url,title,date,year,month,party,chamber,state,member_name,bioguide_id,domain,scraper,source,date_source,text,has_text,collected_at,updated_at
https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases/on-senate-floor-senator-hassan-pushes-resolution-slamming-trumps-taxpayer-funded-political-ads,"On Senate Floor, Senator Hassan Pushes Resolution Slamming Trump’s Taxpayer-Funded Political Ads",2026-09-29,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,NH,Margaret Wood Hassan,H001076,www.hassan.senate.gov,hassan,https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) today took to the Senate Floor to pass a Senate Resolution that pushes for accountability over President Trump’s new political ad campaign promoting himself paid for with taxpayer dollars. The ads appear to clearly violate federal laws that prohibit the use of taxpayer dollars to promote a political party or candidate. New reporting today revealed that President Trump personally directed the creation of the ads, and that the funding comes from the Department of Homeland Security. The latest reporting suggests that the ad campaign could cost $20 million in taxpayer funding.

Senator Hassan today introduced a Senate Resolution stating what members on both sides of the aisle have already publicly said — that these ads should not be paid for with taxpayer dollars. Despite that, Senate Republicans blocked consideration of the measure. Senator Hassan slammed the effort to block the resolution and urged the White House to reverse course.

Click here to see video of Senator Hassan’s remarks on the floor, or see key quotes below:

“On televisions across the country right now, people are being inundated with all kinds of political ads, but the ending of these ads is unlike any other. If someone's watching this ad, right at the end, at the bottom of the screen, you find out that this publicity stunt isn't paid for by President Trump or one of his PAC's or even one of his billionaire friends. No. This ad is paid for by you, the American taxpayer.”

“I've introduced a resolution that's quite simple. It just tells the President that he is wrong, that these ads need to be pulled down and that they should not be paid for with taxpayer dollars.”

“The American people want their tax dollars to go towards helping them and keeping them safe, not propaganda campaigns for a President. He's welcome to run whatever ads he wants with his own riches, but with taxpayer dollars, money that people have worked hard to earn, he needs to follow the law.”

“One of the ads is literally one of the President's campaign ads from 2024. It's clearly a campaign message, but he's making all of us pay for it at a time when he has sent grocery costs, rent costs, and gas costs soaring. Any American who watches this ad can see that it's not a PSA, like the White House claims. What's the public service message here?”

“If we're going to talk about which side of the aisle is supporting communism and socialism, it is this President who had the United States government take a share, an interest, in a privately held company. It is this President who welcomed the leader of the largest communist party in the world to the White House, fawning over him...while banning the free press from the White House and welcoming the communist press in.”

“My colleagues on the other side of the aisle should stand together in opposing this clearly unlawful and wrong use of taxpayer money. This is an incredibly wealthy President with a huge war chest that can afford to fund whatever political messages he wants. It should not come at the cost of hard-earned American tax dollars. So, despite the fact that we can't pass this resolution today, I hope that the administration listens to the bipartisan pushback on these ads and reverses course immediately.”

###",1,2026-09-30T10:57:52Z,2026-09-30T10:59:04Z
https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/shaheen-collins-urge-department-of-commerce-to-immediately-release-funding-guidance-to-help-communities-take-advantage-of-broadband-expansion,"Shaheen, Collins Urge Department of Commerce to Immediately Release Funding Guidance to Help Communities Take Advantage of Broadband Expansion",2026-09-29,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,NH,Jeanne Shaheen,S001181,www.shaheen.senate.gov,shaheen,https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press,scraper,"(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Susan Collins (R-ME) are calling on the U.S. Department of Commerce to immediately issue guidance regarding the use of Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program funds for non-deployment activities so that communities can get funding out the door to eligible projects. In a bipartisan letter to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information at the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), Arielle Roth, the Senators note that without guidance, up to $21 billion in funding intended to support the adoption of new broadband infrastructure is in limbo across the country. The letter is cosigned by Senators Angus King (I-ME), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and Mark Warner (D-VA).

The Senators wrote, in part: “As you know, approximately $21 billion in BEAD funding remains following the approval of state proposals for broadband deployment [...] Closing the digital divide requires not only broadband infrastructure investments, but also complementary efforts to support adoption and other activities that maximize the value of those investments. States have dedicated significant time and resources developing their BEAD plans and are eager to use their full awarded allocations to connect every American with broadband service.”

They continued: “NTIA approved all 56 BEAD Final Proposals by the end of last month. In early September, NTIA announced an additional round of funding to address locations that remain unserved. This is a worthy goal but one that can advance with a parallel effort providing non-deployment funding supporting the long-term success of broadband investments. Non-deployment activities authorized under the BEAD Program are meant to complement efforts to expand broadband [...] such as workforce development programs, telehealth connectivity and technical assistance for rural small businesses enjoy bipartisan support. These investments will not only improve quality of life for millions of Americans, but also strengthen local economies, support businesses and enable communities to fully participate in the digital economy.”

They concluded: “We respectfully urge the NTIA to promptly issue guidance on the uses of BEAD non-deployment funds consistent with the statute and Congress’s intent. Ensuring states can responsibly deploy these resources will help maximize the impact of this historic investment and advance our shared goal of connecting all Americans to high-speed broadband internet.”

The full letter can be read HERE.

Last year, the Trump Administration announced changes to BEAD that rescinded previous guidance for non-deployment activities. Since that announcement, the Department of Commerce has not issued new guidance. The letter is a direct follow up to questions Shaheen posed back in April at a U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee hearing where Secretary Lutnick noted that non-deployment guidance would be expected “within a couple months.” In June, then-NTIA Administrator Roth commented that non-deployment funds would be released “this summer.”

As lead negotiators of the broadband provisions included in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Senators Shaheen and Collins (R-ME) worked to include authorization of the BEAD Program. The $42 billion Program invests in broadband infrastructure deployment, with the remaining funds set to be used for complementary non-deployment activities to maximize the value of those investments. In total, Shaheen successfully secured $18.6 million in grant funding to support the deployment of broadband infrastructure in New Hampshire, which was released last year, with nearly $200 million remaining for non-deployment activities.

###",1,2026-09-30T10:57:52Z,2026-09-30T10:59:04Z
https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/09/28/2026/shaheen-joins-bipartisan-calls-for-trump-administration-to-extend-and-redesignate-tps-for-ukrainians,Shaheen Joins Bipartisan Calls for Trump Administration to Extend and Redesignate TPS for Ukrainians,2026-09-28,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,NH,Jeanne Shaheen,S001181,www.shaheen.senate.gov,shaheen,https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press,scraper,"(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, joined 30 of her Senate colleagues in calling on the Trump Administration to issue an 18-month extension and redesignation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Ukrainians living in the United States as Vladimir Putin continues his war of aggression against their homeland. The bipartisan letter, led by U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), to Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, underscores how a failure to extend TPS ahead of its expiration next month would send thousands of Ukrainians back into a war zone that has resulted in significant civilian casualties, infrastructure damage and displacement.

The Senators wrote, in part: “Ukraine was initially designated for TPS on April 19, 2022, on the basis of ongoing armed conflict and extraordinary and temporary conditions caused by Russia’s military actions within the country […] Subsequent reviews of in-country conditions found that the situation in the country had not sufficiently improved; accordingly, TPS for Ukraine was extended and redesignated through April 19, 2025, and extended once more beginning on April 20, 2025.”

They continued: “Protecting the approximately 101,000 Ukrainian TPS holders currently living in the United States is a humanitarian imperative, but also a sound economic decision. Thanks to the work authorization granted by their TPS status, Ukrainian TPS holders have contributed approximately $2.6 billion to our economy each year and have provided approximately $716 million in taxes annually […] Terminating TPS for this population risks disrupting these industries, increasing costs for American consumers by forcing thousands of experienced workers out of their jobs.”

They concluded: “Current conditions in Ukraine clearly merit the continuation of TPS status. The ongoing war has caused a humanitarian crisis and damage to critical civilian infrastructure has left many with limited or no access to heat, electricity or medical services. Ukrainian nationals cannot safely return at this time, and allowing TPS to terminate on October 19, 2026, would risk sending more than one hundred thousand individuals back to an active war zone. Ukrainian TPS holders contribute greatly to our communities, both culturally and economically. To ensure that eligible Ukrainian nationals currently in the United States can continue living and working safely while conditions in their home country remain perilous, we urge you issue an extension and redesignation of TPS for Ukraine.”

The full text of the letter can be read HERE.

Senator Shaheen has consistently worked to ensure the delivery of military, humanitarian and economic support to Ukraine as it fights for its freedom and democracy amid Putin’s war of aggression. Most recently, Senator Shaheen helped pass the bipartisan Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, which was recently signed into law. Shaheen also supported key provisions in the Committee-approved National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), including a reauthorization of the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) through 2030—the U.S. Department of Defense’s authority to equip the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Critically, the NDAA also includes guardrails requested by Shaheen to ensure transparency of foreign funds used to match U.S. contributions under USAI and Shaheen-authored amendments that allow the continued sharing of U.S. information, intelligence and imagery to support the Ukrainian Armed Forces in Russian-occupied territory.

###",1,2026-09-29T11:07:12Z,2026-09-29T11:08:49Z
https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/with-senate-returning-to-washington-in-search-of-affordability-solutions-shaheen-pushes-for-floor-vote-on-bipartisan-bill-to-cap-monthly-insulin-costs,"With Senate Returning to Washington in Search of Affordability Solutions, Shaheen Pushes for Floor Vote on Bipartisan Bill to Cap Monthly Insulin Costs",2026-09-28,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,NH,Jeanne Shaheen,S001181,www.shaheen.senate.gov,shaheen,https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press,scraper,"(Washington, DC) – With the U.S. Senate returning to Washington in search of solutions that address the nation’s overwhelming affordability concerns, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) is calling for a floor vote on her bipartisan, bicameral legislation to cap monthly insulin costs. The INSULIN Act would cap monthly out-of-pocket insulin costs at $35 and continues to gain momentum in the House and Senate. As Senate leaders seek cost-of-living solutions for the American people, Senators on both sides of the aisle are increasingly pointing to the INSULIN Act as an immediate, broadly supported step Congress can take to lower health care costs. Over 40 million Americans live with diabetes, and Shaheen’s INSULIN Act would make a direct impact by lowering the cost of life-saving insulin for millions across the country.

“President Trump campaigned on immediately lowering costs for the American people, yet he’s done just the opposite. With millions of American families facing spiking prices as a result of this Administration’s disastrous health care policies, my INSULIN Act is one immediate step Congress can take to directly lower costs for millions of Americans. That’s why it has dozens of bipartisan cosponsors across the House and Senate, and why momentum is growing to take action on the bill,” said Senator Shaheen. “I’ve fought to pass this legislation for years and we are closer than ever before to achieving that goal. I’m joining calls to bring this bill to the floor and show the American people that Congress can still achieve meaningful, bipartisan progress to make life more affordable.”

Throughout the August recess and into September, momentum has grown for the INSULIN Act. Recent reporting by Punchbowl News and the New Hampshire Bulletin highlight how Shaheen continues to hear from her constituents and advocate for the passage of her legislation to address affordability concerns. And just last week, reporting from The Washington Sun laid out the “groundswell” of support for the INSULIN Act from Senate Republicans across the ideological spectrum who believe it would make a real impact to bring down costs for the American people.

The current push for the INSULIN Act comes after the legislation was recently introduced in the House and advanced out of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee on a strong bipartisan basis—two major steps for the legislation.

Senator Shaheen has led efforts to lower health care costs for Granite Staters and Americans. As co-chair of the U.S. Senate Diabetes Caucus, Senator Shaheen has consistently pressed to hold insulin manufacturers, insurers and pharmacy benefit managers accountable for the skyrocketing cost of life-saving insulin and otherwise support patients and families facing diabetes. Polling released from the American Diabetes Association this summer found that 40% of respondents who rely on insulin report paying more than $150 per month for insulin, and 76% of respondents across political parties support a $35 limit on cost sharing for insulin.

###",1,2026-09-29T11:07:12Z,2026-09-29T11:08:49Z
https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senators-hassan-tuberville-introduce-legislation-to-ban-toxic-forever-chemicals-in-food-packaging,"Senators Hassan, Tuberville Introduce Legislation to Ban Toxic ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Food Packaging",2026-09-26,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,NH,Margaret Wood Hassan,H001076,www.hassan.senate.gov,hassan,https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) reintroduced legislation to ban toxic PFAS chemicals – also known as ‘forever chemicals’ – in food wrappers and packaging. PFAS chemicals, which are sometimes used in food wrappers to repel grease, oil, and water, are linked to serious health challenges in humans, including cancer.

“I’ve heard firsthand about the devastating impact that PFAS exposure has had on many Granite Staters’ lives. These toxic chemicals have no place in or near our food,”said Senator Hassan. “While I am glad that several states and companies have taken steps to get PFAS out of their food packaging, we need a strong federal standard to protect all Americans. That's why I am introducing bipartisan legislation to ban PFAS from all food wrappers and packaging nationwide so that no family has to worry about bringing these dangerous chemicals into their home when they order takeout. I look forward to working across the aisle to get it passed and protect public health.”

“Thanks to the Make America Healthy Again movement, Americans have started waking up to the toxic chemicals that are in many of the products and foods we use every day,” said Senator Tuberville. “America has the best resources, technology, and people in the world, so why are we sicker than ever? We need to start taking a closer look at things in our environment that are poisoning us. Our children are the most precious resource we have and we owe it to them to ban toxic chemicals like PFAS from products that have proven to be cancerous.”

Senator Hassan first introduced the Keep Food Containers Safe from PFAS Act in 2021. PFAS contamination from food containers, cookware, and consumer products can lead to liver disease, thyroid dysfunction, and several forms of cancer. Following her efforts, several major fast food restaurants – including Burger King, Chick-Fil-A, and Starbucks – voluntarily announced that they would phase out PFAS chemicals from their food packaging.

Read the full text of the bill here.

Senator Hassan leads several efforts to protect Granite Staters from toxic forever chemicals. As a negotiator of the bipartisan infrastructure law, Senator Hassan helped secure a provision to better ensure that New Hampshire towns would be eligible for an advanced technology grant program that could be used to remove PFAS from drinking water. Last year, Senator Hassan pushed the EPA to continue PFAS cleanup efforts at the Tinkham Garage Site in Londonderry, where contamination has left residents without access to safe drinking water. Additionally, Senator Hassan helped introduce a bill to ban PFAS chemicals in cosmetics products, such as makeup, moisturizer, and perfume.

###",1,2026-09-27T10:23:37Z,2026-09-27T10:25:08Z
https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-hassan-recognized-as-the-1-most-effective-us-senator,Senator Hassan Recognized as the #1 Most Effective U.S. Senator,2026-09-25,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,NH,Margaret Wood Hassan,H001076,www.hassan.senate.gov,hassan,https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) was named the most effective United States Senator by the nonpartisan Political Grades project. Senator Hassan’s was also recently awarded the University of Cincinnati's Portman Center for Policy Solutions’ “Bipartisan Public Service Award.”

“My top priority in the Senate is getting results for the people of New Hampshire. I am committed to working across the aisle to build lasting solutions to the challenges our families and businesses face,” said Senator Hassan. “I will continue working every day to represent our state’s Live Free or Die values and make life better and more affordable for Granite Staters.”

Political Grades measures both Senators and Representatives on a series of metrics to determine the most effective member of Congress. Factors include the number of bills they help advance, attendance, and improvement in state metrics since the member has taken office. To read the full Political Grades report, click here.

Senator Hassan has worked across the aisle to help pass multiple bills into law, including the No Surprises Act to protect patients from receiving unexpected medical bills; the PACT Act, a historic bill that fundamentally reforms and improves the ways in which veterans exposed to toxic substances receive health care and benefits from the VA; and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which includes a number of key provisions to help advance Granite State priorities. This year, two of Senator Hassan’s bipartisan measures to lower prescription drug costs passed into law: the Increasing Transparency in Generic Drug Applications Act to speed the approval of generic drugs and in turn lower prices for consumers, and the Patients Before Middlemen (PBM) Act to help stop pharmacy benefit managers from driving up prescription drug pricing for seniors.

Senator Hassan was previously named a “Bridge Builder” by the non-partisan Bridge Pledge organization and the most bipartisan Member of Congress by the nonpartisan Common Ground Committee in 2024.

###",1,2026-09-26T09:43:57Z,2026-09-26T09:44:55Z
https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/icymi-us-senate-unanimously-passes-shaheen-crapo-bipartisan-resolution-to-commemorate-national-community-policing-week,"ICYMI: U.S. Senate Unanimously Passes Shaheen, Crapo Bipartisan Resolution to Commemorate National Community Policing Week",2026-09-25,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,NH,Jeanne Shaheen,S001181,www.shaheen.senate.gov,shaheen,https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press,scraper,"(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Mike Crapo (R-ID) applauded the unanimous passage of their bipartisan resolution to commemorate National Community Policing Week. Shaheen first introduced the resolution in 2017 to establish the first full week of October as National Community Policing Week, and it has been passed annually by the Senate on a bipartisan basis ever since. The bipartisan resolution recognizes the service and sacrifice of the law enforcement community and underscores the importance of community policing. Additionally, it encourages civilians, law enforcement agencies and public servants to work together to find solutions to improve public safety, strengthen community relationships and build trust.

“Our communities are safer and stronger when law enforcement and citizens build meaningful relationships,” said Senator Shaheen. “I’m proud to see the Senate once again come together to unanimously pass our bipartisan resolution recognizing the tremendous sacrifices law enforcement officers make every day and underscoring the importance of strengthening community policing to improve public safety.”

“Collaboration between law enforcement and the local neighborhoods and communities they serve strengthens public trust and improves public safety,” said Senator Crapo. “This resolution recognizes the important role community policing plays in building strong relationships, preventing crime and keeping our communities safe.”

The resolution is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Gray Peters (D-MI) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK).

The full text of the bipartisan resolution can be read HERE.

Senator Shaheen is a strong advocate on behalf of New Hampshire’s police officers and law enforcement agencies. As a current senior member and former Chair of the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee, Shaheen has helped to regularly secure resources for New Hampshire’s law enforcement and to improve police-community relations through Congressionally Directed Spending and grant programs like the U.S. Department of Justice's Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS).

###",1,2026-09-26T09:43:57Z,2026-09-26T09:44:55Z
https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/new-hampshire-congressional-delegation-celebrates-more-than-36-million-in-federal-funding-to-support-granite-state-firefighters,New Hampshire Congressional Delegation Celebrates More than $3.6 Million in Federal Funding to Support Granite State Firefighters,2026-09-25,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,NH,Jeanne Shaheen,S001181,www.shaheen.senate.gov,shaheen,https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press,scraper,"(Washington, DC) – Today, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, and Maggie Hassan (D-NH), alongside Representatives Chris Pappas (NH-01) and Maggie Goodlander (NH-02) announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) awarded more than $3.6 million in federal funding to support firefighters in towns across New Hampshire through its Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program.

These grants will allow firefighters, fire departments and other first responders to obtain the equipment, emergency vehicles, protective gear, training and other resources many agencies direly need to protect emergency personnel and Granite State communities from fire and related hazards.

