In a move that underscores the state’s deep concern over the escalating national debt, State Representative Jason Gerhard (R – Merrimack 25) has sponsored a groundbreaking bill. This legislation, if passed, would allow voters to amend the New Hampshire Constitution, declaring that the state will secede from the United States should the national debt reach a staggering $40 trillion. Currently, the debt sits at $33 trillion. 

Representative Gerhard stated, “The federal government’s decision to saddle countless future Americans with an astronomical debt is not just an economic concern, but a moral one. Why should the people of New Hampshire bear the brunt of financial decisions they had no part in making? Why should we have to continue living under a federal government that is so broken that it can’t solve the economic crises facing us every single day? It’s high time we in New Hampshire consider putting our state’s interests at the forefront. If that means contemplating a future outside of the United States, then we owe it to ourselves to have that discussion.”

Carla Gericke, President Emeritus of the Free State Project, commented on the initiative, stating, “This bill is not just about numbers, it’s about principles. New Hampshire has a rich history of valuing fiscal responsibility above legislative wish-lists. It’s only fitting that we consider every option at our disposal when faced with a national debt that threatens that very value.” Gericke continued, “We pay more in taxes to the federal government every year than we receive in federal funding. Despite this investment, inflation is still sky-high, they won’t bother to fix our border, and healthcare is unattainable for most Americans. If it gets any worse, New Hampshire deserves the right to make our own choices about our future.”

Matt Sabourin dit Choinière, Chairman of the New Hampshire Independence Political Action Committee, further illustrated “The political situation in this country has only worsened in my lifetime, and for voters who are dissatisfied with the choices they have for federal offices this election cycle, it’s important for them to realize there’s another option.”

Upon its introduction, the bill will undergo an evaluation in committee. If it is subsequently passed, New Hampshire’s voters will have the opportunity to vote on the amendment in the subsequent general election cycle.