Press
Shaheen, Hassan Welcome Temporary Agreement to Reopen Government Based on Bipartisan Framework
(Washington, DC) - U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) issued the following statements after President Trump announced that he has agreed to reopen the government. The Senate will soon vote on a bill that opens the government for three weeks and allows for negotiations on border security legislation - a framework proposed by Senators Shaheen and Hassan yesterday. "I'm very relieved that the President has finally agreed to reopen the government and we need to pass this … Continue Reading
January 25, 2019
Shaheen & Tillis – Senate NATO Observer Group Co-Chairs – Laud Greece’s Vote Recognizing the Republic of North Macedonia
(Washington, DC) - U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Thom Tillis (R-NC), co-chairs of the Senate North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Observer Group, issued the following joint statement in response to the Greek parliament's vote ratifying the Prespes Agreement, which recognizes the renamed Republic of North Macedonia. The agreement ends a 27-year dispute between the nations and will allow The Republic of North Macedonia to be included in the next NATO enlargement round and join the t… Continue Reading
January 24, 2019
Shaheen & Hassan Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Eliminate Penalties for Federal Workers When Accessing Money From Retirement Savings During Shutdown
(Washington, DC) - Today, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) joined Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) to introduce the Emergency Relief for Federal Workers Act of 2019 to ensure that federal employees can access money from their Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) without penalty. The bill would waive penalties and contribution prohibitions as a result of financial hardship during the government shutdown. Shaheen and Hassan previously cosponsored legislation that was signed into law to en… Continue Reading
January 23, 2019
Shaheen & Senate Small Business Democrats Call for SBA’s Plan to Address the Shutdown’s Growing Loan Backlog
(Washington, DC) - U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) sent a letter yesterday with Democratic Members of the Senate Small Business & Entrepreneurship Committee to the Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator Linda McMahon requesting the SBA's plan for addressing the backlog of loan approvals, which continues to grow as the government shutdown drags on. In their letter, the Senators note that the SBA's loan processing centers are not processing loans during the shutdown, causing s… Continue Reading
January 23, 2019
Shaheen Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Prevent Delays in Federal Resources to State Energy Assistance Programs
(Washington, DC) - U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Susan Collins (R-ME), Chris Coons (D-DE) and Jack Reed (D-RI) reintroduced bipartisan legislation to encourage state-driven energy efficiency and renewable energy initiatives that reduce energy costs for low-income households, spur private sector energy innovation and improve emergency planning and response. The Investing in State Energy Act would prevent undue delay in distributing grants through the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP)… Continue Reading
January 18, 2019
Shaheen Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Delay Health Insurance Tax for Two Years and Help Reduce Premiums for Granite Staters
(Washington, DC) - Yesterday, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) introduced the Health Insurance Tax Relief Act with Senators Cory Gardner (R-CO), Doug Jones (D-AL), John Barrasso (R-WY), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) and Tim Scott (R-SC). The bipartisan legislation would provide a two-year delay of the Health Insurance Tax (HIT). The tax is a fee to health insurers on their health policy premiums that increases costs on nearly everyone in the marketplace, from seniors to small businesses. This legi… Continue Reading
January 18, 2019
Following Shaheen Provision Being Signed Into Law, NBRC Announces Grants for Communities Impacted by Forest Product Plant Closures
(Washington, DC)- U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, applauded the Northern Border Regional Commission's (NBRC) announcement that grant applications for communities impacted by forest product plant closures are now being accepted for fiscal year (FY) 2019. In addition to securing $20 million in NBRC funding in the FY 2019 spending bill that was signed into law, Shaheen included language to ensure portions of NBRC funds be directed to assis… Continue Reading
January 17, 2019
Shaheen Introduces Legislation to Improve & Expand Child Care Affordability For Working Families
The Right Start Child Care and Education Act Would Reform US Tax Code to Increase Access to Affordable Child Care (Washington, DC)- U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) reintroduced legislation yesterday, the Right Start Child Care and Education Act, to make child care more affordable and accessible for Granite State families, and millions more throughout the United States, by reforming the nation's federal tax code. Specifically, Shaheen's bill would increase outdated dollar limits on child car… Continue Reading
January 16, 2019
On the Senate Floor, Shaheen Urges Senate Republican Leadership to Reopen the Government
Shaheen speaking next to a photo of Andre of Derry, NH, with his family. Andre is an air traffic controller who has been working without pay. **SHAHEEN: "Let's do our job so that the rest of America can do theirs"** **Watch Shaheen's remarks in full here** (Washington, DC) - Today, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) spoke on the Senate floor to highlight the challenges facing federal workers in New Hampshire who have been furloughed or are working without pay because of the President's gover… Continue Reading
January 16, 2019
Shaheen, Hassan Move to Protect New Hampshire Small Businesses from Online Sales Tax Collection Requirement
(Washington, DC) - U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) reintroduced the Stop Taxing Our Potential (STOP) Act with Senator Jon Tester (D-MT), legislation that would overturn the recent Supreme Court ruling in South Dakota v. Wayfair, Inc. This Supreme Court ruling overturned a previous precedent, and will allow states to collect sales tax from out-of-state businesses. This new burden will hurt small businesses, which do not have the resources to navigate collecting sales … Continue Reading
