Shaheen Statement on President’s State of the Union Address

(Washington, DC) – Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) issued the following statement in response to President Donald Trump’s State of the Union Address: 

“I appreciate the attention the President devoted to the opioid crisis in his remarks this evening, but words are not enough. I was proud to have Jeanne Moser, who tragically lost her son to a fentanyl overdose and has done so much to raise awareness about substance use disorders, as my guest to help highlight the urgent need for help in New Hampshire and across the country to respond to this crisis. The President must finally begin fulfilling his promise to deliver treatment resources. Over the past year, President Trump has only devoted lip service to respond to the opioid epidemic. Instead of any meaningful action, the Trump administration has made numerous attempts to undermine existing programs that have proven to be critical in battling this crisis in New Hampshire. I continue to stand ready and willing to work with the President to deliver these resources that are so needed. The urgency of this lifesaving effort cannot be overstated.

“The President was right to address the desperate state of our aging infrastructure. I believe this is an area where Republicans and Democrats can work across the aisle, and I encourage President Trump to deliver an ambitious plan to Congress that provides the resources to begin these critical upgrades and repairs. Granite Staters are becoming all too familiar with crumbling roads and bridges, and water and wastewater systems, that have far outlasted their intended use."

In the days leading up to the President’s address, Shaheen distributed purple ribbons to her senate colleagues to wear during the State of the Union Address to raise awareness about the opioid epidemic and substance use disorders. To further bring attention to the opioid crisis, Senator Shaheen brought Jeanne Moser of East Kingston as her guest, who lost her son in 2015 to a fentanyl overdose and has advocated in the years since to bring awareness to substance use disorders.

As the lead Democrat on the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee, Senator Shaheen has led efforts in Congress to combat the opioid epidemic. She recently introduced bipartisan funding legislation to prioritize states hardest hit by the opioid epidemic, including New Hampshire, and has consistently urged the Trump administration to consider bipartisan action as the public health emergency continues to devastate Granite State communities.