In The News
First-ever nationwide PFAS health study gets additional $10m
by Kimberley Haas
PORTSMOUTH - Officials conducting the first-ever nationwide health study on the impacts of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances will receive another $10 million in federal funding.The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry is conducting the study. Pease International Tradeport in Portsmouth is serving as a model test site due to work that has already been done to assess the threat of PFAS chemicals in the area.The now bustling business park was home to Pease Air Force Base for 60 years.… Continue Reading
August 02, 2018
Bipartisan group of senators pushes to sanction Russia over midterm meddling
by Erin Kelly
WASHINGTON - With less than 100 days until the midterm elections, a bipartisan group of senators offered Thursday a bill that would impose tougher sanctions on Russia if it continues to interfere in U.S. elections. The bill would create new criminal penalties for anyone who targets election systems and slap sanctions on political figures, oligarchs, and others who engage in "illicit and corrupt activities" on behalf of Russian President Vladimir Putin. The bill's co-sponsors are Republicans Li… Continue Reading
August 01, 2018
Shaheen Amendment Could Advance Childhood Cancer Research In N.H.
by Annie Ropeik
The budget bill passed in the U.S. Senate Wednesday could advance childhood cancer research in New Hampshire. A recent federal study says the Granite State had the nation's highest pediatric cancer rate from 2003 to 2014. Senator Jeanne Shaheen and others have called on federal health officials to do more to study the causes of that problem. Now, Shaheen has tied the issue to the Senate's spending bill. Her amendment would require more detailed reports and public outreach about states' pediat… Continue Reading
July 21, 2018
Shaheen tours Londonderry meadery to hear about impact of tariffs on business
by Ryan Lessard
LONDONDERRY - Sen. Jeanne Shaheen visited Moonlight Meadery after company officials said they missed out on an opportunity to make an additional $750,000 per year because of Chinese retaliatory tariffs."Sadly, we're hearing from small businesses all over New Hampshire who are hurt by the tariffs," Shaheen said.Shaheen's staff supplied a study by Trade Partnership Worldwide LLC, an international trade and economic consulting firm, which projects a net loss of 1,889 jobs in the Granite State cause… Continue Reading
July 17, 2018
Action urged on NH’s highest-in-nation child cancer rate
by Jeff McMenemy
PORTSMOUTH - The state's congressional delegation is calling for the Trump administration to find out what is making New Hampshire children sick in light of a recent report indicating the state has the highest pediatric cancer rate in the country. The recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report states that between 2003 and 2014, New Hampshire had 205 pediatric cancer cases per 1,000,000 in the population. The report by the CDC comes after the state Department of Health and Human S… Continue Reading
July 17, 2018
Senator Calls For Hearing With U.S. Interpreter In Trump-Putin Meeting
by Jennifer Bendery
WASHINGTON ? Nobody knows what President Donald Trump told Russian President Vladimir Putin in their private, two-hour meeting on Monday, after which he publicly trashed U.S. intelligence and praised the Russian dictator. Well, almost nobody. At least one U.S. interpreter was in the room with the two leaders. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) says she wants to bring in that interpreter to testify before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on what, exactly, Trump shared with Putin. "That … Continue Reading
July 12, 2018
Senators ask new EPA head to act on PFAS contamination
by Jeff McMenemy
PORTSMOUTH -- U.S. Sens. Maggie Hassan and Jeanne Shaheen are calling for the acting administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to "understand and address the PFAS contamination problem facing the nation." Hassan and Shaheen state in their letter sent Thursday to Acting EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler that "PFAS chemicals have been associated with birth defects, various forms of cancers and immune system dysfunction." Wheeler replaced the embattled Scott Pruitt, who resigned last we… Continue Reading
July 05, 2018
Without These Women, A Generation Of Girls Wouldn’t Know How To “Lead From The Front”
by Jeanne Shaheen
As our Armed Forces integrate more women into direct combat roles, women are stepping up as front-line commanders at the highest levels. The women who break through the "brass ceiling" face significant barriers and need to prove they are just as brave and tough as their male counterparts. As a woman serving on the Senate Armed Services Committee and the only woman on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, I understand the challenge of taking on responsibilities that have historically been trus… Continue Reading
June 30, 2018
Another View, with Jeanne Shaheen: Supreme Court got the internet sales tax ruling horribly wrong
by Jeanne Shaheen
June 29, 2018
Shaheen, Hassan urge EPA to act on PFAS contaminants
by Jeff McMenemy
PORTSMOUTH - U.S. Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan are urging the Environmental Protection Agency to "take immediate action to protect citizens from" further PFAS contamination. Shaheen and Hassan released a letter on Friday they wrote to EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt in the wake of this week's first-ever PFAS contamination community engagement event, which the EPA held in Exeter. "We are hopeful that the EPA will take the concerns and recommendations that were raised by community leade… Continue Reading
June 12, 2018
Hampton Harbor dredging effort takes a step forward
by Max Sullivan
