In The News
Bank Of America Announces Foreclosure Moratorium
MANCHESTER, N.H. -- The nation's largest bank is suspending foreclosure activities on homes in default, and U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., said she wants the moratorium extended to other major lenders. In August, about 820 homes in New Hampshire were foreclosed upon. Bank of America had originally suspended foreclosure activity in states where foreclosures had to be approved by the courts, but the freeze was then extended to all 50 states. Shaheen said she is pleased by the move … Continue Reading
October 06, 2010
Plaistow wins federal grant for new officer
by Cara Hogan
PLAISTOW - There soon will be a new cop in town, thanks to a federal grant announced yesterday. The Plaistow Police Department is one of just seven in the state to receive the Department of Justice grant. Plaistow received $231,502, which will fund a new officer for three years and give a detective more hours for investigative work, according to police Chief Stephen Savage. The Community Oriented Policing Services hiring program, commonly referred to as COPS, provides grants to depar… Continue Reading
October 06, 2010
NH gets $12 million for mortgage bridge loans
CONCORD, N.H.-New Hampshire is getting more than $12 million to help families who are in danger of losing their homes. U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen says the money, which is part of the Emergency Homeowners Loan Program, will be used to offer zero-interest bridge loans to help people who have fallen behind on their mortgage payments because of unemployment, income cuts or medical emergency. The maximum loan under the program is $50,000. To be eligible, a borrower must meet several cond… Continue Reading
October 01, 2010
Push to empower Obama's spill panel fails again
by Gerald Helguero
A fourth attempt to give President Barack Obama's oil spill commission more power to compel witnesses to testify was blocked on Wednesday, even as the Senate prepares to adjourn until after November's elections. The bill would give the President's 7-member National Commission on the BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill the ability to subpoena witnesses, raising the possibility of shedding more light on the causes of the spill. The co-chairs of the commission said on Tuesday that the investigati… Continue Reading
September 17, 2010
NH Sen. Shaheen hears judge's impeachment trial
by Holly Ramer
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) - New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen said Friday her background as a governor is serving her well as she sits on a panel hearing the first impeachment trial of a federal judge in more than 20 years. Shaheen, a Democrat in her first term, is among 12 senators who have been hearing the case of U.S. District Judge G. Thomas Porteous of Louisiana, who is accused of taking payoffs and lying under oath. After the trial ends next week, they'll present facts to the full Senate,… Continue Reading
September 16, 2010
Obama nominates Sen. Jeanne Shaheen to U.N. Assembly
WASHINGTON - U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen has been nominated by President Barack Obama to serve as Representative of the United States to the Sixty-fifth Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations. Shaheen, D-Madbury, was appointed with three others. "I am honored to have the opportunity to serve as Representative of the United States to the United Nations General Assembly, and I thank President Obama for this nomination," Shaheen said in a statement. "The security challenges… Continue Reading
September 15, 2010
A new START to strengthen national security
by Senator Jeanne Shaheen
This week, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee is scheduled to vote on ratification of the New START Treaty. From the beginning of our deliberation, Committee members have sought to answer the question Defense Secretary Robert Gates posed early in this process: Is the U.S. better off with this treaty or without it? After a careful and thorough examination, including 12 open and classified hearings, more than 20 expert hearing witnesses, and overwhelming support from across the poli… Continue Reading
September 15, 2010
Solid Waste District gets $1 million grant for gas conversion
by Barbara Tetreault
BERLIN - A key component of the $4.69 million funding package to build a gas pipeline to the Fraser mill in Gorham has been awarded to the Androscoggin Valley Regional Disposal District. U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen yesterday announced that the U.S. Economic Development Administration has awarded $1 million to the district for the project which will allow the mill to burn both natural gas from the nearby Portland National Gas Trasmission System pipeline and methane gas from the district'… Continue Reading
September 14, 2010
NH to get $40.9 Million to retain teachers
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) - New Hampshire is set to receive $40.9 million in federal funding to prevent teacher layoffs. The funding is part of $10 billion in emergency grants going to school districts around the country as part of a bill passed last month. The legislation provides $10 billion to school districts to rehire laid-off teachers or to ensure that more teachers won't be let go. The Education Department estimates that could save 160,000 jobs. The funding will be distributed to states… Continue Reading
September 14, 2010
Delegations push feds for Memorial Bridge replacement
by Deborah McDermott
Members of the N.H. and Maine congressional delegations this week sent a letter to U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood expressing their support for the TIGER II federal grant to replace the Memorial Bridge. The letter, dated Sept. 13, was signed by Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins and Rep. Chellie Pingree of Maine, and Sen. Jeanne Shaheen and Rep. Carol Shea-Porter of N.H. Related Stories N.H. Sen. Judd Gregg sent his own letter of support at the time the application was su… Continue Reading
September 12, 2010
