>> CONGRESSWOMAN ANNIE KUSTER IS
TAKEN WASHINGTON NEW --
WASHINGTON TO NEW HAMPSHIRE.
ALSO JIM RUBIN RUN FOR SEVEN --
RUN FOR SENATE.
AND MITT ROMNEY TRIES A TRUMP
TAKEDOWN.
WILL IT WORK? WHAT IS ME TO THE
GOP THIS YEAR YOU I AM -- THIS
YEAR?
I AM JOSH MCELVEEN.
THE NUMBER ONE PROBLEM
ACCORDING TO YOU, DRUGS AND THE
CRISIS OF ADDICTION.
ANNIE KUSTER IS HERE TO DISCUSS
THAT AND THE RACE.
WE HAD THE WHOLE COME OUT THIS
WEEK.
DRUGS, HEROINE, FENTANYL,
ADDICTION, ALL STILL A TOP ISSUE
FACING THE STATE.
RE KUSTER: I HAVE BEEN
TRAVELING THE DISTRICT BRINGING
PEOPLE TOGETHER.
WE HAVE THE PROVIDERS, THE
HOSPITAL, THE DOCTORS, THE
COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH AND THEN
I HAVE THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AND
FIRST RESPONDERS.
FOLKS ON THE EMT TRUCKS AND FIRE
DEPARTMENT SHOWING UP.
IT IS GOING TO TAKE EVERYBODY
COMING TOGETHER.
ONE THING I HAVE LEARNED, IT IS
A VERY COMPLEX ISSUE AND THERE
ARE A NUMBER OF POLICIES THAT
HAVE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES.
I WILL GIVE YOU A GREAT EXAMPLE.
THERE IS A POLIC THAT
ENCOURAGES PHYSICIANS TO
PRESCRIBE OPIATE MEDICATION.
THEIR REIMBURSEMENT, WHETHER IT
BE MEDICARE, ACTUALLY USES PAIN
AS A CRITERIA OF CARE.
HOW IS YOUR PAIN MANAGED?
WHAT WE HAVE SEEN IS A DRAMATIC
INCREASE IN OPIATE
PRESCRIPTIONS.
IF YOU TALK TO ANYBODY, I HAVE
KNEE SURGERY, YOU ARE GOING TO
GET THAT.
WE HAVE TEENAGERS GOING IN FOR
WISDOM TEETH EXTRACTION AND THEY
ARE WALKING OUT OF THERE WITH 30
PERCOCET'S.
WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THE
PHYSICIANS, THE DENTISTS ARE NOT
ENCOURAGED TO USE THAT
MEDICATION BECAUSE IT IS GOING
TO BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION
IN THEIR REIMBURSEMENT.
WE HAVE A BIPARTISAN BILL THAT
IS GOING TO UNLOCK THAT.
WE HAVE A NUMBER OF BILLS TO BE
WORKING ON.
>> WE HAVE A FIELD HEARING IN
THE AREA OF VETERANS
ADMINISTRATION.
REP. KUSTER: THANKS FOR GIVING A
CHANCE TO TELL PEOPLE, WE ARE
HAVING A FIELD HEARING TODAY.
OVERSIGHT AND INVESTIGATIONS
SUBCOMMITTEE, COMING TO NEW
HAMPSHIRE TO TALK ABOUT OPIATE
PRESCRIPTIONS.
MORE IMPORTANTLY PAIN
MANAGEMENT.
I AM MORE PROUD OF THE FACT THAT
--
OPIATE PRESCRIPTIONS USE
ALTERNATIVE REMEDIES FOR PAIN.
WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS GIVE THEM
ALTERNATIVES TO MEDICINE TO
OPIATE PRESCRIPTIONS THAT ARE
HIGHLY ADDICTIVE.
THEY ARE USING YIELD A AND
WELLNESS AND MEDITATION AND
PHYSICAL EXERCISE.
A WHOLE RANGE OF MENTAL HEALTH
THERAPIES.
A CO-RECURRING MENTAL HEALTH
ILLNESS.
>> DOCTORS, PROVIDERS ARE SAYING
WE ARE NOT THE BAD GUY.
IT IS COMING OVER THE BORDER.
THE FENTANYL, THE HEROINE
ITSELF.
>> TODAY WE JUST HAD A CHANCE TO
SAY HELLO TO EMILY RICE.
WE ARE GOING TO BE GETTING
TOGETHER AND TALKING ABOUT THE
INTRODUCTION EFFORTS.
NEW HAMPSHIRE MEMBERS OF OUR
POLICE, WE HAVE THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL ON OUR HEARING PANEL TO
MAKE SURE WE ARE DOING
EVERYTHING WE CAN.
PART OF THIS IS RESOURCES.
