{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://goodlander.house.gov/media/press-releases/goodlander-delivers-u-s-house-passes-5-goodlander-backed-bills-to-quadruple-authorized-nh-water-funding-stop-big-tech-from-jacking-up-utility-costs-protect-seniors-from-costly-scams-and-strengthe/", "GOODLANDER DELIVERS: U.S. House Passes 5 Goodlander-Backed Bills to Quadruple Authorized NH Water Funding, Stop Big Tech from Jacking Up Utility Costs, Protect Seniors from Costly Scams, and Strengthen Public Safety", "2026-09-21", "2026", "2026-09", "Democrat", "House", "NH", "Maggie Goodlander", "G000604", "goodlander.house.gov", "goodlander", "https://goodlander.house.gov/media/press-releases/", "scraper", "Concord, N.H. \u2014 Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander (NH-02) delivered bipartisan wins for New Hampshire last week in a slate of bipartisan bills that passed the U.S. House. Legislation she championed will move critical New Hampshire water infrastructure projects forward, protect New Hampshire ratepayers from AI datacenter-driven rate hikes, protect seniors from costly scams, crack down on illicit xylazine, and protect emergency AM radio access.\n\n\u201cEvery Granite Stater deserves access to safe, reliable drinking water,\u201d said Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander on the passage of the Water Resources Development Act of 2026. \u201cThis bipartisan bill moved two critical New Hampshire projects one step closer to receiving the federal resources they need \u2013 and it more than quadruples the authorized federal funding for water infrastructure and projects statewide. I\u2019ll keep working to secure the funding our communities need to get these projects built.\u201d\n\nThis the latest step in a broader push: Goodlander has already helped secure $28.65 million to identify and remove lead pipes statewide, backed the release of more than $9.4 million to help communities and private well owners tackle PFAS contamination, and fought for federal funding to replace Newport\u2019s aging water system.\n\nA second bill, the Ratepayer Protection Act, which passed the House by an overwhelming417-3 vote, aims to tackle an emerging problem head-on: large data center operators pay higher rates for their own power use, instead of spreading the cost across every family\u2019s bill.\n\n\u201cHardworking Granite Staters should not be forced to pay for the massive power infrastructure that data centers demand,\u201d Goodlander said. \u201cThe Ratepayer Protection Act is commonsense: when a large-load customer jacks up costs or the need for costly upgrades, that customer \u2014 not New Hampshire families and small businesses \u2014 should foot the bill. Big Tech should never get a free ride on the backs of Granite State ratepayers.\u201d\n\nThis is the latest front in Goodlander\u2019s fight against utility profiteering: she helped introduce the Lowering Utility Bills Act to rein in excessive utility profits,intervened on behalf of constituents in Liberty Utilities\u2019 rate hike case,demanded answers after the company refused to connect new customers in the Lakes Region, and worked alongside New Hampshire\u2019s Consumer Advocate to challenge Eversource\u2019s proposed 43.4 percent rate hike.\n\nThe House also passed the bipartisan GUARD Act to arm law enforcement against the wave of fraud targeting older Americans. Scams cost Americans $20.9 billion in 2025 alone, according to the FBI\u2019s Internet Crime Complaint Center \u2014 a 26 percent jump from the year before \u2014 with \u201cpig butchering\u201d cryptocurrency schemes, which lure victims with fake investment opportunities before draining their accounts, responsible for $11.37 billion of that total. In New Hampshire, scams involving Bitcoin and other digital assets cost Granite Staters millions in 2024 alone.\n\n\u201cScammers are draining a lifetime of savings from Granite State seniors,\u201d said Goodlander. \u201cOur seniors deserve a fair deal \u2013 not the persistent threat of a con job. The GUARD Act gives trusted law enforcement the funding and the tools \u2014 including blockchain tracing technology \u2014 to track these criminals down and get your money back.\u201d The bill builds on Goodlander\u2019s record backing the police and firefighters who will put it to use: sheensured the enactment of the Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act,backed stable funding for programs that serve crime victims, and has fought to protect the federal grants New Hampshire police and fire departments rely on for equipment, training, and investigations.