“When duty calls, our firefighters and first responders are first to bravely jump into action, heading toward danger to keep our communities safe. It is incumbent upon all of us to do everything we can to support these heroes and ensure they have the resources they need,” said Senator Shaheen. “While we can never repay their service and sacrifice, I’m proud to do all I can in the Senate to support our firefighters and welcome the release of this critical grant funding that will keep first responders and communities across New Hampshire safe and secure.”

“Fire fighters run toward danger every day to protect our communities. I’m glad to see this federal funding help New Hampshire fire departments get the equipment and staff that they need to do their jobs safely.” said Senator Hassan. “I will continue working to support first responders with the resources they need.”

“Every day New Hampshire firefighters answer the call from our communities and put themselves in harm’s way responding to any number of emergencies. They need the tools, training, and equipment to do their jobs safely,” said Congressman Pappas. “This funding will support equipment and gear upgrades and training for New Hampshire fire departments. I’ll keep working to return federal dollars to our state to support the vital work of our firefighters and first responders.”

“New Hampshire’s firefighters and first responders are being asked to do more and more with less and less year after year. But when the alarm sounds, they show up for us. We have a duty to show up for them,” said Congresswoman Goodlander. “Lifesaving CPR devices in Colebrook. Paramedic training in Salem. Portable radios in Weare. Fresh air packs in Littleton, Goshen, Spofford and Hebron. A new tanker in Hancock. This is what it looks like when federal funding goes straight to the people who keep us safe. I’ll never quit fighting for every penny our firefighters and first responders need to keep saving lives.”

As Ranking Member of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee and a senior member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, Shaheen has consistently fought for New Hampshire’s firefighters and secured critical resources to support them. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 government funding legislation, Shaheen secured language to support ongoing research to identify a firefighter’s relative risk of exposure to PFAS released from their protective gear. Shaheen has also pushed back against Trump Administration policies that make it harder for first responders to keep communities safe, including calling for the resumption of life-saving firefighter trainings and an end to a hiring freeze on seasonal firefighters. In FY 2025, Shaheen pushed to increase funding to $385 million for both the Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) and the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) programs following cuts in FY 2024.

The following cities and towns received grants through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program this year:",1,2026-09-26T09:43:57Z,2026-09-26T09:44:55Z
https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/new-hampshire-congressional-delegation-honors-granite-state-law-enforcement-at-congressional-law-enforcement-awards-ceremony,New Hampshire Congressional Delegation Honors Granite State Law Enforcement at Congressional Law Enforcement Awards Ceremony,2026-09-25,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,NH,Jeanne Shaheen,S001181,www.shaheen.senate.gov,shaheen,https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press,scraper,"(Concord, NH) – Today, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and U.S. Representatives Chris Pappas (NH-01) and Maggie Goodlander (NH-02) honored New Hampshire’s law enforcement community at the New Hampshire Congressional Law Enforcement Awards Ceremony. The annual ceremony was held at the New Hampshire Police Standards and Training Academy in Concord where the Congressional delegation presented awards and delivered remarks honoring the bravery, service and sacrifice of New Hampshire’s law enforcement officers. The New Hampshire Congressional Law Enforcement Awards were started in 1998 to recognize the exemplary service of New Hampshire’s law enforcement.

“Too often the service and sacrifice of our dedicated law enforcement officers and personnel go underappreciated and unheralded, so it’s an honor to continue a nearly thirty-year tradition of recognizing New Hampshire’s finest with the Congressional Law Enforcement Awards,” said Senator Shaheen. “This year’s ceremony is my last as a member of Congress, and it has been an honor to work alongside New Hampshire law enforcement in my roles as governor and U.S. Senator. Congratulations to all of those recognized tonight for their courageous work. Their service is a source of great pride and admiration across the Granite State.”

“It’s an honor to recognize and thank our law enforcement officers for their courage, dedication, and willingness to serve and protect their fellow Granite Staters. Public safety is the most fundamental task of any government. I am deeply grateful for our law enforcement officers’ work to keep our communities safe, and I will continue to stand with law enforcement and support their important work,” said Senator Hassan.

“To the law enforcement officers being honored this year for going above and beyond to protect and serve our communities, congratulations and thank you,” said Congressman Pappas. “Each individual honored represents the very best that New Hampshire has to offer, as heard through the stories of their acts of bravery under fire, selflessness, life-saving action, and uncommon valor. I’m grateful for the dedication of the men and women of our law enforcement who keep our state safe and strong. We must continue to provide them with the support, resources, and respect that they have earned.”

“Courage is running toward danger when everyone else runs away. Tonight’s honorees did exactly that,” said Congresswoman Maggie Goodlander. “They are New Hampshire’s finest, and we owe them and their families our deepest thanks and real support.”

2026 Congressional Law Enforcement Award Recipients:

Associate Service Award:

The awards committee recognizes non-law enforcement first responders and civilians who have come to the assistance of law enforcement personnel in the course of their duties, at times putting their own lives in harm’s way.

Marcia “Marty” Sink (Court Appointed Special Advocates of NH)

Unit Citation Award:

The Unit Citation Award is designated for actions that involved a group of officers, who as a team, display extraordinary heroism, gallantry, or exceptionally meritorious service.

Sergeant Michael Cedrone (NH State Police)

Sergeant Stefan Czyzowski (NH State Police)

Sergeant Nicholas Levesque (NH State Police)

Sergeant Noah Sanctuary (NH State Police)

Trooper First Class Ryan St. Cyr (NH State Police)

Trooper Daniel Roger (NH State Police)

Officer Richard W. Bateman Dedication and Professionalism Award:

This award, previously known as the Dedication and Professionalism Award, was renamed in honor of Officer Richard W. Bateman, who died in November of 2020 and was one of the founding members of the NH Congressional Law Enforcement Award (NH-CLEA) committee. Officer Bateman exemplified service to others over his many years of service with the Hampton Police Department. This award honors law enforcement personnel that go beyond their normal duties in service to others.

Deputy Amanda Bibeau (Rockingham County Sheriff’s Department)

Trooper Noah Brown (NH State Police)

Sergeant Kelly LaPointe (NH State Police)

Trooper First Class Derek Myrdek (NH State Police)

Trooper Taylor Sarette (NH State Police)

Trooper Robert Selfridge (NH State Police)

Trooper Abigail Williams (NH State Police)

Officer Ainsley Bruno (Gilmanton PD)

Officer Syntia Tine (Belmont PD)

Officer Sean Munnelly (Manchester PD)

Officer Alexander Reagan (Manchester PD)

Officer Cameron Rizan (Manchester PD)

Officer Christopher Dustin (Hillsboro PD)

Sergeant Joshua Healy (Walpole PD)

Officer Jonah Merkle (Walpole PD)

Above and Beyond the Call of Duty:

This award is for officers who put their lives in harm’s way to help others. The NH-CLEA committee realizes that this is always part of any officer’s duties, but there are times when heroism and sacrifice in extreme circumstances need to be recognized. It should be noted that this award has been given posthumously.

Sergeant Nicholas Cyr (NH State Police)

Trooper Stefan Wong-Wagner (NH State Police)

Officer Greg Levesque (Manchester PD)

Trooper Shane Mason (NH State Police)

Trooper Brian Knell (NH State Police)

Deputy Chief Adam Dyer (Hampstead PD)

Detective Scott Randell (Hampstead PD)

Officer Steve Winter (Hampstead PD)

Officer Tyler Phair (Hampstead PD)

Officer Alec Grenier (Danville PD)

Sergeant Steven Russo (Pelham PD)

Corporal Michael Kasiske (Pelham PD)

Officer Joseph Sanchez (Pelham PD)

###",1,2026-09-29T11:07:12Z,2026-09-29T11:08:49Z
https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-hassan-hosts-discussion-on-helping-students-with-disabilities-access-college,Senator Hassan Hosts Discussion on Helping Students with Disabilities Access College,2026-09-24,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,NH,Margaret Wood Hassan,H001076,www.hassan.senate.gov,hassan,https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"HOOKSETT – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan joined higher education leaders, students, and disability advocates at Southern New Hampshire University on Monday to discuss her bipartisan Respond, Innovate, Succeed, and Empower (RISE) Act, which would make it easier for students with disabilities to access accommodations in college.

The legislation, which Senator Hassan introduced alongside Senator Jim Banks (R-IN), would help reduce barriers that students with disabilities face when seeking accommodations in higher education, including by allowing students to use documentation that previously qualified them for accommodations rather than requiring them to provide duplicative documentation that can be costly and time intensive to secure. The bill advanced from the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee in July.

“It was great to be at Southern New Hampshire University to hear from students about their experiences on campus, and the work of staff at colleges and universities across the Granite State to make sure that all students, regardless of any disabilities, have access to higher education,” said Senator Hassan. “The start of college can bring extra challenges for students with disabilities, who may be forced to provide unnecessary paperwork and pay for expensive tests to reestablish a documented disability. I know first-hand the importance of every child being able to learn at school and fully participate in our communities, which is why I will continue to urge my colleagues to pass my bipartisan RISE Act and ease the transition from high school to college for students with disabilities so that they can focus on their education.”

See more: Hassan pushes for passage of RISE Act to help students with disabilities attend college (WMUR)

At the event, participants shared their experiences and discussed how the RISE Act could ease the transition from high school to higher education for students with disabilities.

“For learners with disabilities, the transition to college can bring additional barriers, including complex processes and documentation requirements. That is why conversations like today's matter. The RISE Act focuses on making that transition clearer and more consistent for students. It also reflects something we believe deeply at SNHU. Access alone is not enough. We must design systems and experiences that give every learner the opportunity to persist, succeed and achieve their goals,” said Lisa Marsh Ryerson, President, SNHU.

“Our experience shows this approach is achievable at scale without lowering academic standards. The RISE Act would provide greater clarity and consistency across higher education so students can access needed accommodations regardless of which institution they attend,” said Jennifer Batchelor, Provost, SNHU.

Senator Hassan leads several efforts to ensure that individuals who experience disabilities receive the support that they need to be fully included in their communities. Last year, she helped introduce legislation that would require the federal government to fully fund 40 percent of the cost of special education under the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), a commitment made by the federal government more than 50 years ago. Senator Hassan also helped pass into law bipartisan legislation to support autism education, research, and resources. Senator Hassan also helped secure funding to help families of children experiencing disabilities navigate the special education process and better access the resources available as part of a bipartisan government funding package.

###",1,2026-09-25T10:04:52Z,2026-09-25T10:05:46Z
https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/shaheen-statement-on-2025-portsmouth-naval-shipyard-economic-impact-report,Shaheen Statement on 2025 Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Economic Impact Report,2026-09-23,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,NH,Jeanne Shaheen,S001181,www.shaheen.senate.gov,shaheen,https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press,scraper,"(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement in response to the release of the Seacoast Shipyard Association’s Annual Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Economic Impact Report for 2025:

“Portsmouth Naval Shipyard plays a key role in the Navy’s readiness while fueling our local economy. This year’s economic impact report is the latest example of how the Shipyard creates thousands of jobs, strengthens our Seacoast communities and promotes investments that power economies across New England.

“As Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, I see firsthand how the Shipyard’s work is critical to ensuring the U.S. is well equipped to deter aggression from adversaries. I have been proud to offer my unwavering support to the Shipyard and its workforce throughout my time in the Senate, and I look forward to the continued impact PNSY will make in the years to come.”

As a co-chair of the U.S. Senate Navy Caucus and a senior member of the U.S. Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee and Armed Services Committee, Senator Shaheen has been New Hampshire’s strongest advocate for Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and the New England shipbuilding industry. Recently, Shaheen led the Maine and New Hampshire Congressional delegations in raising concerns around a new proposed rule that would weaken civil service protections and undermine workers’ rights at the Shipyard. Shaheen also called for the Trump Administration to explain its refusal to process an Unfair Labor Practice charge (ULP) filed by the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Metal Trades Council on behalf of its members.

In the Committee-approved Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and the enacted FY 26 NDAA, Shaheen secured full authorization for the Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program investments at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. Shaheen’s provision to exempt employees from all four public shipyards from OPM’s civilian hiring freeze and any future hiring freezes or reductions in force was included in the FY 2026 NDAA and extended in the Committee-passed FY 27 NDAA. She also secured a number of other provisions to increase capacity at the Shipyard and improve quality of life.

###",1,2026-09-24T09:44:48Z,2026-09-24T09:45:52Z
https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-hassan-recognizes-shaun-sullivan-as-septembers-granite-stater-of-the-month,Senator Hassan Recognizes Shaun Sullivan of Hampton as September's Granite Stater of the Month,2026-09-22,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,NH,Margaret Wood Hassan,H001076,www.hassan.senate.gov,hassan,https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan recognized Shaun Sullivan of Hampton as September’s Granite Stater of the Month for his nearly two decades of work supporting vulnerable children in Rwanda and his dedication to serving others as a fire fighter.

Shaun first traveled to Rwanda in 2008, and in 2010 began volunteering with Ubaka U Rwanda, an organization that provides shelter and support to homeless children. Since then, he has returned to Rwanda 17 times, helping tutor children, prepare meals, and support their education. Through years of visits, Shaun has formed lasting relationships with the children and has watched many of them grow into adults with careers and families of their own.

In addition to returning to Rwanda, Shaun has raised money and awareness for Ubaka U Rwanda and encouraged fellow fire fighters, friends, and family members to get involved. His efforts have inspired others to travel to Rwanda and support the organization themselves, with some returning year after year. Today, Shaun serves as a fire fighter in Portsmouth and continues to return to Rwanda to help ensure that Ubaka U Rwanda can provide children with a safe and supportive place to grow.

Senator Hassan launched the “Granite Stater of the Month” initiative in 2017 to recognize outstanding New Hampshire citizens who go above and beyond to help their neighbors and make their communities stronger. To nominate a New Hampshire citizen to be a “Granite Stater of the Month,” constituents can complete the nomination form here.

To read Senator Hassan’s statement for the Congressional Record, see below:

I am honored to recognize Shaun Sullivan of Hampton as September's Granite Stater of the Month for his extraordinary commitment to public service and nearly two decades of work supporting vulnerable children in Rwanda.

Shaun's commitment to serving others began in New Hampshire. After attending Lakes Region Community College to learn about fire science and emergency services, he served as an on-call fire fighter in Merrimack. He then spent a decade fighting wildfires across the country, including six years on a specialized “hotshot crew” in California and as an Alaska smokejumper that tackled the biggest and most severe wildfires. And during his off seasons from firefighting, Shaun went to Rwanda, often staying for months at a time.

Shaun first traveled to Rwanda in 2008, eager to experience another culture and find a meaningful way to help others. When he returned in 2010, he began teaching English to adults and looking for an opportunity to volunteer with children. Through local connections, Shaun was introduced to Ubaka U Rwanda, a home for homeless children. Many of the children had experienced profound hardship, and the home offered them the stability and care they needed to build a brighter future. Shaun quickly became part of the family, spending his days tutoring the children, playing soccer, cooking and sharing meals, and helping children with their studies. He has now traveled to Rwanda 17 times, forming relationships that have lasted for years and watching children he once knew grow into adults with careers and families of their own.

Over the years, Shaun has worked tirelessly to raise money and build a community of support for Ubaka U Rwanda. His early fundraising efforts in California included organizing running challenges with fellow fire fighters to raise money and awareness for the home. Since returning to New Hampshire, Shaun has continued raising money with the support of members in his community. His dedication has inspired others to become personally involved, with fellow New Hampshire fire fighters, friends, and family members traveling with him to Rwanda and some returning year after year. Shaun now holds his running fundraiser in Rwanda, completing most of a marathon himself before running the final miles alongside the children he has worked for years to support.

Today, Shaun continues to serve as a fire fighter in Portsmouth while returning to Rwanda each year. Nearly two decades after his first trip, Shaun remains committed to raising awareness and support for Ubaka U Rwanda so that the home can continue providing vulnerable children with a safe place to grow and thrive. Shaun's compassion and commitment to serving others both at home and abroad are why I am proud to name him September's Granite Stater of the Month.

###",1,2026-09-23T09:45:16Z,2026-09-23T09:46:14Z
https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases/signed-into-law-hassan-backed-bill-to-increase-transparency-of-government-spending,SIGNED INTO LAW: Hassan-Backed Bill to Increase Transparency of Government Spending,2026-09-22,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,NH,Margaret Wood Hassan,H001076,www.hassan.senate.gov,hassan,https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Bipartisan legislation co-sponsored by U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan to increase transparency in Washington and protect taxpayer dollars was recently signed into law.

Currently, billions of dollars in spending are hidden from public disclosure through “Other Transactions Agreements,” or OTAs. The Stop Secret Spending Act requires OTAs to be disclosed in the same manner as grants, contracts, loans, and other government expenditures on the public website USAspending.gov, so Americans can view who is receiving their tax dollars and for what purpose.

“Americans deserve to know how their hard-earned tax dollars are being used. Right now, federal agencies are able to hide billions of dollars in spending from public view through agreements that are not subject to normal government spending disclosure requirements,” said Senator Hassan. “I’m pleased to see this bipartisan bill to bring more transparency to government spending become law.”

Over the past five fiscal years (October 1, 2021, through September 14, 2026), OTAs have been used across several federal agencies. Some examples include:

The Department of Defense has obligated $85 billion through more than 30,000 hard-to-track OTA contracts, of which 1,898 are unclassified contracts of $10-million-or-more;

The Department of Homeland Security has obligated $52.2 million through more than 700 OTAs; and

The Department of the Interior has obligated $858.8 million through more than 220 OTAs, with many of these actually paid out for the Department of Health and Human Services’ ARPA-H biomedical research contracts.

The Stop Secret Spending Act requires the federal government to publish a summary of any spending that remains exempt from public disclosure, including the total amount withheld and the justification for doing so. In addition, Inspectors General of government agencies and departments are required to conduct regular reviews to ensure spending information is being provided to taxpayers in a timely, complete, and accurate manner.

This legislation is part of Senator Hassan’s ongoing efforts to save taxpayer dollars and cut waste, fraud, and abuse in the federal government. Her bipartisan bill, the Billion-Dollar Boondoggle Act, which requires federal agencies to publicly report on projects that are more than five years behind schedule or cost more than $1 billion over their original estimate, was recently passed by the House and is on its way to being signed into law. In her role as Ranking Member of the Joint Economic Committee, Senator Hassan has led several bipartisan hearings focused on ways to improve government efficiency. Earlier this year, Senator Hassan helped pass into law a bipartisan bill that helps prevent payments from being unintentionally sent to individuals who have died. Last year, the Senator’s Government Service Delivery Improvement Act – which improves the ways in which federal agencies deliver services, including health benefits and student loan programs, to the public – passed into law. Senator Hassan also helped pass into law the Grant Transparency Act to bring more transparency into federal agencies' competitive grant selection process.

###",1,2026-09-23T09:45:16Z,2026-09-23T09:46:14Z
https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/shaheen-joins-colleagues-to-demand-investigation-into-dhs-voter-data-misconduct-revealed-by-whistleblower-disclosure,Shaheen Joins Colleagues to Demand Investigation into DHS Voter Data Misconduct Revealed by Whistleblower Disclosure,2026-09-22,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,NH,Jeanne Shaheen,S001181,www.shaheen.senate.gov,shaheen,https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press,scraper,"(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) joined 17 of her colleagues on a letter calling for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) to immediately open an independent investigation into the wrongdoings detailed in a recent whistleblower’s disclosure. The disclosure alleges that DHS is directing U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Fraud Detection and National Security (FDNS) officers to impersonate voters in violation of state laws to access online voter data as a part of its “Unlawful Voter Initiative,” an effort aimed at manufacturing evidence for President Trump’s unfounded claims of widespread voter fraud.

The Senators wrote, in part: “The attached Disclosure confirms that the Department and USCIS leadership have abruptly diverted FDNS from its mission and directed personnel to an ‘Unlawful Voter Initiative’ using highly questionable data and methods to identify purported unlawful voters. DHS and USCIS training materials admit these investigations will include U.S. citizens, some of whom will have federal law enforcement records created about them based on unreliable data and rushed reviews by officers held to quotas. This initiative is placing FDNS employees in an impossible position. They are being directed to take actions in the weeks before the election that this whistleblower believes are against the law and Department policy, and which will harm Americans.”

The Senators continued: “The DHS Office of Inspector General’s mission is ‘[t]o provide independent oversight and promote excellence, integrity, and accountability within DHS. We urge you to carry out that mission by immediately opening an independent investigation into the alleged wrongdoings detailed in the whistleblower’s claims, which describe agency leadership directing officers to violate the law and DHS standards of integrity [...] In addition to your investigation, please use every tool at your disposal, including a management alert, to address this immediately and prevent any additional wrongdoing or misuse of agency personnel and resources while the investigation is ongoing.”

The Senators concluded: “Given the time-sensitive nature of these claims, and the potential for misuse of this information for political purposes in the upcoming 2026 midterm elections, please provide weekly updates on the status of your investigation to the leadership of the Senate Committee on Rules and Administration, Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs, and Senate Committee on the Judiciary. Finally, recognizing the special provisions concerning the DHS Secretary’s authority over certain DHS OIG audits and investigations, if the Secretary refuses to cooperate with an audit or investigation, please notify us immediately.”

The full letter can be read HERE.

The letter was led by Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) and Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY). In addition to Shaheen, the letter was signed by Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Timothy Kaine (D-VA), Angus King (I-ME), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark Warner (D-VA), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

###",1,2026-09-23T09:45:16Z,2026-09-23T09:46:14Z
https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-hassan-receives-national-recognition-for-bipartisan-policymaking-from-university-of-cincinnati,Senator Hassan Receives National Recognition for Bipartisan Policymaking from University of Cincinnati,2026-09-21,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,NH,Margaret Wood Hassan,H001076,www.hassan.senate.gov,hassan,https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) was recently awarded the University of Cincinnati's Portman Center for Policy Solutions’ “Bipartisan Public Service Award.” Senator Hassan was recognized by former Senator Rob Portman (R-OH), the founder of the Center, for her committed record of bipartisanship and problem solving. Senator Hassan received the award in particular for her work to support people experiencing disabilities, combat the fentanyl crisis, and support our nation’s veterans. This award follows Senator Hassan’s recent recognition as the most effective U.S. Senator by Political Grades.

“Granite Staters have always prioritized solutions over partisanship. That’s why I am dedicated to working with anyone to get things done for New Hampshire, including expanding middle class opportunity, supporting small businesses, and keeping America safe, secure, and free,” said Senator Hassan. “I am honored to receive this award and will continue working across the aisle to make life better and more affordable for Granite Staters.”

Senator Hassan received the award in Cincinnati earlier this month. Senator Todd Young (R-IN) also received the award.

The Portman Center for Policy Solutions recognizes one Republican and one Democratic office holder who exemplify the values of bipartisan, solutions-oriented governance in their work both in Washington, D.C., and their respective states.

Established in 2023, the Portman Center’s mission is to encourage civility and bipartisanship in U.S. politics. In addition to this annual recognition, the center supports student fellows and civic leadership development, public policy internships for students, workshops and trainings, research, and an annual symposium.

“I know firsthand that to get things done in Congress you need to work across the aisle. Maggie Hassan and Todd Young are two of the best bipartisan legislators, and our new ranking system verifies that. I’m delighted to be giving them the Portman Center’s Bipartisan Public Service Award,”said former U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH).

“The Portman Center is a place that elevates people who are doing solution-oriented work, and who are civic role models. With the Congressional Bipartisanship Scores we are excited to provide a public resource to expand our understanding of bipartisanship in the U.S. Congress. We hope it inspires more people to take on this important work,” said Portman Center Executive Director Andrew Lewis.

Senator Hassan has worked across the aisle to help pass multiple bills into law, including the No Surprises Act to protect patients from receiving unexpected medical bills; the PACT Act, a historic bill that fundamentally reforms and improves the ways in which veterans exposed to toxic substances receive health care and benefits from the VA; and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which includes a number of key provisions to help advance Granite State priorities. This year, two of Senator Hassan’s bipartisan measures to lower prescription drug costs passed into law: the Increasing Transparency in Generic Drug Applications Act to speed the approval of generic drugs and in turn lower prices for consumers, and thePatients Before Middlemen (PBM) Act to help stop pharmacy benefit managers from driving up prescription drug pricing for seniors.

Senator Hassan was previously named a “Bridge Builder” by the non-partisan Bridge Pledge organization and the most bipartisan Member of Congress by the nonpartisan Common Ground Committee in 2024.

###",1,2026-09-22T09:42:49Z,2026-09-22T09:44:35Z
https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/as-home-heating-season-approaches-shaheen-urges-trump-administration-to-swiftly-release-liheap-funding,"As Home-Heating Season Approaches, Shaheen Urges Trump Administration to Swiftly Release LIHEAP Funding",2026-09-21,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,NH,Jeanne Shaheen,S001181,www.shaheen.senate.gov,shaheen,https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press,scraper,"(Washington, DC) – With diesel prices at historic highs due to the President’s war with Iran and winter approaching, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, joined a bipartisan group of her Senate colleagues in a letter urging the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to release funds for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which more than 57,000 Granite Staters rely on to help pay their home heating bills, as swiftly and at the highest level possible.

The Senators wrote, in part: “As you know, the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act for Fiscal Year 2027 (P.L. 119-103) requires the Department of Health and Human Services to distribute no less than 90 percent of its total LIHEAP allotment by November 1, 2026. Given the extraordinary pressure consumers will face this winter, we ask that you make this distribution well before the deadline.”

The Senators concluded: “October marks the start of the heating season for many states, and with temperatures already dropping, low-income families and seniors are feeling additional strains on their household budgets. As the main federal program benefiting these individuals with their energy bills, LIHEAP provides critical assistance to vulnerable families and seniors during the cold winter and hot summer months. State agencies and tribes are already activating their LIHEAP programs for the coming winter. A quick release of funding will ensure no gaps in assistance”

The full text of the letter can be found HERE.

The letter was led by U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI), Susan Collins (R-ME) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and in addition to Shaheen, was signed by Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senators Angela D. Alsobrooks (D-MD), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Chris Coons (D-DE), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Mark Warner (D-VA), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Angus S. King, Jr. (I-ME), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NM), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Gary Peters (D-MI), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE) and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

Congress has long worked on a bipartisan basis to make federal LIHEAP funds available to ensure eligible homeowners and renters have the financial support they need to heat their homes. This funding is critical as energy and gas prices continue to soar due to the President’s reckless war in Iran. LIHEAP is a federally funded program that helps low-income households pay utility bills, address energy crises and lower costs by improving home energy efficiency through weatherization. Over the last year, nearly six million households nationwide received LIHEAP assistance to help them avoid utility shut-offs or having to make impossible tradeoffs such as delaying medical care, skipping meals or turning to high-cost payday loans that lead to a cycle of unending debt.

At a time when Americans are struggling under the weight of historically high diesel and heating oil prices, Shaheen has led the charge in Washington to protect federal programs like LIHEAP that help Granite Staters afford their energy bills and make energy efficiency updates that save money. Earlier this year, Senator Shaheen introduced bipartisan legislation that would ensure grant funding from the Weatherization Assistance Program and State Energy program is distributed without delay to state agencies and local partners that implement these cost-saving energy initiatives. Last year, Shaheen joined efforts to ensure the Administration released the majority of FY 2026 LIHEAP funding, helping provide critical assistance to families during New Hampshire winters. Shaheen has also previously condemned efforts by the Trump Administration to eliminate staff responsible for administering the LIHEAP program.

###",1,2026-09-22T09:42:49Z,2026-09-22T09:44:35Z
https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-hassan-presses-ice-for-accountability-and-transparency-following-whistleblower-complaint-over-agencys-failure-to-properly-vet-new-recruits,Senator Hassan Presses ICE for Accountability and Transparency Following Whistleblower Complaint Over Agency’s Failure to Properly Vet New Recruits,2026-09-18,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,NH,Margaret Wood Hassan,H001076,www.hassan.senate.gov,hassan,https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH), a Senior Member of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, is pressing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for accountability and transparency after a new whistleblower report revealed that the Trump Administration failed to properly vet new recruits. According to The New York Times, a career ICE official responsible for vetting new hires filed a whistleblower complaint alleging that the administration violated the law by hiring unqualified candidates without complete background checks to join the agency’s ranks, and that this move has exposed the agency to “grave national security risks.”

“New disclosures, reportedly from an ICE unit chief, underscore grave concerns that the agency has hired and deployed armed agents in communities across the country who lack the training and temperament to serve in law enforcement and who, in some cases, may pose serious danger to members of the public,” Senator Hassan wrote in a request for records and information to ICE. “The concerns expressed by this whistleblower about ICE leadership, taken together with ICE’s recent handling of allegations of misconduct, further underscore the need for robust Congressional oversight.”

“Recent lawless conduct by ICE officers underscores the seriousness of the allegations brought forward by the ICE unit chief. As you are aware, ICE officers have shot and killed multiple people since March 2025. ICE agents have also been accused of violating constitutional rights, using excessive force, and lying to investigators,” continued Senator Hassan. Senator Hassan highlighted unanswered questions, in particular, about how ICE hired the agent responsible for a fatal shooting in Maine despite that agent reportedly having a history of violent behavior.

The whistleblower also alleged that political appointees at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) were given security clearances despite troubling information that should have made them ineligible. According to reporting by the Times, this included Corey Lewandowski, who served as a chief advisor to former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem. Senator Hassan is leading an investigation into Corey Lewandowski and his reported misconduct and abuse of taxpayer dollars during his time at the Department and secured a commitment from the DHS Under Secretary for Management, the top contracting official at the Department, to cooperate with Congressional oversight committees and provide transparency into an internal review of contracts approved by Mr. Lewandowksi and former Secretary Noem.

Senator Hassan has been outspoken against ICE’s recklessness and lack of accountability and continues to press for reforms. Earlier this year, amid efforts by DHS to convert industrial warehouses into processing facilities and detention centers, including in Merrimack, Senator Hassan along with the entire New Hampshire delegation introduced the Respect for Local Communities Act. The bicameral legislation would require DHS to solicit public comments and receive written approval from state and local officials before constructing, acquiring or operating any new ICE processing facility or detention center. Following the introduction of this legislation and pressure from Senators Hassan and Shaheen, DHS cancelled its plans for an ICE processing and detention center in Merrimack.

As a senior member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Senator Hassan has fought to protect Americans' basic civil rights from unlawful actions by ICE. Under questioning from Senator Hassan, ICE’s then-Acting Director Todd Lyons admitted that public comments from former Secretary Noem and White House Homeland Security Advisor Stephen Miller “put a bias” onto investigations of the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by DHS law enforcement officers. Following Lyon’s testimony, Senator Hassan called for an investigation into whether Noem’s comments influenced the investigations or violated DHS policy.

Read the full text of Senator Hassan and her colleagues' request to Acting Director of ICE David Venturella here or below.

Dear Acting Director Venturella:

I am writing to seek information regarding serious risks to public safety, law enforcement, and national security posed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents who reportedly were hired without basic vetting. New disclosures, reportedly from an ICE unit chief, underscore grave concerns that the agency has hired and deployed armed agents in communities across the country who lack the training and temperament to serve in law enforcement and who, in some cases, may pose serious danger to members of the public.

According to new reporting by the New York Times, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office of the Inspector General (DHS OIG) received a whistleblower complaint in August 2025 that included allegations that ICE was cutting corners, violating the law, and fast-tracking unqualified candidates who had not completed background checks. The source of the complaint was an ICE unit chief with 17 years of experience who supervised more than 100 employees responsible for vetting applicants. He detailed an “unprecedented lowering of standards” and “systemic breakdowns” that ultimately could expose the agency to “grave national security risks.” In addition, the unit chief raised concerns about Department of Homeland Security (DHS) political appointees – including Corey Lewandowski – receiving favorable treatment during the security clearance process despite troubling information in background checks. According to the unit chief, a memo from the DHS head of security had included allegations that Mr. Lewandowski had been paid by a Chinese government agency, further adding to concerns that I continue to investigate about his conduct while at DHS.

ICE has reportedly also struggled to prevent criminal organizations from embedding themselves within the agency. For example, Reuters reported in February 2026 that two ICE recruits were flagged as suspected MS-13 members after they had already been hired and sent to the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers academy in Georgia, but only because of visible gang tattoos. Such lapses can have catastrophic consequences. Not only could criminals improperly occupy positions of power and authority as law enforcement officers, but they could also potentially ascertain and reveal the identity of confidential informants who are working with law enforcement, or even undercover law enforcement officers who are working to take down criminal organizations. Potential breaches of this nature could be deadly. As one former ICE instructor stated, “the thing that I think kept some of the other instructors up at night was the possibility of organized crime getting access to the agency or penetrating the agency.”

In a move suggesting a lack of trust in ICE leadership, the unit chief reportedly “chose to alert the [DHS OIG] because…leadership had created these issues and he thought an outside, independent investigation was necessary.” One month prior to this whistleblower complaint, DHS had launched a recruitment campaign that included a goal of hiring 10,000 new ICE agents following the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. To do this, ICE reportedly eliminated age limits for prospective officers, shortened the length of training, and created a fast-track online training program for individuals with qualifying prior law enforcement experience.

Recent lawless conduct by ICE officers underscores the seriousness of the allegations brought forward by the ICE unit chief. As you are aware, ICE officers have shot and killed multiple people since March 2025. ICE agents have also been accused of violating constitutional rights, using excessive force, and lying to investigators. In June 2026, ICE appeared to recognize problems with training when it increased core training requirements and directed recent new hires to participate in supplemental training. However, experts have continued to raise serious concerns about ICE agents for poor judgement and inadequate training. As one police chief said after an ICE agent killed an unarmed man in Maine in July, ICE agents are “creating this exigency during car stops that they’re just not trained to handle… they’re creating their own chaos.” There are also unanswered questions about how the ICE agent responsible for the Maine shooting was hired in the first place given his background, including repeated allegations of domestic violence and “too many red flags” to be hired by his local police department, according to a town official.

The concerns expressed by this whistleblower about ICE leadership, taken together with ICE’s recent handling of allegations of misconduct, further underscore the need for robust Congressional oversight. To assist Congress in its oversight of ICE, and to assess recent ICE hires’ vetting and training, please provide the following documents and information as soon as possible, but not later than October 2, 2026:

1. Please provide all policies, directives, guidance, and communications since January 2025 that changed, waived, shortened, delayed, or otherwise modified requirements for vetting ICE law enforcement personnel. For each change, identify when it took effect, who authorized it, and the legal or policy authority relied upon.

2. For each month since January 2025, please provide the number of ICE personnel who received an offer of employment, entered or completed training, or entered on duty before completing required vetting, broken down by each category of outstanding vetting requirement, including identity verification, fingerprints, criminal history or database checks, credit checks, security questionnaires, applicable polygraphs, and background investigations.

a. Please provide the number of adverse personnel actions, including disciplinary actions, reprimands, or suspensions, taken against ICE personnel who, since January 2025, entered duty prior to completing all vetting requirements, and provide Office of Professional Responsibility records known as “red files” for all such employees.

3. Please provide all policies, directives, guidance, and communications since January 2025 concerning changes to minimum applicant qualifications, disqualifying criteria, testing or fitness standards, training or academy requirements, or standards for determining whether ICE recruits are qualified for operational duty.

4. For each month since January 2025, please provide the number and percentage of ICE recruits who failed, were removed from, or did not complete training and the reasons for those outcomes.

5. Please describe any retrospective review of ICE personnel hired through expedited procedures since January 2025. For personnel allowed to enter training or employment before completing required vetting since January 2025, please provide the number of employees for whom subsequent screening identified criminal conduct or associations, material misrepresentations, significant financial concerns, national security concerns, or other potentially disqualifying information.

a. Please identify the number of employees that ICE subsequently removed, terminated, suspended, reassigned, denied or revoked access, or otherwise subjected to remedial action, and provide Office of Professional Responsibility records known as “red files” for all such employees.

b. Please provide the number of current ICE employees with incomplete vetting.

6. Please provide the number of individuals who were removed from ICE training or ICE employment due to connections with organized criminal organizations, known criminals, or suspected criminal enterprises since January 2025, and provide Office of Professional Responsibility records known as “red files” for all such employees.

7. Please provide all documents and communications concerning DHS or ICE’s receipt, investigation, or response to the allegations from the whistleblower described above, including records concerning efforts to identify the whistleblower’s contacts with the media and any decision to question the whistleblower, examine or seize his government devices, place him on leave, restrict his duties or access, or take other personnel action.

Data should be provided in a searchable, machine-readable format, including Excel or CSV files where applicable. Please produce responsive records on a rolling basis as they become available.

Thank you for your prompt attention to these matters.

###",1,2026-09-19T09:11:33Z,2026-09-19T09:12:45Z
https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senators-hassan-capito-introduce-resolution-recognizing-national-concussion-awareness-day,"Senators Hassan, Capito Introduce Resolution Recognizing National Concussion Awareness Day",2026-09-18,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,NH,Margaret Wood Hassan,H001076,www.hassan.senate.gov,hassan,https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) reintroduced a resolution recognizing today, Friday, September 18th, as National Concussion Awareness Day. Senator Hassan has championed Concussion Awareness Day since her time as Governor of New Hampshire, following the advocacy of Granite Stater Brooke Schuessler.

“Recognizing the signs of a concussion early helps people get the treatment they need to prevent lasting neurological damage from these injuries. This resolution calls attention to National Concussion Awareness Day to help connect more Americans with resources to prevent, identify, and treat concussions,” said Senator Hassan. “Today I am especially grateful to Granite Stater Brooke Schuessler for her continued advocacy to raise awareness about concussions and help others understand the risks.”

“Concussions impact far too many people in West Virginia and across our country, and we must continue doing everything we can to prevent these injuries and ensure they are properly recognized and treated,” said Senator Capito. “Improving concussion prevention, raising awareness, and strengthening diagnosis and treatment are critical to keeping athletes, coaches, parents, and others safe and informed on the field and in the workplace. I’m proud to join my colleagues in supporting this resolution and helping highlight the importance of continued efforts to prevent concussions, promote safety, and improve care for those affected.”

National Concussion Awareness Day was inspired by former Miss New Hampshire Brooke Schuessler, who experienced a life-altering concussion during her freshman year of high school. Her story inspired then-Governor Hassan to establish Concussion Awareness Day in New Hampshire in 2016. In recognition of Mrs. Schuessler’s advocacy, Senator Hassan honored her as Granite Stater of the Month in 2019.

“I started National Concussion Awareness Day because no two concussions look the same, and for too long that truth got lost in oversimplified messaging. My hope was simple: to open up honest conversations about brain injuries, so that people feel seen, informed, and empowered to seek the care they need. It is one of the greatest honors to see this day recognized, and I'm deeply grateful to everyone who has helped carry this mission forward,” said Brooke Schuessler.

Every year since 2019, Senator Hassan has introduced a resolution in the U.S. Senate to mark Concussion Awareness Day, commend organizations that raise awareness about concussions, and encourage further research and prevention efforts.

Read the text of the resolution here or below:

Supporting the designation of September 18, 2026, as “National Concussion Awareness Day”.

Whereas mild traumatic brain injury, otherwise known as a concussion, is an important health concern for children, teens, and adults;

Whereas, according to information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—

there are as many as 1,600,000 to 3,800,000 sports-related concussions annually;

as many as 5,300,000 individuals live with the long-term effects of a traumatic brain injury;

between 2001 and 2018, an estimated 3,800,000 children under age 17 visited an emergency department because of a traumatic brain injury sustained during sports- or recreation-related activities;

in 2024, there were an estimated 68,000 fatalities related to traumatic brain injuries;

each year an estimated 283,000 children seek care in emergency departments in the United States for a sports- or recreation-related traumatic brain injury, with traumatic brain injuries sustained in contact sports accounting for approximately 45 percent of those visits;

7 in 10 emergency department visits for sports- or recreation-related traumatic brain injury are for children ages 17 and younger;

research suggests that many children with a traumatic brain injury do not seek care in emergency departments or do not seek care at all, resulting in a significant underestimate of prevalence; and

approximately 15 percent of all high school students in the United States self-reported 1 or more sports- or recreation-related concussions within the preceding 12 months;

Whereas the seriousness of concussions should not be minimized in athletics, and return-to-play and return-to-learn protocols can help ensure recovery;

Whereas concussions can affect physical, mental, and social health, and a greater awareness and understanding of proper diagnosis and management of concussions is critical to improved outcomes; and

Whereas the Senate can raise awareness about concussions among the medical community and the public: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Senate—

supports the designation of September 18, 2026, as “National Concussion Awareness Day”;

recognizes that mild traumatic brain injury, otherwise known as a concussion, is an important health concern;

commends the organizations and individuals that raise awareness about mild traumatic brain injury;

encourages Federal, State, and local policymakers to work together—

to raise awareness about the effects of concussions; and

to improve the understanding of proper diagnosis and management of concussions; and

encourages further research and prevention efforts to ensure that fewer individuals experience the most adverse effects of mild traumatic brain injury.

###",1,2026-09-19T09:11:33Z,2026-09-19T09:12:45Z
https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/shaheen-hassan-demand-answers-from-secretary-of-defense-pete-hegseth-on-cost-of-iran-warshaheen-hassan-demand-answers-from-secretary-of-defense-pete-hegseth-on-cost-of-iran-war,"Shaheen, Hassan Demand Answers from Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Cost of Iran War

Shaheen, Hassan Demand Answers from Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Cost of Iran War",2026-09-18,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,NH,Jeanne Shaheen,S001181,www.shaheen.senate.gov,shaheen,https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press,scraper,"(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) joined their Senate colleagues in a letter to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth demanding a full accounting of the costs of the ongoing war with Iran. The letter also criticized the Department of Defense for withholding basic budget information from Congress and the American public even as U.S. casualties and taxpayer costs continue to increase.

The United States is now more than six months into a conflict President Trump initially said would last four to six weeks. Eighteen American servicemembers have been killed and more than 820 wounded, while over 50,000 troops are currently deployed to the Middle East. In the letter, Shaheen and her colleagues note that deployments, including for the USS Lincoln and the 82nd Airborne, have been repeatedly extended, and that their offices have heard directly from military families worried about loved ones serving in the conflict.

The Senators wrote, in part: “We write regarding the Department of Defense’s failure to provide the American people with basic information about the war with Iran and its cost to taxpayers, even as the human costs of this war rise. More than six months into a war that the President said would last six weeks, 18 American servicemembers have been killed, 824 have been wounded, and more than 50,000 troops are currently deployed in the Middle East. Our troops have had their deployments extended repeatedly, as with the USS Lincoln and now the 82nd Airborne. Our offices have all received outreach from military families concerned about the safety and well-being of their loved ones serving and sacrificing in this war.”

They continued: “In the last week, the Congressional Budget Office and the Department of Defense Office of the Inspector General have issued their own reports with inconsistent numbers. Despite your stated needs, you have repeatedly refused to share basic information that previous Administrations, Republican and Democratic, provided to the American public and Congress during times of war.”

The Senators concluded: “Despite asking for tens of billions of additional taxpayer dollars, you have so far failed to provide basic information on how this money has and will be spent. Congress must have access to this information to carry out our oversight responsibilities. It is the bare minimum that any American would expect in balancing their own household budget. You shared this belief before entering government. In 2012, you criticized the Department’s ability to ‘shift literally hundreds of millions of dollars from program to program with little accountability.’ You added, ‘[r]eforming the culture at the Pentagon to bring greater spending accountability will be difficult, but it’s long overdue.’ And just last year, you said that ‘the American taxpayers deserve’ to know where their money goes, ‘how it's spent and make sure it's spent wisely.’ We agree.”

Shaheen, Hassan and their colleagues are requesting that the Department of Defense provide:

A detailed breakdown of all direct and indirect costs of military operations against Iran to date, including damage to installations, aircraft, and equipment.

A full accounting of the $67 billion supplemental request, specifying what covers past costs versus future operations.

A detailed plan for how the Pentagon intends to spend the remaining $34 billion from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

The full text of the letter can be found HERE.

The letter was led by Senator Elissa Slotkin (D-MI). Shaheen, Hassan and Slotkin were joined on the letter by Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Christopher Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Richard Durbin (D-IL), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), John W. Hickenlooper (D-CO), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Timothy Kaine (D-VA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Christopher Murphy (D-CT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jacklyn Rosen (D-NV), Bernard Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam B. Schiff (D-CA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Raphael G. Warnock (D-GA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

Since President Trump began his war in Iran, Senator Shaheen has continued to grill Secretary Hegseth and top Administration officials about their lack of strategy and transparency surrounding the conflict. In August, following the Pentagon’s unprecedented recategorization of casualties suffered in the war, Shaheen helped introduce the Honoring the Sacrifices of Our Troops in War Act to ban the U.S. Secretary of Defense from manipulating casualty records and jeopardizing the benefits of our service members and public servants. Shaheen also joined her colleagues on a letter to the Department of Defense demanding a full and accurate accounting of all service member casualties in support of or in connection with Operation Epic Fury. In June, Shaheen pressed Secretary Hegseth on the cost of the war and questioned why the American people were being asked to further absorb the cost of the war when the Department still has unspent funding.

Senator Hassan has consistently opposed President Trump’s reckless war in Iran, which has cost service members their lives and has also increased costs here at home for families. As Ranking Member of the Joint Economic Committee, Senator Hassan has released reports about the additional $83+ billion that families nationwide have spent on gas since the beginning of the war — which has cost the average family in the United States an additional $699 in gas costs. Additionally, the Joint Economic Committee — Minority under Senator Hassan recently released an analysis that found that President Trump has personally gained $15.5 million from Big Oil and Gas stocks that he owns since he launched his war and gave oil and gas companies sky-high profits as oil prices surged.

###",1,2026-09-19T09:11:33Z,2026-09-19T09:12:45Z
https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases/shaheen-hassan-demand-answers-from-secretary-of-defense-pete-hegseth-on-cost-of-iran-war,"Shaheen, Hassan Demand Answers from Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Cost of Iran War",2026-09-18,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,NH,Margaret Wood Hassan,H001076,www.hassan.senate.gov,hassan,https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) joined their Senate colleagues in a letter to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth demanding a full accounting of the costs of the ongoing war with Iran. The letter also criticized the Department of Defense for withholding basic budget information from Congress and the American public even as U.S. casualties and taxpayer costs continue to increase.

The United States is now more than six months into a conflict President Trump initially said would last four to six weeks. Eighteen American servicemembers have been killed and more than 820 wounded, while over 50,000 troops are currently deployed to the Middle East. In the letter, Shaheen and her colleagues note that deployments, including for the USS Lincoln and the 82nd Airborne, have been repeatedly extended, and that their offices have heard directly from military families worried about loved ones serving in the conflict.

The Senators wrote, in part: “We write regarding the Department of Defense’s failure to provide the American people with basic information about the war with Iran and its cost to taxpayers, even as the human costs of this war rise. More than six months into a war that the President said would last six weeks, 18 American servicemembers have been killed, 824 have been wounded, and more than 50,000 troops are currently deployed in the Middle East. Our troops have had their deployments extended repeatedly, as with the USS Lincoln and now the 82nd Airborne. Our offices have all received outreach from military families concerned about the safety and well-being of their loved ones serving and sacrificing in this war.”

They continued: “In the last week, the Congressional Budget Office and the Department of Defense Office of the Inspector General have issued their own reports with inconsistent numbers. Despite your stated needs, you have repeatedly refused to share basic information that previous Administrations, Republican and Democratic, provided to the American public and Congress during times of war.”

The Senators concluded: “Despite asking for tens of billions of additional taxpayer dollars, you have so far failed to provide basic information on how this money has and will be spent. Congress must have access to this information to carry out our oversight responsibilities. It is the bare minimum that any American would expect in balancing their own household budget. You shared this belief before entering government. In 2012, you criticized the Department’s ability to ‘shift literally hundreds of millions of dollars from program to program with little accountability.’ You added, ‘[r]eforming the culture at the Pentagon to bring greater spending accountability will be difficult, but it’s long overdue.’ And just last year, you said that ‘the American taxpayers deserve’ to know where their money goes, ‘how it's spent and make sure it's spent wisely.’ We agree.”

Shaheen, Hassan and their colleagues are requesting that the Department of Defense provide:

A detailed breakdown of all direct and indirect costs of military operations against Iran to date, including damage to installations, aircraft, and equipment.

A full accounting of the $67 billion supplemental request, specifying what covers past costs versus future operations.

A detailed plan for how the Pentagon intends to spend the remaining $34 billion from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

The full text of the letter can be found HERE.

The letter was led by Senator Elissa Slotkin (D-MI). Shaheen, Hassan and Slotkin were joined on the letter by Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Christopher Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Richard Durbin (D-IL), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), John W. Hickenlooper (D-CO), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Timothy Kaine (D-VA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Christopher Murphy (D-CT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jacklyn Rosen (D-NV), Bernard Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam B. Schiff (D-CA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark R. Warner (D-VA), Raphael G. Warnock (D-GA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

Since President Trump began his war in Iran, Senator Shaheen has continued to grill Secretary Hegseth and top Administration officials about their lack of strategy and transparency surrounding the conflict. In August, following the Pentagon’s unprecedented recategorization of casualties suffered in the war, Shaheen helped introduce the Honoring the Sacrifices of Our Troops in War Act to ban the U.S. Secretary of Defense from manipulating casualty records and jeopardizing the benefits of our service members and public servants. Shaheen also joined her colleagues on a letter to the Department of Defense demanding a full and accurate accounting of all service member casualties in support of or in connection with Operation Epic Fury. In June, Shaheen pressed Secretary Hegseth on the cost of the war and questioned why the American people were being asked to further absorb the cost of the war when the Department still has unspent funding.

Senator Hassan has consistently opposed President Trump’s reckless war in Iran, which has cost service members their lives and has also increased costs here at home for families. As Ranking Member of the Joint Economic Committee, Senator Hassan has released reports about the additional $83+ billion that families nationwide have spent on gas since the beginning of the war — which has cost the average family in the United States an additional $699 in gas costs. Additionally, the Joint Economic Committee — Minority under Senator Hassan recently released an analysis that found that President Trump has personally gained $15.5 million from Big Oil and Gas stocks that he owns since he launched his war and gave oil and gas companies sky-high profits as oil prices surged.

###",1,2026-09-23T09:45:16Z,2026-09-23T09:46:14Z
https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senators-hassan-and-scott-introduce-bipartisan-bill-to-significantly-streamline-application-process-for-federal-addiction-related-grant-funding,Senators Hassan and Scott Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Significantly Streamline Application Process for Federal Addiction-Related Grant Funding,2026-09-17,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,NH,Margaret Wood Hassan,H001076,www.hassan.senate.gov,hassan,https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Tim Scott (R-SC) introduced bipartisan legislation to make it easier for organizations on the front lines of the addiction crisis to apply for grants to prevent substance use in the first place, provide addiction treatment, and help people navigate recovery. The Addiction Grants Modernization Act would simplify the process for organizations to find and apply for addiction-related federal grants by creating an interactive website to view and apply for these funding opportunities. Additionally, the bill would also establish a centralized application that can be used by organizations to apply for multiple addiction-related grants with similar goals.

“Local leaders and advocates across New Hampshire are working every day to help Granite Staters enter and stay in recovery — and thanks to their work, we’re finally beginning to see a drop in overdose deaths in New Hampshire. We cannot let up in this fight, and that means making it easier for them to get the funding and resources that they need,” said Senator Hassan, Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Health Care. “This bipartisan bill will support the people on the frontlines of fighting this crisis so that they can focus less on red tape and more on their important work of saving lives.”

“Addressing substance use disorders in communities across the country begins by supporting the organizations providing life-changing care,” said Senator Tim Scott. “The Addiction Grants Modernization Act aims to simplify and streamline the grant application process for these organizations. By creating a unified application system that protects existing grant structures and funding levels, this legislation will reduce administrative and bureaucratic burdens so organizations can spend less time navigating paperwork and more time helping individuals.""

Congress has established and funded a range of grant programs that support community-based organizations in their work to prevent substance use, provide treatment for those with addiction, and support people in recovery. However, currently, there is no centralized resource for organizations applying for funding to find all grants that they may be eligible for. Additionally, applicants must fill out separate applications for similar grants. TheAddiction Grants Modernization Act would simplify this process for organizations to find and apply for addiction response grants through a new website and centralized application for federal addiction-related grants.

This bipartisan bill is supported by several New Hampshire and national organizations working to prevent and treat addiction including the Overdose Prevention Initiative, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), NAMI New Hampshire, Bipartisan Policy Center, Partnership to End Addiction, Makin’ It Happen Coalition for Resilient Youth, and Drug Policy Alliance.

“Substance misuse disorder has had a profound impact upon many Granite State families. Indeed, there is no one in New Hampshire who does know someone who has been lost to an overdose death. While we have seen real progress in reducing the occurrence of such tragedies, ensuring the resources necessary to continue this work is critical. The Addiction Grant Modernization Act will help substance use disorder provider organizations in New Hampshire and across the nation efficiently access critical, lifesaving federal grants – helping people find help and hope,” said Susan Stearns, Executive Director of NAMI New Hampshire.

""The Addiction Grants Modernization Act will help community-based organizations find the funding that best fits the work they do and reach the people who need their help the most. That way treatment providers spend their time on bringing people lifesaving care instead of doing paperwork,” said Libby Jones, Associate Vice President, Global Health Advocacy Incubator, Overdose Prevention Initiative.

""Community organizations fighting the addiction crisis shouldn't be buried in duplicative federal paperwork; they should be delivering services to those in need. BPC Action has long supported greater coordination across federal agencies, including aligning grant application processes to reduce barriers for organizations working to prevent substance use disorder, expand treatment, and support recovery. The Addiction Grants Modernization Act does exactly that. We applaud Senators Hassan (D-NH) and Scott (R-SC) for this commonsense, bipartisan solution,"" said Michele Stockwell, president of Bipartisan Policy Center Action.

“Makin it Happen along with many of our community partners rely on grants as essential key funding sources. We appreciate Senator Hassan's efforts in proposing a more streamlined approach to application and grant review which will help all of us sustain our prevention, treatment, and recovery efforts,” said Mary Forsythe-Taber, Executive Director, Makin’ It Happen Coalition for Resilient Youth, Inc.

This bill builds on Senator Hassan’s work to combat the fentanyl crisis and expand access to evidence-based addiction treatment. At the end of last year, Senator Hassan played a key role in spearheading the passage of the bipartisan SUPPORT Act, which included important support for federal funding for fentanyl test strips. Additionally, Senator Hassan helped introduce the Modernizing Opioid Treatment Access Act, bipartisan legislation to improve access to medication-assisted treatment by allowing more addiction specialists to prescribe methadone. In 2022, Senator Hassan successfully passed into law her bipartisan Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment (MAT) Act to increase the number of medical professionals authorized to prescribe medication-assisted treatment.

###",1,2026-09-18T09:27:43Z,2026-09-18T09:29:09Z
https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-hassan-pushes-postal-service-to-immediately-halt-implementation-of-unconstitutional-vote-by-mail-restrictions,Senator Hassan Pushes Postal Service to Immediately Halt Implementation of Unconstitutional Vote-by-Mail Restrictions,2026-09-16,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,NH,Margaret Wood Hassan,H001076,www.hassan.senate.gov,hassan,https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan, a senior member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, joined an effort from the Committee to push the United States Postal Service (USPS) to immediately halt implementation of President Trump’s unlawful vote-by-mail executive order and rescind its recently finalized rule on federal ballot mail. While the U.S. Supreme Court recently allowed a lower court’s injunction to remain in place that barred the Postal Service from enforcing its rule for the upcoming midterm elections, President Trump has still not withdrawn this illegal order.

In a letter to Postmaster General David Steiner and the USPS Board of Governors, the senators warned that the Postal Service’s efforts to fundamentally change how absentee ballots are processed and delivered just weeks before the 2026 midterm elections risks disenfranchising millions of eligible voters and disrupting the smooth administration of the elections.

The lawmakers are also demanding the Postal Service provide overdue answers about what legal authority permits it to regulate federal election mail, its new ballot verification processes, and the operation of its Federal Ballot Mail Portal, as well as its efforts to comply with federal court orders.

“Despite repeated warnings from Congress and court orders not to implement the President’s unlawful directives to regulate mail-in voting, the Postal Service continues to carry out these actions, which will undermine peoples’ faith in the upcoming elections,” the senators wrote. “If the Postal Service does not immediately reverse its current course, it will inflict lasting harm to our democracy and permanently damage a storied American institution.”

On August 21, USPS finalized a rule to implement President Trump’s vote-by-mail executive order that would require states to provide absentee voter rolls to the federal government and comply with new ballot standards, while giving USPS the authority to verify and refuse to deliver ballots that do not meet its requirements. The senators argue that neither the President nor USPS has the legal authority to regulate absentee voting and noted that despite previous commitments to Congress that it would abide by judicial injunctions, the Postal Service finalized the rule while subject to a federal court order prohibiting it from doing so. The lawmakers also raised a recent whistleblower disclosure alleging that USPS is rushing to build and deploy a new IT system to support these ballot verification processes without adequate testing or normal system standards, creating multiple points of failure that could result in ballots being rejected and eligible voters being disenfranchised.

“Notwithstanding the major legal deficiencies with the final rule, the Postal Service’s continued insistence that it can successfully build, test, train, and deploy an entirely new system for processing millions of absentee ballots – just weeks prior to the November general election – risks disrupting the smooth administration of the midterms and disenfranchising voters,” the senators wrote.

“We reiterate our call to halt your breakneck implementation of the President’s unlawful order and rescind the final rule on federal ballot mail, especially as states are finalizing their absentee ballots and are just weeks or days away from mailing them to voters,” the senators wrote.

Joining Senator Hassan in sending the letter were Ranking Member Gary Peters (D-MI), and Senators Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Andy Kim (D-NJ), and John Fetterman (D-PA).

Read the letter here.

###",1,2026-09-17T09:52:05Z,2026-09-17T09:53:00Z
https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-hassan-statement-on-clarity-act-vote,Senator Hassan Statement on Clarity Act Vote,2026-09-15,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,NH,Margaret Wood Hassan,H001076,www.hassan.senate.gov,hassan,https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) released the following statement on the Senate’s vote today on the Clarity Act:

“As cryptocurrency usage grows, so does the need for Congress to establish strong legal standards that protect consumers, public safety, and our national security. I support establishing a regulatory framework that reduces uncertainty for this technology to help our businesses and startups grow. At the same time, any new standards need to also include an ironclad ban that prevents elected officials from issuing and profiting off their own cryptocurrencies. This issue is not theoretical — President Trump made more than $1 billion from crypto-related holdings last year, according to his own financial disclosure. This bill’s ethics standards are a step in the right direction, but unfortunately its enforcement mechanism includes a loophole that President Trump will drive a truck through. The bill essentially gives President Trump’s administration the ability to waive enforcement against him. Because this bill fails to crack down on President Trump’s galling corruption, I cannot support it today.”

###",1,2026-09-16T09:43:13Z,2026-09-16T09:44:22Z
https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-hassan-raises-alarm-bells-over-ices-neglect-of-counter-fentanyl-responsibilities,Senator Hassan Raises Alarm Bells Over ICE’s Neglect of Counter-Fentanyl Responsibilities,2026-09-14,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,NH,Margaret Wood Hassan,H001076,www.hassan.senate.gov,hassan,https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH), a senior member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, pressed U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for answers about its apparent neglect of its responsibilities to combat illegal fentanyl trafficking. Her request follows a new Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General report that found that ICE diverted significant personnel and resources away from counter-fentanyl and counter-cartel efforts under the Trump Administration – leading to a nearly 40 percent decrease in fentanyl seizures.

“I write to request information on the diversion of ICE personnel and resources away from essential efforts to combat transnational criminal organizations and stop illegal fentanyl from reaching American communities… According to [the Inspector General report], Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), an ICE component responsible for investigating and disrupting transnational criminal organizations, has significantly reduced its work to combat fentanyl since the start of the Trump Administration, which in turn has led to fewer HSI fentanyl investigations and fewer seizures of this deadly drug,” wrote Senator Hassan.

Senator Hassan continued, “[From October 2024 through September 2025], fentanyl investigations that HSI conducted fell by 24 percent, fentanyl seizures fell by 39 percent, and investigative hours devoted to fentanyl fell by approximately 30 percent (a decrease of more than 250,000 hours). During this same time period, the Drug Enforcement Administration saw a 25 percent increase in the amount of fentanyl powder that it seized, which raises the concern that HSI’s decreased results in combatting fentanyl trafficking have been based on a reallocation of priorities and personnel within ICE, rather than a decrease in the threat to Americans from fentanyl and transnational criminal organizations.”

Senator Hassan also highlighted ICE’s “lack of urgency to take corrective action and refocus agency resources,” given that ICE said it would not be able to complete a review of the staffing concerns raised in the Inspector General report until July 2027. Senator Hassan requested detailed information on HSI personnel and resources that have been diverted from counter-fentanyl and counter-cartel missions since the start of the Trump Administration, as well as an explanation from ICE about why it will need nearly a year to address the issues that the Inspector General found.

Read the Senator’s full letter here or below:

Dear Acting Director Venturella:

I write to request information on the diversion of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel and resources away from essential efforts to combat transnational criminal organizations and stop illegal fentanyl from reaching American communities. According to an August 2026 report from the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General (DHS OIG), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), an ICE component responsible for investigating and disrupting transnational criminal organizations, has significantly reduced its work to combat fentanyl since the start of the Trump Administration, which in turn has led to fewer HSI fentanyl investigations and fewer seizures of this deadly drug.

HSI has unique legal authorities that give it the ability to combat illegal fentanyl at every step of the supply chain and conduct complex investigations that involve money laundering, drug cartels, weapons trafficking, human smuggling, and other elements of transnational organized crime. Yet according to the DHS OIG, in FY 2025 (October 1, 2024, through September 30, 2025), HSI’s work to combat fentanyl trafficking decreased significantly compared to the previous fiscal year. Fentanyl investigations that HSI conducted fell by 24 percent, fentanyl seizures fell by 39 percent, and investigative hours devoted to fentanyl fell by approximately 30 percent (a decrease of more than 250,000 hours). During this same time period, the Drug Enforcement Administration saw a 25 percent increase in the amount of fentanyl powder that it seized, which raises the concern that HSI’s decreased results in combatting fentanyl trafficking have been based on a reallocation of priorities and personnel within ICE, rather than a decrease in the threat to Americans from fentanyl and transnational criminal organizations.

Consistent with this data, HSI agents have described changes in priorities under the Trump Administration that have come at the expense of countering fentanyl and other missions. At one HSI office that the OIG reviewed, for example, “approximately 99 percent of HSI’s work was dedicated to immigration, leaving almost no capacity for fentanyl investigations.” At another office, a seven-agent drug investigation team was reportedly reduced to approximately two agents after personnel reassignments. These findings raise concerns about ICE’s current priorities and management of HSI’s specialized investigative workforce, specifically that ICE has deprioritized its efforts to combat the trafficking of fentanyl, a drug that has killed hundreds of thousands of Americans.

Further, ICE’s response to the DHS OIG report indicates a lack of urgency to take corrective action and refocus agency resources. Although ICE concurred with the DHS OIG’s recommendation to review staffing “to ensure an appropriate level of coverage commensurate with the relative priority of fentanyl investigations,” it does not anticipate completing this staffing review until July 2027. Similarly, the DHS OIG found that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) “did not always refer fentanyl seizures to HSI, thereby limiting HSI’s ability to pursue fentanyl-related leads.” CBP and ICE leadership concurred with the DHS OIG’s recommendation to update these referral policies, but similarly do not plan to complete this work before July 2027.

In recent years, ICE has become the highest-funded federal law enforcement agency, with more than $100 billion in new funding since 2024 – 10 times its historical annual budget. The DHS OIG findings described above, however, raise significant concerns that ICE is neglecting its counter-fentanyl and counter-cartel missions. To assist Congress in its oversight of these critical homeland security missions, please provide the following documents and information as soon as possible, but not later than September 25, 2026:

For each month from January 2025 through the date of your response, please provide, by HSI field office and job series:

The number of special agents, criminal analysts, and other investigative personnel assigned to fentanyl or other narcotics investigations;

The number assigned to immigration enforcement or immigration-related investigations; and

The number reassigned, detailed, surged, or otherwise temporarily diverted from narcotics investigations to any other mission, including the dates, and duration of each such reassignment.

For the same period, please provide monthly investigative hours, by field office, investigative program or case category, and job series, devoted to:

Fentanyl and other narcotics;

Immigration enforcement;

Human trafficking and human smuggling;

Child exploitation;

Financial crimes and money laundering;

Cybercrime;

National security investigations;

Election integrity; and

Any other major HSI investigative category tracked by ICE.

For the same period, please provide, by month and field office:

Fentanyl investigations opened and closed;

Fentanyl seizures, by weight and dosage units where applicable;

Arrests, indictments, and convictions associated with HSI fentanyl investigations;

Controlled purchases and controlled deliveries involving fentanyl;

Transnational criminal organizations disrupted or dismantled through HSI fentanyl investigations; and

Investigations suspended, delayed, reassigned, or closed because of personnel or resource limitations.

For the same period, please provide all HSI monthly investigative statistic reports and/or dashboards created for ICE leadership at the Associate Director-level or above, and/or Department of Homeland Security (DHS) headquarters.

Please identify each ICE or DHS official who approved HSI personnel diversions from fentanyl or narcotics investigations to other missions since January 20, 2025, and describe the criteria used to determine which agents or units would be reassigned. Please describe any arrest targets, quotas, performance measures, deployment requirements, or other metrics that influenced those decisions.

Please describe any minimum staffing levels, staffing floors, exemptions from reassignment, or other policies currently in place to protect fentanyl investigation teams from diversion to unrelated missions. If no such safeguards exist, please explain.

Please provide ICE’s implementation plan and timeline for the DHS OIG recommendation concerning staffing levels, including all milestones preceding the June 30, 2027, target date. Please explain why ICE requires until June 30, 2027, to complete this review and identify the interim actions ICE will take to restore fentanyl investigative capacity before that date.

Please provide ICE’s implementation plan and timeline for the DHS OIG recommendation concerning CBP referrals, including all milestones preceding the June 30, 2027, target date. Please explain why ICE requires until June 30, 2027, to update referral policies and identify the interim actions ICE will take to improve coordination with CBP before that date.

Please identify any new categories of investigations or operational responsibilities assigned to HSI since January 20, 2025, including investigations of assaults on DHS personnel. For each category, provide the number of HSI personnel by job series, and investigative hours devoted to the activity and identify whether personnel were reassigned from fentanyl or other narcotics investigations to perform that work.

Data should be provided in a searchable, machine-readable format, including Excel or CSV files where applicable, and should not be aggregated nationally when field-office-level information is maintained. Please produce responsive records on a rolling basis as they become available.

###",1,2026-09-15T09:50:21Z,2026-09-15T09:52:05Z
https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-hassan-statement-on-25th-anniversary-of-september-11th-2001-terrorist-attack,"Senator Hassan Statement on 25th Anniversary of September 11th, 2001 Terrorist Attack",2026-09-11,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,NH,Margaret Wood Hassan,H001076,www.hassan.senate.gov,hassan,https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"MANCHESTER — U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan released the following statement on the 25th anniversary of the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks:

“September 11th was one of the most terrible days in our country’s history, when 2,977 innocent people were taken from us in a terrorist attack rooted in evil. Every one of those victims had a world all their own. Every one of them was loved and needed.

""The response that day from first responders and the millions of ordinary Americans who sprung to action, donated blood, or decided to serve reminds us that our country can be united in common purpose. Because on 9/11, we remember that, for all our differences and disagreements, we are one country, one people, and one America.

“It’s been 25 years since that terrible day, and we cannot bring back those we lost, but we can become their legacy by living our lives with purpose and meaning. We won’t ever live up fully to the example of courage, bravery, and sacrifice shown by the first responders or the passengers of Flight 93, but it’s incumbent on all of us to try each and every day.”

###",1,2026-09-12T09:02:30Z,2026-09-12T09:03:27Z
https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/on-25th-anniversary-of-september-11-terrorist-attacks-shaheen-honors-those-who-lost-their-lives-recognizes-bravery-of-first-responders-at-dover-memorial-ceremony,"On 25th Anniversary of September 11 Terrorist Attacks, Shaheen Honors Those Who Lost Their Lives, Recognizes Bravery of First Responders at Dover Memorial Ceremony",2026-09-11,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,NH,Jeanne Shaheen,S001181,www.shaheen.senate.gov,shaheen,https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press,scraper,"(Dover, NH) – On the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) attended and delivered remarks at the City of Dover’s 25th Anniversary Remembrance of 9/11 Ceremony and Memorial Dedication, where she was joined by Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and community leaders to unveil a new memorial dedicated to the tragic events of September 11 and the Dover residents who lost their lives on that day.

In her remarks, Senator Shaheen honored the nearly 3,000 Americans who lost their lives in the terror attacks of September 11, including ten Granite Staters, recognized the bravery of the nation’s first responders who immediately raced into action to save lives and defend our shores and highlighted how on America’s darkest day, citizens across the country united in the face of unspeakable tragedy. Photos from the ceremony can be found HERE.

Key Quotes from Senator Shaheen

“We need to tell the next generation how we came together as a community and as a nation, and make sure that 25 years from now, not only Dover, but the rest of the nation still remembers, and the world remembers, and we are a stronger nation because of it.”

“I hope, in addition to remembering the events of that day and those we lost, it will also be an opportunity to reflect on the lessons from 9/11. They weren't just about safety and security; they were about Americans coming together. Coming together regardless of religion, of ethnic background, of where we were from, and coming together, and respecting everyone's opinion, and recognizing that if we are together, we are stronger.”

“We weren't sure if there were more attacks coming, where they were going to hit, and we decided that the most important thing we could do was to keep state operations open. We were the only state in New England who kept all of our state operations open, and we did that because we said we are not going to be shut down by any terrorists who want to change the way we do business in the United States.”

Full Remarks as Delivered

I am so honored to be able to join all of you on this 25th anniversary of the horrific attacks of 9/11, and it's so wonderful to see all of the people who have turned out. What a tribute to the memory of those we lost. And thank you to all of the firefighters, to the law enforcement, all the first responders who are here, to the New Hampshire Pipe and Drum and Sierra, who did such a great job on the national anthem. We are honored by your presence this morning.

And Chief Haas, I don't know whose idea it was to unveil the memorial first, but that was a great idea, because this way we can look at that, we can reflect as we're listening to people comment. And as we've heard, I know everyone here who was alive remembers where you were on 9/11 when you got the news. It was a beautiful day, just like this. Blue sky, nice breeze in the Northeast.

I was actually in Washington, D.C. with a delegation from New Hampshire at an early childhood conference, and we were on a call with all of the agency heads from New Hampshire, because the day before the mills in Berlin had gone bankrupt, putting thousands of people out of work. And so we were on the call trying to figure out what we could do to help, to respond. And the adjutant general, General Blair, interrupted us, and he said, ""We've just gotten news that a plane went into one of the towers at the Trade Center, and we think it's a terrorist attack.""

So we weren't sure what was happening. We continued our call. I walked out of the building, and you could see the smoke coming out of the Pentagon because the plane had already hit the Pentagon at that point. And so I called back to New Hampshire because, of course, all the planes were grounded. I couldn't get home to talk about what we were going to do to respond, how we were going to keep people safe. Because, again, we didn't know what kind of attack this was. We weren't sure if there were more attacks coming, where they were going to hit, and we decided that the most important thing we could do was to keep state operations open. We were the only state in New England who kept all of our state operations open, and we did that because we said we are not going to be shut down by any terrorists who want to change the way we do business in the United States.

On that awful day, we lost ten citizens of New Hampshire, four of them from Dover. Kathleen and Michael Shearer, who were on United Flight 175 that left Boston, heading to Los Angeles. Douglas Stone, who was on American Flight 11, also heading to Los Angeles, and David Scott Suarez, who was working at the World Trade Center. Four of the ten that we lost, and we lost many more with connections to New Hampshire, but those four were from Dover.

So this memorial represents not just a tribute to those four Dover citizens, to all of the people that we lost that day, but it's also a tribute to everyone who responded on 9/11, to all of the first responders who, as we've seen, went into danger when everyone else was fleeing.

It is a tribute to all of those people who we want the entire generation that's grown up with no memory of 9/11 to be able to reflect upon. The kids in Dover today who see this only as a history lesson, who don't remember the personal impact that it made on us. And that's why this kind of a memorial matters, because long after those of us are gone, this memorial will still be here. And Dave Hanna, it's so appropriate that you, as a firefighter, did the beautiful design of this memorial.

But I hope, in addition to remembering the events of that day and those we lost, it will also be an opportunity to reflect on the lessons from 9/11. They weren't just about safety and security; they were about Americans coming together, coming together regardless of religion, of ethnic background, of where we were from, and coming together, and respecting everyone's opinion, and recognizing that if we are together, we are stronger. And that was the message we wanted to send to the rest of the world.

We need to tell the next generation how we came together as a community and as a nation, and make sure that 25 years from now, not only Dover, but the rest of the nation still remembers, and the world remembers, and we are a stronger nation because of it. Thank you all very much.

###",1,2026-09-12T09:02:30Z,2026-09-12T09:03:27Z
https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/icymi-during-august-recess-shaheen-traveled-across-new-hampshire-to-continue-affordability-action-tour-highlight-federal-funding-she-secured-for-granite-state-projects,"ICYMI: During August Recess, Shaheen Traveled Across New Hampshire to Continue “Affordability Action Tour,” Highlight Federal Funding She Secured for Granite State Projects",2026-09-10,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,NH,Jeanne Shaheen,S001181,www.shaheen.senate.gov,shaheen,https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press,scraper,"(Washington, DC) – In August, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and Ranking Member of the Ag-FDA subcommittee, continued her “Affordability Action Tour” to hear directly from Granite Staters about their affordability concerns and discuss her work in Washington to lower costs. Shaheen also highlighted millions of dollars in federal funding she secured for Granite State projects to improve access to affordable health care and child care, build new housing to drive down costs and support law enforcement in their efforts to combat substance misuse. Due to President Trump and congressional Republicans’ reckless economic policies, including on-a-whim tariffs, a war in the Middle East and slashing billions in federal funding from health care and food assistance, Granite Staters are being forced to pay over $4,800 more for everyday goods. Senator Shaheen remains laser-focused on mitigating the impact of Republican leadership and improving affordability for Granite State families, including her efforts to secure three New Hampshire-focused provisions in the landmark ROAD to Housing law and her INSULIN Act to lower health care prices by capping the cost of insulin at $35 a month.

“President Trump and congressional Republicans campaigned on lowering costs for American families, yet at every turn they have done just the opposite. With reckless tariffs, a senseless trade war with Canada and a war in the Middle East, Granite State families are reeling from this Administration’s economic policies,” said Senator Shaheen. “I started my Affordability Action Tour over a year ago and I thank everyone who I was able to speak to over these past weeks. While we’ve made steps in the right direction like advancing legislation to speed up homebuilding and lower health care costs, the work is far from over. In my final months in office, I’ll keep fighting to deliver real financial relief to Granite State families.”

From a farm in Belmont, to an affordable housing development in Keene, to a hospital in Nashua, and so much more, Senator Shaheen traveled across the state to hear from constituents, small businesses and stakeholders throughout New Hampshire.

Coverage of her visits includes:

Concord Monitor: After catastrophic weather, Sen. Shaheen’s support caps career of advocacy for small farmers

Laconia Daily Sun: Shaheen celebrates Gale School reopening in Belmont

Nashua Independent: Shaheen hears from diabetes advocates in Nashua as insulin bill advances in Senate

Nashua Telegraph: Shaheen impressed with new PET/CT Imaging System at Southern NH Health

WMUR: Southern NH Health patients get access to advanced cancer treatment

Nashua Independent: Sen. Shaheen tours new PET/CT system at Southern New Hampshire Medical Center

Caledonian Record: Shaheen Tours Woodsville Hospital, Franconia Ridge Trail Project

Patch: New Salem Affordable Housing Project For Veterans And Seniors Lands $3M In Federal Funding

Eagle Tribune: Shaheen touts funding for affordable housing in Salem

My Keene Now: Shaheen Highlights Affordable Housing Efforts During Keene Visit

Keene Sentinel: Grant to support renovation of affordable housing units

Union Leader: NeighborWorks touts $70M affordable housing project during 'Out of the Ground' ceremony

WMUR: DEA opens new laboratory facility in Londonderry

Derry News: New DEA lab to aid in regional drug investigations

Nashua Telegraph: Shaheen celebrates opening of Londonderry DEA lab

Eagle Tribune: DEA lab to aid in regional drug investigations

InDepthNH: LCHIP Celebrates 25 Years of Preservation; Robert Frost Home Gets New Foundation

Laconia Daily Sun: 25 years later, LCHIP celebrates preserving 600 resources statewide

Seacoast Online: Exclusive: As she prepares to leave U.S. Senate, Shaheen fights for shipyard jobs

Seacoast Online: Shaheen: Iran war has no end in sight — and no clear U.S. strategy

NHPR: Shaheen on efforts to curtail Iran War: ‘We are trying to hold the administration accountable’

###",1,2026-09-11T09:25:29Z,2026-09-11T09:27:08Z
https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-hassan-leads-colleagues-in-pressing-rfk-jr-on-diversion-of-taxpayer-public-health-funding-to-promote-his-personal-brand,Senator Hassan Leads Colleagues in Pressing RFK Jr. on Diversion of Taxpayer Public Health Funding to Promote His Personal Brand,2026-09-10,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,NH,Margaret Wood Hassan,H001076,www.hassan.senate.gov,hassan,https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Health Care, led her colleagues in pressing Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for answers regarding his use of time and resources for vanity projects as he fails to address the public health challenges facing Americans. While a record number of Americans are contracting measles, falling sick from parasites found in their food, and struggling to afford the health care that they need, Secretary Kennedy is diverting taxpayer dollars for self-promotion projects such as a podcast and cooking show to highlight his own interests, hobbies, and brand. The effort was joined by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) as well as U.S. Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Mark Warner (D-VA), and Ben Ray Luján (D-NM).

