New Hampshire rejects $27M for COVID vaccination outreach

CONCORD, N.H. (WCAX) - New Hampshire has become the first state to reject federal COVID money.

The state was set to get $27 million to boost vaccination rates but the New Hampshire Executive Council on Wednesday voted against the grants.

The Executive Council is a constitutional body that approves state contracts. The five members must approve receiving and spending federal funds in excess of $10,000.

Gov. Chris Sununu came out swinging.

“Today’s vote by members of my own party, quite frankly, was a disservice to the constituents that we are all elected to serve. The AG, Department of Health and Human Services, they addressed all of the councilors concerns and they still voted to send $27 million of our tax dollars, frankly, back to Washington, D.C., instead of spending it here to help our state to get out of this pandemic,” said Sununu, R-New Hampshire.

New Hampshire Democrats expressed disgust, too, and blamed Sununu for bolstering the anti-vax movement by criticizing President Biden’s vaccine mandate.

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