Press
SHAHEEN CONTINUES FIGHT FOR MEMORIAL BRIDGE FUNDING
(Portsmouth, N.H.) - Standing with Portsmouth's Memorial Bridge behind her, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) today called efforts to cut funding for the bridge "irresponsible" and vowed to fight to ensure it gets the money it needs for crucial infrastructure improvements. "These reckless cuts would have damaging effects on our economy and our workforce. Memorial Bridge is important to our shipyard workers and critical to the flow of goods and services between Maine and New Hampshire. Build… Continue Reading
March 11, 2011
SHAHEEN: BUDGET FIGHT HURTS LOCAL BUSINESSES
(Manchester, N.H.) - U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) called on colleagues to finish protracted budget negotiations, which are creating a climate of uncertainty that's hurting local businesses. During a visit to one such company, Velcro USA in Manchester, Shaheen also said her biennial budgeting bill could help change the way Washington does business, by moving Congress from an annual spending process to a two-year cycle and allowing for a more thoughtful process that would reduce governmen… Continue Reading
March 10, 2011
SHAHEEN MOVES TO PROTECT CONSUMERS FROM SPIKE IN GAS PRICES
(Washington, D.C.) - With gas and home heating oil prices spiking, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) today raised concerns about the possible role of Wall Street oil speculation and whether government regulators have the tools they need to combat it. Shaheen's letter to the chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) asks for an assessment of speculation's role in the price spikes and the potential effects of proposed cuts to the agency in the House Republican spending bill. … Continue Reading
March 10, 2011
NAVY COMMITS $100 MILLION FOR UPGRADES AND MODERNIZATION AT PORTSMOUTH NAVAL SHIPYARD
WASHINGTON, D.C.-U.S. Senators Olympia J. Snowe (R-ME), Susan Collins (R-ME), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) today announced that the U.S. Navy intends to invest approximately $100 million during Fiscal Year 2012 in facility upgrades and modernization at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. The funding, provided through the Sustainment, Restoration and Modernization (SRM) budget, would be used for energy conservation and repairs to submarine enclosures, building renovations, repair to … Continue Reading
March 09, 2011
SHAHEEN STATEMENT ON THE PASSING OF JOURNALIST DAVID BRODER
(Washington, D.C.) - U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) released the following statement today on the passing of Pulitzer Prize-winning Washington Post political reporter David Broder. "For nearly five decades, David Broder was a fixture in the New Hampshire presidential primary, and I had the pleasure of crossing paths with him several times during my political career-first through my own involvement in presidential campaigns and later as an elected official. He exemplified journalism at it… Continue Reading
March 09, 2011
SHAHEEN STATEMENT ON TODAY’S SENATE VOTES ON GOVERNMENT FUNDING BILLS
(Washington, D.C.) - U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) released the following statement today after voting against passage of H.R. 1, the House Republican funding bill, and in support of an alternative, Inouye Amendment #149. H.R. 1 failed 44-56 and the Inouye Amendment failed 42-58. Both required 60 votes for passage. "We need to reduce the deficit, but we need to make smart cuts, not reckless cuts. In the last two weeks, I have voted in support of more than $10 billion in cuts, but the Hou… Continue Reading
March 09, 2011
SHAHEEN CONTINUES FIGHT FOR EXTENSION OF CRITICAL SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM
(Washington, D.C.) - U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) today lauded the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship's passage of a bill that would extend a critical small business innovation program. The bill, which would authorize the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program for the next eight years, was introduced by Shaheen and a bipartisan group of her fellow Small Business Committee members on March 4. It now heads to the floor for the full Senate's consideration. "… Continue Reading
March 08, 2011
SHAHEEN: SHORT-TERM BUDGETING HURTS OUR ECONOMY
As prepared for delivery: Mr. President, we have almost a nine percent unemployment rate in this country. We have a 1.6 trillion dollar deficit. Yet despite these enormous challenges, Congress has still not passed a federal budget for the year. Congress' deadline to pass 2011 appropriations bills was September 30th of last year, but Congress failed to meet that deadline. Last week, we passed our fifth short-term continuing resolution to keep the government open. At some point soon, I expect … Continue Reading
March 08, 2011
SHAHEEN STATEMENT ON TALKS IN BALKANS
(Washington, D.C.)-U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on European Affairs, issued the following statement recognizing that Serbia and Kosovo will open their first high-level talks since Kosovo declared independence in 2008: "I welcome today's high-level talks in Brussels between the Governments of Serbia and Kosovo and applaud the European Union for its efforts to broker the discussions. "Today's historic talks are just the beginning of an importan… Continue Reading
March 08, 2011
SHAHEEN: PATENT REFORM A BOON FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH THROUGH INNOVATION
(Washington, D.C.) - U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) today hailed the passage of a critical patent reform bill that will support economic growth by simplifying the nation's patent review system and increasing the competitiveness of American inventors overseas. The Senate passed the America Invents Act (S.23) in a vote of 95-5. The legislation marks the first meaningful reform of the U.S. patent system in nearly 60 years and, since it is self-funding, will not add a dime to the nation's de… Continue Reading
March 07, 2011
SHAHEEN, AYOTTE: CHANGE IN NORTHERN PASS ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW GOOD FOR STATE
