Press
SHAHEEN PRESSES FOR CONSTRUCTION, MODERNIZATION FUNDS FOR PORTSMOUTH SHIPYARD
(Washington, D.C.) - At a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing today, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) raised concerns about the lack of federal investment in the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard with leading Armed Forces and Defense Department officials. The Navy has stated that the backlog of facility improvements at the Shipyard is $513 million, but a November report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found it could be even higher. "Military construction investments are the met… Continue Reading
March 17, 2011
SHAHEEN, AYOTTE CALL FOR TRANSPARENT AND OBJECTIVE PROCESS FOR DETERMINING WHERE TO STATION NEW AIR FORCE TANKER
(Washington, D.C.) - As the Air Force develops the basing competition criteria for the new KC-46A air refueling tanker, Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.) urged top Air Force officials to conduct a methodical and transparent process based on clearly defined metrics - which plays to the strengths of Pease Air National Guard base. The senators emphasized this point today at a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, of which both are members. "Since 9/11, the men an… Continue Reading
March 17, 2011
SHAHEEN ANNOUNCES GRANTS FOR PELHAM AND MERRIMACK FIRE DEPARTMENTS
(Washington, D.C.) - U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) announced today that the Pelham and Merrimack Fire Departments have been awarded money for operations and safety through the Department of Homeland Security's Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program. "It is crucial that our firefighters have the equipment and tools they need to keep themselves and their communities safe," Shaheen said. "These grants will allow for gear upgrades that increase safety, and the modernized equipment will all… Continue Reading
March 16, 2011
SHAHEEN: SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM KEY TO FUTURE PROSPERITY
As prepared for delivery: Our future economic prosperity depends on whether this country continues to be a leader in science and innovation. We can't compete with India and China for low-wage manufacturing jobs. That is not our future. America's future is to be the global leader in science and technology. America makes the best, most innovative products and services. That ingenuity and excellence is our chief economic strength as a nation. As a former small business owner, I know it is busines… Continue Reading
March 16, 2011
SHAHEEN MEETS WITH PRESIDENT OF GEORGIA, MIKHEIL SAAKASHVILI
(Washington, D.C.)-U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), the Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on European Affairs and the Co-Chair of the Atlantic Council Task Force on Georgia, today met with Georgia President Mikheil Saakashvili. The pair discussed the U.S.-Georgia relationship as well as Georgia's democratic and economic reform initiatives and Georgia's military commitment in Afghanistan. "Today's meeting with Georgia President Mikheil Saakashvili was informative and produc… Continue Reading
March 15, 2011
SHAHEEN WORKS TO CURB ABUSE OF AFGHANISTAN ASSISTANCE FUNDS
(Washington, D.C.) - Amid mounting reports of reconstruction dollars fueling corruption throughout Afghanistan, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) today questioned whether a key official charged with coordinating and bringing greater accountability to international assistance efforts is sufficiently empowered to execute his job. At a Senate Armed Services committee hearing, Shaheen asked General David Petraeus (Commander of U.S. Forces in Afghanistan) and Michele Flournoy (Under Secretary of … Continue Reading
March 14, 2011
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
