releases: https://www.shaheen.senate.gov//news/press/heading-to-presidents-desk-shaheen-secures-50m-to-construct-new-england-drug-lab-to-improve-response-to-substance-use-disorder-crisis
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| url | title | date | year | month | party | chamber | state | member_name | bioguide_id | domain | scraper | source | date_source | text | has_text | collected_at | updated_at |
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| https://www.shaheen.senate.gov//news/press/heading-to-presidents-desk-shaheen-secures-50m-to-construct-new-england-drug-lab-to-improve-response-to-substance-use-disorder-crisis | Heading to President’s Desk: Shaheen Secures $50M to Construct New England Drug Lab to Improve Response to Substance Use Disorder Crisis | 2020-12-22 | 2020 | 2020-12 | Democrat | House | NH | Jeanne Shaheen | S001181 | www.shaheen.senate.gov | legacy | Heading to President's Desk: Shaheen Secures $50M to Construct New England Drug Lab to Improve Response to Substance Use Disorder Crisis December 22, 2020 (Washington, DC) U.S. Senator JeanneShaheen(D-NH)-the Vice Chair of the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies (CJS) Appropriations Subcommittee-which funds significant programming to address the substance use disorder epidemic,issued the following statement afterfinalfiscal year (FY) 2021governmentfunding legislationwassent to the President's desk to besigned into law.Through her leadership on theCJSsubcommittee,SenatorShaheensuccessfully added measures that provide federal support for key programs that respond to the substance use disorder crisis, help domestic and sexual violence survivors, invest in law enforcement programs and much more. "The provisions Iwrotewith Senator Moran and our fellow CJS subcommittee members address a myriad of issues impactingGranite Staters,including efforts toconfrontthe substance use disorder crisis, resources for domestic and sexual violence survivors, increasedmental health care services for first responders, enhanced community policing and much more,saidShaheen.The priorities in this bill respond to what I've heard in New Hampshire andwhatI know many Americans are experiencing throughout the country, much of which has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 crisis. I'm particularly pleased that my provisionproviding fundingto construct New England's first DEA drug lab was approved, which will help close a serious gap in our substance use disorder response strategy.Currently,DEAsamples that may contain fentanyl must be transported by ground to New York and back, delaying testing and wasting valuable time.Establishing a DEA drug lab in our regionwill ensure our law enforcement are as efficient as possible in their efforts and will help alleviate the significant delays we've seen at theoverwhelmedNew York facility.I'm so pleased thisbillwillsoon become law and look forward to seeing construction on this lab get underway so our region can continue to improve its response strategy to the substance use disorder epidemic. SenatorShaheenwas also a lead negotiatoron the COVID-19 relief included in thelegislation, steering negotiations on the provisions to assist small businesses and child care centers, and to respond to the food insecurity and substance use disorder crisis that have been exacerbated by COVID. Read more about thathere. A senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee,Shaheenalso worked to support numerous key New Hampshire priorities addressed inthe final government funding bill, including a 3 percent pay raise for service members, investments at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, continued funding for the PFAS health impact studyShaheenestablished and much more. NH Priorities Secured byShaheenin FY21 Senate Commerce, Justice, Science & Related Agencies Subcommittee Appropriations Legislation: Critical Funding for Department of Justice Anti-Opioid Grants SenatorShaheensuccessfully included $541.5million for the Department of Justice anti-opioidand substance abusegrant programs, which is an increase of $23.5millionabove theFY2020 level.Shaheenalso successfully retained language sheadded last yearto allow grant recipients to be able to use Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant and Substance Abuse Program (COSSAP) funding which this year will be up to $185 million to also help those suffering from meth and cocaine dependency, in addition to opioid use disorder. The expanded coverage for COSSAP was spurred byShaheen'sstandalone bill, theTurn the Tide Act, to help tackle the substance use disorder epidemic. As the Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee that funds major anti-opioid programs,Shaheenhas led efforts in Congress to combat the substance use disorder epidemic. In the FY2018 omnibus government funding bill,Shaheenhelped secure the additional $3.3 billion to combat the substance use disorder crisis, including the $142 million set-asidefor hardest-hit states. As a result of the New Hampshire congressional delegation's efforts, New Hampshirereceiveda more thanten-fold increasein opioid treatment funding through the State Opioid Response (SOR) grant program. New DEA Drug Laboratory in New England SenatorShaheensuccessfully secured $50 million in this legislation for the Drug Enforcement Administration(DEA) to construct a new drug laboratory in New England, which presently does not have one, to improve lab testing in the region. Currently, if aDEAsample may contain fentanyl it must be transported separately by ground transportation tothelaboratory in New York City due to laws prohibiting its transfer through the mail. This process has been incredibly difficult for the region because agents must physically transport any samples that might contain fentanyl, resulting in hours of travel to New York City and back. The New York Division is also one of the busiest for DEA, and a lab in New England will help both Divisions meet drug testing demands. Grant Funding for States to Improve Mental Health Services for Law Enforcement & Enhancing Police-Community Relations SenatorShaheensuccessfully added $8million for the Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act, which includes grant funding for state and local law enforcement agencies to use for improved mental health services for officers, training to reduce the stigma of officers seeking help and programs to address handling repeated exposure to stress and trauma.Shaheenboosted this investment by $3millionover previous funding levels. In last year's legislation,Shaheenincluded language directing the Department of Justice to for the first time collect data on law enforcement suicides and report on