By PAULA TRACY, InDepthNH.org
CONCORD – Members of the Joint Legislative Fiscal Committee can expect to hear from opponents of the Executive Council’s decision to reverse itself and accept more than $22 million in federal funds that opponents claimed had federal vaccine mandate strings attached.
Andrew Manuse, one of the organizers of RebuildNH and a former state legislator, said the organization is asking its members to show up Friday, Nov. 19, at the State House where the final vote on accepting the money will be before the fiscal committee.
Additionally, the organization circulated a petition, https://reopennh.com/letter-to-oppose-federal-dhhs-funding/, with 2,369 signatures opposing the funding.
Some opponents of the funding are crying foul that the Executive Council was not transparent when it brought up a re-vote Wednesday as a late agenda item.
Spokesman for Gov. Chris Sununu, Speaker Sherman Packard, R-Londonderry and Senate President Chuck Morse, R-Salem, did not respond to a request for comment.
Voting to support the funding for vaccine registry staff and regional vaccine clinics with CDC funds, with a lengthy nonbinding resolution opposing federal mandates were Executive Councilors Joe Kenney, David Wheeler, and Janet Stevens, all Republicans and Democrat Cinde Warmington who called the resolution “meaningless.”
Councilor Ted Gatsas abstained.This was a reversal from a 4-1 vote two weeks earlier to oppose the same funds, with Warmington casting the only yes vote.
The petition says the signers along with the executive board of RebuildNH, “urge you to reject the combined $27 million in grants for the purpose of propaganda and implementation of the COVID-19 vaccination system and the vaccination registry.
“Accepting these funds would force New Hampshire to comply with the following untenable requirements as stated in the contract:
“Comply with existing and/or future directives and guidance from the Secretary regarding control of the spread of Covid-19,”
“In consultation and coordination with HHS, provide commensurate with the condition of the individual COVID-19 patient care regardless of the individual’s home jurisdiction and/or appropriate public health measures (e.g., social distancing, home isolation); and,”
“Assist the U.S. Government in the implementation and enforcement of federal orders related to quarantine and isolation,”
“Further, consistent with the full scope of applicable grant regulations … the recipient is expected to provide to CDC copies of and/or access to COVID-19 data collected with these funds, including but not limited to data related to COVID-19 testing. CDC will specify in further guidance and directives what is encompassed by this requirement.”
Gov. Chris Sununu and Attorney General John Formella have rejected the assertion that by accepting the funds the state is somehow ceding its rights to the federal government.
Additionally, Health and Human Services Commissioner Lori Shibinette has said the funds are important to the state’s efforts to vaccinate its residents against COVID-19 and to help stand up the state’s overall vaccination registry program.
The petition is signed by Manuse, its chairman; Melissa Blasek, executive director; JR Hoell, secretary/treasurer; Carolyn McKinney, grassroots coordinator; Leah Cushman, board member and Thomas McLeod, board member.
Currently, the fiscal committee’s plans are to meet in the Legislative Office Building from 10 a.m. to 12 on Friday.