(Washington, D.C.) - U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Kelly Ayotte jointly hailed as a positive development today's announced change of contractors for the Northern Pass environmental review process. Northern Pass LLC, in a letter to the Department of Energy, said today that it wished to end an arrangement that had the company's own paid contractor -- Normandeau Associates -- in charge of the government's objective environmental assessment of the project. Both senators had raised concerns with … Continue Reading
March 07, 2011
BIPARTISAN GROUP OF SENATORS HONORS 100th ANNIVERSARY OF INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY
(Washington, D.C.) - In honor of the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Olympia J. Snowe (R-M.E.), Benjamin L. Cardin (D-M.D.), and Susan M. Collins (R-M.E.) introduced a resolution recognizing the global day, which passed the Senate unanimously. International Women's Day, to be observed on March 8th, celebrates the economic, political, and social achievements of women past, present, and future and is a day to recognize the obstacles that women… Continue Reading
March 04, 2011
SHAHEEN JOINS SENATORS TO EXTEND CRITICAL SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION PROGRAM
(Washington, D.C.) - In a continued effort to extend a critical small business innovation program, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) joined a bipartisan group of Senators today to introduce a bill that would authorize the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program for the next eight years. "The long-term reauthorization of the Small Business Innovation Research program allows small business and agencies the certainty to innovate so that the United States remains competitive in today's… Continue Reading
March 04, 2011
SHAHEEN ANNOUNCES FIRE DEPARTMENT GRANTS FOR OPERATIONS AND SAFETY
(Washington, D.C.) - U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) announced today that the Kingston and Lempster Fire Departments have been awarded grants through the Department of Homeland Security's Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program for operations and safety. "Whether it is getting new safety equipment for firefighters, or additional defibrillators to keep on ambulances, we must make sure our New Hampshire fire departments are equipped to face daily challenges," Shaheen said. "I am glad to ann… Continue Reading
March 03, 2011
BIPARTISAN GROUP OF SENATORS PUSH ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS TO PROVIDE MORE OPTIONS TO HELP FAMILIES KEEP THEIR HOMES
Washington, D.C. - A bipartisan group of U.S. Senators, led by Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME), urged government agencies to take action to prevent foreclosures and help families keep their homes. The senators made their request in a letter sent to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development Shaun Donovan, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Sheila Bair, Acting Comptroller of the C… Continue Reading
March 03, 2011
SENATOR SHAHEEN JOINS MODERATE DEMS GROUP
(Washington, D.C.) - U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) has joined a newly reconstituted group of fellow moderate Senate Democrats for the 112th Congress. The Moderate Dems will be co-chaired by Sens. Tom Carper of Delaware, Mark Udall of Colorado, and Kay Hagan of North Carolina. Those three senators, along with Senator Shaheen, are also honorary co-chairs of Third Way, a leading moderate Democratic policy group. "New Hampshire residents have always been focused on common-sense, independen… Continue Reading
March 03, 2011
SHAHEEN: PRESERVE NEW HAMPSHIRE NATIONAL GUARD SUPPORT PROGRAM
(Washington, D.C.) - U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.) today sent a letter to Admiral Michael Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, requesting that the military support and assist in funding the New Hampshire National Guard's Deployment Cycle Support Program (DCSP). In the past, the New Hampshire delegation has funded DCSP through bipartisan congressionally directed spending, which will be unavailable for Fiscal Years 2011 and 2012. "While it's imperative… Continue Reading
March 01, 2011
SENATORS COLLINS, SNOWE, AND SHAHEEN URGE TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY TO EXPEDITE MEMORIAL BRIDGE FUNDING
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe (both R-ME) and Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) today wrote to U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood to urge him to expedite the obligation of $20 million in TIGER II funding that was awarded for the replacement of the Memorial Bridge between Kittery, Maine, and Portsmouth, New Hampshire. In October 2010, Secretary LaHood visited the bridge to announce that the Department of Transportation (DOT) was awarding Maine an… Continue Reading
March 01, 2011
SHAHEEN: DUPLICATIVE PROGRAMS ARE SMART CUTS
(Washington, D.C.) - U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) released the following statement today in response to the GAO report identifying duplicative government programs: "This is a chance to make smart cuts, instead of reckless cuts. Today's GAO report shows us a path forward to responsibly, effectively reduce the deficit without slashing investment in our economy, cutting private sector job growth, or endangering the most vulnerable members of our society. We must eliminate outdated and unne… Continue Reading
March 01, 2011
SHAHEEN HOSTS NEW OFFICE HOURS IN SALEM
(Washington, D.C.) - Southern New Hampshire residents will have an additional opportunity to get assistance from the office of U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) when new office hours begin in Salem later this month. Senator Shaheen's staff will hold office hours every Wednesday from 12PM-2PM in Salem. During office hours, Senator Shaheen's staff can help make the federal government more accessible by assisting with a variety of issues, including Social Security and veteran's benefits, federa… Continue Reading