it. SenatorShaheensuccessfully retained that directive in this government funding legislation and added $3 million for the Bureau of Justice Statistics to carry out this measure. SenatorShaheenalso added $153.5million in Department of Justice (DOJ) grants to improve police-community relations, which is an increase of $67millionor 77%above the FY2020 level. The legislation also includes $5 million for the DOJ to create and maintain a database to track excessive use of force and officer misconduct to increase transparency and accountability so officers who've committed violations cannot move from department to department undetected. Additionally, SenatorShaheenfought to include $237million in COPS Hiring Program grants, which support state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies' ability to hire, preserve and/or rehire law enforcement officers and to increase community policing efforts. This is a $2million increase over previous funding levels. The legislation also includes $484million for the Byrne-Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program, which helps law enforcement agencies in New Hampshire and across the country, strengthens the criminal justice system and bolsters services for victims of crime. Highest Funding Level Ever for Violence Against Women Act Programs For the fourth yearin a row, SenatorShaheensuccessfully added the highest funding amount ever for Violence Against Women Act programs, totaling $513.5 million for the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW). This funding legislation boosts funding to eight OVW programs, including the Transitional Housing Program and Rural Program, two key areas with a high need that will help states like New Hampshire. In September,Shaheen announced more than $1 millionfor New Hampshire organizations to provide transitional housing and other housing assistance to domestic and sexual violence survivors. Examine Safety of Firefighters' Personal Equipment Shaheenincluded $2 million for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) personal protective equipment research. Last year,Shaheenintroducedthe Guaranteeing Equipment Safetyfor Firefighters Act,bipartisan legislationwith Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO),whichwould take important steps to address concerns regarding firefighters' occupational exposure to PFAS chemicals through their personal protective equipment.This legislation was passed by Congress earlier this month as part of theannual defense authorizationpackage. SenatorShaheenhas led efforts in Congress to address PFAS exposure, and specifically, occupational exposure to the chemicals.Last year's defense billincludedShaheen'sbipartisan legislation, theProtecting Military Firefighters from PFAS Act, requiring the Department of Defense (DOD) to include blood testing for PFAS as part of routine physicals for military firefighters, as well as a provision authored byShaheenthat would phase out the use of PFAS in DOD firefighting foams by 2024. Shaheenestablished the first-ever nationwide PFAS health impact studyin the FY 2018 annual defense bill and fought for Pease InternationalTradeportto be included in the study.Because of her efforts, Pease is serving as a model site for the nationwide study. The study atPeaseis activelyseeking participants. Continued Financial Relief for New Hampshire and New England Fishermen & Bolstered Investments for NH Ocean Research and Conservation Efforts SenatorShaheenhasrepeatedlypreventedthe National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)from imposing the costly at-sea monitoringfee on Granite State fishermen and once again secured necessary funding to prevent the burden from being imposed on fishermen. The bill includes $10.3 million to cover the observer fees, as well as $2 million for lobster research, $2.5 million for New England groundfish research and $5 million for research and monitoring of the highly-endangered North Atlantic Right Whale, including a pilot program into innovative lobster gear.SenatorShaheenalso led bipartisan negotiationson COVID-19 reliefto provide $13 billion for support for agriculture and fisheries. Shaheensuccessfully increased funding for Sea Grant by $1million, totaling $75million nationally.Shaheenworked to include a new $500,000 set aside for research into PFAS impacts on coastal waters. Sea Grant is a public-private partnership and collaborates with the University of New Hampshire to study marine and coastal resources and developments. Additionally, the bill includes $78.5 million for NOAA's Coastal Zone Management Grant program, which is a $1.5 million increase over previous funding levelsand temporarily removes State cost share requirements during the pandemic. This legislation also boosts funding for NOAA's National Estuarine Research Reserve System operations by $1 million, which supportsNew Hampshire's Great Bay.SenatorShaheenalso worked to secure $182million for NOAA climate research,a $12.5 million or seven percent increase above the fiscal year 2020 level,rejectingthe Trump administration's effort to cut the program by $85 million in its budget proposal. Increased Funding for the Economic Development Administration SenatorShaheensecured $346 million for the Economic Development Administration (EDA), which awards infrastructure and planning grants to communities around the country. This level isan increase of $13 million above the prior year.Shaheenalso included language directing EDA,inpartnership with the Northern Border Regional Commission, to provide federalresourcesfor communities impacted by forest product closures. The Senatorhasconsistently opposed efforts by the administration to reduce or eliminate funding for the EDA,which in recent years has awarded grants to Granite State communities for a wide variety of projects ranging fromsupporting manufacturing growth in Winchestertoestablishing a revolving loan fund for businesses in Rockingham County. Bolsters Research to Understand the Sun and its Impacts on Earth SenatorShaheenincluded $751million for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA)HeliophysicsDivision to study the Sun and its impact on the space environment around the Earth. The results of these studies improve our understanding of the universe and Earth's magnetic field and can help protect astronauts, satellites and communication signals, such as GPS, in space. This funding represents a $26.5 million increase above the FY2020 level and rejects the Trump administration's efforts to cut the program by $91.4 million. The University of New Hampshire is a leading institution inHeliophysicsresearch with instruments on 16 of 22 operatingheliophysicsmissions. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |