the United States' manufacturing capacity and require the Trump Administration to begin planning for a COVID-19 vaccine immediately.\nDuring the hearing, Kuster and her committee colleagues heard from Dr. Helene Gayle, M.D., MPH, Co-Chair of the Committee on Equitable Allocation of Vaccine for the Novel Coronavirus at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Dr. Ashish K. Jha, M.D., MPH, Dean of the School of Public Health at Brown University; Dr. Ali S. Khan, M.D., MPH, MBA, Dean of the College of Public Health at the University of Nebraska Medical Center; Dr. Mark McClellan, M.D., Ph.D., Founding Director of the Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy at Duke University, and Dr. Paul A. Offit, M.D., Director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.According to the Pew Research Center, the politicization and the race to produce a vaccine has had a dramatic effect on the public's openness towards a future vaccine, with the percentage of people who said they would get the vaccine if it were available today dropping from 72 percent in May to just over 50 percent currently.\nDeveloping a safe, effective vaccine is vital to putting the COVID-19 pandemic behind us, but a vaccine will only be half the battle, said Kuster. Once we have an approved vaccine, we will still face the formidable challenge of distributing hundreds of millions of doses around the country, as well as reassuring Americans that they can trust the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine. This will be an unprecedented effort, and we must rely on science - not politics - throughout this process. I appreciate hearing from all of the experts today who are dedicated to this vital undertaking. I look forward to our continued work together to support science and combat political interference so that the American public can have the utmost confidence in a future COVID vaccine.\nA member of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight & Investigations and the Subcommittee on Health, Kuster has been outspoken on the need for a safe, effective COVID-19 vaccine. Earlier this year, Kuster and Hakeem Jeffires introduced the Coronavirus Vaccine Development Act, which requires the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) to take steps to expand and enhance our nation's manufacturing capacity for COVID-19 vaccines and products necessary to administer the vaccines. In July, Kuster participated in a virtual Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee hearing on Operation Warp Speed, where she questioned drug companies about developing and manufacturing a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine.\nRep. Kuster's line of questioning can be viewed here, and the full hearing is available here.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://kuster.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/nh-delegation-announces-628k-for-nh-to-support-family-based-programs", "NH Delegation Announces $628K for NH to Support Family-Based Programs & Services for Incarcerated Parents with Young Children", "2020-09-30", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "NH", "Ann Kuster", "K000382", "kuster.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, DC)  U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), the Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations subcommittee that funds the Department of Justice (DOJ), announced with U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Representatives Annie Kuster (NH-02) and Chris Pappas (NH-01) that DOJawarded $628,472 to the New Hampshire Department of Justice through funding from the Office of Justice Programs. The funding will be used to strengthen and expand mental health and family support services in detention and correctional facilities to incarcerated parents with children younger than the age of 18. By increasing access to services that support their needs, the funding will help improve communication between inmates and their families, promote a successful reentry into society and reduce recidivism rates following their release.\nWe need to support programs that will help prisoners reenter society and become productive members of the community, said Senator Shaheen. It's also vital that we do a better job of supporting children of inmates while their parent is behind bars. I'm pleased to announce this funding, which will bolster and expand services for incarcerated parents and their children, addressing their needs and boosting the chances of a successful transition once they are released. I'll continue to fight for funding that supports New Hampshire's criminal justice system in the Senate.\nI am pleased to announce this federal grant to the New Hampshire Department of Justice, which will help children connect with their incarcerated parents, Senator Hassan said. These federal dollars will make a big difference for families across New Hampshire, and I will keep working to support programs that help formerly incarcerated Granite Staters successfully reenter their communities.\nPreparing inmates for reentry into society and reducing recidivism is not only the right thing to do, it's the smart thing to do, said Representative Kuster. By investing in the health and wellbeing of incarcerated individuals and their families, we are helping put these families on the path to success, which benefits Granite State communities and our economy. I'm glad to help announce this important funding, and I will continue working to ensure people who are justice-involved have the resources and support they need to rebuild and have a healthy second chance at life.\nI am pleased the New Hampshire Department of Justice has received a Second Chance Act Grant which will help countless Granite Staters change their lives for the better. This federal funding allows our state and county correctional facilities to establish a system for incarcerated parents to communicate and interact with their children as they prepare to reenter society. Our community is stronger when families are given a second chance to reestablish themselves and to build stable and productive lives,said Representative Pappas.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://kuster.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/nh-delegation-announces-557k-to-nh-community-loan-fund-to-support-small", "NH Delegation Announces $557K to NH Community Loan Fund to Support Small Businesses & Promote Economic Growth in Granite State Communities", "2020-09-29", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "NH", "Ann Kuster", "K000382", "kuster.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, DC)  Today, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, announced with U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Representatives Annie Kuster (NH-02) and Chris Pappas (NH-01) the award of $557,000 in federal funding to the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund to support small businesses and promote economic growth in Granite State communities. The award was allocated by the U.S. Treasury Department's Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund), which enables CDFIs like the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund to increase lending and investment activity in low-income and economically distressed communities in the Granite State and across the nation.