“On a bipartisan basis, Congress has provided your Department with targeted resources to fight outbreaks of disease... However, it appears that you are not using this Office or comparable Department resources to address ongoing public health crises,” Senator Hassan and her colleagues wrote in a request for records and information to Secretary Kennedy.“Instead, you appear to be directing taxpayer dollars and official federal resources to produce vanity projects. These self-promotion projects include a new podcast and a new show that are each centered around your personal brand instead of the responsibility of your Department to protect the health of all Americans.”

The Senators continued, “On ‘The Secretary Kennedy Podcast,’ you appear to be using official HHS resources to discuss topics such as ‘biohacking’ while ignoring the pressing outbreaks that Americans are facing every day. You also appear to be spending official HHS resources to personally host a cooking show called ‘The Real Food Show.’ A recent episode of this show, paid for with taxpayer dollars, featured you discussing ‘The Secret to the PERFECT Omelet.’ Both projects are on official government websites and state that they were produced by the Department of Health and Human Services.”

In the letter to Secretary Kennedy, Senator Hassan and her colleagues pressed for answers on how much of his Department’s time and taxpayer funds have been spent on projects such his “The Real Food Show,” and “The Secretary Kennedy Podcast.” The letter also requests answers on how much of the Department’s time and funding is being spent to respond to growing public health emergencies, such as the measles outbreak, including how much of Secretary Kennedy’s own time is actually dedicated to addressing these public health threats.

Under Secretary Kennedy’s leadership, the United States is facing multiple life-threatening public health challenges. More Americans have contracted measles during this current administration than in the past 24 years combined. Additionally, as many as 20,000 people have been infected by cyclospora, a parasite that causes severe gastrointestinal distress, and two people have died as a result of this uncontrolled outbreak.

Read the full text of Senator Hassan and her colleagues' request to Secretary Kennedy here or below.

Dear Secretary Kennedy,

Record numbers of Americans are contracting measles, falling sick with a parasite, and struggling to afford the health care that they need. At the same time, you are failing to carry out your duties as the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). We are concerned that, instead of addressing the struggles that Americans face today in trying to keep their families safe and healthy, you are using taxpayer dollars to promote your personal brand.

In just the past few months, the United States has faced life-threatening public health challenges that you have failed to adequately address. Since President Trump was sworn in, more than 4,600 Americans – mostly children – have been infected by measles, and three have died. During this Administration, we have seen more cases of measles in the United States than in the previous 24 years combined. Yet you have made nearly no effort to help families protect their children from the life-threatening impacts of measles, and infections continue to skyrocket: in August of 2026, we have already surpassed the total number of measles cases reported in all of 2025. In fact, this is a predictable consequence of your longstanding crusade against vaccines.

While measles outbreaks continue to make children sick in every region of the country, you are also failing to protect Americans from historic outbreaks of foodborne illness. As many as 20,000 people have reported infections from cyclospora, a parasite that causes severe gastrointestinal distress, and two people have now died as a result of this uncontrolled outbreak. As your Department fails to get a handle on cyclospora, people in at least 32 states have also been infected by salmonella, and dozens have been hospitalized.

On a bipartisan basis, Congress has provided your Department with targeted resources to fight outbreaks of disease. For example, the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs has received significant funding to lead national communications campaigns about public health emergencies. However, it appears that you are not using this Office or comparable Department resources to address ongoing public health crises.

Instead, you appear to be directing taxpayer dollars and official federal resources to produce vanity projects. These self-promotion projects include a new podcast and a new show that are each centered around your personal brand instead of the responsibility of your Department to protect the health of all Americans. On “The Secretary Kennedy Podcast,” you appear to be using official HHS resources to discuss topics such as “biohacking” while ignoring the pressing outbreaks that Americans are facing every day. You also appear to be spending official HHS resources to personally host a cooking show called “The Real Food Show.” A recent episode of this show, paid for with taxpayer dollars, featured you discussing “The Secret to the PERFECT Omelet.” Both projects are on official government websites and state that they were produced by the Department of Health and Human Services.

To better understand how you are allocating the Department’s resources, we request answers to the following questions by September 30, 2026:

How much official time have you spent in meetings, briefings, and public engagements related to coordinating a response to address the following outbreaks?

Measles

Cyclospora

Salmonella

Hantavirus

Ebola

How much has the Department spent on efforts to respond to the measles outbreak and promote vaccination against measles?

Please describe the efforts and resources that you have dedicated to hiring staff at the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration with the following areas of expertise:

Epidemiology

Infectious disease

Laboratory science

Public health informatics and surveillance

Public health communication

How much official time have you personally spent in producing the “The Real Food Show” and “The Secretary Kennedy Podcast?”

How many federal employees are working on “The Real Food Show” and “The Secretary Kennedy Podcast”, and how many hours are staff spending on these projects?

What are the total budget and expenditures thus far for the Department’s production and promotion of ""The Real Food Show” and ""The Secretary Kennedy Podcast”?

From where in the HHS operating budget is funding being drawn down to obtain the materials, production resources, staff resources, and promotion budget for these shows?

Please provide all communications, including contracts, statements of work, invoices, and payment records, between the Office of the Secretary and any production companies, media consultants, personal branding vendors, or third-party contractors involved in the ""The Real Food Show” and “The Secretary Kennedy Podcast.”

Did the Department’s ethics officials review and approve the use of taxpayer dollars for “The Real Food Show” and “The Secretary Kennedy Podcast?” If so, please provide all associated opinions, guidance, memoranda, and conditions.

###",1,2026-09-12T09:02:30Z,2026-09-12T09:03:27Z
https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases/during-events-across-the-granite-state-senator-hassan-highlights-small-businesses-housing-mental-health-care-and-education,"During Events Across the Granite State, Senator Hassan Highlights Small Businesses, Housing, Mental Health Care, and Education",2026-09-08,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,NH,Margaret Wood Hassan,H001076,www.hassan.senate.gov,hassan,https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"NEW HAMPSHIRE – Last week, U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan made stops across New Hampshire to meet with Granite Staters and discuss efforts to lower costs, support small businesses, expand access to housing and health care, and strengthen education and workforce development.

On Monday, Senator Hassan visited Marmon Utility, a small business in Milford that manufactures cables used to power America’s electric grid. Senator Hassan also visited Labsphere, a cutting-edge photonics business in in Sutton on Tuesday, and ArborTech, a small tree care business in Gilford, on Wednesday. At each of these stops, Senator Hassan heard from New Hampshire small business owners and manufacturers about how President Trump’s tariffs and illegal war with Iran are making it more expensive for them to purchase the materials and inventory that they need for their businesses. Senator Hassan is committed to reversing these reckless tariffs and lowering costs for both families and businesses.

Senator Hassan tours Marmon Utility in Milford

Additionally, on Monday, Senator Hassan toured Vose Farm Residences in Peterborough, a new housing community that will help more Granite Staters find housing that they can afford, while also helping local businesses recruit and retain employees. During the visit, Senator Hassan highlighted a new report from the Joint Economic Committee – Minority, which found that New Hampshire families have had to spend an additional $1,214 on housing costs since President Trump took office — the third highest of all 50 states – and the historic passage of the bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, pushed by Senator Hassan, to bring down the cost of housing.

Senator Hassan ended the day at the new Daland Memorial Library in Mont Vernon, where she met with library and community leaders who spent decades planning, fundraising for, and building the new library. Senator Hassan previously visited the library while it was under construction last year shortly after the Trump Administration abruptly terminated a $655,000 federal grant for the project. However, the library was ultimately able to use the federal funding that it had been awarded.

In the Upper Valley on Tuesday, Senator Hassan spoke with health care leaders at West Central Behavioral Health about their work to provide mental health and substance use disorder treatment to Granite Staters. At the visit, the Senator highlighted the higher costs and fewer health options that rural Granite Staters face due to President Trump and Congressional Republicans’ Medicaid cuts. Senator Hassan has pushed for bipartisan legislation to support rural hospitals.

See more: Sen. Hassan tours Upper Valley clinic as mental health access expands (WCAX3)

Senator Hassan then visited Enfield Village School, where she read to kindergarten students and spoke with educators about their work to strengthen childhood literacy. Senator Hassan’s bipartisan Reading Excellence and Achievement for Development (READ) Act, which would improve K-12 literacy outcomes by connecting teachers with evidence-based strategies to help students read, passed out of committee last month.

Read more: How a rural NH school turned around its reading scores (Valley News)

Senator Hassan reads to students at Enfield Village School

At Lakes Region Community College on Wednesday, Senator Hassan toured campus and heard from the school’s leadership and the Community College System of New Hampshire about the ways in which community partnerships and federal funding are being used to prepare students for successful careers in high paying fields, including through the school’s automotive, electrical industry, and nursing programs.

Senator Hassan speaks with students at Lakes Region Community College

###",1,2026-09-09T09:27:09Z,2026-09-09T09:29:04Z
https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/icymi-in-light-of-recent-findings-that-many-veterans-were-defrauded-of-gi-benefits-shaheen-leads-bipartisan-call-for-enhanced-investigation-greater-coordination-between-departments-of-justice-and-veterans-affairs,"ICYMI: In Light of Recent Findings that Many Veterans Were Defrauded of G.I. Benefits, Shaheen Leads Bipartisan Call for Enhanced Investigation, Greater Coordination Between Departments of Justice and Veterans Affairs",2026-09-08,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,NH,Jeanne Shaheen,S001181,www.shaheen.senate.gov,shaheen,https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press,scraper,"**In separate letters to the Departments of Justice and Veterans Affairs, the bipartisan group of Senators encourage an enhanced response from the Administration to vigorously prosecute fraud against veterans**

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), John Cornyn (R-TX) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) sent a pair of letters calling on the Departments of Justice and Veterans Affairs to enhance their response to recent reporting finding that many veterans were defrauded of their GI Bill benefits by “slapdash” trade schools and education institutions in Texas, California, New Hampshire, Georgia and Florida.

Shaheen, Hassan and Cornyn penned a letter to Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins and Veterans Administration (VA) Inspector General (IG) Cheryl Mason encouraging the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) to launch an enhanced investigation into all unaccredited trade schools where veterans are enrolled to ensure the programs meet all applicable requirements. The bipartisan trio also urged the VA to review its processes for accepting and assessing complaints from students and whistleblowers on potentially fraudulent activity and increase funding and personnel for investigating these cases. The Senators also asked the VA to coordinate with the Department of Justice (DOJ) to refer fraud cases for prosecution.

In a separate letter to U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche, the Senators call on DOJ to strengthen how it investigates, prosecutes and penalizes G.I. Bill fraud and improve coordination with federal, state and local partners to better protect veterans from fraud and abuse. It also calls on DOJ to evaluate its coordination with VA to better target fraud and abuse.

In their letter to the VA, the Senators wrote, in part: “In all, the Washington Post found more than $300 million in fraud at 20 schools that were bilking our veterans. Much of the fraud should have been obvious at first glance. Schools offering courses that cost thousands of dollars but last less than a week should have caused red flags to go up at VA. Moreover, the article raises questions about how the Department processes and refers veterans’ complaints. While these losses to fraud may only represent a small percentage of the VA’s education budget, any loss of funds and adverse impacts to veterans must be swiftly addressed.”

The Senators concluded: “VA has repeatedly said that fraud against veterans is one of its top priorities. It is imperative that we understand how these institutions are allowed to operate and make millions despite multiple oversight measures. Consequently, we call on VA OIG to launch an enhanced investigation into all unaccredited trade schools where veterans are enrolled to ensure the programs meet all applicable requirements. Once any warning sign is identified, VA must act more quickly to disapprove these fraudulent programs from GI Bill eligibility. We also urge the Department and VA OIG to review their processes for accepting and assessing complaints from students and whistleblowers on potentially fraudulent activity and increase funding and personnel for investigating these cases. Finally, we ask that the VA and OIG coordinate with the U.S. Department of Justice and, if appropriate, state attorneys general, to refer more of these cases for prosecution.”

Click HERE to view the full letter to Secretary Collins and Inspector General Mason.

In their letter to the DOJ, the Senators wrote, in part: “In a number of these cases, federal prosecutors failed to press charges, reached settlements for a fraction of the school’s ill-gotten gains or recommended more lenient sentences than even the judge ultimately felt were correct. [...] Fraud against our veterans must be prosecuted vigorously. The Washington Post documented how light the punishment was for the trade schools who charged exorbitant rates for very little education or training. In one case, the settlement that Department of Justice prosecutors struck was rejected by the judge because it was too lenient.”

The Senators concluded: “We urge the Department to reexamine the procedures for U.S. Attorneys to investigate and prosecute alleged G.I. Bill fraud, especially the criteria for settling cases that result in fines constituting a fraction of the overall fraud. We also call on the Department to reconsider how it cooperates with the Department of Veterans Affairs and state educational and law enforcement agencies to better target fraud and abuse of our veterans and the G.I. Bill program.”

Click HERE to view the full letter to Attorney General Blanche.

###",1,2026-09-09T09:27:09Z,2026-09-09T09:29:04Z
https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases/icymi-bipartisan-hassan-sullivan-bill-to-help-more-businesses-provide-child-care-to-employees-passes-committee,"ICYMI: Bipartisan Hassan, Sullivan Bill to Help More Businesses Provide Child Care to Employees Passes Committee",2026-09-03,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,NH,Margaret Wood Hassan,H001076,www.hassan.senate.gov,hassan,https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON –In case you missed it, the Senate Finance Committee recently advanced bipartisan legislation from U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Dan Sullivan (R-AK) to make it easier for businesses to access tax incentives to expand access to child care for working families. The Child Care Tax Benefit Outreach and Assistance Act would create a Business Child Care Liaison at the IRS to help more businesses take advantage of existing federal child care tax incentives that are underutilized.

In June, the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee - Minority issued a report that calculated that a sample business could save $820,000 over 5 years using the credits, and a parent working for the company could save nearly $10,000 on child care costs.

""Finding affordable child care is one of the biggest challenges facing working families, and it's also making it harder for businesses to hire and retain employees,"" said Senator Hassan. ""This bipartisan bill will help more employers take advantage of existing child care tax incentives so they can better support working parents. I'm glad to see it advance through committee, and I urge my Senate colleagues to join me in passing this bipartisan bill into law. I'll keep working across the aisle to help more families access affordable child care.""

“Quality child care is not only essential for the well-being of families, it is also key to a thriving economy and a strong workforce,” said Sen. Sullivan. “I hear repeatedly from Alaska parents that the lack of affordable child care is one of their top concerns, and the data backs that up. Sixty-one percent of Alaskans are living in communities classified as child care ‘deserts,’ and too many families struggle to find reliable, affordable care close to home. This legislation will help employers, providers, and other nonprofits better utilize federal tools for employees—specifically the significant expansion of federal incentives in the Working Families Tax Cuts Act for child care facilities and the provisions that expand opportunities and support for working families. It was great to see this legislation advance through committee, and I look forward to working with my Senate colleagues on both sides of the aisle to get it across the finish line.”

Federal tax incentives designed to help businesses provide child care benefits are underutilized, even as working parents across the country struggle with the cost and availability of child care. Greater utilization of these incentives by businesses could help expand access to child care for many working families – and help more businesses hire and retain workers. The bipartisan Hassan-Sullivan legislation would direct the IRS to appoint a Business Child Care Liaison who would be responsible for building relationships between the child care sector and business community, coordinating with other federal agencies to help employers use child care tax incentives, and identify and recommend to Congress potential legislative and administrative changes to improve the utilization of these incentives.

###",1,2026-09-04T09:19:37Z,2026-09-04T09:20:58Z
https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/shaheen-applauds-house-introduction-of-bipartisan-bill-to-cap-monthly-out-of-pocket-insulin-costs,Shaheen Applauds House Introduction of Bipartisan Bill to Cap Monthly Out-of-Pocket Insulin Costs,2026-09-03,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,NH,Jeanne Shaheen,S001181,www.shaheen.senate.gov,shaheen,https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press,scraper,"(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), author of the bipartisan INSULIN Act and co-chair of the U.S. Senate Diabetes Caucus, today released the following statement on the introduction of companion legislation to the INSULIN Act in the U.S. House of Representatives:

“I am thrilled that the House of Representatives has introduced companion legislation to our bill capping monthly out-of-pocket insulin costs at just $35—a key step in finally delivering needed financial relief to the millions of Americans who rely on daily insulin to survive. The robust bipartisan support across the ideological spectrum in both chambers of Congress underscores the real need to get this done and lower costs for Americans with diabetes across this country.

“With growing momentum behind our proposal in both the House and Senate, and with Americans making clear that Congress must prioritize efforts that address health care affordability, time is of the essence to pass our bill through both chambers and send the INSULIN Act to the President’s desk. To that end, the House and Senate must immediately take up floor votes to help all Americans—including the more than one million people with diabetes who are uninsured—who need access to affordable insulin to survive.”

In July, the Improving Needed Safeguards for Users of Lifesaving Insulin Now (INSULIN) Act advanced out of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee on a broad bipartisan basis. Polling released from the American Diabetes Association this summer found that 40% of respondents who rely on insulin report paying more than $150 per month for insulin, and 76% of respondents across political parties support a $35 limit on cost sharing for insulin.

Yesterday, Shaheen hosted a roundtable discussion with health care leaders and individuals living with diabetes at Lamprey Health in Nashua, New Hampshire to highlight the rising cost of insulin and the need for Congress to pass her bipartisan INSULIN Act.

###",1,2026-09-09T09:27:09Z,2026-09-09T09:29:04Z
https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/shaheen-highlights-bipartisan-bill-to-cap-the-cost-of-insulin-at-health-care-roundtable-at-lamprey-health-in-nashua,Shaheen Highlights Bipartisan Bill to Cap the Cost of Insulin at Health Care Roundtable at Lamprey Health in Nashua,2026-09-02,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,NH,Jeanne Shaheen,S001181,www.shaheen.senate.gov,shaheen,https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press,scraper,"**Shaheen’s bipartisan legislation caps the monthly out-of-pocket cost of insulin at $35 for Americans with insurance and creates a pilot program to provide insulin at the same price to the uninsured**

(Nashua, NH) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), author of bipartisan legislation to make insulin more affordable, hosted a roundtable discussion with health care leaders and individuals that live with diabetes at Lamprey Health in Nashua to highlight the rising cost of insulin and the need for Congress to pass her bipartisan INSULIN Act to lower the cost of insulin for more people with diabetes. Shaheen’s bipartisan INSULIN Act would cap the monthly out-of-pocket cost of insulin at $35 for Americans with insurance and create a pilot program to provide insulin at the same cost to Americans without insurance. Photos from today’s event can be found HERE.

