It’s May 24, 2021. Here’s a round up of some recent updates from New Hampshire’s Congressional Delegation
Hassan brings forth bill aiming to help high school students gain college credits
U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Todd Young (R-IN) reintroduced the bipartisan Fast Track To and Through College Act, which would create a grant program aimed at helping more students earn college credits while still in high school. Senators Hassan and Young are working to include elements of their bill, including expanding access to college-level STEM classes for high school students, in the Endless Frontier Act, a bipartisan bill to help the United States boost innovation and outcompete China.
“We must do all that we can to ensure that our students are given the opportunity to gain the skills that will help them thrive in our modern economy,” said Senator Hassan. “The bipartisan Fast Track To and Through College Act will better prepare students for higher education while also helping to make college more affordable. I’ll keep working to push for an expansion of dual enrollment and early college programs, including in the bipartisan Endless Frontier Act.”
Specific wording of the bill is not yet available.
COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act passed
President Biden signed into law the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act, legislation cosponsored by U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and 43 other Senators to address the rise of hate crimes and violence targeting Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) during the pandemic.
The COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act would assign a point person at the Department of Justice (DOJ) to expedite the review of COVID-19-related hate crimes, improve hate crime reporting to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), establish state-run hate crime hotlines and rehabilitate perpetrators of hate crimes. The legislation would also provide support for state and local law enforcement agencies to respond to hate crimes and coordinate with local and federal partners to mitigate racially discriminatory language used to describe the pandemic. The legislation was introduced in the Senate by Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI).
“The surge in hate crimes against Asian Americans is abhorrent and demands a meaningful response to root out hate and hold perpetrators to account. I applaud Senator Hirono for her leadership on this legislation and I’m very pleased that President Biden has signed it into law so these measures can now be implemented,” said Shaheen. “The COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act takes important steps to improve federal, state and local responses to the alarming rise of hate crimes across the country and help ensure perpetrators face justice. No American should have to live in fear for their safety due to their race, religion or creed. It is on all of us to take a stand and fight back against hatred and bigotry in all forms.”
NH DHHS getting nearly $9 million from federal government
U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Representatives Annie Kuster (NH-02) and Chris Pappas (NH-01) welcomed the announcement that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will award $8,952,425 to the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services. Specifically, these are funds allocated through the delegation-backed American Rescue Plan that will allow the state and local communities to hire and train public health workers to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and future public health challenges.
The delegation recently announced that the state and Granite State communities will receive more than $1.4 billion in COVID-19 financial relief, as well as nearly $10.7 million to combat the substance use disorder epidemic and support mental health services in New Hampshire. That’s in addition to $350.5 million to help schools safely re-open and support students, $20.2 million to help community health centers expand access to vaccines and $40.9 million to help expand COVID-19 testing in Granite State schools. The delegation has also announced funding from the legislation to strengthen home visiting services for vulnerable families and support COVID-19 vaccination efforts in underserved communities in the state.