Press
Shaheen Votes for Bipartisan Long-Term Transportation Bill; Expresses Disappointment in House Inaction
Washington, DC - Today, Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) voted in favor of a bipartisan six-year transportation bill that would provide the funding certainty that's needed to allow stalled construction projects in New Hampshire and across the country to go forward. Yesterday, the House of Representatives adjourned for a five-week recess without considering any long-term funding proposal for road and bridge construction and repair, and, instead, passed a three-month extension of federal highway fund… Continue Reading
July 30, 2015
Shaheen Bill to Help Overcome Barriers to Use of Clean Energy Passes Key Senate Committee
(Washington, D.C.) - Key provisions from a bill Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) introduced to help identify and overcome technical and regulatory barriers to the wider use of cleaner and more efficient energy technologies have been incorporated into the comprehensive energy package passed by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee today. "We need to remove the obstacles standing between widespread and easy adoption of clean energy," said Shaheen. "This bill would be an important first… Continue Reading
July 29, 2015
Shaheen: Defunding Planned Parenthood Would Block Women's Access to Preventive Health Care
(Washington, DC) - The Senate is expected to soon vote on Republican legislation that would defund Planned Parenthood. This afternoon on the Senate floor, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) denounced the most recent partisan attempt to defund this provider of health care services to women and families. You can watch her remarks here. Shaheen's remarks as prepared for delivery are included below: Once again, Planned Parenthood is under attack. A bill is before the Senate that would once … Continue Reading
July 29, 2015
Small Business Committee Approves Shaheen Bills Promoting Energy Efficiency, Encouraging Veteran Business Ownership
(Washington, DC) - Today, the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship approved legislation offered by U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), the lead Democrat on the committee, that would help small businesses reduce their energy costs by providing affordable financing for investments in energy efficient technologies. The committee also advanced Shaheen legislation that would encourage and assist veteran entrepreneurs. Progress on this legislation follows President Obama signing Sen… Continue Reading
July 28, 2015
Shaheen's Veterans Entrepreneurship Act Heads to President's Desk
(WASHINGTON, D.C.)-Senate and House Small Business Committee leaders applauded House passage last night of the Veterans Entrepreneurship Act of 2015 (H.R. 2499). The bill would lower the cost of Small Business Administration (SBA) loan programs designed to assist veterans in starting and growing their small businesses. Last week, Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Senator David Vitter (R-LA) amended the legislation to also increase the lending authority for the SBA's 7(a) program, which reached i… Continue Reading
July 27, 2015
Shaheen, Vitter Introduce Bipartisan Veterans Bill Putting ‘Boots to Business’
(Washington, D.C.) - U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship (SBC) and U.S. Sen. David Vitter (R-La.), SBC Chairman, today introduced the Veterans Small Business Ownership Improvements Act of 2015. "Many veterans are applying the same can-do approach they used in the military to start and grow their own small businesses," said Shaheen. "This bipartisan legislation will strengthen the programs available to our veterans and… Continue Reading
July 26, 2015
Shaheen Applauds Senate Vote Approving Export-Import Bank
Washington, D.C.-Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) made the following remarks after voting in favor of re-authorizing the Export-Import Bank, whose charter expired on June 30th. The Senate approved the re-authorization by a vote of 67 to 26 as an amendment to transportation funding legislation. "This vote is long overdue and clears a major hurdle towards getting the Export-Import Bank back up and running for New Hampshire businesses," said Shaheen. "I urge the House of Representatives to pu… Continue Reading
July 24, 2015
Shaheen, Ayotte Call for Air Force to Immediately Comply with EPA Order on Haven Well Contamination
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) today called on the U.S. Air Force to immediately comply with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administrative order that requires the cleanup of perflourochemicals (PFCs) that contaminate the Haven Well in Portsmouth. Last week, the Senators applauded the directive from the EPA that requires the U.S. Air Force to begin restoration of the Haven Well and to prevent the further spread of contamination. The let… Continue Reading
July 24, 2015
Senate Passes Extension of Vital Small Business Administration Loan Program
(WASHINGTON, DC) - Avoiding an abrupt halt to a critical small business loan program, the U.S. Senate last night passed legislation authored by Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, and Senator David Vitter (R-LA), Chairman of the Committee, to extend the program's lending authority. The Small Business Administration's (SBA) 7(a) program administers the agency's most popular loan and, due to high demand, reached its annual auth… Continue Reading
July 24, 2015
Senate Passes Ranking Member Shaheen's Bill to Help Veteran Entrepreneurs
(WASHINGTON, DC) - The U.S. Senate passed Senator Jeanne Shaheen's Veterans Entrepreneurship Act, which would lower the cost of Small Business Administration (SBA) loan programs designed to assist veterans in starting and growing their small businesses. Shaheen, who serves as the Ranking Member of the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, praised the progress made on the legislation: "Many veterans are applying the same can-do approach they used in the military to start and grow their … Continue Reading
July 23, 2015
