Senate President and House Speaker on CARES Act Spending
Contact Name: Sara Persechino, Michael O’Brien
Phone: (603) 271-3479, (603) 271-0515
Email: Sara.Persechino@leg.state.nh.us, mike.b.obrien@leg.state.nh.us
CONCORD - Today, after receiving a spending proposal from the GOFERR Legislative Advisory Board earlier this week, Governor Sununu announced $595 million in new allocations for a variety of sectors across New Hampshire. Funds are being made available through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. These initiatives follow recommendations made by legislative leadership earlier this week.
After the announcement, Senate President Donna Soucy (D-Manchester) and House Speaker Steve Shurtleff (D-Penacook) released the following statement:
“After nearly twenty hours of public testimony, the GOFERR Legislative Advisory Board released a proposal to expend federal CARES Act funds to provide relief and recovery to all Granite Staters. While the Governor today announced a plan that used our bipartisan, unanimous proposal as a foundation, and we are grateful he adopted our plans to allocate $25 million in emergency child care funding, there are some stark differences that raise concern,” said Speaker of the House Steve Shurtleff (D-Penacook). “We remain committed to working with the Legislative Advisory Board and the Legislature to provide oversight on the expenditure of these funds to ensure efficacy and consider the potential for additional aid in the future, including for housing and homelessness, expanded broadband, and public education.”
Senate President Donna Soucy (D-Manchester) added, “Governor Sununu’s announcement today guts support for hospitals and health care providers. The bipartisan Legislative Advisory Board agreed these organizations needed at least $140 million in this first phase of spending. It is dangerous for the continued delivery of health care that Governor Sununu has allocated just $20 million, $120 million less than GOFERR recommended, in funds to support health facilities on the frontlines of this pandemic that have suffered tens of millions in losses since March, have furloughed or laid off hundreds of workers, and stand a real risk of having to close their doors. Moving forward, it is our hope that Governor Sununu will listen to legislative leadership and the people of New Hampshire.”
###