HAMPTON -- Plans for the dredging of Hampton Harbor will be funded this year by the Army Corps of Engineers, giving advocates for the project hope the actual dredging could take place in 2019. The corps' 2018 fiscal year work plan includes $275,000 to produce the plans for the project, which harbor business owners say is needed to keep the harbor from becoming unusable. U.S. Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan, both New Hampshire Democrats, praised the corps Monday for including the funding… Continue Reading
May 26, 2018
Thousands turn out for USS Manchester commissioning
by Kimberley Haas
PORTSMOUTH - Sen. Jeanne Shaheen says one of the best parts of sponsoring the USS Manchester was getting the chance to meet the crew."It has been an honor and truly the thrill of a lifetime to be the USS Manchester's sponsor," Shaheen, D-NH, said during a commissioning ceremony Saturday that drew a crowd of close to 6,000 people.Shaheen acknowledged the accomplishments of the littoral combat ship's Cmdr. Emily Bassett"She is a role model for all of us, especially women and girls throughout New H… Continue Reading
May 10, 2018
Pease to lead off first nationwide PFAS health study
by Jeff McMenemy
PORTSMOUTH - The Agency For Toxic Substances and Disease Registry will announce Thursday night that it will be doing a health study on adults and children exposed to dangerous PFAS chemicals at the former Pease Air Force Base here. The study will be part of the first-ever larger multi-site study on PFAS exposure that was established by legislation authored by U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H. The announcement will come from ATSDR officials at Thursday night's meeting of the Pease Community Assi… Continue Reading
May 09, 2018
With Seasonal Hiring Pressure In N.H., Shaheen Pushes For Answers On Temporary Worker Visas
by Robert Garrova
Many seasonal businesses in New Hampshire take advantage of temporary worker visas to fill open jobs. But as the summer tourism season approaches, employers say they're still understaffed. Russ Hart owns Hart's Turkey Farm restaurant in Meredith. He's requested 18 temporary H-2B visas for the busy season but so far only has eight. The lack of workers isn't a big problem yet, but Hart expects it will be after Memorial Day. "We will have an issue once we get into June, though," Hart says. "There… Continue Reading
April 24, 2018
Shaheen questions Air Force secretary on PFAS health study
by Jeff McMenemy
PORTSMOUTH -- U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., questioned the secretary of the Air Force on the first national health study planned for people exposed to PFAS chemicals. Shaheen on Tuesday morning also asked Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson, who grew up in Keene, whether she thought there should be a separate branch of the military for space defense during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing. Shaheen reminded Wilson more than 1,500 people have high levels of PFAS chemicals in their bl… Continue Reading
April 09, 2018
New England fishermen win reprieve from at-sea monitoring fees
by Rob Hotakainen
At 64, David Goethel thought it might be time to quit fishing and get rid of his boat, a 44-foot trawler named Ellen Diane. "I was planning on selling it this summer," said Goethel, a commercial fisherman from Hampton, N.H. "There's just simply no money left. The tax accountant confirmed that to me the other day." But Goethel figures he'll keep working now that Congress has thrown him a temporary lifeline, beginning May 1. That's when New England's groundfishing season opens and the federal go… Continue Reading
April 07, 2018
Shaheen: PFAS health study can deliver answers
by Jeff McMenemy
PORTSMOUTH -- Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., believes the first national health study on PFAS exposure will help give parents in the Seacoast some answers they've been asking for. Shaheen announced in March she had procured $7 million for the study on people exposed to PFAS chemicals in drinking water that came as a result of legislation she introduced. During an exclusive interview Thursday, Shaheen said because PFAS or PFCs are contaminants of emerging concern "we don't have the kind of health… Continue Reading
April 05, 2018
Shaheen lobbies for state in fight against opioids
by Liora Engel-Smith
Speaking about the opioid epidemic during a visit with The Sentinel's editorial board Wednesday, U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen said New Hampshire should receive at least $10 million of the new funds Congress set aside for states with high rates of overdose deaths. Shaheen, a Democrat who has served in the Senate since 2009, said the $142-million outlay should be divided among the states with the five highest rates of opioid deaths, with a minimum of $10 million for each state. New Hampshire… Continue Reading
March 28, 2018
NOAA to foot monitoring costs
by Sean Hordan
Timing may not be everything, but it sure counts for a lot. Just ask New Hampshire groundfisherman David Goethel. Goethel, who had persevered through cascading years of escalating regulation, slashed fishing quotas, a failed lawsuit and, more recently, the prospect of paying the full cost of at-sea monitoring, was ready to get out of commercial groundfishing. "I had planned to sell my boat this summer," Goethel said Wednesday, referring to his 44-foot, Hampton, New Hampshire-ported Ellen Diane… Continue Reading
March 23, 2018
Fisherman who sued feds thrilled about funding for monitoring
by Kimberley Haas
HAMPTON - A commercial fisherman who sued the federal government over at-sea monitoring costs was thrilled Thursday when it was announced the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration would fully fund the program under the omnibus government spending bill.David Goethel, of Hampton, said he learned about the funding Wednesday."I've been sitting on this for 18 hours. I was like a cat that swallowed a canary. I didn't want to spit out any feathers," Goethel said Thursday afternoon.NOAA used t… Continue Reading