\nAs the economic fallout spurred by this pandemic worsens, it is essential that New Hampshire businesses have the support they need to survive this crisis. This funding will help do just that by allowing the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund to expand access to capital in the hardest-hit Granite State communities to promote economic growth and create jobs, said Senator Shaheen. While this is welcome assistance, more is urgently needed to protect our small businesses that are on the brink of shuttering their doors. I continue to call for bipartisan progress on another COVID-19 relief bill that helps our small businesses, including my legislation that would fund a second round of loans through the Paycheck Protection Program.\nAs the COVID-19 pandemic continues to take a financial toll on Granite State businesses, the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund is providing critical financial support to communities in need, including to support affordable housing, Senator Hassan said. This federal grant will help the Community Loan Fund continue its important mission and help our economy recover from this unprecedented public health and economic crisis. I will continue pushing my colleagues to pass an additional COVID-19 relief bill to get critical resources to small businesses and individuals during this challenging time.\nSmall businesses have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, with many uncertain how much longer they will be able to keep their doors open, said Representative Kuster. This funding will provide Granite State businesses with much-needed financial support and help boost local economies in our state. I'm pleased by this development and I will continue working to ensure New Hampshire businesses have the resources they need to get through the COVID-19 crisis.\n  \n\tNew Hampshire's small businesses are the engine of our state's economy and make up the fabric of our communities. The economic downturn caused by this pandemic has placed a further stress on our small businesses and this federal assistance provides much-needed support to help them survive. This funding allows the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund to invest capital in economically distressed communities to spur job growth, said Representative Pappas.\nShaheen and Hassan are strong advocates of the CDFI Fund program. Earlier this year, Shaheen and Hassan sent a bipartisan letter to Senate leadership calling for $1 billion for the CDFI Fund as part of COVID-19 relief legislation.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://kuster.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/172-members-of-congress-introduce-house-resolution-condemning-forced", "172 Members of Congress Introduce House Resolution Condemning Forced Unnecessary Medical ProceduresIncluding HysterectomiesPerformed on Women in Irwin County, Georgia", "2020-09-25", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "NH", "Ann Kuster", "K000382", "kuster.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON  United States Representatives Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Annie Kuster (NH-02), Sheila Jackson Lee (TX-18), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29) and Lois Frankel (FL-21) led 172 members of Congress in introducing a House Resolution today that urgently responds to numerous reports of unnecessary medical proceduresincluding hysterectomiesbeing performed on immigrant women without their consent at the Irwin County Detention Center in Ocilla, Ga.\nAn initial review of available medical records by independent gynecologists raises serious questions about whether patients detained at the Irwin County Detention Center were provided informed consent and whether the facility adhered to prevailing standards of care, the lawmakers said in their resolution. These allegations indicate a failure by ICE to conduct rigorous oversight to protect the health and safety of people in its custody.\nThe resolution condemns performing unwanted and unnecessary medical procedures without the full, informed consent of individuals. It also recognizes that everyone deserves to control their own reproductive choices and make informed choices about their bodies. Additionally, the resolution says that further accountability, oversight and transparency is necessary to protect people in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.\nToday's resolution also calls on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to take a series of specific actions. This includes pausing the removal of any individual who experienced any medical procedure at the Irwin County Detention Center and allowing individuals who may have experienced an unnecessary or non-consensual procedure to have immediate access to adequate, safe and consensual medical treatment. Additionally, it calls on DHS to immediately comply with all investigations and records requests related to investigations while ensuring affected individuals are able to freely participate in any investigation without fear of reprisal. Finally, the resolution demands that DHS hold all individuals involved in these incidents accountable and bring them to justice.\nThe full resolution is available here.\nThe House Resolution is co-sponsored by U.S. Representatives Pramila Jayapal, Ann McLane Kuster, Sheila Jackson Lee, Sylvia Garcia, Lois Frankel, Alma S. Adams, Ph.D., Pete Aguilar, Cindy Axne, Nanette Diaz Barragn, Karen Bass, Joyce Beatty, Donald S. Beyer Jr., Sanford D. Bishop, Jr., Earl Blumenauer, Lisa Blunt Rochester, Suzanne Bonamici, Brendan F. Boyle, Anthony G. Brown, Julia Brownley, Cheri Bustos, Salud Carbajal, Tony Crdenas, Andr Carson, Matt Cartwright, Joaquin Castro, Judy Chu, David Cicilline, Gilbert R. Cisneros, Jr., Katherine Clark, Yvette D. Clarke, Emanuel Cleaver, II, James E. Clyburn, Steve Cohen, Gerald E. Connolly, Jim Cooper, J. Luis Correa, TJ Cox, Charlie Crist, Jason Crow, Henry Cuellar, Sharice Davids, Danny K. Davis, Susan A. Davis, Madeleine Dean, Diana DeGette, Rosa L. DeLauro, Suzan K. DelBene, Mark DeSaulnier, Ted Deutch, Debbie Dingell, LLoyd Doggett, Mike Doyle, Eliot L. Engel, Veronica Escobar, Anna G. Eshoo, Adriano Espaillat, Dwight Evans, Lizzie Fletcher, Bill Foster, Maria L. Fudge, Ruben Gallego, Jess G. \"Chuy\" Garca, Jimmy Gomez, Vicente Gonzalez, Al Green, Ral M. Grijalva, Deb Haaland, Alcee L. Hastings, Jahana Hayes, Denny Heck, Brian Higgins, Chrissy Houlahan, Jared Huffman, Hakeem Jeffries, Eddie Bernice Johnson, Henry C. Hank Johnson, Jr., Marcy Kaptur, William R. Keating, Robin Kelly, Joe Kennedy, Ro Khanna, Daniel T. Kildee, Derek Kilmer, Andy Kim, Ann Kirkpatrick, Raja Krishnamoorthi, Rick Larsen, John B. Larson, Brenda L. Lawrence, Barbara Lee, Andy Levin, Mike Levin, Ted W. Lieu, Zoe Lofgren, Alan Lowenthal, Nita M. Lowey, Ben Ray Lujn, Elaine Luria, Tom Malinowski, Carolyn B. Maloney, Doris Matsui, Lucy McBath, Betty McCollum, A. Donald McEachin, James P. McGovern, Jerry McNerney, Gregory W. Meeks, Grace Meng, Gwen Moore, Joseph D. Morelle, Seth Moulton, Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, Jerrold Nadler, Grace F. Napolitano, Joe Neguse, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Jimmy Panetta, Chris Pappas, Bill Pascrell, Jr., Ed Perlmutter, Scott Peters, Chellie Pingree, Mark Pocan, Katie Porter, Ayanna Pressley, David E. Price, Jamie Raskin, Max Rose, Lucille Roybal-Allard, Raul Ruiz, Bobby L. Rush, Tim Ryan, Linda T. Snchez, John P. Sarbanes, Mary Gay Scanlon, Jan Schakowsky, Adam B. Schiff, Kim Schrier, M.D., Bobby Scott, Terri A. Sewell, Donna E. Shalala, Brad Sherman, Mikie Sherrill, Albio Sires, Elissa Slotkin, Adam Smith, Darren Soto, Haley Stevens, Jackie Speier, Thomas R. Suozzi, Eric Swalwell, Mark Takano, Mike Thompson, Dina Titus, Rashida Tlaib, Paul Tonko, Norma J. Torres, Lori Trahan, David Trone, Juan Vargas, Marc Veasey, Filemon Vela, Nydia M. Velzquez, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Maxine Waters, Bonnie Watson Coleman, Peter Welch, Susan Wild, Frederica Wilson and John Yarmuth.