Newsletter: Fighting NH's Drug Addiction Crisis & More Updates

Statement

Dear Friends,

With the Senate back in session, it was a busy week in Washington. On Tuesday, I co-hosted a bipartisan forum focused on identifying ways to address the drug addiction crisis in New Hampshire and across our nation. In addition to discussing input I've received from treatment providers and first responders in our state, I shared the personal story of a New Hampshire family I met with last week who tragically lost their daughter to a heroin overdose. The Griffin family has courageously shared their personal experience in an effort to help other families whose loved ones are struggling with addiction, and it is my hope that forums like these will help stakeholders identify effective ways to reverse the trend of drug addiction. See below for video from Tuesday's event.

As I visit manufacturers across our state, I frequently hear about the challenges they face in finding highly-skilled workers to fill positions. I took to the Senate floor on Thursday to highlight a bipartisan bill I introduced this fall with Senator Chris Coons (D-Delaware) that would give local leaders the flexibility they need to design job training programs that fit their unique needs. See below for more info.

You may have seen in the news this week that the Pentagon released a new report showing significant progress in the military's handling of sexual assault following major reforms that were signed into law a year ago. While the report shows that the prevalence of sexual assaults is down and that reporting of these crimes is up, we must stay vigilant in our efforts to rid the military of the scourge of sexual assaults. I'm pleased to report that provisions of the Victims Protection Act, which I introduced earlier this year with Senators Claire McCaskill (D-Missouri) and Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska), are included in the current version of the fiscal year 2015 defense authorization bill. These additional measures will build on previous reforms to strengthen the prosecution of these crimes, and provide victims with the care, support, and resources they need. Scroll down for more about this legislation.

I was back on the road today in New Hampshire, and I enjoyed taking part in Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Manchester's annual Start Something Big breakfast this morning in Manchester. Through the efforts of committed mentors, Big Brothers Big Sisters makes a positive difference in the lives of children across our state, and I was grateful to have the opportunity to say thank you to the dedicated staff and volunteers who support this organization.

This afternoon, I joined representatives from several New Hampshire companies at a roundtable discussion in Nashua with the Chairman of the Export-Import Bank, Fred Hochberg. The Export-Import Bank helps small and medium sized businesses in New Hampshire compete in the global marketplace and create jobs, while returning billions of dollars to the Treasury for deficit reduction. Many exporters in our state have obtained competitive financing through Ex-Im that is otherwise unavailable from private sources, and this successful partnership has helped them grow their businesses and hire more workers by exporting goods and services overseas.

Please read on for more news and photos from the week. Have a good weekend!

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