“Access to insulin is life or death for the thousands of people in New Hampshire who have diabetes—they shouldn’t have to wonder whether they can afford the cost of this essential medication,” said Senator Shaheen. “It was wonderful to convene a group of health care leaders, patients who live with diabetes and advocates at Lamprey Health today to underscore the dire need to lower the cost of insulin that Granite Staters need to live. I’m going to work every single day to get my legislation to cap the cost of insulin at $35 a month across the finish line.”

Senator Shaheen has led efforts to lower health care costs for Granite Staters and Americans. As co-chair of the U.S. Senate Diabetes Caucus, Senator Shaheen has consistently pressed to hold insulin manufacturers, insurers and pharmacy benefit managers accountable for the skyrocketing cost of life-saving insulin and otherwise support patients and families facing diabetes. In July, the Improving Needed Safeguards for Users of Lifesaving Insulin Now (INSULIN) Act advanced out of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee on a broad bipartisan basis, bringing the legislation one step closer to being passed by the Senate.Polling released from the American Diabetes Association this summer found that 40% of respondents who rely on insulin report paying more than $150 per month for insulin, and 76% of respondents across political parties support a $35 limit on cost sharing for insulin.

###",1,2026-09-03T09:29:33Z,2026-09-03T09:31:32Z
https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/shaheen-visits-hospital-in-woodsville-to-witness-funding-she-secured-to-support-rural-health-care-celebrates-franconia-loop-restoration-project-in-franconia,Shaheen Visits Hospital in Woodsville to Witness Funding She Secured to Support Rural Health Care; Celebrates Franconia Loop Restoration Project in Franconia,2026-09-01,2026,2026-09,Democrat,Senate,NH,Jeanne Shaheen,S001181,www.shaheen.senate.gov,shaheen,https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press,scraper,"(Franconia, NH) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, visited Cottage Hospital in Woodsville to tour renovations to the facility and traveled to Franconia to celebrate the restoration of a portion of the Loop trail. Both projects were made possible with Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) that Shaheen helped secure.

Photos from today’s events can be found HERE.

In Woodsville, Shaheen toured Cottage Hospital and saw how the facility is putting to use $1,725,000 in Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) she secured in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 government funding legislation for critical improvements, such as asbestos removal and key renovations. Shaheen’s visit follows congressional Republicans cutting trillions in federal health care funding in their “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which is having a particularly severe impact on rural hospitals who are facing an increased risk of closure as more Americans are unable to afford health insurance. At her visit, Shaheen discussed the damage of congressional Republicans’ OBB legislation, the impact federal layoffs are having on care in New Hampshire and ongoing concerns around high health care costs.

“Congressional Republicans’ decision to cut billions in health care funding is having a dire impact on health care access across the Granite State, and particularly in rural communities like those in the North Country. Rather than working to expand access to care and lower costs for families across the country, the Trump Administration’s mass firing of federal workers and their decision to slash health care funding have done just the opposite,” said Senator Shaheen. “I appreciated meeting with the folks at Cottage Hospital to hear a firsthand account of how they are being impacted by congressional Republicans’ disastrous OBB legislation and to learn how I can keep fighting in Washington to support our state’s rural health care providers.”

Senator Shaheen has a long track record of securing resources to support health facilities across New Hampshire. Shaheen secured millions of dollars to support key health care priorities in New Hampshire in the Fiscal Year 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and Related Agencies appropriations bill, including funding for health care facility improvement and workforce development. Recently, Shaheen visited Southern New Hampshire Health to see how critical radiology equipment funded in part by CDS is helping the hospital to increase health care accessibility.

Later, in Franconia, Shaheen met with senior officials from the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) and visited a portion of the Franconia Loop trail network to witness firsthand how federal funding Shaheen helped deliver has been used to transform the trail, both by improving hiker safety and protecting the trail from further erosion. Following a short hike on the trail, Shaheen delivered remarks celebrating the completion of the restoration of the trail and commending those who supported the effort at the Old Man of the Mountain Historic Site. In FY 2022 government funding legislation, Shaheen secured $1,125,000 to support trail restoration work.

“Offering some of the most stunning views of the White Mountains, the Franconia Loop Trail is one of New Hampshire’s most iconic outdoor destinations. With years and years of heavy foot traffic causing severe erosion, there was a dire need for trail improvements, and I was more than happy to help secure federal resources for restoration efforts,” said Senator Shaheen. “It was great to visit part of the trail today and see the successful work to preserve the Loop. Thank you to the countless volunteers who devoted thousands of hours to restoring this trail—your efforts will serve countless hikers and benefit New Hampshire’s outdoor recreation economy for decades to come.”

Senator Shaheen’s efforts in FY 2022 to secure over $1 million for the Franconia Loop Trail is a testament to her continued advocacy for New Hampshire’s outdoor recreation economy during her career in Congress. In the Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2026, Shaheen helped secure funding from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) for New Hampshire for parks, forests and other outdoor recreation development. In 2020, Shaheen helped lead the Great American Outdoors Act into law to permanently, fully fund the Land Water Conservation Fund and provide mandatory funding for deferred maintenance on public lands. Shaheen also joined colleagues in introducing the bipartisan America the Beautiful Act to continue addressing deferred maintenance in national forests, national parks and other public lands.

###",1,2026-09-02T09:19:58Z,2026-09-02T09:20:51Z
https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/shaheen-and-colleagues-oppose-ice-rollout-of-electric-shock-gloves,Shaheen and Colleagues Oppose ICE Rollout of Electric Shock Gloves,2026-08-28,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,NH,Jeanne Shaheen,S001181,www.shaheen.senate.gov,shaheen,https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press,scraper,"(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and more than a dozen of her Senate colleagues called on the Trump Administration to abandon its reckless plan to outfit U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers with gloves that deliver painful electric shocks. In a letter to Acting ICE Director David Venturella led by Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), the Senators demand that if ICE proceeds with this purchase, it must first provide Congress with answers and documentation for over 30 questions about how these devices will be used, the protocol for using them, safety guardrails and accountability measures.

On August 10, 2026, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a notice concerning ICE’s planned acquisition of the CTG-5 G.L.O.V.E., a glove designed to deliver a painful electric shock. The notice estimates the potential value of the acquisition between $10 million and $20 million.

The Senators wrote, in part: “We write to express deep concern about U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) plans to spend up to $20 million on gloves that deliver electric shocks. [...] The blatant and tragic misuse of force in Los Angeles, Chicago, Minneapolis, Houston, Maine, and other locations around the country raises significant skepticism about the agency’s professional capability to safely deploy a new tool that could be used to harm Americans without cause. Therefore, we urge ICE to cancel the contract and reconsider the purchase.”

They continued: “The proposed acquisition raises serious questions about necessity, proportionality, medical safety, training, accountability, and constitutional rights. Those questions are particularly important given the significant public scrutiny surrounding ICE’s excessive use of force. A device capable of delivering an electrical shock through direct contact with an individual presents substantial risks if deployed during civil arrests – even more so if it is deployed without clear limits, appropriate training, and comprehensive oversight.”

The Senators went on: “At a time when the American people have demanded de-escalation in immigration enforcement, it is not clear why existing tools and tactics are insufficient for the agency. In the past year, DHS has repeatedly spent millions of taxpayer dollars on purchases it ends up not using, including $464 million for airplanes, $700 million on warehouses, and more than $2.25 million for SUVs wrapped with ICE branding. Many of these ICE transactions, including the planned electric-shock glove purchase, are completed through no-bid contracts that circumvent the normal competitive procurement process without a sufficient rationale.”

They concluded: “If ICE proceeds with purchasing $20 million worth of electric-shock gloves, Congress needs a clear understanding of the device’s safety and authorized uses.”

The full text of the letter, including the demands from the Senators should ICE proceed with this plan, can be found HERE.

In addition to Senators Shaheen and Cortez Masto, the letter was signed by Senators Angus King (I-ME), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Jacky Rosen (D-NE), Peter Welch (D-VT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Jack Reed (D-RI), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN).

###",1,2026-08-28T17:11:49Z,2026-08-28T17:13:14Z
https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/shaheen-and-colleagues-oppose-israeli-governments-e1-settlement-tenders,Shaheen and Colleagues Oppose Israeli Government’s E1 Settlement Tenders,2026-08-28,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,NH,Jeanne Shaheen,S001181,www.shaheen.senate.gov,shaheen,https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press,scraper,"**The move follows Shaheen’s calls for Prime Minister Netanyahu to immediately crack down on settler violence and expansion in the West Bank**

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, joined her colleagues in releasing the following joint statement opposing the Israeli government’s decision to issue tenders for the construction of 1,234 housing units in the E1 settlement project, following a joint effort with 45 Senators urging Prime Minister Netanyahu to immediately crack down on settler violence and settler expansion in the West Bank:

“Construction in the E1 area would sever East Jerusalem from major Palestinian population centers and make a viable contiguous Palestinian state under a two-state solution far harder to achieve. For decades, Republican and Democratic administrations have recognized that development in E1 would seriously jeopardize the prospects for a Palestinian state. That concern remains just as urgent today.

“At a time when settler violence — including violence against Palestinian Americans — is reaching unprecedented levels in the West Bank and severe restrictions continue to constrain Palestinian movement and the Palestinian economy, moving forward with construction in E1 risks further destabilizing the West Bank and making a negotiated resolution even more difficult.

“We urge the Israeli government to immediately rescind these tenders, halt settlement expansion in the West Bank, and take urgent action to rein in settler violence. Without a change in course, Israel risks weakening its international standing and undermining its prospects for long-term security. We also urge the Trump administration to make full use of its existing authorities, including targeted sanctions on individuals and entities.

“The United States must remain committed to a two-state solution that delivers lasting peace and security for both the Jewish, democratic State of Israel and for a future Palestinian state. Construction in E1 would take us further away from that goal.”

The joint statement, led by U.S. Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), was also signed by U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Patty Murray (D-WA), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Jack Reed (D-RI), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Mark Warner (D-VA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ed Markey (D-MA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Peter Welch (D-VT), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) and Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD).

Earlier this week, Shaheen signed a letter led by U.S. Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA), Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), urging Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to take immediate actions to reduce violence in the West Bank and prevent further incidents amidst a significant increase in harassment, threats and acts of violence in recent weeks. They also called on the government of Israel to complete investigations into the deaths of nine American citizens who have been killed by settlers or security forces in the West Bank in recent years.

###",1,2026-08-29T11:31:28Z,2026-08-29T11:32:37Z
https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/shaheen-celebrates-opening-of-dea-lab-highlights-millions-she-secured-for-the-project-in-londonderry-continues-affordability-action-tour-at-affordable-apartment-groundbreaking-in-manchester-delivers-remarks-at-the-land-and-community-heritage-investment-program-25thanniversaryevent,"Shaheen Celebrates Opening of DEA Lab, Highlights Millions She Secured for the Project in Londonderry; Continues Affordability Action Tour at Affordable Apartment Groundbreaking in Manchester; Delivers Remarks at the Land and Community Heritage Investment Program 25th?Anniversary?Event",2026-08-27,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,NH,Jeanne Shaheen,S001181,www.shaheen.senate.gov,shaheen,https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press,scraper,"(Londonderry, NH) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee and Ranking Member of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies (Ag-FDA) Appropriations Subcommittee, on Wednesday joined officials from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and state and local law enforcement agencies at a ribbon cutting ceremony marking the opening of a state-of-the-art DEA lab in Londonderry. Shaheen then brought her “Affordability Action Tour” to downtown Manchester where she was honored for her commitment to lowering housing costs in New Hampshire and visited the site of an affordable housing development. Shaheen finished the day in Canterbury at the 25th Anniversary Celebration of the Land and Community Heritage Investment Program (LCHIP).

Photos from the events can be found HERE.

In Londonderry, Senator Shaheen received a tour of a new, state-of-the-art DEA forensic lab and delivered remarks celebrating the lab’s opening at a ribbon cutting ceremony. The forensics lab will help law enforcement identify street drugs, fight drug-related crimes and improve public safety across New Hampshire. Senator Shaheen secured $50 million in federal funding to support construction of the lab which will support law enforcement efforts across the entire region of New England. The lab first broke ground in 2024 and today’s ribbon-cutting was the culmination of the two-year construction efforts. The opening of the lab, which has approximately 46,000 square feet of laboratory and separate administrative space and will house roughly 80 positions, is a major milestone in Shaheen’s decades-long efforts to fight substance misuse and combat crime in New Hampshire. The lab’s cutting-edge technologies will allow for quicker examinations, reducing response times and expediting law enforcement’s response to drug-related crimes across New England.

“After breaking ground on this site two years ago, I am proud to see our new cutting-edge DEA lab open its doors to help law enforcement across New England improve public safety and keep drugs off our streets,” said Senator Shaheen. “This project is the culmination of years of planning that I was proud to support by securing $50 million in federal funding. New England has long needed a drug laboratory to speed up investigations and combat substance misuse in our region, and I look forward to seeing the difference this lab will make in the years ahead.”

Senator Shaheen has remained committed to continuing her decades-long fight against substance use in New Hampshire. In June, Shaheen and U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) renewed their push to authorize billions in federal funding for substance use treatment and prevention with the reintroduction of their?Turn the Tide Act. Months earlier, Shaheen led the bipartisan End Veterans Overdose Act?to expand access to naloxone and other overdose reversal agents to our veterans, which went on to unanimously clear the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee—a significant step toward passing the bill into law. In the Fiscal Year 2026 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations bill?that was signed into law, Shaheen secured provisions that will ensure veterans can better access health care, including substance use disorder treatment. In 2025, Senator Shaheen introduced the Keeping Drugs Out of School Act?alongside Senator Grassley to establish a new grant program to educate students about the dangers of synthetic opioids.

Then in Manchester, Senator Shaheen continued her “Affordability Action Tour” at NeighborWorks Southern New Hampshire’s “Out of the Ground” ceremony, where she served as the keynote speaker and celebrated plans to redevelop the Pearl Street parking lot into affordable apartments and townhomes. In Fiscal Year (FY) 26 government funding legislation, Shaheen secured $2.2 million in Congressionally Directed Spending for the project, which upon completion, will deliver 126 apartments and 12 townhomes to downtown Manchester. At the ceremony, Shaheen was honored by NeighborWorks Southern New Hampshire for her longstanding leadership on affordable housing and her continued support for the Pearl Street project as well as other NeighborWorks developments across the region.

“We’ve seen far too many in our state locked out of the housing market due to stubbornly high costs and a lack of supply. Whether you are starting a family in New Hampshire or have lived here for decades, everyone should be able to find an affordable place to live,” said Senator Shaheen. “As I look ahead to my final months in the Senate, lowering housing costs and speeding up the construction of new homes remains one of my top priorities. I was proud to secure millions in federal funding to deliver new affordable housing in Manchester, and I thank everyone who is contributing to the Pearl Street redevelopment, which will provide affordable housing to families in our community.”

In the Senate, Shaheen is leading efforts to lower housing costs and increase the supply of affordable units, including her work to help pass the landmark?21st?Century Renewing Opportunity in the American Dream (ROAD) to Housing Act?earlier this year. The legislation includes three New Hampshire-focused provisions Shaheen secured—the?Strategy and Investment in Rural Housing Preservation Act,?Streamlining Rural Housing Act?and the?Preservation and Reinvestment Initiative in Community Enhancement (PRICE) Act—to expand the supply of affordable housing, streamline construction and lower costs in the Granite State and across the country. In the bipartisan?Fiscal Year 2026 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies Appropriations?bill, Shaheen secured upwards of $9 million in federal funding for affordable housing in New Hampshire. Recently, Senator Shaheen has traveled across the state to discuss policy solutions to lower housing costs for New Hampshire communities, including with visits to Keene,?Salem,?Franconia,?West Lebanon?and?Laconia?to discuss policy solutions to lower housing costs for communities across the state.

Shaheen ended the day in Canterbury to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Land and Community Heritage Investment Program (LCHIP), where she was awarded LCHIP’s Legacy Award for her continued support of the program. Shaheen then delivered brief remarks recognizing the importance of LCHIP and its continued success in conserving landscapes and preserving historical sites across the state.

“Helping establish LCHIP is one of my proudest achievements as Governor, and 25 years later I’ve been so proud of all that the program has been able to accomplish to preserve the treasured sites across New Hampshire that give our state its distinct character,” said Senator Shaheen. “LCHIP was founded with the belief that conservation and preservation support economic vitality and enrich community life. I thank everyone who has helped LCHIP live up to this founding vision and am excited to witness all that comes next.”

Senator Shaheen helped spearhead efforts to create LCHIP during her time as governor of New Hampshire. Since then, the program has invested nearly $69 million through grants in 210 communities, preserved nearly 250,000 acres of land and restored nearly 200 historic buildings.

###",1,2026-08-28T17:11:49Z,2026-08-28T17:13:14Z
https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/shaheen-celebrates-opening-of-dea-lab-highlights-millions-she-secured-for-the-project-in-londonderry-continues-affordability-action-tour-at-affordable-apartment-groundbreaking-in-manchester-delivers-remarks-at-the-land-and-community-heritage-investment-program-25th-anniversary-event,"Shaheen Celebrates Opening of DEA Lab, Highlights Millions She Secured for the Project in Londonderry; Continues Affordability Action Tour at Affordable Apartment Groundbreaking in Manchester; Delivers Remarks at the Land and Community Heritage Investment Program 25th Anniversary Event",2026-08-27,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,NH,Jeanne Shaheen,S001181,www.shaheen.senate.gov,shaheen,https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press,scraper,"(Londonderry, NH) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee and Ranking Member of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies (Ag-FDA) Appropriations Subcommittee, on Wednesday joined officials from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and state and local law enforcement agencies at a ribbon cutting ceremony marking the opening of a state-of-the-art DEA lab in Londonderry. Shaheen then brought her “Affordability Action Tour” to downtown Manchester where she was honored for her commitment to lowering housing costs in New Hampshire and visited the site of an affordable housing development. Shaheen finished the day in Canterbury at the 25th Anniversary Celebration of the Land and Community Heritage Investment Program (LCHIP).

Photos from the events can be found HERE.

In Londonderry, Senator Shaheen received a tour of a new, state-of-the-art DEA forensic lab and delivered remarks celebrating the lab’s opening at a ribbon cutting ceremony. The forensics lab will help law enforcement identify street drugs, fight drug-related crimes and improve public safety across New Hampshire. Senator Shaheen secured $50 million in federal funding to support construction of the lab which will support law enforcement efforts across the entire region of New England. The lab first broke ground in 2024 and today’s ribbon-cutting was the culmination of the two-year construction efforts. The opening of the lab, which has approximately 46,000 square feet of laboratory and separate administrative space and will house roughly 80 positions, is a major milestone in Shaheen’s decades-long efforts to fight substance misuse and combat crime in New Hampshire. The lab’s cutting-edge technologies will allow for quicker examinations, reducing response times and expediting law enforcement’s response to drug-related crimes across New England.