\nThe House Resolution was also endorsed by nearly 50 organizations including the AFL-CIO; African Communities Together; Alianza Nacional de Campesinas; American Friends Service Committee; American Immigration Lawyers Association; Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC; Asian Pacific Institute on Gender- Based Violence; Casa de Esperanza: National Latin@ Network for Healthy Families and Communities; Center for Gender & Refugee Studies; Center for Victims of Torture; Church World Service; Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd, U.S. Provinces; Freedom for Immigrants; Human Rights First; In Our Own Voice: National Black Women's Reproductive Justice Agenda; Jewish Women International; Justice for Migrant Women; MoveOn; NARAL; National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd; National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum (NAPAWF); National Council of Jewish Women; National Immigration Law Center; NETWORK lobby for Catholic Social Justice; Oxfam America; Project On Government Oversight; Project South; Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC); SPLC Action Fund; Tahirih Justice Center; T'ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights; UnidosUS; Women's Refugee Commission; Asian Americans Advancing Justice- Atlanta; Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA); Georgia Detention Watch; Georgia Latino Alliance for Human Rights (GLAHR); Illinois Accountability Initiative; Iowa Coalition Against Domestic Violence; KhAAG; Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence; National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum (NAPAWF) Seattle Chapter; OneAmerica; Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence; Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Wind of the Spirit Immigrant Resource Center.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://kuster.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/kuster-backed-legislation-to-improve-veteran-health-care-passes-house", "Kuster-Backed Legislation to Improve Veteran Health Care Passes House", "2020-09-25", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "NH", "Ann Kuster", "K000382", "kuster.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC - This week, multiple pieces of legislation backed by Congresswoman Annie Kuster (NH-02) to improve access to health care for Granite State veterans passed the House of Representatives. Kuster was a co-sponsor of the VA Mission Telehealth Clarification Act, which would improve and expand access to telehealth services for veterans. She also backed the Equal Access to Contraception for Veterans Act to help female veterans access contraception.\n\"The men and women who have served our nation in uniform deserve access to the best health care and services possible,\" said Kuster. \"During the COVID-19 pandemic, it is more important than ever to ensure that telehealth services are available to the men and women who served so that they are able to safely access care from home. Comprehensive health care includes access to contraception and the legislation we advanced this week takes important steps to improve access to contraception for women veterans. I will continue to work across the aisle to stand up for Granite State veterans and their families.\"\nKuster has focused on working across the aisle to improve access to care and support for veterans in New Hampshire and across the country. Kuster helped to pass the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act, which expanded veterans benefits for 90,000 Navy veterans who served in the coastal waters of Vietnam and are impacted by toxic exposure as a result of their service. She also advanced $125 million to hire additional claims and appellate staff and overtime to reduce the disability claims backlog for veterans. Kuster was one of just two Democrats to co-sponsor the VA MISSION Act, which reauthorized the VA Choice Program and expanded access to community care for veterans in New Hampshire through a provision advocated for by Kuster.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://kuster.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/kuster-honors-justice-ruth-bader-ginsburg", "Kuster Honors Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg", "2020-09-25", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "NH", "Ann Kuster", "K000382", "kuster.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Watch Rep. Kuster's remarks on the House floor here.\nWashington, DC  This week, Rep. Annie Kuster (NH-02) spoke on the House floor to honor the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Today, Justice Ginsburg will make history, becoming the first woman to lie in state at the U.S. Capitol.\nWatch Rep. Kuster's remarks on the House floor here or read below.\nMr. Speaker, today I rise to honor and commemorate the life of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the Notorious RBG.\nAs Americans across the country mourn this tremendous loss, we look back on an amazing life and an extraordinary career that so clearly shaped the world we live in today.\nRuth Bader Ginsburg was a trailblazer for gender equality, a brilliant jurist who wrote some of our country's most important legal opinions, and a fierce defender of women's rights.\nHer presence, her grace indeed her courage on the court will be missed by all who cherished her advocacy.\nAs only the second woman to serve on the highest court in the land, Justice Ginsburg inspired a generation of women - my generation - to join her efforts in creating a more perfect union and combatting injustice that lurked in every corner of our country.\nFrom authoring the court's opinion in landmark cases that struck down laws discriminating against women, to issuing blistering dissents in cases like Ledbetter v. Goodyear where she believed the Court was failing to address pay discrimination in the workplace, Justice Ginsburg's voice on the Supreme Court represented the life experiences of so many American women.\nJustice Ginsburg led a full and meaningful life, and her chapter in American history will be earmarked for generations to come.\nIt is now up to all of us to complete the work unfulfilled, and in her words  fight for the things you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.