Concord, N.H. — Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander (NH-02) delivered bipartisan wins for New Hampshire last week in a slate of bipartisan bills that passed the U.S. House. Legislation she championed will move critical New Hampshire water infrastructure projects forward, protect New Hampshire  ratepayers from AI datacenter-driven rate hikes, protect seniors from costly scams, crack down on illicit xylazine, and protect emergency AM radio access.

“Every Granite Stater deserves access to safe, reliable drinking water,” said Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander on the passage of the Water Resources Development Act of 2026. “This bipartisan bill moved two critical New Hampshire projects one step closer to receiving the federal resources they need –  and it more than quadruples the authorized federal funding for water infrastructure and projects statewide. I’ll keep working to secure the funding our communities need to get these projects built.”  

This the latest step in a broader push: Goodlander has already helped secure $28.65 million to identify and remove lead pipes statewide, backed the release of more than $9.4 million to help communities and private well owners tackle PFAS contamination, and fought for federal funding to replace Newport’s aging water system.

A second bill, the Ratepayer Protection Act, which passed the House by an overwhelming 417-3 vote, aims to tackle an emerging problem head-on: large data center operators pay higher rates for their own power use, instead of spreading the cost across every family’s bill.

“Hardworking Granite Staters should not be forced to pay for the massive power infrastructure that data centers demand,” Goodlander said. “The Ratepayer Protection Act is commonsense: when a large-load customer jacks up costs or the need for costly upgrades, that customer — not New Hampshire families and small businesses — should foot the bill. Big Tech should never get a free ride on the backs of Granite State ratepayers.” 

This is the latest front in Goodlander’s fight against utility profiteering: she helped introduce the Lowering Utility Bills Act to rein in excessive utility profits, intervened on behalf of constituents in Liberty Utilities’ rate hike case, demanded answers after the company refused to connect new customers in the Lakes Region, and worked alongside New Hampshire’s Consumer Advocate to challenge Eversource’s proposed 43.4 percent rate hike.

The House also passed the bipartisan GUARD Act to arm law enforcement against the wave of fraud targeting older Americans. Scams cost Americans $20.9 billion in 2025 alone, according to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center — a 26 percent jump from the year before — with “pig butchering” cryptocurrency schemes, which lure victims with fake investment opportunities before draining their accounts, responsible for $11.37 billion of that total. In New Hampshire, scams involving Bitcoin and other digital assets cost Granite Staters millions in 2024 alone.

“Scammers are draining a lifetime of savings from Granite State seniors,” said Goodlander. “Our seniors deserve a fair deal – not the persistent threat of a con job. The GUARD Act gives trusted law enforcement the funding and the tools — including blockchain tracing technology — to track these criminals down and get your money back.” The bill builds on Goodlander’s record backing the police and firefighters who will put it to use: she ensured the enactment of the Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act, backed stable funding for programs that serve crime victims, and has fought to protect the federal grants New Hampshire police and fire departments rely on for equipment, training, and investigations.

“These bills will put people first,” Goodlander said. “They will help keep deadly  drugs off our streets, preserve a reliable lifeline for emergency alerts, and give law enforcement better tools to protect seniors from devastating scams. I’m proud to have pushed to get these bills across the finish line in the House.”

The bills that passed the House last week include: 

• The Water Resources Development Act of 2026 (H.R. 9497) quadruples  New Hampshire’s environmental infrastructure authorization from $25 million to $106 million for eligible water and wastewater infrastructure, drought resilience, and related projects. This Goodlander-backed bill specifically authorizes  $15 million for the Springfield Water System Precinct in New London and $1.5 million for the Sullivan County Drinking Water Storage Project in Unity, both projects championed by Goodlander.  

• The Ratepayer Protection Act (H.R. 9340) aims to stop Big Tech from jacking up utility costs by requiring state utility regulators and nonregulated utilities to consider a federal standard designed to ensure that large-load customers, including data centers with peak demand of at least 100 megawatts, cover the full incremental cost of the grid upgrades needed to serve them and post financial assurances before work begins.

• GUARD Act of 2026 (H.R. 2978): Authorizes state, local, and Tribal law enforcement to use certain federal grants to investigate elder and general financial fraud, including “pig butchering” scams, where scammers seek to build trust before asking the victim to invest in fraudulent digital assets.  Bill also supports specialized training, investigators, blockchain tracing tools, and coordination with financial institutions. 

• Combating Illicit Xylazine Act (H.R. 1266): Places xylazine on Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act, tracks transactions, and strengthens penalties for illicit trafficking while protecting legitimate veterinary, farming, animal-control, and wildlife uses.

• AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act of 2025 (H.R. 979): Directs the Department of Transportation to require access to AM radio as standard equipment in new passenger vehicles, preserving a resilient source of emergency alerts and barring separate fees for AM radio access.

ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND:

Goodlander has worked across the aisle to lower costs, bring federal dollars home, strengthen New Hampshire infrastructure, and help state and local law enforcement keep communities safe:

• Cracking down on utility profiteering: Goodlander helped introduce the Lowering Utility Bills Act to rein in excessive profits by investor-owned utilities and transmission providers. She has intervened on behalf of constituents in Liberty Utilities’ rate hike case, demanded answers after the company refused to connect new customers in the Lakes Region, and worked alongside the New Hampshire Office of the Consumer Advocate to challenge Eversource’s proposed 43.4 percent rate hike.
• Delivering federal dollars to New Hampshire communities: Goodlander has work to protect and deliver federal funding  home for high-priority local projects, securing over $200 million since taking office for vital community resources for public safety, housing, child care, education, and healthcare.. 
• Strengthening water infrastructure: Goodlander helped secure $28.65 million to identify and remove lead pipes, and backed the release of more than $9.4 million to help communities and private well owners address PFAS contamination. She has fought for federal funding to replace Newport’s aging water system.. 
• Backing trusted law enforcement: Goodlander has been a staunch proponent of additional funding for state and local law enforcement to support public safety and emergency response. She ensured the enactment of the Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act and has also backed stable funding for programs that serve victims of crime. She has fought to protectfederal grants that New Hampshire police and fire departments rely on for equipment, training, investigations, and road safety.

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