Press
Shaheen, Blumenthal Push for VA Secretary to Acknowledge Inadequate Research Following NPR’s Publication of Mustard Gas Exposure Database
(Washington, DC) - U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) wrote a letter to U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) Robert McDonald today to ask the VA to use a new public database compiled by National Public Radio (NPR) to help identify veterans subjected to mustard gas experimentation by the U.S. military during World War II. The database, published yesterday and compiled by NPR staff over the course of six months, includes more than 3,900 veterans who were exposed t… Continue Reading
November 03, 2015
With Budget Agreement in Place, Shaheen Calls for More Resources to Fight Heroin and Opioid Abuse Epidemic
(Washington, DC) - This evening, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) sent a letter to the committee tasked with writing legislation to fund the federal government, calling for more resources to address the heroin and opioid abuse epidemic. Her letter comes the day after the President signed a bipartisan budget agreement into law which allows for additional investments in domestic federal programs. This budget agreement now provides an opportunity for Congress to begin working on annual appropriat… Continue Reading
November 03, 2015
Shaheen to Senate Leadership: Don't Roll Back Crop Insurance Savings in Omnibus
(Washington, DC)-Today, Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) wrote to Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) to request that the new budget agreement's reforms to the federal crop insurance program not be undone in year-end legislation to fund the government. Senator Shaheen is a leading voice in the Senate in calling for changes to the crop insurance program, which cost taxpayers almost $9 billion last year. The budget deal included modest reforms that would save… Continue Reading
November 03, 2015
Following Reports of Continued Mismanagement at VA hospitals, Shaheen Reintroduces Legislation to Spur Accountability
(Washington, DC) - Today, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) reintroduced legislation in the Senate that would mandate random, outside auditing of Veterans Administration (VA) medical facilities by the Government Accountability Office (GAO). This follows recent reports that, despite reform efforts, certain VA medical facilities are still engaging in mismanagement that is delaying care and endangering the lives of veterans. "This legislation is about changing the culture at the VA," said Shahe… Continue Reading
November 02, 2015
As National Veterans Small Business Week Begins, Shaheen Visits SilverCloud in Portsmouth to Highlight Importance of Veteran Entrepreneurs to New Hampshire’s Economy
(November 2, 2015- Senator Shaheen visiting SilverCloud in Portsmouth, NH) High resolution versions of the photos are available here and here (Washington, DC)-To kick-off National Veterans Small Business Week, Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) visited SilverCloud, a veteran-owned business in downtown Portsmouth that develops customer service software products for the financial industry. She had an opportunity to tour their offices, meet with employees and discuss how a federal small business le… Continue Reading
October 30, 2015
Shaheen Announces Legislation to Address Heroin & Fentanyl Backlog at Police Forensic Labs
(Washington, DC) - Today, Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) announced plans to introduce legislation to help the state police forensic lab in New Hampshire and other labs across the country that are dealing with a dramatic increase in the number of drug seizures requiring lab identification. The recent surge in the use of heroin, fentanyl and other "designer" drugs, have increased both the volume and complexity of identifying narcotics, which has dramatically increased demand on police crime labs, i… Continue Reading
October 30, 2015
Shaheen Welcomes Resolution Reached Between Londonderry School District & USDA on Lunch Program
(Washington, DC) - Today, Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) welcomed the announcement that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) will not apply new unnecessary regulations to the lunch programs run by the Londonderry School District. The school district objected to the way the USDA said it was going to classify their High School after it withdrew from the federal school lunch program. "I'm very pleased that this new agreement allows the Londonderry School District to continue providing… Continue Reading
October 30, 2015
Shaheen Statement After Senate Passage of Two-Year Bipartisan Budget Agreement
(Washington, DC) - Early this morning, the U.S. Senate approved a bipartisan budget agreement that sets government funding levels for two years and extends the nation's borrowing limit through 2017. U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) released the following statement after voting in favor of the legislation. "This budget agreement is a balanced approach that removes a dangerous threat to our nation's full faith and credit," said Shaheen. "It also provides much needed relief to across-the-board b… Continue Reading
October 29, 2015
Shaheen Writes to Chief of Forest Service Urging Restoration of Funds for Milan Community Forest
(Washington, DC) - U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) today wrote to United States Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell to ask that his agency reinstate funds for the Milan Community Forest Project (CFP) in Milan, New Hampshire. The project's $400,000 grant to create a new community forest was rescinded by the agency to pay for wildfire suppression. As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Shaheen worked to include $700 million in the Forest Service budget to replenish the agency's accou… Continue Reading
October 29, 2015
Shaheen, Gardner Lead Effort to Require Federal Government to Measure Impact of Outdoor Recreation on U.S. Economy
(Washington, DC) - Today, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Cory Gardner (R-CO) introduced the Outdoor REC (Recreation's Economic Contributions) Act, bipartisan legislation that would inform policy makers and business leaders on the jobs created, and the consumer spending driven by, the outdoor recreation economy. Currently, the federal government, through research conducted at the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), doesn't measure the economic impact of outdoor recreation, despite indepen… Continue Reading
