It’s May 7, 2021. Here is a roundup of some recent news from and about New Hampshire’s congressional delegation.
Hassan Business Roundtable
On Monday, Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) held a roundtable discussion today with local businesses at To Share Brewing Company to discuss the small business relief in recent COVID-19 packages and how business owners are approaching economic recovery from the pandemic. Businesses participating in the roundtable included To Share Brewing Company, Deo Mwano Consultancy, and Red River Theatres.
“Small business owners in our state have worked hard to adapt and keep their doors open during this pandemic,” Hassan said. “I’ve worked to help ensure that they receive vital support, and I appreciated hearing from businesses today about the impact of the relief that we have secured and what they need to get through this pandemic.”
Pappas Fentanyl Bill Signed into Law
On Tuesday, President Biden signed H.R. 2630, a bill sponsored by Representative Chris Pappas (D-NH), into law.
This bill, which Pappas introduced in the House, extends the Drug Enforcement Agency’s (DEA) temporary order to keep fentanyl-related substances in Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act. The legislation passed unanimously in both the House and Senate.
The DEA issued a temporary order in February 2018 to categorize fentanyl and fentanyl analogues as Schedule I drugs. Congress passed legislation extending that order through May 6, 2021 in February 2020. The legislation extends that order again through October 22, 2021.
“Granite Staters and people across the country are in a fight for their lives against deadly drugs like fentanyl and its chemical analogues,” said Congressman Chris Pappas. “I’m grateful to President Biden for acting swiftly to sign this commonsense, bipartisan legislation into law to extend the scheduling of fentanyl analogues as Schedule 1, which will prevent more of these drugs from flooding our communities and will help bring traffickers to justice. I remain committed to working across the aisle in Congress, with the Administration, and with health and public safety efforts to continue to address this issue and find a long term solution that keeps communities safe and holds international traffickers accountable.”
Mowers Launches “LFOD Pac”
On Monday, Pappas’ 2020 opponent, Matt Mowers, launched the “Live Free or Die PAC” or LFOD PAC.
Mowers stated the PAC will aim to support conservative candidates and causes that will oppose the People’s Republic of China and Democrats.
“Live Free or Die isn’t just a slogan on a license plate – it’s our way of life. In New Hampshire, we value our liberty and freedoms. Unfortunately, as the Communist Party of China continues to threaten those values across the world, the liberal Democrats in Washington are doing the same here at home,” he said.
Shaheen Joins Bipartisan Letter to Stem UN Funding Shortfalls for Yemen Humanitarian Relief
On Monday, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, joined a bipartisan letter with Senators Chris Murphy (D-CT), Todd Young (R-IN) and Jerry Moran (R-KS) urging the Biden administration to encourage other countries to contribute to the United Nations’ plan for Yemen humanitarian relief. In a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the Senators thanked the administration for the recent $191 million contribution to Yemen and urged the Department to work with Sweden and Switzerland to encourage other countries to contribute to a second round of fundraising efforts for life-saving aid to Yemen.
“Today, nearly 50,000 people in Yemen are living in famine-like conditions with 5 million more just a step away. Unlike in 2018, the international community has so far mostly failed to rise to the challenge and provide the robust funding needed to stave off this catastrophe,” the Senators wrote.
Full text of the letter can be found here