\nJustice Ginsburg has passed the torch, and now it's up to us.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://kuster.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/kuster-backed-clean-energy-workforce-proposal-passes-house", "Kuster-Backed Clean Energy Workforce Proposal Passes House", "2020-09-24", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "NH", "Ann Kuster", "K000382", "kuster.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC  Today, the House of Representatives passed the Clean Economy Jobs and Innovation Act, an ambitious proposal to transition the US to a clean energy future and cut carbon pollution. The Kuster-backed proposal includes grants to local communities to improve the energy efficiency of schools, homes, and municipal buildings, investments to deploy more clean energy technology and historic support for the electrification of our transportation sector. The House adopted an amendment to the bill, offered by Rep. Kuster, to double funding for a nationwide job training program that will help students and unemployed Americans learn the skills they need to enter the clean energy workforce.\nAs wildfires rage in the West, hurricanes devastate the Gulf Coast, and drought leaves large parts of the Granite State parched, climate change is making life more difficult for Americans, said Kuster. The Clean Economy Jobs and Innovation Act is an historic piece of legislation that will create jobs in the clean energy sector and reduce harmful carbon pollution that jeopardizes the health of our planet. I am proud the House adopted my amendment to double funding for the energy workforce program. With more than 12 million Americans unemployed, this provision will help Granite Staters learn the skills they need to land good-paying jobs in the energy industry.\nRep. Kuster has championed carbon-reduction efforts during her time in Congress. In January, she released her Clean Energy Agenda, which contained many proposals that the House included in the Clean Economy Jobs and Innovation Act.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://kuster.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/kuster-fitzpatrick-lead-bipartisan-opioid-task-force-roundtable", "Kuster, Fitzpatrick Lead Bipartisan Opioid Task Force Roundtable Discussion on Using Technology to Prevent Addiction and Promote Patient Safety", "2020-09-24", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "NH", "Ann Kuster", "K000382", "kuster.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC  Today, Bipartisan Opioid Task Force co-chairs Rep. Annie Kuster (NH-02) and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01) led a roundtable conversation with members of the Task Force and experts on drug abuse prevention to discuss efforts to use technology to prevent addiction and promote patient safety.\nThe Task Force was joined by Jeffrey R. Wahl, Co-Founder & President of MIDAS Healthcare Solutions; Stephen C. Mullenix, R.Ph., Senior Vice President of Public Policy and Industry Relations, National Council for Prescription Drug Programs (NCPDP); Rachel Uzlik, Vice President of Clinic Services, Twin Cities Orthopedics, and George Blike, M.D., Chief Quality and Value Officer, Dartmouth Hitchcock.\nThe group discussed ways technology is employed to prevent physical dependence, addiction, misuse, and diversion of opioids. In addition, the group talked about the impact of COVID-19 on the opioid and addiction epidemic. The pandemic has forced locations across the country to cancel the DEA's Drug Takeback Day, and there has been resulting confusion around how to properly dispose of unused opioid medication.\nThe COVID-19 pandemic has been especially difficult for those who are struggling with substance misuse and addiction, and technology has become more critical than ever as a tool to help prevent addiction and keep people safe, said Congresswoman Kuster. I was proud to introduce bipartisan legislation to alert dispensers in real-time when a patient is at risk for abuse or harm by using existing prescription and dispensing data to review patient prescription history, including fill attempts. This is just one of the many ways technology can aid us in our fight to curb the opioid crisis. It was great to hear from today's experts about how else technology can be used for this important purpose, and I look forward to our continued work together to support those with addiction and prevent substance misuse.\nToday was a great opportunity to hear from experts on what they have been working on to combat the opioid epidemic. New, innovative, and groundbreaking advances are being made every day, and I am incredibly proud to be a Co-Chair of this Task Force, said Congressman Fitzpatrick. We must take advantage of all technology at our disposal to help those struggling with addiction and substance use disorder. Together, we will beat this epidemic.\nWe've seen a spike in fatal overdoses in western Maryland since the pandemic set in, said Congressman Trone. It's critical that we think creatively and use every resource available to us, including new tools and technologies, to prevent substance use disorders. I thank Congresswoman Kuster and Congressman Fitzpatrick for their leadership in the Bipartisan Opioid Task Force and for hosting this gathering of experts.\nKuster and Fitzpatrick were joined by Representatives Donald Norcross (NJ-01), Steve Chabot (OH-01), Brad Schneider (IL-10), David Trone (MD-06), Jimmy Panetta (CA-20), Grace Meng (NY-06), Debbie Dingell (MI-12), Marcy Kaptur (OH-09), Sheila Jackson Lee (TX-18), Bradley Schneider (IL-10), Lois Frankel (FL-12), Karen Bass (CA-37), Vicky Hartzler (MO-04), Bill Johnson (OH-06), and Bob Gibbs (OH-07).\nToday's roundtable discussion can be viewed here.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://kuster.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/kuster-praises-bipartisan-effort-to-pass-scarlett-s-sunshine-on-sudden", "Kuster Praises Bipartisan Effort to Pass Scarletts Sunshine on Sudden Unexpected Death Act", "2020-09-24", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "NH", "Ann Kuster", "K000382", "kuster.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC - Today, Rep. Annie Kuster (NH-02) spoke on the House floor to recognize the bipartisan effort to pass legislation to help research and prevent Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID) and support families who have lost a child to it. Kuster helped to advance the Scarlett's Sunshine on Sudden Unexpected Death Act in the Energy and Commerce Committee in July, paving the way for this week's vote on the House floor.\nIn 2018, Congresswoman Kuster's family lost her great-niece Lia to Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID) before her first birthday. Their loss was felt by the 62 Granite State families who also lost an infant to a sleep-related death, like SUID, between 2011 and 2018. In January, Rep. Kuster shared Lia's story in an Energy and Commerce Committee hearing where they heard from experts to explore how we can prevent unexpected and unexplained deaths among infants and children. Rep. Kuster is committed to improving child and maternal care to prevent families from losing a precious young one unexpectedly.