\n\n\u201cThese bills will put people first,\u201d Goodlander said. \u201cThey will help keep deadly drugs off our streets, preserve a reliable lifeline for emergency alerts, and give law enforcement better tools to protect seniors from devastating scams. I\u2019m proud to have pushed to get these bills across the finish line in the House.\u201d\n\nThe bills that passed the House last week include:\n\nThe Water Resources Development Act of 2026 (H.R. 9497) quadruples New Hampshire\u2019s environmental infrastructure authorization from $25 million to $106 million for eligible water and wastewater infrastructure, drought resilience, and related projects. This Goodlander-backed bill specifically authorizes $15 million for the Springfield Water System Precinct in New London and $1.5 million for the Sullivan County Drinking Water Storage Project in Unity, both projects championed by Goodlander.\n\nThe Ratepayer Protection Act (H.R. 9340) aims to stop Big Tech from jacking up utility costs by requiring state utility regulators and nonregulated utilities to consider a federal standard designed to ensure that large-load customers, including data centers with peak demand of at least 100 megawatts, cover the full incremental cost of the grid upgrades needed to serve them and post financial assurances before work begins.\n\nGUARD Act of 2026 (H.R. 2978): Authorizes state, local, and Tribal law enforcement to use certain federal grants to investigate elder and general financial fraud, including \u201cpig butchering\u201d scams, where scammers seek to build trust before asking the victim to invest in fraudulent digital assets. Bill also supports specialized training, investigators, blockchain tracing tools, and coordination with financial institutions.\n\nCombating Illicit Xylazine Act (H.R. 1266): Places xylazine on Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act, tracks transactions, and strengthens penalties for illicit trafficking while protecting legitimate veterinary, farming, animal-control, and wildlife uses.\n\nAM Radio for Every Vehicle Act of 2025 (H.R. 979): Directs the Department of Transportation to require access to AM radio as standard equipment in new passenger vehicles, preserving a resilient source of emergency alerts and barring separate fees for AM radio access.\n\nADDITIONAL BACKGROUND:\n\nGoodlander has worked across the aisle to lower costs, bring federal dollars home, strengthen New Hampshire infrastructure, and help state and local law enforcement keep communities safe:\n\nCracking down on utility profiteering: Goodlander helped introduce the Lowering Utility Bills Act to rein in excessive profits by investor-owned utilities and transmission providers. She has intervened on behalf of constituents in Liberty Utilities\u2019 rate hike case, demanded answers after the company refused to connect new customers in the Lakes Region, and worked alongside the New Hampshire Office of the Consumer Advocate to challenge Eversource\u2019s proposed 43.4 percent rate hike.\n\nDelivering federal dollars to New Hampshire communities: Goodlander has work to protect and deliver federal funding home for high-priority local projects, securing over $200 million since taking office for vital community resources for public safety, housing, child care, education, and healthcare..\n\nStrengthening water infrastructure: Goodlander helped secure $28.65 million to identify and remove lead pipes, and backed the release of more than $9.4 million to help communities and private well owners address PFAS contamination. She has fought for federal funding to replace Newport\u2019s aging water system..\n\nBacking trusted law enforcement: Goodlander has been a staunch proponent of additional funding for state and local law enforcement to support public safety and emergency response. She ensured the enactment of the Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act and has also backed stable funding for programs that serve victims of crime. She has fought to protectfederal grants that New Hampshire police and fire departments rely on for equipment, training, investigations, and road safety.\n\n###", 1, "2026-09-22T09:42:49Z", "2026-09-22T09:44:35Z"]], "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"], "primary_key_values": ["https://goodlander.house.gov/media/press-releases/goodlander-delivers-u-s-house-passes-5-goodlander-backed-bills-to-quadruple-authorized-nh-water-funding-stop-big-tech-from-jacking-up-utility-costs-protect-seniors-from-costly-scams-and-strengthe/"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.7890758570283651, "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"}