September 3, 2022

Dear Friends,

I hope you had a wonderful week and have an opportunity to spend time with loved ones this Labor Day weekend. I wanted to share some exciting news about federal funding for projects throughout the North Country and highlight some of the events and conversations I held up north over the August district work period.

It was a busy month with a lot of good news — I headed back to D.C. at the beginning of August to pass the Inflation Reduction Act, sending it to the President's desk to become law. This transformative law accomplishes my long-fought goal of empowering Medicare to negotiate drug prices, makes historic investments in clean energy to address climate change, will lower costs for Granite Staters and reduces the deficit — all while ensuring wealthy corporations pay their fair share in taxes.

In August, I held dozens of events and conversations and heard from folks throughout the Second Congressional District from the Southern Tier and up through the North Country. Throughout the year, I make a point of dedicating time to tour businesses, schools, hospitals, and more, throughout the northern part of our state to hear about the unique challenges folks are facing and see first-hand the benefits of federal funding I helped to secure for our region.

Keep reading for info about what I've been up to!

I was thrilled to announce more than $6.8 million in Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) grants earlier this month for New Hampshire communities and organizations for various projects that invest in our local economy and spur economic development. These resources heading to our region will fund more than a dozen projects to bolster our local economies through workforce development, increasing tourism opportunities, and more.

Each year, I enjoy reading the applications for these fantastic projects and was excited to advocate for many of those that were selected. Learn more about the great initiatives made possible by the NBRC here.

I met with residents and staff at the Coos County Nursing Home in Berlin to discuss the challenges COVID-19 has created for the community and hear updates.

I met with health care providers at the Coos County Nursing Home to hear about their operations and how Congress can help them care for our seniors.

As the founder and co-chair of the 21st Century Long Term Care Caucus, I am focused on expanding access to quality, long-term care here in New Hampshire and across the country. That’s why I was proud to help pass the Inflation Reduction Act to deliver for our seniors by capping prescription costs and finally allowing Medicare to negotiate prices.

It was great to visit the North Country Health Consortium and hear about the incredible work they’re doing to support the health and well-being of Granite Staters in the region.

I'm so proud of the work that the North Country Health Consortium is doing, and I'm grateful to them for hosting me for a discussion on the well-being of our northernmost communities and our ongoing work to ensure every Granite Stater has the tools to stay healthy.

I will continue working with local partners and health care leaders to deliver for New Hampshire.

I toured the VA Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) in Littleton and met with staff to discuss the importance of accessible community-based health care for NH veterans.

We owe our Granite State veterans and their families a tremendous debt of gratitude for their service. I am proud to fight for the men and women who served our nation in uniform and ensure they have access to the health care they need and deserve, regardless of where they live.

The Littleton VA provides crucial care to veterans in our rural communities — I was proud to stand up against recommendations to close this critical veterans health care center and I was grateful for the opportunity to visit the facility and hear updates.

Read more about my visit to the Littleton CBOC and successful efforts to prevent the facility's closure here in the Caledonian Record.

I attended the annual VFW Department of New Hampshire State Picnic in Littleton hosted by VFW Post 816 to honor our veterans.

It was an absolutely beautiful day in Littleton for the annual VFW Department of NH State Picnic to honor the men and women who serve our nation in uniform and discuss how we can work together to support our Granite State veterans and their families.

We ask so much of those who serve our nation and it is essential that we work to ensure they are able to access the services and care they need when they return home. The best way to know what the needs in our veteran community are is to hear directly from our Granite State veterans about their experience at the VA and how we can strengthen services.

I’m proud that we’ve taken concrete steps in Congress to improve care for our veterans with the passage of the Honoring Our PACT Act and I am committed to working with Republicans and Democrats to build on this progress. Thank you to VFW Post 816 for hosting the annual VFW Department of New Hampshire State Picnic and everyone who joined to honor our veterans.

I visited the Littleton Police Department and sat down with Chief Smith.

I appreciate Chief Smith taking the time to speak with me about the vital work being undertaken to promote a safe and healthy community in Littleton. We must ensure that New Hampshire law enforcement has the resources to protect our communities safely and effectively.

Last Friday, we were joined by Secretary Buttigieg in Berlin to announce an exciting investment in the city made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

It was wonderful to be joined by Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg last week in Berlin to highlight this exciting investment in the city made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The federal RAISE grant we annoucned will allow Berlin to revitalize its downtown infrastructure and make transformational, innovative changes to the city’s main streets while harnessing renewable energy and saving the city money in winter maintenance costs. The revitalization of downtown Berlin will go a long way in spurring economic development and helping to grow the recreational tourism economy here in the North Country.

This is one of many projects that will be made possible through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law – over the next five years, our state stands to receive significant resources to repair our roads and bridges, expand broadband internet access and so much more, all while creating good-paying jobs. I will continue advocating for New Hampshire initiatives and funding to bolster our economy and improve the lives of Granite Staters.