\nRead Rep. Kuster's remarks below or watch here.\nThank you Mr. Chair.\nToday, I rise to speak in support of legislation we considered earlier this week, the Scarlett's Sunshine on Sudden Unexpected Death Act.\nMore importantly, today I rise in the memory of my great-niece, Lia, who died from SIDS just two years ago. As her mother and grandmother, my sister, said, our family will never be the same.\nLia is with me, in my heart, and in the work we do in Congress every day. She turned out to be a formidable advocate at just six months of life.\nEach year, roughly 3,500 infants tragically pass away from sudden, unexpected death in the United States, impacting families across this country in unimaginable ways.\nWhile the incidence of SIDS has declined by more than 50% since the 1990s, we still have so much work to do to better understand the cause of Sudden Unexpected Death Syndrome and advance research that can develop prevention strategies and further reduce infant mortality in America.\nThe bipartisan legislation that the House passed this week, the Scarlett's Sunshine on Unexpected Death Act, is a comprehensive approach to improving national guidelines and data consistency for sudden infant death and sudden unexpected death for children.\nIt also offers support for the families grieving their loss, and supports evidence-based approaches for outreach to decrease risk factors.\nI am a proud sponsor of this bill, for my great-niece, Leah, and am pleased to see the House advance this important legislation this week.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://kuster.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/kuster-energy-and-commerce-colleagues-hold-virtual-hearing-on-the", "Kuster, Energy and Commerce Colleagues Hold Virtual Hearing on the Affordable Care Act's Impact on Health Care Coverage During the COVID-19 Pandemic", "2020-09-23", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "NH", "Ann Kuster", "K000382", "kuster.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "**Watch Rep. Kuster's line of questioning here**\nA high resolution version of this photo is available here. \nWashington, DC  Today, Rep. Annie Kuster (NH-02) participated in a virtual Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee hearing on the Affordable Care Act's impact on health care coverage during the ongoing COVID-19 public health crisis. During the hearing entitled, Health Care Lifeline: The Affordable Care Act and the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Subcommittee heard from Aviva Aron-Dine, Ph.D., Vice President for Health Policy at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities; Dean Cameron, Director at the Idaho Department of Insurance; Dr. Douglas Holtz-Eakin, President at the American Action Forum; Peter Lee, Executive Director at Covered California; Benjamin D. Sommers, M.D., Ph.D., Huntley Quelch Professor of Health Care Economics, Professor of Health Policy & Economics, Professor of Medicine at Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health / Brigham & Women's Hospital.\nAcross this country, 135 million people under age 65 have a pre-existing condition, said Kuster. In New Hampshire, over 500,000 Granite Staters  more than half of our non-elderly population  live with pre-existing conditions and could be denied coverage or charged prohibitively expensive costs for care if the ACA were repealed. As our national COVID-19 case count approaches 7 million, it's important to remember that COVID-19 is also a pre-existing condition. I introduced the Protecting Americans with Preexisting Conditions Act  which has passed the House twice, and still sits on Mitch McConnell's desk. Despite what this Administration has claimed, let me be clear: in the nearly four years they have been in power, they have done nothing to protect Americans with pre-existing conditions. And this Administration has no comprehensive plan for how to ensure that all Americans have access to quality, affordable health coverage.\nWhether it's efforts to repeal and replace' without a replacement plan, issuing destructive guidance through junk health plan waivers, or fighting in the courts to dismantle the entire health care law  this is dangerous and destructive to the lives of the American people, Kuster continued. And they certainly have not supported the ACA in the midst of this global pandemic that has needlessly taken the lives of over 200,000 Americans. The stark reality is that every year of the Trump Administration, the rate of Americans without health insurance has increased. And this year has proven no different. The Administration's efforts to sabotage the ACA are nothing new, but it's all the more cruel while we face the COVID-19 pandemic.\nRep. Kuster has been working to hold the Trump Administration accountable for their efforts to sabotage Americans' health care. Protecting Americans with Preexisting Conditions Act passed the House in July as part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Enhancement Act.\nIn today's hearing, Kuster questioned experts on the effects of the Trump Administration's inexcusable refusal to establish a special enrollment period for health exchange plans during COVID-19. Over 40 million Americans have filed for unemployment benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic, and millions of Americans and their families have tragically lost their employer-based health coverage. A federally-established Special Enrollment Period would have allowed uninsured Americans to sign up for coverage on the federal Marketplace. This is especially critical in states like New Hampshire that depend on the federal government as a partner in the ACA marketplace\nDuring Rep. Kuster's questioning, experts confirmed the disastrous effect of the Administration's decision to deny a special enrollment period: Federal marketplaces had lower enrollment than state-based marketplaces that created their own special COVID-19 enrollment period. If the Federal marketplaces had been able to create a special enrollment period, 500,000 Americans would not be uninsured today during the ongoing pandemic.\nWatch Rep. Kuster's line of questioning here. The full hearing can be viewed here.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://kuster.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/kuster-meets-virtually-with-us-chamber-of-commerce-to-discuss-covid-19", "Kuster Meets Virtually with US Chamber of Commerce to Discuss COVID-19 Relief Programs, Accept Spirit of Enterprise Award", "2020-09-23", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "NH", "Ann Kuster", "K000382", "kuster.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC  Today, Rep. Annie Kuster (NH-02) met virtually with the US Chamber of Commerce and local Chambers to discuss the effectiveness of COVID-19 relief programs and receive the Spirit of Enterprise Award for her bipartisan leadership and efforts to support small businesses. Kuster co-sponsored the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act, which became law in June and provides flexibility to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to make critical funds more accessible to small businesses that are facing economic challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She also voted in favor of the HEROES Act  legislation that includes additional flexibility for PPP and more funding for Economic Injury Disaster Loans. Throughout the COVID-19 crisis, Kuster has held calls with businesses from across the state, as well as business relief program administrators to hear direct feedback about the effectiveness of relief programs.