January 15, 2019
Tillis and Shaheen Reiterate Strong Support for NATO in the U.S. Senate
(Washington, DC)-The chairs of the Senate North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Observer Group, Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), issued the following joint statement to reiterate the strong support for NATO in the United States Senate: "NATO's broad bipartisan support in the Senate has been repeatedly expressed through the re-establishment of the Senate NATO Observer Group and through key votes underscoring the U.S. commitment to transatlantic relationships," said T… Continue Reading
January 14, 2019
Shaheen Renews Call for Interpreter to Be Made Available to Congress After Reports Emerge that Trump Seized & Concealed Interpreter’s Notes From Meetings with Putin
**Shaheen Has Spearheaded Efforts in Congress to Obtain Helsinki Interpreter's Notes & Relevant Documents from Trump-Putin Summit** (Washington, DC) - U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services Committees, issued the following statement in response to reports that President Trump has seized notes from his interpreter that detail conversations with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Shaheen has led efforts in Congress to access information … Continue Reading
January 11, 2019
Bipartisan Bill Co-Sponsored by Shaheen & Hassan to Protect Federal and Other Government Workers Hurt During Shutdowns Heads to President’s Desk
**Shaheen and Hassan urge President Trump to immediately sign legislation into law as more than 800,000 federal workers miss first payday during shutdown** **Currently, 450,000 federal workers are being forced to work without pay, and another 380,000 federal workers were sent home over the holidays without pay** (Washington, DC) - U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) issued the following statements after Congress passed bipartisan legislation the Senators reintroduced e… Continue Reading
January 11, 2019
Senator Jeanne Shaheen & Diane Foley in the Washington Post: U.S. Withdrawal from Syria Jeopardizes Justice for American Victims
**Senator Shaheen recently traveled to Syria to be briefed on the U.S. mission, visit ISIS detention facilities and meet with Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) leadership.** **Diane Foley is the mother of James Foley, a journalist murdered by ISIS in 2014. She is the founder and President of the James W. Foley Foundation established to advocate for the safe return of Americans detained unjustly abroad.** (Washington, DC) - Today, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, a member of the Senate Foreign R… Continue Reading
January 10, 2019
NH Delegation Introduces Legislation to Redesignate the Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site
(Washington, DC) - U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Congressmembers Annie Kuster (NH-02) and Chris Pappas (NH-01) today introduced legislation to redesignate the Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site as a "National Historical Park" to more appropriately reflect the expansion and utilization of the grounds. Authorized by Congress in 1964, the site preserves the home and artwork of Augustus Saint-Gaudens, the foremost American sculptor of the late 19th century. Durin… Continue Reading
January 10, 2019
Shaheen Lauds New Tracking System to Combat NH Rape Kit Backlog
** Shaheen's Groundbreaking Legislation Codifies Rights for Sexual Assault Survivors and Was Signed Into Law in 2016** (Washington, DC) - U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) today applauded the New Hampshire Executive Council's approval of the use of federal funding to establish a new tracking system that will help tackle New Hampshire's backlog of rape kits. As of May 2018, that backlog numbered nearly 600. Shaheen has led efforts in Congress to help communities combat sexual violence and is th… Continue Reading
January 10, 2019
Shaheen Introduces Legislation to Close Big Pharma Advertising Tax Loophole
**Shaheen bill would eliminate tax deductions for prescription drug advertising paid for by American taxpayers** (Washington, DC) - Today, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) introduced the End Taxpayer Subsidies for Drug Ads Act, legislation that would prohibit pharmaceutical drug manufacturers from claiming tax deductions for direct-to-consumer advertising expenses. Advertising expenses by pharmaceutical drug manufacturers have more than quadrupled over the past two decades, rising from $1.3 b… Continue Reading
January 09, 2019
In Case You Missed It: Shaheen Leads “Reopen the Government” Effort on the Senate Floor
**Watch Shaheen's remarks in full here** (Washington, DC) - Last night, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Tim Kaine (D-VA) led an effort on the Senate floor calling on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) to allow the Senate to vote on legislation to reopen the government and end President's Trump's shutdown. Senators participated throughout the evening, highlighting the more than 800,000 federal employees furloughed or working without pay, and the millions of Americans impacted,… Continue Reading
January 08, 2019
Shaheen & Hassan Introduce Legislation to Expand Background Checks & Reduce Gun Violence
(Washington, DC) - Today, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) joined Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) to reintroduce the Background Check Expansion Act, which would expand federal background checks to all gun sales. Under current federal law, unlicensed or private sellers are not required to conduct a background check prior to transferring a firearm. Approximately 90 percent of Americans support comprehensive background checks. Research indicates that millions of guns are sol… Continue Reading
January 07, 2019
Shaheen & Hassan Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Protect Federal and Other Government Workers Hurt During Shutdowns
**Currently, 450,000 federal workers are being forced to work without pay, and another 380,000 federal workers were sent home over the holidays without pay** (Washington, DC) - U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) reintroduced bipartisan legislation with Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Ben Cardin (D-MD) that would protect federal and other government workers from the repercussions of the current government shutdown and future lapses in federal appropriations. The Gover… Continue Reading