Jeanne Shaheen

We are losing a person a day to overdose deaths, three times as many as we lost in traffic accidents last year.

I think the more information that can be provided at the local level, the more helpful it will be.

I hope that Congress can provide the resources that are needed.

I believe that one of the best ways for us to support small business innovation is through reauthorizing and making permanent the SBIR and STTR programs.

Small businesses really are the drivers of economic growth, especially when it comes to technological innovation.

One of the things that for many of those small businesses that has been very helpful has been their ability to be more energy efficient.

I am concerned about the reductions in the budget for FEMA's State and local grant programs.

I share concerns about a number of the issues that Chairman Hoeven has raised.

And certainly I agree that that is an area that we need to support.

I share Chairman Hoeven's concern about the administration's request of $40.5 billion, which really reduces funding for the Department's operations in 2017.

This is one way to reduce those costs. We should encourage State and local efforts in the mitigation area.

The funding that was awarded in 2016, my understanding is that it is not actually going to be out in communities and be disbursed until the end of the year at the earliest.

I had the chance to question the Secretary of State yesterday about the efforts that State is doing on the same issue, to counter violent extremism.

I think that is very important.

I would hope that you would consult with State on this issue.

We are losing a person a day in New Hampshire from overdose deaths, this is about three times as many people as who die in traffic accidents in New Hampshire.

This budget, as I read it, cuts those State grants by about 57 percent, urban grants by 45 percent, transit grants by 15 percent, and port grants by 7 percent.

I think congressional intent is very important here.

I was also very pleased to see the Department's continued efforts on countering violent extremism (CVE).

I think the politics of trying to get that done are really questionable.

I am hoping that you can share some insights into how you made those tradeoffs in the budget.

We need funding. I would ask any of you just to comment on the shortage we have of treatment, with the overwhelming needs for treatment.

But put me in the column with Senators Cardin and Corker that says that is not the way we ought to be solving our budget problems.

One of the most horrible outcomes of the civil war in Syria has been the refugee crisis that has been created by that.

I believe the department's initial reading of that language was inconsistent with what our intent was when we passed that bill.