New reporting from the New Hampshire Journal found the Democrat shutdown votes from Rep. Chris Pappas, Sens. Maggie Hassan and Jeanne Shaheen are having real, negative consequences for Granite Staters.
“Democrats like Chris Pappas continue to let federal workers and needy New Hampshire families pay the price for their obstruction in Washington,” said NRSC Regional Press Secretary Samantha Cantrell. “Now Pappas’ shutdown is threatening life-saving resources credited with preventing opioid overdose deaths.”
As reported by the New Hampshire Journal:
The Democrats’ filibuster of a continuing resolution threatens a vital stream of federal funding from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), which provides the majority of dollars used to address substance abuse in the state.
New Hampshire’s battle against opioid addiction has been long and costly.
…
In fact, SAMHSA’s State Opioid Response (SOR) grant program has been central to that effort, providing nearly $30 million to New Hampshire in fiscal year 2025 alone.
But now that the federal government is shut down, those programs are at risk. No grants can be renewed until the federal government reopens. And in the event of a crisis, no additional money can be awarded to help, leaving vulnerable Granite Staters in the lurch.
“Grant money like this isn’t like Social Security funding — there’s no ‘out’ to keep it flowing,” a former senior federal health official told NHJournal on background. “There’s no automatic funding. Every grant has to be renewed.”
That means real-life consequences, the official added.
“The risk is not theoretical. The entire recovery system is built on consistent funding. When that consistency falters, people fall through the cracks.”
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