During Visit to Rochester Head Start, Shaheen Highlights Need for Additional Child Care Support for Working Families in COVID-19 Relief Legislation

 

Shaheen highlights the importance of providing additional resources to child care providers during her visit to the Rochester Head Start facility.

Earlier: Shaheen Delivers Remarks at New Hampshire Business Review’s “Operation HR” Virtual Event Promoting Hiring of Granite State Veterans

 

Shaheen discusses her efforts to support Granite State veterans during NH Business Review’s “Operation HR” event. Shaheen’s full remarks can be viewed here. 

Later: Shaheen Promotes Clean Energy & Energy Efficiency during Clean Energy NH’s Local Energy Solutions Virtual Conference

 

Shaheen underscores how clean energy and energy efficiency will benefit New Hampshire during Clean Energy NH’s Local Energy Solutions virtual conference. Shaheen’s remarks can be viewed here.

(Rochester, NH) – Today, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) visited the Rochester Head Start facility to underscore the continuing need for child care support in COVID-19 relief legislation. Child care is crucial to New Hampshire’s economic recovery and to allow working families to fully return to work, but providers in the state have been severely impacted by the fallout of the COVID-19 public health and financial crisis, leading many to be at risk of permanent closure.

During her visit, Shaheen hosted a group discussion with Rochester Mayor Caroline McCarley and local child care providers, including advocates from organizations like the Granite YMCA and the Strafford County Community Action Program. She heard more from participants on their experiences during the pandemic, including the challenges they and working families in the Seacoast region have faced in providing and accessing child care. She also highlighted her work in the Senate to secure additional resources for child care – including her support of the Child Care is Essential Act, legislation that would create a $50 billion Child Care Stabilization Fund to stabilize the child care sector and assist providers in their efforts to safely reopen and operate. In March, Shaheen introduced legislation to assist health care workers with child and elder care so that they can continue to treat patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has had an overwhelming impact on child care providers like Strafford County CAP’s Head Start program in Rochester, which working families in the Seacoast region and throughout our state are relying on to fully return to work. Without additional federal assistance, providers are at serious risk of shutting down. This would have a catastrophic impact on New Hampshire’s economy, cutting thousands of jobs and leaving Granite State families to fend for themselves,” said Shaheen. “Congress needs to prioritize additional relief for providers in a comprehensive COVID-19 relief package, including legislation I support that would create a Child Care Stabilization Fund to support providers’ efforts to safely reopen and operate. I appreciate the feedback I received today from child care providers and advocates, and will be sharing it with other Senators to secure this urgently needed assistance.”

Earlier, Shaheen delivered remarks at New Hampshire Business Review’s “Operation HR” virtual event. Operation HR is a NH Business Review-led initiative designed to promote the hiring of Granite State veterans in businesses throughout New Hampshire. With veterans possessing a wide variety of critical skills and abilities acquired from their military service that can be transferred to the civilian workforce, the event aims to highlight the many reasons employers could benefit from hiring those who have served. During her remarks, Shaheen recognized veterans’ service and sacrifices for our nation and highlighted her efforts to help veterans transition from life in the military to civilian life.

Shaheen’s remarks can be viewed here.

“I want to thank New Hampshire Business Review for inviting me to participate in today’s session to encourage the hiring of Granite State veterans,” said Shaheen. “I’m forever grateful to our veterans for their service and sacrifice. They deserve the very best when they come home, and assisting with their transition to the civilian workforce must be at the top of that list. I’ll keep working across the aisle on efforts that keep our sacred promise to our veterans.”

Later, Shaheen promoted clean energy and energy efficiency during Clean Energy NH’s Local Energy Solutions virtual conference. As New Hampshire continues to recover from the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, clean energy and energy efficiency projects offer the opportunity to stimulate the creation of urgently needed jobs, while investing in long-term sustainable solutions to improve energy efficiency and reduce energy costs for Granite State homeowners and businesses. Shaheen is a champion of efforts that bolster the usage of clean energy and promote energy efficiency. Shaheen has introduced bipartisan legislation with Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) to save American homes and businesses billions of dollars in energy costs and dramatically reduce the United States’ carbon footprint. She also recently introduced new legislation – the Better Utilizing Innovative Low-Emission Development Strategies (BUILDS) Act – that would create a national infrastructure initiative to fund innovative projects that promote energy efficiency while meeting significant transportation needs.

Shaheen’s remarks can be viewed here.

“As New Hampshire continues its recovery from the economic impact of COVID-19, clean energy and energy efficiency projects offer a tremendous opportunity to meet the immediate needs for today and prepare for the challenges of tomorrow,” said Shaheen. “By supporting clean energy and energy efficiency, we can create new, good-paying jobs, reduce energy costs for Granite State homeowners and businesses and reduce harmful carbon emissions. I appreciate Clean Energy NH’s invitation to participate in their Local Energy Solutions event this afternoon and will continue to strive for a cleaner, greener future for New Hampshire and our nation.”