\nWhile the COVID-19 pandemic has presented us with unique challenges, we know that by working together to safely restore our economy and help those who are impacted most, we can reestablish New Hampshire's thriving business community, said Kuster. I've heard from many businesses, particularly early on in the pandemic, that were having issues applying for PPP and EIDL loans, and I was proud to work with a number of them to resolve these difficulties. Today's discussion has given me important insight into the challenges businesses continue to face during this crisis. I look forward to sharing these insights with my colleagues as we continue working to help business weather the COVID-19 pandemic.\nIn these uncertain times with daunting economic and social challenges facing our nation, it is imperative that leaders in Washington are focused on propelling American businesses forward to create jobs and economic growth from California to Maine, said Thomas J. Donohue, CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. As we rebuild our economy, legislators must lead by pursuing bipartisan solutions that create jobs and promote a free enterprise system. I'm proud to recognize these 259 Members of Congress for their commitment to driving opportunity and prosperity in America's workforce and on Main Streets across the nation.\nKuster was joined by:\n-Steve McAllister, US Chamber of Commerce\n-Kate Luczko, Greater Nashua Chamber of Commerce\n-Tracy Hutchins, Upper Valley Business Alliance\n-Phil Suter, Greater Keene Chamber of Commerce\n-Paul Kinney, Androscoggin Valley Chamber of Commerce\nToday's virtual roundtable can be viewed here.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://kuster.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/shaheen-hassan-and-kuster-applaud-352-million-grant-to-strengthen-flood", "Shaheen, Hassan and Kuster Applaud $3.52 Million Grant to Strengthen Flood Control Infrastructure in Bristol", "2020-09-23", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "NH", "Ann Kuster", "K000382", "kuster.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, DC)  U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Representative Annie Kuster (NH-02) issued the following statements in response to the announcement by the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration (EDA) that Bristol will receive a $3.52 million federal grant to make flood control infrastructure improvements that will help protect businesses in the town's downtown commercial district:\nFlooding can easily be the last straw for a small business. I'm very glad to see this new funding awarded to Bristol which will help provide some peace of mind to Bristol business owners, said Senator Shaheen, the lead Democrat on the Senate subcommittee that funds the EDA. This project is about local economic development and the well-being of Bristol's downtown. Securing investments in New Hampshire infrastructure projects is one of my top priorities in the Senate and I'll continue to fight for resources to bolster our economy and help our small businesses.\nThis $3.5 million federal grant to upgrade Bristol's flood control infrastructure will help protect Bristol's businesses from devastating losses, Senator Hassan said. As Granite State businesses continue to face economic hardships as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, I will keep working to strengthen our resiliency to natural disasters, such as flooding, that could harm our economic growth and recovery.\nThis federal grant is an important investment in the town of Bristol to help protect its local businesses from flooding, said Congresswoman Kuster. Flooding poses a serious threat to businesses and homes in New Hampshire, and this funding will enable Bristol to invest in updated and improved flood control infrastructure to protect the town's local economy. I will continue working to improve our state's infrastructure and safeguard our communities from natural disasters.\nThe mission of the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) is to lead the federal economic development agenda by promoting competitiveness and preparing the nation's regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy. An agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce, EDA makes investments in economically distressed communities in order to create jobs for U.S. workers, promote American innovation, and accelerate long-term sustainable economic growth. During federal budget negotiations, Shaheen led successful efforts to prevent the EDA  the agency administering this grant  from being eliminated.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://kuster.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/kuster-statement-on-house-passage-of-bipartisan-government-funding-bill", "Kuster Statement on House Passage of Bipartisan Government Funding Bill", "2020-09-22", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "NH", "Ann Kuster", "K000382", "kuster.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, DC  Today, Rep. Annie Kuster (NH-02) released the following statement after voting to support bipartisan legislation that would prevent a government shutdown at the end of the month. The bill passed the House with a 359-57 vote.\nI am pleased that the House worked to advance critical bipartisan legislation that will prevent a harmful and unnecessary government shutdown, said Kuster. As our country continues to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, which has tragically taken the lives of over 200,000 Americans, we must ensure that our government remains open to support the economic and public health needs of Granite Staters. Importantly, this legislation includes a provision to save New Hampshire seniors from an increase in Medicare premiums. I urge the Senate to consider this legislation without delay.\nThe Continuing Appropriations Act of 2021 would continue funding the federal government through December 11, 2020, in addition to providing the Small Business Administration (SBA) with additional flexibility to process and service new and existing disaster loans. This legislation also provides for a one-year extension of surface transportation programs to ensure the federal government continues infrastructure investments in the new fiscal year.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://kuster.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/nh-delegation-announces-more-than-45-million-to-renovate-modernize", "NH Delegation Announces More than $4.5 Million to Renovate & Modernize Northcoast Railroad", "2020-09-22", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "NH", "Ann Kuster", "K000382", "kuster.