Governor Hassan yesterday tried to send reassuring signals about the effort to rescue the State Budget from the multi-hundred million dollar hole blown in it when a court ruled the Medicaid Enhancement Tax illegal.
Since the first Superior Court decision, we have been at the table with the hospitals in an effort to find a joint solution. We recognize the hardship that hospitals have faced since the previous legislature cut funding, an action that led to this litigation.
I appreciate the bipartisan array of ideas being put on the table, some of which require a negotiated settlement with the hospitals and some of which are alternatives in the event that the hospitals do not agree to a settlement. It is clear that we are all committed to ensuring that we maintain a balanced and responsible budget and protect our bond rating.
I remain focused on negotiating with all relevant stakeholders, including legislators from both parties, hospitals and providers, and it is critical that we take steps that will allow these ideas to move through the legislative process as quickly as possible. Working together, we can overcome these fiscal and legal challenges in a way that is fair to all parties, protects the state’s budget now and in the future, and ensures the health and well-being of Granite Staters.
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Republican Senate candidate Jim Reubens issued a statement opposing Governor Hassan's controversial nomination of Bill Duncan to head the state Department of Education. Reubens authored NH's charter school law and supports a national school voucher program.
Republican Senate candidate Jim Reubens issued a statement opposing Governor Hassan's controversial nomination of Bill Duncan to head the state Department of Education. Reubens authored NH's charter school law and supports a national school voucher program.
William Duncan is not a suitable school leader because he opposes giving deserving parents control over where their children go to school. He opposes the single most promising set of school reforms seen in New Hampshire over the past twenty years: charter schools and scholarships. Charter schools are showing how thousands more New Hampshire students can reach their full potential in diverse learning environments at half the cost per student.
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Senator Ayotte yesterday joined Senators Chambliss and Graham in opposing the plans of the Air-Force to mothball its A-10 Warthogs as part of the general effort to hold down military expenditures:
Senator Ayotte yesterday joined Senators Chambliss and Graham in opposing the plans of the Air-Force to mothball its A-10 Warthogs as part of the general effort to hold down military expenditures:
For the sake of our ground troops in future conflicts, Congress must include a provision in the fiscal year 2015 National Defense Authorization Act to prohibit the Air Force's divestment of the A-10. Putting the A-10s in type-1000 storage is not a compromise; it is a codification of the Air Force's short-sighted and dangerous proposal to divest their most combat-effective and cost-efficient close air support aircraft. Units will be stood-down, training will no longer occur, and crews will be re-assigned.
We are united in our belief that when we send our troops into harm's way, we have a solemn obligation to ensure they have the very best support possible so they can accomplish their missions and return home safely. While we recognize that the Air Force confronts difficult budget decisions, we believe prematurely divesting the A-10 would put our ground troops in serious additional danger in future conflicts. As the NDAA process moves forward, we will continue to look for the right offset that addresses this issue in a comprehensive way.
We know this is not the first time the Air Force has tried to divest the A-10. The Air Force tried to do so in the late 1980s, but the Department of Defense expressed concern that the Air Force had not ‘adequately emphasized the close air support mission...' Thank goodness the Air Force's effort was overturned-hundreds of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans are alive today because the Air Force's previous A-10 divestment efforts were defeated.
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Representative Kuster yesterday announced Americorps funding for programs in Concord and Charlestown.
Representative Kuster yesterday announced Americorps funding for programs in Concord and Charlestown.
AmeriCorps members are a critical resource for the nonprofits, communities, and individuals they serve,” said Kuster. “Through public engagement and service, we can come together to start solving many of the challenges Concord faces. AmeriCorps members strive to help New Hampshire by uniting individuals behind a common goal, and I congratulate Campus Compact and Goodwill Industries on this grant award and thank all those who have answered the call to service by joining AmeriCorps.