Press
ON ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF DOMA REPEAL, SHAHEEN, TITUS CALL FOR EQUAL BENEFITS FOR LGBT MILITARY FAMILIES
(Washington, DC) - On the one-year anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision striking down Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and U.S. Representative Dina Titus (NV-1) are calling on congress to pass legislation to extend benefits to all same-sex military families. The call follows an announcement last week by the Department of Justice that some federal agencies, including the Department of Veterans Affairs, are prohibited from offering ben… Continue Reading
June 25, 2014
SENATE PASSES LEGISLATION BOOSTING BIPARTISAN SHAHEEN-BACKED JOB TRAINING PROGRAMS
(Washington, DC) - The U.S. Senate approved bipartisan legislation today to improve the nation's workforce development system and prioritize on-the-job training (OJT) programs that have been championed by U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH). With OJT programs included, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) will modernize and improve existing federal workforce development programs, help workers attain the skills necessary for 21st-century jobs, and foster the modern workforce that ev… Continue Reading
June 25, 2014
SHAHEEN, TOOMEY, DURBIN, SESSIONS INTRODUCE BILL TO REAUTHORIZE PROGRAM TO CURB PRESCRIPTION DRUG ADDICTION
(Washington, DC) - U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Pat Toomey (R-PA), Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Jeff Sessions (R-AL) have introduced bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the National All-Schedules Prescription Electronic Reporting (NASPER) program which provides grants to states to maintain, improve, and expand their prescription drug monitoring programs. Prescription narcotic drugs are the number one cause of overdoses in the United States with more than 22,000 reported deaths due to prescri… Continue Reading
June 25, 2014
SHAHEEN CONTINUES PUSH FOR AUDITS OF VA FACILITIES
(Washington, DC) - U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) yesterday called on Acting Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Sloan Gibson to establish ongoing, random, external audits to verify VA facility compliance with current policy and future reforms. The call follows a damning report that officials at the Phoenix VA Medical Center altered the time of death for veterans to conceal that they were awaiting appointments when they passed away. "The ongoing problems at the VA continue … Continue Reading
June 24, 2014
SHAHEEN WELCOMES UPHOLDING OF BAN ON LGBT JUROR DISCRIMINATION IN 9TH CIRCUIT COURTS
(Washington, DC) - U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) welcomed the decision by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to decline to reconsider its earlier holding that it is unconstitutional for a juror to be excluded on the basis of sexual orientation and that sexual orientation warrants the same strong legal protections in jury selection as other categories, such as women and minorities. The 9th Circuit Court's decision to not take up the issue again supports the concept behind Shaheen's bipart… Continue Reading
June 23, 2014
SHAHEEN CONGRATULATES SGT. RYAN PITTS ON MEDAL OF HONOR AWARD
(Washington, DC) - U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) congratulated Sergeant Ryan Pitts of Nashua today after it was announced he will receive the Medal of Honor for his heroism during the battle of Wanat on July 13, 2008 against an armed enemy at Wanat Vehicle Patrol Base, Kunar Province. Pitts enlisted in the Army after graduating from Souhegan High School in Amherst and later graduated from the University of New Hampshire with honors after completing his service in Afghanistan. The battle of … Continue Reading
June 23, 2014
SHAHEEN HONORS MEMORY OF LANCE CORPORAL BRANDON GARABRANT ON SENATE FLOOR
(Washington, DC) - U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) went to the Senate floor this evening to pay tribute to fallen New Hampshire Marine Lance Corporal Brandon Garabrant of Greenfield. Garabrant was killed by a roadside bomb in southern Afghanistan Friday. Shaheen's remarks as prepared for delivery are included below: Madam President, it is with a heavy heart that I rise to honor the life and service of U.S. Marine Corps Lance Corporal Brandon Garabrant, a native of Greenfield, New Hampshire … Continue Reading
June 23, 2014
SHAHEEN, AYOTTE WELCOME REPORTED RELEASE OF MERIAM YAHIA IBRAHIM ISHAG
(Washington, DC) - U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) today welcomed reports that the Sudanese Court of Appeals has announced it intends to release Meriam Yahia Ibrahim Ishag from prison. Ibrahim is the mother of two young children and married to Daniel Wani - a man originally from Sudan, now a U.S. citizen living in Manchester, New Hampshire. Ibrahim was jailed and sentenced to death by hanging for her Christian faith. "Meriam's imprisonment and death sentence for exer… Continue Reading
June 20, 2014
SHAHEEN: JUSTICE DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCEMENT HIGHLIGHTS SEVERE INEQUITIES IN FEDERAL BENEFITS FOR SAME-SEX MILITARY COUPLES
U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) reacted with disappointment today to a Department of Justice announcement that declared that some federal agencies have been unable to extend benefits to same-sex couples in spite of last year's Supreme Court ruling striking down Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), further underscoring the need to pass her Charlie Morgan Act. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is one department that because of current law is unable to grant important benefits … Continue Reading
June 20, 2014
SHAHEEN SHOWCASES NEW HAMPSHIRE FOR WASHINGTON, DC
(Click here to watch the Experience New Hampshire video) U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), New Hampshire's congressional delegation and the New Hampshire State Society welcomed more than 40 New Hampshire businesses and organizations to Capitol Hill last week for the fifth annual Experience New Hampshire event. The event gave New Hampshire businesses and organizations the opportunity to showcase their products and services to policy makers in Washington, DC. The event followed the fourth annua… Continue Reading
June 19, 2014
APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE APPROVES BIPARTISAN SHAHEEN AMENDMENT PROTECTING WOMEN’S HEALTH CARE
(Washington, DC) - The Senate Appropriations Committee today cleared U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen's (D-NH) bipartisan amendment permanently repealing the Global Gag Rule - also referred to as the "Mexico City Policy" - in the State and Foreign Operations (SFOPS) appropriations bill. The Global Gag Rule prohibits organizations funded by the United States from providing abortions or family planning services to women across the world, even if these activities are supported solely with non-US funds. … Continue Reading
June 19, 2014
APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE APPROVES SHAHEEN PROVISION PROTECTING PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEERS
(Washington, DC) - The Senate Appropriations Committee today cleared a provision backed by U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) to bring health care equity for reproductive health services to female Peace Corps volunteers. The State and Foreign Operations (SFOPS) appropriations bill would correct an inequity in Peace Corps reproductive health care coverage that prevents the Peace Corps from providing abortion coverage for volunteers in the case of rape, incest or when the life of the woman is enda… Continue Reading
June 19, 2014
BIPARTISAN COALITION INTRODUCES SUGAR REFORM AMENDMENT TO APPROPRIATIONS BILL
(Washington, DC) - A bipartisan coalition led by U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) today introduced an amendment to an appropriations package currently under Senate consideration to cut a wasteful spending practice under the broken U.S. sugar program. The Sugar Reform and Taxpayer Protection Amendment would specifically ban the practice of taxpayer dollars going to extremely large, multi-million dollar sugar processors through a program that has already cost taxpayers more than $250 million in … Continue Reading
June 18, 2014
SHAHEEN, JOHNSON, MANCHIN, AYOTTE INTRODUCE AMENDMENT TO TRANSPORTATION APPROPRIATIONS BILL TO PROTECT RIGHTS OF MOTORCYCLE RIDERS
(Washington, DC) - U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) today introduced a bipartisan amendment to the Senate Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill that would prohibit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) from issuing grants to states for motorcycle-only checkpoints for one year. The amendment is similar to legislation introduced by the Senators earlier this year. The NHTSA initiated … Continue Reading
June 18, 2014
SHAHEEN, NEW HAMPSHIRE’S CORFIN INDUSTRIES TOUT SUCCESS OF EXPORT PROGRAM AT SMALL BUSINESS COMMITTEE HEARING
(Washington, DC) - U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) hosted Donald F. Tyler, Director of Corfin Industries, LLC, from Salem, New Hampshire at a Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee hearing today to highlight how expanding export opportunities can help small businesses grow and create jobs. Tyler specifically discussed the impact of the State Trade Export Promotion (STEP) pilot program on Corfin and its role in helping Corfin reach new costumers overseas. "Helping small business… Continue Reading
June 18, 2014
SHAHEEN, CANTWELL AND GILLIBRAND INTRODUCE BILL SUPPORTING WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESSES
(Washington, DC) - U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) introduced legislation yesterday to encourage women's business ownership and give women-owned small businesses (WOSBs) more opportunities to win federal contracts. The Women's Small Business Procurement Parity Act would provide tools available under other contracting programs to help federal agencies meet the goal of awarding 5 percent of all federal contracts to WOSBs. "Although women co… Continue Reading
June 18, 2014
SHAHEEN, CANTWELL AND GILLIBRAND INTRODUCE BILL SUPPORTING WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESSES
(Washington, DC) - U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) introduced legislation yesterday to encourage women's business ownership and give women-owned small businesses (WOSBs) more opportunities to win federal contracts. The Women's Small Business Procurement Parity Act would provide tools available under other contracting programs to help federal agencies meet the goal of awarding 5 percent of all federal contracts to WOSBs. "Although women co… Continue Reading
June 13, 2014
SHAHEEN: FEDERAL RESOURCES NECESSARY TO COMBAT HEROIN AND PRESCRIPTION DRUG ADDICTION IN NEW HAMPSHIRE
(Washington, DC) - U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) today called on Michael Botticelli, Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy, to support the request to designate and include Rockingham County in the New England High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA). In a letter to the Office of National Drug Control Policy, Shaheen added her support to the HIDTA designation request for Rockingham County in New Hampshire made by the Rockingham County Sheriff's Office, County Chiefs of P… Continue Reading
June 13, 2014
SHAHEEN, AYOTTE INTRODUCE BIPARTISAN BILL TO GRANT LEGAL U.S. STATUS TO MERIAM YAHIA IBRAHIM ISHAG, CHILDREN
(Washington, DC) - U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) today announced they have introduced legislation to grant Meriam Yahia Ibrahim Ishag - an imprisoned Sudanese woman - and her two young children permanent legal status in the United States. The legislation is cosponsored by Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX), Mary Landrieu (D-LA) and Roger Wicker (R-MS) and is companion legislation to a House bill sponsored by Representative Tom Cotton (R-AR). Ibrahim, who has been sentenced to… Continue Reading
June 12, 2014
SHAHEEN ASKS AIR FORCE TO CONDUCT ADDITIONAL TESTING OF CONTAMINATED WATER AT PEASE TRADEPORT
(Washington, D.C.) - U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) is expressing concern to the U.S. Air Force about the public health and financial impact of contaminated water at the Haven Well at the Pease International Tradeport and is requesting additional testing to "insure that any private well in the vicinity is safe." In a letter sent Wednesday to Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James, Shaheen reiterated concerns from the City of Portsmouth about the detected levels of perfluorooctane sulfonic a… Continue Reading