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, DC)  U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Representatives Annie Kuster (NH-02) and Chris Pappas (NH-01) today announced the award of $4,562,905 in funding through the U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Program to invest in renovating and modernizing the New Hampshire Northcoast (NHN) railroad line. Shaheen, Hassan and Pappas sent a letter of support for this grant award.\nNHN is a heavy freight railroad company that operates 43 miles of track between Ossipee and Rollinsford. The funding will allow NHN to make urgently needed infrastructure improvements along this track. These include: the replacement of worn rail, ties and ballast, the installation of safety signals in several of its locomotive trains, enhancement of safety at two railroad crossing locations and to build two rail spurs to store hazardous freight away from populated areas. These improvements will significantly increase public safety and boost the efficiency of NHN's operations, which play a critical role in promoting the growth of the regional economy.\nI'm very pleased to see this federal funding invested in vital infrastructure improvements along the Northcoast railroad, said Senator Shaheen. The Northcoast railroad connects inland New Hampshire with our national freight rail network and is critical to the regional and state economy. These improvements will significantly improve public safety, boost the efficiency of freight operations and help spur economic growth in the region. As a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I will continue to advocate for increased funding for New Hampshire projects that improve our roads, rail, bridges and waterways.\nThe New Hampshire Northcoast railroad plays a key role in our economy and provides jobs to Granite Staters, Senator Hassan said. I was glad to support the Northcoast railroad's application to receive this grant of more than $4 million, which will help upgrade the railway and make important enhancements to safety systems to ensure that it can continue to serve industries in the region. I will keep fighting to secure additional resources to help support New Hampshire's economic recovery and modernize our state's infrastructure.\nThe Northcoast railroad is crucial to New Hampshire's economy, and this grant is an important investment in our state, said Congresswoman Kuster. I'm glad that this federal funding will go towards making infrastructure improvements along the Northcoast railroad to enhance safety and efficiency. I'll continue working to secure funding for infrastructure improvements in the Granite State.\nFederal investments to help maintain and rebuild our state's infrastructure have never been more important, and I am pleased the New Hampshire Northcoast Railroad has received this grant. As a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I will continue to work to modernize our transportation networks and support our region's economic needs, said Congressman Pappas.\nSenators Hassan and John Thune (R-SD) introduced the bipartisanRailroad Rehabilitation and Financing Innovation Act to improve the Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing (RRIF) loan program, which is designed to provide direct loans to help develop passenger and short line railroads in New Hampshire and across the country, including NHN.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://kuster.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/kuster-discusses-police-training-and-standards-with-nh-department-of", "Kuster Discusses Police Training and Standards with NH Department of Safety Commissioner Quinn", "2020-09-21", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "NH", "Ann Kuster", "K000382", "kuster.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Hopkinton, NH - Today, Rep. Annie Kuster (NH-02) spoke with NH Department of Safety Commissioner Robert Quinn to discuss recommendations from the state's Commission on Law Enforcement Accountability, Community and Transparency (LEACT) on police training and standards. LEACT was established in June by Governor Sununu after the death of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis. The Commission completed its work last week and cited 48 recommendations that could be accomplished by executive order, including asking public entities to develop strategies to recruit diverse law enforcement candidates, use of body and/or dash cameras by law enforcement agencies, increasing training on implicit bias and de-escalation, and requiring implicit bias/racial profiling training for all prosecutors and criminal defense attorneys. The Commission also suggested reforms that would require additional legislation, such as making the Exculpatory Evidence Schedule (also known as the Laurie List) public, establishing a Public Integrity Unit within the Attorney General's Office, and requiring agencies to gather, analyze and make public data on demographics, including gender and race, for arrests, citations and motor vehicle and subject stops. The Commission's report is available here.\nAs a nation, we must acknowledge the reality of systemic racism and inequality that is pervasive in our society - including law enforcement - and continue working to end these injustices, said Kuster. Requiring our nation's police officers to meet the highest standard of conduct is in the best interest of every American. I deeply appreciate the opportunity to speak with Commissioner Quinn today, and I applaud him and the LEACT Commission for their dedication to shepherding critical police reforms in our state. This was accomplished the New Hampshire way, identifying common sense solutions through collaboration on the Commission from many community partners including civil liberties, non-profit, community, legal and law enforcement leaders. I look forward to our continued work together to increase transparency and justice in law enforcement and ensure the police are held accountable to the communities they serve.\nKuster unveiled her Opportunity and Justice for All Agenda in June, which includes bills that have been introduced in Congress to help address police brutality. Kuster is an original cosponsor and voted in favor of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act - legislation the House passed in June to hold police accountable, combat systemic racism, and save lives.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://kuster.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/nh-delegation-announces-more-than-79-million-to-support-granite-state", "NH Delegation Announces More than $7.9 Million to Support Granite State Law Enforcement & Services for Crime Victims", "2020-09-21", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "NH", "Ann Kuster", "K000382", "kuster.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, DC)  Today, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), the Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations subcommittee that funds the Department of Justice (DOJ), announced with U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Representatives Annie Kuster (NH-02) and Chris Pappas (NH-01) that DOJ awarded $7,942,122 in federal funds for New Hampshire to support Granite State law enforcement agencies, strengthen the New Hampshire criminal justice system and bolster services for victims of crime in the state. Of these funds:\n $7,224,379 was awarded to the New Hampshire Department of Justice (NHDOJ) through funding from the Office for Victims of Crime, which supports services for victims of crime in the state.