Press
President Obama Signs Shaheen’s Bill Into Law to Improve Health Care Reform Law for Small & Mid-Size Businesses
Washington, DC - Last night President Barack Obama signed into law U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen's (D-NH) bipartisan bill, introduced with Senator Tim Scott (R-SC), to protect America's small and mid-size businesses from potential healthcare premium increases under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The Protecting Affordable Coverage for Employees (PACE) Act passed the House and Senate last week. "Granite Staters want to see Democrats and Republicans working together for the good of New Hampshire and… Continue Reading
October 07, 2015
Shaheen Introduces Bill to Deter Recreational Drones from Interfering with Disaster Relief
(Washington, DC) -U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) today introduced the Wildfire and Emergency Airspace Protection Act, a bill to keep recreational drones from interfering with disaster relief efforts. "On far too many occasions, drones have put the lives of first responders at risk as they conduct disaster relief efforts," said Shaheen. "And especially as wildfires become more frequent and extreme, firefighters should be able to fight these blazes from the air unencumbered. My legislation wo… Continue Reading
October 06, 2015
Shaheen Seeks Waiver of Reimbursement Policy for Portsmouth Shipyard Workers on Long-Term Assignments
(Washington, DC) - Today, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter seeking a waiver for some Portsmouth Naval Shipyard workers from a Department of Defense (DOD) policy change that has reduced reimbursement allowances for workers during long-term duty assignments. Portsmouth Naval Shipyard employees perform critical work at shipyards around the country and are essential to maintaining the U.S. naval fleet. This reimbursement adjustment could impact s… Continue Reading
October 01, 2015
Shaheen, Vitter, and Cantwell Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Expand Support for Women Entrepreneurs
(Washington, D.C.) - U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, the lead Democrat on the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship (SBC), Sen. David Vitter (R-La.), Chairman of, and Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), a senior member of SBC today introduced the Women's Small Business Ownership Act of 2015, which would will strengthen and expand support for women entrepreneurs through the U.S. Small Business Administration's Women's Business Center (WBC) Program. "Women have made great strides in our… Continue Reading
October 01, 2015
Shaheen Praises Release of Additional New England Fishery Disaster Funding
(Washington, DC) - Today, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) praised the release of an additional $1,044,351 in funding to support struggling New Hampshire fisherman and fishing communities. These funds released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will provide financial assistance to the commercial groundfishing industry and for-hire fishing vessels. These funds are in addition to the more than $2 million in fishery disaster funds that have been released to New Hampshir… Continue Reading
October 01, 2015
Shaheen-Scott Measure to Protect Small Businesses from Potential Healthcare Premium Increases in 2016 Heads to President’s Desk
Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Tim Scott (R-SC) praised the Senate's passage of the PACE Act (H.R. 1624), which protects America's small businesses from healthcare premium increases under the Affordable Care Act. Senators Shaheen and Scott authored the Senate version of the bill (S. 1099) and both serve on the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Currently under the Affordable Care Act, on January 1, 2016, the definition of the state based sma… Continue Reading
October 01, 2015
After Midnight Expiration, Shaheen Seeks Land & Water Conservation Fund Reauthorization
(Washington, DC) - On the Senate floor this afternoon, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) called on Republicans in the Senate who support the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) to encourage fellow Republicans to end their obstruction of the program's reauthorization. The LWCF expired yesterday at midnight, despite bipartisan calls for its reauthorization. During her remarks, Shaheen made a motion for unanimous consent to pass legislation that would grant a 60-day extension of the fund, a re… Continue Reading
October 01, 2015
Shaheen, Johnson Introduce Bipartisan Resolution to Commemorate 25th Anniversary of German Reunification
(Washington, DC) - U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), the lead Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security Cooperation, and U.S. Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) Subcommittee Chairman, introduced a resolution today to commemorate the 25th Anniversary of German reunification. "I am proud to celebrate the great strides the people of a unified Germany have made in the last 25 years," said Senator Shaheen. "Germany's story is an example for nations and peoples a… Continue Reading
October 01, 2015
Shaheen Introduces Bill to Help Veterans Find Treatment, Avoid Incarceration
(Washington, DC) - Today, Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) introduced legislation to bolster efforts to provide treatment to veterans in the criminal justice system as an alternative to incarceration, particularly for those struggling with mental health and substance abuse. The Veterans Justice Outreach Act would empower the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to work within the criminal justice system to train law enforcement, courts, attorneys, and legal assistance organizations in order to diver… Continue Reading
September 30, 2015
Shaheen Decries Republican Obstruction of Last-Minute Effort to Prevent Midnight Expiration of Land and Water Conservation Fund
(Washington, DC) - This evening, despite insistent calls to reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), Republicans in the Senate blocked last-minute legislation that would extend the authorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund by 60 days, preventing a lapse in the program. This short-term extension was proposed in an expedited procedural process and would have allowed for additional time to find an agreement on a long-term authorization of LWCF. "Not only have Republican… Continue Reading