Thousands pack arena for farewell to soldiers
by Shawne K. Wickham
MANCHESTER - On the ninth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks that launched America into two wars, New Hampshire yesterday bid an emotional farewell to more than 700 Army National Guardsmen leaving soon to help complete the mission. In the year they'll be gone, some will miss seeing babies born, others their kids' graduations. They'll be away for Christmas, birthdays, family weddings, perhaps funerals. But after yesterday, members of the 197th Fires Brigade surely know they carry the tho… Continue Reading
August 13, 2010
Shaheen christens precinct’s green energy project
by Casey Conley
CONWAY - "One, two, three, push!" On cue, U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen gave the lever a hard thrust, down and to the right. Like that, the largest solar energy project in New Hampshire went on line for the first time. A crowd of 30 people turned around to face row after row of solar panels installed outside North Conway Water Precinct. To the naked eye, nothing much was happening. But an on-site electrical meter showed the panels were already producing power. "The meter's running!" som… Continue Reading
August 13, 2010
Senator Shaheen discusses importance of community health centers
by Craig Lyons
BERLIN - Senator Jeanne Shaheen touted the critical role community health centers play in health care and the importance the centers will play in the future of health care during a visit to Berlin. Thursday afternoon Shaheen stopped at Coos County Family Health Services, in Berlin, to make brief remarks about health care issues and tour the facility. She stressed the role community health centers would play in the future due to changes made by Affordable Care Act. "[I want to] let eve… Continue Reading
August 10, 2010
Sen. Shaheen announces $650,000 for Ports. Harbor
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen announced her request to support two projects to increase the width and depth of sections of Portsmouth Harbor have been approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee. Shaheen secured $500,000 for maintenance dredging of a section of the harbor known as Simplex Shoal, as well as $150,000 for the design phase of a project to increase the width of the harbor's upper turning basin. Both projects will ensure continued access to the harbor fo… Continue Reading
August 10, 2010
Senator Shaheen proposes new federal grants to support sci-tech programs
by Scott Kirsner
U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire teamed up with inventor Dean Kamen this morning to unveil a new bill she hopes will funnel new federal funding to extra-curricular educational programs focused on science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Kamen, best known as the inventor of the Segway and various medical devices, started such a program in 1989, Manchester-based FIRST, that operates robotics competitions for more than 250,000 kids each year. Shaheen's bill would creat… Continue Reading
August 07, 2010
Federal funding advances for Somersworth sidewalk project
by Kyle Stucker
SOMERSWORTH - The U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee approved a bill Friday that could eventually provide $300,000 for the city's sidewalk project. The project is aimed at refurbishing parts of Main and High streets in the hopes of improving the area and attracting new business to the Hilltop City. The $300,000 was included in the Fiscal Year 2011 Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development Appropriations bill, which is now ready for consideration by the full senate, according t… Continue Reading
August 07, 2010
Shaheen announces $135g for Rochester's first responders
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen announced her request to help the City of Rochester upgrade its emergency communications system has been approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee. Shaheen secured $135,000 for the project, which will allow the city to install a wireless communications system for use by its emergency responders. These funds were included in the Fiscal Year 2011 Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations bill, which is now ready for consideration by the full… Continue Reading
August 05, 2010
Sen. Shaheen helps secure funds for river, creek dredging
by Dave Choate
PORTSMOUTH - Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., on Tuesday announced she had secured out of committee a total of $650,000 in funding for planned dredging work in Portsmouth Harbor and Sagamore Creek, to be carried out by the Army Corps of Engineers. On top of that, $150,000 for a feasibility study on enlarging a turning basin for ships in the Piscataqua River was also approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee, and added to the Pease Development Authority Division of Ports and Harbors' c… Continue Reading
August 04, 2010
Poised for a big boost
by Casey Farrar
A public-private partnership of conservation groups in New Hampshire and Massachusetts is in line for a federal funding boost next year, according to U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen. Shaheen, D-N.H., announced Tuesday that $282,000 for the Quabbin to Cardigan Conservation Initiative has been included in the federal agriculture department's 2011 budget by the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee. The bill will now move on to the Senate for approval. The Quabbin to Cardigan partnership laun… Continue Reading
August 04, 2010
NH telecoms get $2.3M in federal grants to expand Internet
by Denis Paiste
Merrimack County Telephone company has been awarded $2,021,197 in federal funds and Kearsarge Telephone Company was awarded $372,532 to expand broadband Internet to people and businesses in their service area. The funds come from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. "These important investments in Merrimack County communities will create new opportunities for distance learning, health care delivery, and economic development, while connecting many homes and business to high sp… Continue Reading