I visited the site where the Sinclair Hotel used to be, which has been contaminated for decades but will soon be the site of the ‘Bethlehem Reimagined’ project thanks to a significant Brownfields Clean-Up Grant made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

In Bethlehem, I joined local leaders to hear about the ‘Bethlehem Reimagined’ project, a comprehensive plan to bring new Main Street storefronts and second-floor housing to the community. During the visit, I highlighted a $500,000 EPA Brownfields Clean-Up Grant, made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, for the town to clean up the site of the old Sinclair Hotel and address the environmental and safety concerns on the lot.

Bethlehem has so much to offer Granite State families and out-of-town visitors, from its rich history and local attractions to its direct access to the iconic White Mountains. It was great to see the town receive a significant grant from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help clean up and rehabilitate the Sinclair lot and, like the name of the project says, reimagine all that Bethlehem can be. I look forward to seeing the positive impact of this project, and I will continue working to strengthen our state and our communities.

I toured the Littleton Food Cooperative and discussed updates with Co-op staff.

Whether you are looking for fresh produce or local goods, you’ll be able to find it with the help of their friendly and knowledgeable staff. As a member of the Agriculture Committee, I am proud to support local farm-to-table initiatives and community-oriented grocers like the Co-op.

I visited AMC's Camp Dodge to meet with outdoor recreation leaders and discuss the outdoor recreation economy.

It was wonderful to visit Camp Dodge in Pinkham Notch to meet with the Appalachian Mountain Club and other regional leaders from the outdoor recreation community for a discussion about the increasing demand for outdoor recreation in New Hampshire.

While this is great news for our economy, it also means more maintenance to keep our trails and public lands safe for Granite Staters and out-of-state visitors alike. During the conversation, I highlighted the work I'm doing on my Bipartisan Ski and Snowboard Caucus and the positive impact of the Great American Outdoors Act which permanently funded the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

I appreciated hearing from so many individuals whose tireless work helps make the White Mountain National Forest the gem that it is. I have been proud to deliver critical funding to help preserve our public lands, and I look forward to continuing to promote and support our state's year-round outdoor recreation economy! Read more about my visit in the Conway Daily Sun.

I met with school administrators and local leaders at Edward Fenn Elementary in Gorham to discuss SAU 20 and their work to utilize renewable energy.

It was great to meet with school administrators and local leaders at Edward Fenn Elementary in Gorham to talk about their work to increase the use of renewable energy. This effort will save money and generate more clean energy — a win-win for our environment and economy.

Their local effort to increase energy efficiency and the use of renewables will help to save money and generate more clean energy, a win-win for our environment and economy. As a member of the Energy and Commerce Committee and the Agriculture Committee, I have been proud to champion federal funding for programs to support and incentivize our country’s transition to renewable energy. I will continue working to provide the resources our communities need to grow and thrive.

Thank you to Kristina for giving us a tour of Super Secret Ice Cream in Bethlehem — the ice cream was delicious and I can’t wait to come back!

It was great to tour RekLis Brewery in Bethlehem and to hear updates.

I enjoyed the chance to visit RekLis Brewery in Bethlehem for a tour and discussion on the challenges facing small businesses — especially restaurants and breweries. I’ve fought to increase support and relief for our hospitality industry and will continue to work for our small businesses.

I visited River Valley Community College to discuss workforce development and skills training programs for nursing and more (left) and visited affordable housing construction sites and sites with new units including Depot & Main in Salem (right).

As our state faces challenges in the labor workforce — especially our rural health care workforce — I’m proud of the investments RVCC at Lebanon continues to make in students and with local workforce partnerships. Economic success and access to education go hand-in-hand – expanding access to skills training and workforce development programs is key to ensuring Granite State families and our economy have a bright future.

Addressing the workforce labor shortage won't be possible without expanding access to affordable housing. I have been excited to see so many new affordable housing locations in our state, and I will continue working to support efforts to create more affordable housing, especially in our rural North Country communities.

One of my most important jobs as your representative is helping Granite Staters.

Do you or a loved one need assistance navigating a federal agency? My office is here to help!

If you need assistance with a federal agency, please reach out to my Concord office at (603) 226-1002 or visit www.Kuster.House.Gov.

Updated COVID-19 booster shots will soon be available to everyone aged 12 and older -- these vaccines will be an invaluable tool to help Granite Staters safe and reduce the risk of a surge in COVID-19 cases as head into the fall. Visit the CDC's website for more information.

I encourage you to ensure you and your family are up-to-date on all of your vaccines, especially for children who may have missed routine vaccinations due to the pandemic. This year's flu shot is now available.

Contact your family pediatrician or primary care doctor if you're not sure which vaccines you and your family need. You can visit vaccines.gov to find out where to get a COVID-19 booster and other CDC-recommended routine vaccines.

As always, the CDC and the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services are the best resources to turn to for information about COVID-19. If you are sick, stay home and call your health care provider.

To stay updated on my work in Congress and around the Granite State and for important information and resources, like my page on Facebook and follow me on Twitter.

I hope you have a safe and fun Labor Day weekend!

Sincerely,

Annie