September 30, 2015
Shaheen Statement Ahead of Midnight Expiration of Land and Water Conservation Fund
(Washington, DC) -- Despite insistent calls from both sides of the aisle to reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), Republican leadership in the House and Senate will allow the program to expire at midnight tonight. U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) decried the fact that Congressional leadership allowed an important conservation program for New Hampshire to sunset. "It's disgraceful that a program that has done so much to preserve and protect New Hampshire's beautiful spaces w… Continue Reading
September 30, 2015
Agreement on Defense Bill Contains Shaheen Priorities
(Washington, DC) - Following the unveiling of a Senate and House agreement on the Fiscal Year 2016 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) yesterday, Senator Shaheen announced her priorities that were included in the bill. Among them are provisions to fund the development of the KC-46A scheduled to be based at Pease Air National Guard Base as well as funding the infrastructure necessary to support the tanker's mission. Senator Shaheen is a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee which au… Continue Reading
September 29, 2015
Shaheen’s Amendment to Increase the Number of Visas for Afghan Interpreters is Included in Defense Bill
(Washington, DC) -Following the unveiling of a Senate and House agreement on the Fiscal Year 2016 National Defense Authorization Act this afternoon, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) welcomed the inclusion of her provision to substantially increase the number of Special Immigrant Visas for Afghans who assisted American personnel in Afghanistan and face threats as a result. This increase of 3,000 visas will help address the backlog of Afghan interpreters seeking refuge in the United States. … Continue Reading
September 28, 2015
Shaheen and Scott Applaud Passage of PACE Act by U.S. House of Representatives
(Washington, DC) - U.S. Senators and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Tim Scott (R-SC), both former small business owners and members of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, today applauded the House of Representatives for passing the Protecting Affordable Coverage for Employees (PACE) Act (H.R.1624). In April, Senators Scott and Shaheen (D-NH) introduced the PACE Act (S.1099) in the Senate, and have since been building momentum to address this issue on behalf of small and mid-… Continue Reading
September 25, 2015
Shaheen Welcomes Air Force Decision to Treat All Three Contaminated Wells at Pease
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) welcomed today's decision by the U.S. Air Force to treat all three wells at the Pease International Tradeport in Portsmouth that are contaminated with perflourochemicals (PFCs). This afternoon, Senator Shaheen was informed of the decision by Miranda Ballentine, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Installations, Environment and Energy. Ballentine's agency also committed to taking the necessary steps to clean the regional aquifer of PFC … Continue Reading
September 25, 2015
As Syrian Refugee Crisis Grows, Shaheen Leads Senate Resolution Calling for International Cooperation
(Washington, DC) - As the Syrian Refugee crisis continues to grow in Europe and the Middle East, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), the lead Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations European Affairs Subcommittee, introduced a Senate Resolution recognizing the significant challenges faced by countries in the region and the need to address the conflict in Syria as the primary driver of this refugee crisis. The resolution, which is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Richard Blum… Continue Reading
September 25, 2015
Shaheen Encourages Granite State Participation in National Drug Take-Back Day
(Washington, DC) - Tomorrow, Saturday September 26th, communities across New Hampshire and the country are teaming up with local law enforcement for the tenth annual National Drug Take-Back Day to dispose of unneeded prescription drugs. This event, hosted nationally by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), serves as an important reminder of the services many local law enforcement agencies provide year-round to properly dispose of prescription drugs, especially highly addictive opioid painki… Continue Reading
September 24, 2015
NH Delegation Applauds Energy Department Decision to Conduct Thorough Review of New Northern Pass Route
(Washington, DC) - U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), along with Representatives Ann McLane Kuster (NH-2) and Frank Guinta (NH-1) applauded today's decision by the Department of Energy (DOE) to conduct a more thorough review of the Northern Pass Transmission Project's newest "preferred route" proposal. "We appreciate DOE's decision to meet the request of concerned Granite Staters who want more information and more time to assess the impact of the new Northern Pass rout… Continue Reading
September 24, 2015
New Hampshire Delegation Continues Push for Greater Public Input in Pipeline Permitting Process
(Washington, DC) - Today, New Hampshire's Congressional Delegation renewed their request to the Department of Energy Inspector General to address specific concerns about the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's (FERC) permitting process for interstate natural gas pipelines. The inquiry comes as the delegation continues to seek greater consideration of public comments by Granite State residents and communities potentially impacted by Kinder Morgan's proposed Northeast Energy Direct (NED) natura… Continue Reading
September 23, 2015
With Just 7 Days Until Expiration, Shaheen Calls-Out Republican Congressional Leadership for Ignoring Conservation Program
(Washington, DC) - Despite calls from both sides of the aisle to reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) in legislation to avert a government shutdown, Senate Republican leadership released a proposed government funding bill that doesn't address the expiration of the program at the end of the month. Today, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) decried the lack of attention by Congressional leadership to the looming shutdown of this conservation program: "It's disgraceful that a pro… Continue Reading