Shaheen Introduces Amendment to Transportation Bill to Repair Aging Bridges
(Washington, DC) - As the Senate considers transportation funding legislation this week, Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) has introduced an amendment that would begin to address the more than 148,000 bridges across the country that are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete. The Strengthen and Fortify Existing Bridges Act (SAFE Bridges) would establish a program to provide funding specifically dedicated to repairing and replacing aging bridges. "Communities all across New Hampshire have b… Continue Reading
July 23, 2015
Shaheen Questions Kerry, Lew, Moniz at Foreign Relations Committee Hearing on Iran
(WASHINGTON, DC) - During today's Senate Foreign Relations Committee Hearing, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) questioned Secretary of State John Kerry, Secretary of Treasury Jack Lew and Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz regarding the deal reached with Iran, which is intended to ensure Iran cannot obtain a nuclear weapon. After making a call for a respectful and substantive discussion, her questions focused on the need to ensure a full accounting of the possible military dimensions of Iran's … Continue Reading
July 22, 2015
NH DELEGATION: GRANITE STATERS NEED MORE TIME TO REVIEW THE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT FOR NORTHERN PASS
WASHINGTON, D.C. - In response to the Department of Energy (DOE) release of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed Northern Pass Transmission Project, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), along with Representatives Annie Kuster (NH-2) and Frank Guinta (NH-1) today renewed their call for an extended public comment period. The Draft EIS provides information on potential environmental impacts of the proposed project that would bring hydroelectric po… Continue Reading
July 22, 2015
RANKING MEMBER SHAHEEN HIGHLIGHTS BURDENS OF INTERNET SALES TAX ON NH SMALL BUSINESSES IN COMMITTEE HEARING
(Washington, DC) - This morning, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, highlighted her opposition to legislation that would impose online sales taxes for businesses in New Hampshire and across the country that sell on the internet. At the hearing focused on easing the tax burden on small businesses, Shaheen asked one of the witnesses, Cori O'Steen, owner of UpakNShip, Inc. about the tremendous challenge of complying wit… Continue Reading
July 20, 2015
NH Delegation Calls on Regulators to Weigh Granite State Input in Natural Gas Project Reviews
WASHINGTON, DC) - New Hampshire's Congressional delegation sent two letters to federal regulators expressing concerns about the ability of Granite Staters to have their voices meaningfully heard in the federal review process of Kinder Morgan's Northeast Energy Direct (NED) natural gas pipeline. The letters, addressed to the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and to the Chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) both seek opportunities to ensure that New Ham… Continue Reading
July 20, 2015
Shaheen: Lack of Stable Highway Funding is Hurting New Hampshire Jobs, Economy
(West Lebanon, NH) - As Congress prepares to take up transportation funding legislation this week, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) met with New Hampshire construction contractors at Pike Industries today to discuss the need for legislation that provides stable funding for road and bridge construction. The current authorization of the highway bill is set to expire July 31st threatening important infrastructure projects and planning in New Hampshire. "The message I heard today from everyone wh… Continue Reading
July 17, 2015
Ranking Member Shaheen Statement on Anniversary of the Downing of Flight MH17
U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Subcommittee on European Affairs, released the following statement on the one-year anniversary of the downing of Malaysian Airlines Flight 17: "Today, it is important that we remember the 298 innocent lives that were lost one year ago when Flight MH17 was shot down over Ukrainian territory controlled by Russian-backed separatists. I continue to support the work of the Joint Investigative Team and the Du… Continue Reading
July 16, 2015
Shaheen Applauds Senate Passage of Elementary & Secondary Education Reform Bill
Washington, DC - This afternoon, Senator Jeanne Shaheen voted in favor of broad reforms to elementary and secondary education policy, known as The Every Child Achieves Act (S.1177). The Senate passed this legislation by a bipartisan vote of 81 to 17. This legislation reforms and updates many problematic policies that were put in place by the No Child Left Behind law passed in 2002. "As a former teacher and governor, I know that it's the teachers and administrators on the ground in our local s… Continue Reading
July 16, 2015
Shaheen Amendment to Target Wasteful Catfish Inspection Program for Elimination Added to Agriculture Budget Bill
(WASHINGTON, DC) - An amendment to target for elimination a wasteful and duplicative catfish program at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) offered by U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) was approved by the Senate Committee on Appropriations today. The amendment directs the USDA to review wasteful duplicative programs within the agency, which includes the USDA program that's charged with inspecting and grading catfish, despite the Food and Drug Administration also having an inspection progr… Continue Reading
July 15, 2015
Shaheen Bill to Protect Rights of Motorcyclists Included in Highway Bill
(WASHINGTON, DC) - Today the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation approved legislation authored by Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) that would prevent discriminatory motorcycle-only check points. The Stop Motorcycle Funding Checkpoint Act would protect the rights of motorcyclists by prohibiting federal funds from being used for motorcycle-only check points. "Motorcycles are an important part of New Hampshire's identity and economy and checkpoints that target just motorcyclists… Continue Reading