THERE IS A BILL IN THE
LEGISLATURE AND THE SENATE THAT
WE ARE WORKING ON.
WE HAVE AN APPROACH IN THE U.S.
HOUSE FOR EMERGENCY FUNDING.
TALKING TO THE MAYOR OF NASHUA,
HE IS POLLING PEOPLE OFF OF
OTHER CRIME PREVENTION OR OTHER
WORK THEY DO IN THE COMMUNITY.
I TALKED TO SO MANY PEOPLE IN
RECOVERY, STEALING CANCER
MEDICINE FROM THEIR GRANDMOTHER.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE EXPAND
TREATMENT.
I'M WORKING ON A NUMBER OF
PROJECTS TO GET THEM EXPAND UP
NORTH IN BETHLEHEM.
THE HEARING WILL BE WHAT WE DO
ABOUT VETERANS BUT REALLY IT IS
A LEARNING OPPORTUNITY FOR THIS
COMMUNITY AS WELL.
I'M PROUD AND EXCITED TO TAKE A
LEADERSHIP ROLE ON THIS.
>> NEWS THIS WEEK CAME OUT WITH
THE REST OF THE REPUBLICAN
ACTIVISTS.
A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE OUT THERE
CONCERNED THIS IS GOVERNMENT
OVERREACH.
IS THERE ANYTHING ABOUT THIS
THAT HAS CONCERNED YOU?
>> I'M ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE THAT
WANTS TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT OVER
BURDENS OF GOVERNMENT REGULATION
AND THE GOVERNMENT ROLE.
WE CAN'T HAVE CITIZENS TAKING
OVER OUR NATIONAL PARKS AND
MONUMENTS.
WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE KEEP THE
COMMUNITY SAFE.
WE ARE PUTTING LAW ENFORCEMENT
IN THE WAY WITH THAT SITUATION.
I THINK WE ARE LUCKY THAT WE
DIDN'T END UP WITH LOSS OF LIFE
IN THAT SITUATION.
WE HAVE HAD SOME MORE SITUATIONS
IN THE PAST.
THIS IS SOMETHING LAW
ENFORCEMENT NEEDS TO BE
ATTENTIVE TO.
CERTAINLY MY COLLEAGUES AND
OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY ARE
DEALING WITH THIS SAFETY OF OUR
COMMUNITIES.
>> ARE YOU RUNNING AGAIN?
>> I'M REALLY FOCUSED ON MY
WORK, I'M TAKING A LEADERSHIP
ROLE ON THIS NATIONAL LEVEL.
WE STARTED A BIPARTISAN TASK
FORCE.
THERE IS NO LOBBY IN NEW
HAMPSHIRE.
THIS IS SOMETHING WE CAN REALLY
MAKE PROGRESS ON.
WE HAVE A WHOLE RANGE OF
LEGISLATION COMING UP THAT WE
WILL BE WORKING ON.
I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
TAKE THIS ON FOR THE PEOPLE,
PROUD OF THE ROLE AT THE
VETERANS AFFAIRS.
I WILL BE BACK IN CAMPAIGN MODE.
I DON'T HAVE AN OPPONENT YET.
AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL, YOU HAVE
TO ADMIT IT IS A LITTLE
UNCERTAIN.
I HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE TO HAVE
REALLY STRONG GRASSROOTS
SUPPORT.
I CAN FOCUS ON MY JOB, BUT I
HAVE A LOT OF SUPPORTERS THERE
AND READY TO GO.
THIS CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM I
FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT IT.
THAT WILL BE ONE OF MY MESSAGES.
>> MOST OF IT DIRECTED TO TRUMP.
BERNIE SANDERS AND THE ENERGY HE
HAS CREATED.
IT SHOWS JUST HOW ANGRY
EVERYBODY IS.
>> I THINK PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED
AND FRUSTRATED WITH THE SYSTEM
WE HAVE.
CONGRESS IS BROKEN.
REALLY THAT WAS THE BEST WE
COULD DO.
I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE
CHANGE COMING INTO CONGRESS.
PEOPLE WORKING TOGETHER, LESS
POLITICIZING EVERYTHING.
THIS CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM
ISSUE, I THINK THAT STRONG ON
BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE, PEOPLE
ARE HAVING THAT PEOPLE ARE
SCARED OF HAVING A VOICE THAT
FELT AS THOUGH THEY TOOK THE
VOICE AWAY FROM THE PEOPLE DOWN
THE VOTERS.
I'M EXCITED ON OUR SIDE OF THE
LEDGER.
LOTS OF YOUNG PEOPLE COMING INTO
THE RACE.
I'M A LITTLE SHOCKED AT THE FOOD
FIGHT ON THE OTHER SIDE.
WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A ROBUST
DISCUSSION.
I WILL BE EXCITED TO COME BACK
AND TALK ABOUT IT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.