Shaheen hears tariff woes in Peterborough, celebrates community gains in Newport

SOUTHWESTERN N.H. (MyKeeneNow) U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen spent last Wednesday crisscrossing southwestern New Hampshire, spotlighting two very different sides of federal policy — the strain of rising tariffs on manufacturers and the benefits of federal dollars flowing into local projects.

At New Hampshire Ball Bearings (NHBB) in Peterborough, Shaheen met with company executives who painted a stark picture of the challenges facing the region’s high-tech manufacturing sector, according to a news release. Dan Lemieux, president of NHBB, described how tariffs are squeezing supply chains and driving up costs in an industry critical to national defense.

Shaheen, who serves on the Senate Armed Services Committee, didn’t mince words after hearing their concerns. “NH Ball Bearings supports local jobs, contributes to our national defense and strengthens America’s military readiness—and still, they’re facing higher costs and uncertainty due to the administration’s reckless trade war and harmful tariffs,” she said in the release.

Pointing to the global nature of modern supply chains, Shaheen warned that “President Trump’s unnecessary trade war with many of America’s allies weakens an already strained defense supply chain and forces our small businesses to pay.” She pledged to carry those concerns back to Washington: “I intend to take what I heard back to make clear the administration must reverse course,” she said.

Shaheen has been vocal in her opposition to broad-based tariffs, recently introducing legislation to limit the president’s authority to impose them. “These tariffs are a tax on American families and businesses—plain and simple,” she argued on the Senate floor earlier this month.

After her Peterborough stop, Shaheen headed north to Newport, where the mood was far brighter. She toured the newly opened LaValley Family Community Center, a $4.8 million facility built with federal funds she helped secure. The center now offers a space for youth programs, sports, health activities, and community gatherings.

“I was incredibly pleased to see firsthand how the vibrant new center fosters a sense of community and boosts quality of life for the entire Newport region,” Shaheen said during her visit. “I’m proud to have worked with local leaders and advocates to secure critical funding to bring the LaValley Family Community Center to life — and I look forward to seeing how the center will help Newport thrive for years to come.”