October 27, 2015
Shaheen Applauds House Passage of Export-Import Bank Reauthorization, Urges Similar Vote in Senate
(Washington, DC) - U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) welcomed this evening's bipartisan vote in the House or Representatives to reauthorize the Export-Import Bank and is urging Republican leadership to allow a similar vote in the Senate. The Export-Import Bank, which provides loans to U.S. exporters, expired on June 30th of this year. "Despite a proven track record of boosting trade and creating jobs across our economy, it's now been 118 days since the Export-Import bank lost its authorization… Continue Reading
October 27, 2015
Shaheen Legislation Passes the Senate to Help Small Businesses Protect Themselves Against Cyber Attacks
(Washington, DC) - This evening, the Senate approved legislation that contains key language included by U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen's (D-NH), the lead Democrat on the Senate Small Business Committee, to improve the way the federal government works with small businesses to prevent cyber-attacks. "Cyber-attacks pose a threat to businesses large and small," said Shaheen. "Unfortunately, many small businesses in New Hampshire and across the country lack the information and resources they need to pr… Continue Reading
October 27, 2015
Shaheen, Ayotte Welcome Release of LIHEAP Funding for New Hampshire
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) welcomed the Department of Health and Human Services' recent announcement that New Hampshire will receive more than $23 million in assistance under the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). "We are pleased that HHS has released these funds, which provide a critical means of support during the rapidly approaching cold winter months," said Senators Shaheen and Ayotte. "This assistance is vital for low-income f… Continue Reading
October 27, 2015
Shaheen Statement on Two-Year Bipartisan Budget Agreement
(Washington, DC) - U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) released the following statement after the White House and congressional leadership announced a budget agreement that sets government funding levels for two years and extends the nation's borrowing limit through 2017. The agreement provides the defense and domestic discretionary budgets with equal relief from mandatory spending cuts. "This budget agreement provides a balanced approach to funding the federal government over the next two years… Continue Reading
October 26, 2015
Shaheen Applauds Announcement of $1 Billion Loan Guarantee for Ukraine
(Washington, DC) - U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) applauded today's announcement that the United States government will provide a third loan guarantee of $1 billion to support Ukraine. "I recently saw firsthand the resolve of Ukraine's leaders to improve their economy, root out corruption, and stand united against Russian aggression," said Shaheen. "This new loan guarantee sends a message to the people of Ukraine that they have a partner in the United States as they continue to strengthen t… Continue Reading
October 26, 2015
Governor Hassan and Senator Shaheen Highlight Support for Clean Power Plan
CONCORD, NH - Governor Maggie Hassan and United States Senator Jeanne Shaheen today joined environmental advocates and business leaders at the New Hampshire Audubon Society to call for support of the Clean Power Plan as an important step forward for New Hampshire's environment and economy. Administered by the Environmental Protection Agency, the Clean Power Plan establishes the first-ever national standards to limit carbon pollution from power plants. The Clean Power Plan establishes state-speci… Continue Reading
October 26, 2015
Shaheen Writes to FAA Urging Participation of Emergency Responders in Drone Task Force
(Washington, DC) - This morning, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) wrote to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Michael Huerta requesting that the agency's new taskforce on drone registration include the input of emergency responders. So far this year, the U.S. Forest Service has tallied at least 13 wildfires in which drones interfered with firefighting aircraft. This past summer, there were several reports in which firefighting aircraft had to abandon combatting forest fires fo… Continue Reading
October 23, 2015
Shaheen Meets With Judge Leary in Nashua to Discuss Efforts to Help Veterans Find Treatment, Avoid Incarceration
(Nashua, NH) - Today, Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) was in Nashua where she was briefed by Judge James Leary at the 9th circuit court in Nashua on his court's veterans docket that provides treatment to veterans in the criminal justice system as an alternative to incarceration. Senator Shaheen's meeting with Judge Leary follows her introduction earlier this month of the Veterans Justice Outreach Act, which would support these legal programs in New Hampshire and around the country. Judge Leary hel… Continue Reading
October 23, 2015
Shaheen Urges DHS to Share Processing Best Practices With European Partners to Help Address Refugee Crisis
(Washington, DC) - Today, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), the lead Democrat on both the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on European Affairs and the Appropriations Homeland Security Subcommittee, wrote to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Jeh Johnson urging the department to share best-practices for processing migrants developed on the U.S. Southwest border, with European allies struggling with the surge of Syrian refugees. Shaheen's recommendations follow the trip she led… Continue Reading
October 22, 2015
Senate Passes Shaheen Resolution Officially Designating First Week of November as National Veterans Small Business Week
(Washington, DC) - The U.S. Senate today passed a resolution, introduced by Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), to designate the first week in November as National Veterans Small Business Week. The measure, which passed unanimously, also extends the Senate's appreciation to the nation's many small business owners who have served in uniform. "Many veterans are applying the same can-do approach they used in the military to start and grow their own small businesses," said Shaheen. "These veteran entrep… Continue Reading