\n\t$434,573 was allocated to the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (NHDHHS) through funding from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention to strengthen juvenile delinquency prevention and intervention efforts, as well as fund improvements to the state's juvenile justice system.\n\t$250,311 was awarded to five localities throughout New Hampshire through the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program, which funds state and local law enforcement and criminal justice system initiatives, including those associated with fighting the heroin and opioid crisis, such as the state's drug task forces and approved treatment alternatives to incarceration.\n\t$32,859 went to NHDOJ through the John R. Justice Grant Program, which provides student loan repayment support to Granite State public defenders and prosecutors.\n These federal dollars are a substantial investment in public safety, said Senator Shaheen. These resources will support crime victims in their hour of need, support law enforcement's efforts to fight and prevent crime and strengthen crime diversion and prevention efforts for young people. Support for these and other federal initiatives that support law enforcement and our criminal justice system will continue to be a top priority for me as a leader of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee that determines funding for these grant programs.\nFederal, state, and local governments must work together to prevent crime and to support victims, said Senator Hassan. These extensive federal grants will help our communities have the resources that they need to improve the criminal justice system.\nThis robust funding will improve public safety in our communities, bolster law enforcement's efforts to prevent crime and keep Granite Staters safe, and support victims of crime in New Hampshire, said Congresswoman Kuster. Throughout my tenure in Congress, I have been a strong supporter of the Victims of Crime Act and Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Programs which assist law enforcement's work in combatting the opioid epidemic. These federal dollars are an important investment in our state, and I will continue to prioritize funding for initiatives to prevent crime and improve our criminal justice system.\nSupporting New Hampshire law enforcement continues to be a top priority of mine, and these funds will go a long way in helping keep our communities safe,said Congressman Pappas. These Department of Justice grants will go to communities throughout the state to support a variety of initiatives, including strengthening juvenile delinquency prevention and intervention efforts, supporting victims of crimes, and helping local law enforcement deal with the ongoing opioid epidemic. I remain committed to working with our federal delegation to make sure New Hampshire communities are safe and have the support they need.\nBreakdown of Byrne JAG Awards\nFive New Hampshire localities received a combined total of $250,311 in funding through the Byrne JAG Program. Below is a breakdown of the awards:\n\t\t\t\tGrantee\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tAmount\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\tManchester\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t$179,436\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\tRochester\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t$25,634\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\tConcord\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t$21,685\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\tLaconia\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t$12,540\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\tCheshire County\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t$11,016\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTOTAL\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t$250,311\n\t\t\t\n\t\t###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"], ["https://kuster.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/kuster-statement-on-the-passing-of-justice-ruth-bader-ginsburg", "Kuster Statement on the Passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg", "2020-09-18", "2020", "2020-09", "Democrat", "Senate", "NH", "Ann Kuster", "K000382", "kuster.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Hopkinton, NH  This evening, Representative Annie Kuster (NH-02) released the following statement on the passing of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.\nToday is an incredibly sad day for our nation. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a trailblazer, a champion of gender equality, and a revered jurist. Only the second woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court, Justice Ginsburg empowered us to recognize what we are capable of with her courage and grace. I will forever be grateful for her life, her legacy, and the path that she paved. Justice Ginsburg leaves behind an extraordinary legacy that is larger than life. As we mourn this enormous loss, my thoughts are with her loved ones, colleagues, and friends.\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "truncated": false, "filtered_table_rows_count": 24, "expanded_columns": [], "expandable_columns": [], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "units": {}, "query": {"sql": "select url, title, date, year, month, party, chamber, state, member_name, bioguide_id, domain, scraper, source, date_source, text, has_text, collected_at, updated_at from releases where \"chamber\" = :p0 and \"state\" = :p1 and \"year\" = :p2 order by date desc limit 101", "params": {"p0": "Senate", "p1": "NH", "p2": "2020"}}, "facet_results": {"party": {"name": "party", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&state=NH&year=2020", "results": [{"value": "Democrat", "label": "Democrat", "count": 24, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&state=NH&year=2020&party=Democrat", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}, "chamber": {"name": "chamber", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&state=NH&year=2020", "results": [{"value": "Senate", "label": "Senate", "count": 24, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=NH&year=2020", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "state": {"name": "state", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&state=NH&year=2020", "results": [{"value": "NH", "label": "NH", "count": 24, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&year=2020", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "year": {"name": "year", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&state=NH&year=2020", "results": [{"value": "2020", "label": "2020", "count": 24, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&state=NH", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}}, "suggested_facets": [], "next": null, "next_url": null, "private": false, "allow_execute_sql": true, "query_ms": 100.12746788561344, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}