“After breaking ground on this site two years ago, I am proud to see our new cutting-edge DEA lab open its doors to help law enforcement across New England improve public safety and keep drugs off our streets,” said Senator Shaheen. “This project is the culmination of years of planning that I was proud to support by securing $50 million in federal funding. New England has long needed a drug laboratory to speed up investigations and combat substance misuse in our region, and I look forward to seeing the difference this lab will make in the years ahead.”

Senator Shaheen has remained committed to continuing her decades-long fight against substance use in New Hampshire. In June, Shaheen and U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) renewed their push to authorize billions in federal funding for substance use treatment and prevention with the reintroduction of their Turn the Tide Act. Months earlier, Shaheen led the bipartisan End Veterans Overdose Act to expand access to naloxone and other overdose reversal agents to our veterans, which went on to unanimously clear the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee—a significant step toward passing the bill into law. In the Fiscal Year 2026 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations bill that was signed into law, Shaheen secured provisions that will ensure veterans can better access health care, including substance use disorder treatment. In 2025, Senator Shaheen introduced the Keeping Drugs Out of School Act alongside Senator Grassley to establish a new grant program to educate students about the dangers of synthetic opioids.

Then in Manchester, Senator Shaheen continued her “Affordability Action Tour” at NeighborWorks Southern New Hampshire’s “Out of the Ground” ceremony, where she served as the keynote speaker and celebrated plans to redevelop the Pearl Street parking lot into affordable apartments and townhomes. In Fiscal Year (FY) 26 government funding legislation, Shaheen secured $2.2 million in Congressionally Directed Spending for the project, which upon completion, will deliver 126 apartments and 12 townhomes to downtown Manchester. At the ceremony, Shaheen was honored by NeighborWorks Southern New Hampshire for her longstanding leadership on affordable housing and her continued support for the Pearl Street project as well as other NeighborWorks developments across the region.

“We’ve seen far too many in our state locked out of the housing market due to stubbornly high costs and a lack of supply. Whether you are starting a family in New Hampshire or have lived here for decades, everyone should be able to find an affordable place to live,” said Senator Shaheen. “As I look ahead to my final months in the Senate, lowering housing costs and speeding up the construction of new homes remains one of my top priorities. I was proud to secure millions in federal funding to deliver new affordable housing in Manchester, and I thank everyone who is contributing to the Pearl Street redevelopment, which will provide affordable housing to families in our community.”

In the Senate, Shaheen is leading efforts to lower housing costs and increase the supply of affordable units, including her work to help pass the landmark 21st Century Renewing Opportunity in the American Dream (ROAD) to Housing Act earlier this year. The legislation includes three New Hampshire-focused provisions Shaheen secured—the Strategy and Investment in Rural Housing Preservation Act, Streamlining Rural Housing Act and the Preservation and Reinvestment Initiative in Community Enhancement (PRICE) Act—to expand the supply of affordable housing, streamline construction and lower costs in the Granite State and across the country. In the bipartisan Fiscal Year 2026 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies Appropriations bill, Shaheen secured upwards of $9 million in federal funding for affordable housing in New Hampshire. Recently, Senator Shaheen has traveled across the state to discuss policy solutions to lower housing costs for New Hampshire communities, including with visits to Keene, Salem, Franconia, West Lebanon and Laconia to discuss policy solutions to lower housing costs for communities across the state.

Shaheen ended the day in Canterbury to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Land and Community Heritage Investment Program (LCHIP), where she was awarded LCHIP’s Legacy Award for her continued support of the program. Shaheen then delivered brief remarks recognizing the importance of LCHIP and its continued success in conserving landscapes and preserving historical sites across the state.

“Helping establish LCHIP is one of my proudest achievements as Governor, and 25 years later I’ve been so proud of all that the program has been able to accomplish to preserve the treasured sites across New Hampshire that give our state its distinct character,” said Senator Shaheen. “LCHIP was founded with the belief that conservation and preservation support economic vitality and enrich community life. I thank everyone who has helped LCHIP live up to this founding vision and am excited to witness all that comes next.”

Senator Shaheen helped spearhead efforts to create LCHIP during her time as governor of New Hampshire. Since then, the program has invested nearly $69 million through grants in 210 communities, preserved nearly 250,000 acres of land and restored nearly 200 historic buildings.

###",1,2026-08-29T11:31:28Z,2026-08-29T11:32:37Z
https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-hassan-hosts-conversation-about-trump-administrations-rollback-of-pfas-protections-in-portsmouth,Senator Hassan Hosts Conversation About Trump Administration’s Rollback of PFAS Protections in Portsmouth,2026-08-26,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,NH,Margaret Wood Hassan,H001076,www.hassan.senate.gov,hassan,https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"PORTSMOUTH – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan spoke yesterday with Seacoast residents, local water officials, and PFAS reduction advocates about their work to address toxic per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination and ensure that Granite Staters have access to clean, safe drinking water.

During the conversation, participants discussed the need for greater accountability to ensure that PFAS contamination in New Hampshire is addressed quickly, especially as the Trump Administration continues todelay cleanup timelines at military bases across the country, including the former Pease Air Force Base in Portsmouth. They also discussed the challenges posed by PFAS-contaminated sludge that has spread onto farms and golf courses and can irrevocably contaminate soil.

The conversation comes after the Trump Administration’s decision to roll back certain PFAS protections, including its proposal to rescind drinking water standards for some PFAS chemicals and delay reporting requirements for manufacturers and importers of these chemicals.

“The Trump Administration’s actions to roll back and weaken PFAS protections, as well as push back long-overdue clean up timelines at sites like Pease, threaten the progress that New Hampshire has made to keep our drinking water safe,” said Senator Hassan. “People on the Seacoast have already waited far too long to get these unsafe chemicals out of their communities, and continuing to delay cleanup is unacceptable. I appreciated the opportunity to hear directly from residents, local water officials, and PFAS prevention advocates about how PFAS have hurt their communities and the work that they are doing to protect families from exposure to these toxic forever chemicals. I will continue to push the Administration for accountability and to ensure that communities have the resources that they need to clean up contamination as quickly as possible.”

Senator Hassan meets with Seacoast residents, local water officials, and PFAS reduction advocates in Portsmouth

Senator Hassan leads several efforts to protect Granite Staters from forever chemicals. As a negotiator of the bipartisan infrastructure law, Senator Hassan helped secure a provision to better ensure that New Hampshire towns would be eligible for an advanced technology grant program that could be used to remove PFAS from drinking water. Last year, the Senator pushed the EPA to continue PFAS cleanup efforts at the Tinkham Garage Site in Londonderry, where contamination has left residents without access to safe drinking water. Additionally, Senator Hassan has introduced legislation to ban PFAS chemicals in food containers and helped introduce a bill to ban PFAS chemicals in cosmetics products, such as makeup, moisturizer, and perfume.

###",1,2026-08-27T16:10:01Z,2026-08-27T16:10:50Z
https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/shaheen-underscores-commitment-to-rural-economies-at-century-old-small-business-in-intervale-discusses-conversation-efforts-at-loon-preservation-in-moultonborough,"Shaheen Underscores Commitment to Rural Economies at Century-Old Small Business in Intervale, Discusses Conversation Efforts at Loon Preservation in Moultonborough",2026-08-25,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,NH,Jeanne Shaheen,S001181,www.shaheen.senate.gov,shaheen,https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press,scraper,"(Moultonborough, NH) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member and former Chair of the U.S. Senate Small Business Committee, today visited Limmer Boots, a century-old custom bootmaker in the Mount Washington Valley, to highlight her longstanding commitment to helping New Hampshire’s rural entrepreneurs build and grow their small businesses. After, at the Loon Preservation Committee in Moultonborough, Shaheen discussed efforts to restore and maintain a healthy population of loons in New Hampshire.

Photos from today’s events can be found HERE.

At Limmer Boots, Shaheen spoke with employees about the challenges and opportunities facing small rural manufacturers and received a tour of the shop floor to see the process firsthand.

""Since 1919, Limmer Boots has crafted durable boots enjoyed by hikers in New Hampshire and across the country. It was an honor to see the shop floor in action and discuss how we’re working to support rural entrepreneurs at the federal level,” said Senator Shaheen.

Limmer Boots has been the beneficiary of support from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and was the SBA’s 2026 New Hampshire Small Business Manufacturer of the Year and New England Rural Business of the Year.

In Moultonborough, Shaheen toured the grounds of the Loon Preservation Committee (LPC) before embarking on a boat tour on Lake Winnipesaukee for loon viewing. During her visit, Shaheen discussed LPC’s efforts to restore and maintain a healthy population of loons throughout New Hampshire.

""Loons are staples of New Hampshire’s iconic wildlife, but they are uniquely vulnerable to human activities,” said Senator Shaheen. “I was pleased to see firsthand the extraordinary work the Loon Preservation Committee is doing to protect loons and their habitats to ensure the beautiful outdoor spaces that make the Granite State so great are enjoyed by generations to come.”

The LPC was created in 1975 in response to concerns about a dramatically declining loon population and the effects of human activities on loons. For over 40 years, the Loon Preservation Committee has undertaken state-wide monitoring, research, management and outreach to preserve loons and their habitats.

###",1,2026-08-26T05:33:32Z,2026-08-26T05:34:56Z
https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/in-visit-to-new-hampshire-job-corps-shaheen-meets-with-leaders-and-current-granite-state-students-highlights-her-decades-of-unwavering-support,"In Visit to New Hampshire Job Corps, Shaheen Meets with Leaders and Current Granite State Students, Highlights Her Decades of Unwavering Support",2026-08-24,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,NH,Jeanne Shaheen,S001181,www.shaheen.senate.gov,shaheen,https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press,scraper,"**In 2013, Shaheen built on fifteen years of bipartisan work to open the Manchester Job Corps Center in collaboration with federal and local officials**

(Manchester, NH) – Today, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) visited the New Hampshire Job Corps Center in Manchester to hear an update on the Center’s operations and meet with current students. During her visit, Shaheen toured the Center and its facilities for its academic and career technical training programs, including for the high school diploma, Hotel and Lodging, Reading and Advanced Manufacturing programs. Following the tour, Senator Shaheen heard testimonials from current students at the New Hampshire Job Corps Center about the impact the Center and its training programs have had on their academic, career and personal development. Shaheen also emphasized the importance of Job Corps to communities across New Hampshire and highlighted her decades-long support of the program, which has transformed the lives of Granite State students while boosting economic development.

The Manchester Job Corps Center, which Shaheen helped establish in 2013, serves up to 268 residential and 32 nonresidential students, providing vocational training, pathways to a high school diploma and college certifications and degrees through partnerships with Manchester Community College, Nashua Community College and the New Hampshire Technical Institute.

Photos from today’s event can be found HERE.

“In New Hampshire and across the country, Job Corps Centers have been critical to meeting our workforce needs while expanding opportunities for Granite State students who otherwise would not have access to these foundational programs,” said Senator Shaheen. “Since its founding in 2013, the New Hampshire Job Corps Center has partnered with local schools and employers and made a real impact in the lives of students across the state, as I heard firsthand today. I’m proud of the work the Center is doing in our state.”

As a senior member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Shaheen has a longstanding legacy of standing up for the Job Corps program and championing funding for New Hampshire’s Job Corps Center. In 2013, Shaheen built on fifteen years of bipartisan work to break ground on the Manchester Job Corps Center in collaboration with federal and local officials. Job Corps students and graduates have gone on to work in high-need industries across New Hampshire, including advanced manufacturing and other businesses critical to the defense industrial base. Shaheen also secured language in the Fiscal Year 2026 government funding legislation directing the U.S. Department of Labor to issue guidance authorizing Job Corps center operators to utilize alternative background check and vetting services that meet statutory requirements.

###",1,2026-08-25T05:31:37Z,2026-08-25T05:33:09Z
https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senators-hassan-mccormick-kaine-and-ricketts-introduce-bipartisan-campus-lifeline-act-to-strengthen-student-mental-health-and-suicide-prevention,"Senators Hassan, McCormick, Kaine, and Ricketts Introduce Bipartisan Campus Lifeline Act to Strengthen Student Mental Health and Suicide Prevention",2026-08-21,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,NH,Margaret Wood Hassan,H001076,www.hassan.senate.gov,hassan,https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Dave McCormick (R-PA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), and Pete Ricketts (R-NE) introduced the bipartisan Campus Lifeline Act, legislation to strengthen student mental health and suicide prevention efforts by expanding access to student-led outreach on college campuses and increasing awareness of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, which Senator Hassan helped establish and secure funding for.

Suicide remains one of the leading causes of death among young Americans, with nearly one in five high school students reporting suicidal thoughts. Congress has supported youth suicide prevention through theGarrett Lee Smith Memorial Act (GLSMA), which provides grants to colleges and universities to improve mental health and substance use disorder services, suicide prevention programming, and student outreach. Research shows peer-to-peer engagement can play an important role in identifying students in crisis and connecting them with appropriate support.

The launch of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline has also expanded access to immediate behavioral health support, but awareness of the resource among college students remains inconsistent. The Campus Lifeline Act builds on existing federal efforts by strengthening peer-led outreach and helping colleges connect students with lifesaving mental health resources before a crisis escalates.

“Young people in crisis need to know where to turn for help. This bipartisan bill would encourage colleges to put information about 988, the suicide and crisis hotline, on student IDs to increase awareness about this lifesaving resource. In addition, it would encourage colleges to develop plans for peer outreach about the 988 hotline, making it easier for people to get the support that they need,” said Senator Hassan.

“No family should have to experience the heartbreak of losing a child, classmate, relative, or friend to suicide,” said Senator McCormick. “Students are often the first to recognize when someone is struggling. The Campus Lifeline Act strengthens peer-led mental health efforts, expands awareness of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, and gives colleges additional tools to connect students with support before a crisis becomes a tragedy.”

“We can and must do more about the alarming spike in anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation that we’ve seen among young people across the country over the last 15 years,” said Senator Kaine. “That includes encouraging schools to take commonsense steps to ensure that students know that help is out there, including through the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline that is free and available 24/7. This bipartisan legislation would help do that, and I encourage all of my colleagues to join us in pushing to get it signed into law as quickly as possible.”

“The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline provides critical support for those struggling with their mental health. As Governor, I was proud to lead the effort to make this resource available to every Nebraskan. The Campus Lifeline Act would increase awareness of this resource and others available to students nationwide. Every student deserves to know that they are not alone, and help is there if they need it,” said Senator Ricketts.

Specifically, the Campus Lifeline Act would:

Expand eligible Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act campus mental health grants to support student organizations promoting peer mental health awareness, suicide prevention, substance use disorder education, and campus awareness campaigns.

Expand peer education programs to help students recognize and appropriately respond to warning signs of mental health and substance use disorders.

Require grant applicants to seek student input and ensure outreach and behavioral health resources are accessible to students enrolled in online, hybrid, and distance-learning programs.

Expand technical assistance to both grant recipients and unsuccessful applicants implementing evidence-based campus mental health programs.

Encourage states and colleges to promote the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline through student ID cards and campus awareness campaigns.

This bill has bipartisan support in both the Senate and the House. Representatives Erin Houchin (R-IN), Lori Trahan (D-MA), David Valado (R-CA), and Mark Pocan (D-WI) are sponsoring companion legislation, H.R. 8657, in the House of Representatives.

The Campus Lifeline Act has received support from over 35 organizations including: Active Minds, American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, American Association for Psychoanalysis in Clinical Social Work, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, American Group Psychotherapy Association, American Psychiatric Association, American Psychological Association Services, American School Counselor Association, Association for Ambulatory Behavioral Healthcare (AABH), Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, Eating Disorders Coalition for Research, Policy & Action, EDGE Partners, Inseparable, Institute for Educational Leadership, International OCD Foundation, International Society of Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurses, Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance, Mental Health America, National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners, National Association of School Psychologists, National Association of Secondary School Principals, National Association of Social Workers, National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors, National Board for Certified Counselors, National Council on Problem Gambling, National Eating Disorders Association, National Federation of Families, National League for Nursing, National Register of Health Service Psychologists, Psychotherapy Action Network (PsiAN), REDC Consortium, Sandy Hook Promise, The Kennedy Forum, The National Alliance to Advance Adolescent Health, The Trevor Project, Vibrant Emotional Health, Youth Villages.

“At Active Minds, we believe that every student deserves access to mental health support before they reach a crisis. We are grateful to the U.S. Senators for coming together across party lines to champion this effort, which recognizes that supporting young people’s mental health is not a partisan issue, it should be a national priority. By strengthening campus mental health resources and expanding access to evidence-based supports, this legislation will help ensure more youth and young adults can get the care they need, when they need it,” said Anika Rahman, Director of Policy, Active Minds.

The full bill text may be read here.

###",1,2026-08-22T05:24:59Z,2026-08-22T05:26:16Z
https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/shaheen-demands-answers-from-trump-administration-about-ice-conduct-tsa-cooperation-in-airports,"Shaheen Demands Answers from Trump Administration About ICE Conduct, TSA Cooperation in Airports",2026-08-21,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,NH,Jeanne Shaheen,S001181,www.shaheen.senate.gov,shaheen,https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press,scraper,"(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) joined her Senate colleagues in demanding answers from U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin, Acting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director David Venturella and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Administrator David Cummins about recent ICE actions at airports. The letter, led by Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV), comes after a string of incidents nationwide, in which ICE agents – with cooperation from TSA – have acted with impunity, at times targeting people at airports.

The Senators wrote, in part: “We write to express concerns regarding recent immigration enforcement actions at airports across the nation conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), with the apparent assistance and support of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Such actions create fear in our communities and cause disruption and distress to the traveling public.”

They continued: “Unfortunately, recent reporting by the New York Times indicates that troubling events like these are occurring frequently across the nation at America’s Airports. Such actions only served to disrupt local communities, create fear among immigrant families, and undermine the travel and tourism sector at a time when it is trying to rebound from a 5.5% decline in international tourism in 2025 that occurred due to President Trump’s misguided tariff, immigration, and foreign policies […] With all this in mind, we request your response to several questions regarding the operating relationship between ICE and TSA and the type of information that is being shared between the agencies.”

The full letter can be read HERE.

###",1,2026-08-22T05:24:59Z,2026-08-22T05:26:16Z
https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases/release-senator-hassan-and-intervale-small-business-owners-discuss-the-impact-of-rising-costs-due-to-president-trump,RELEASE: Senator Hassan and Intervale Small Business Owners Discuss the Impact of Rising Costs Due to President Trump,2026-08-20,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,NH,Margaret Wood Hassan,H001076,www.hassan.senate.gov,hassan,https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"INTERVALE – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan and Intervale small business owners this week discussed the ways in which President Trump’s tariffs and illegal war with Iran are challenging small businesses across New Hampshire.

Senator Hassan met with Ragged Mountain Outdoor Equipment owners Jack Smith and Cort Hansen and toured the business, which sells outdoor gear and operates an in-house sewing shop where employees manufacture many of its products. They discussed the ways in which higher costs at every level of the supply chain are making it more expensive for small businesses to purchase the materials and inventory that they need.

“Small businesses like Ragged Mountain Outdoor Equipment are the backbone of New Hampshire’s economy, but President Trump’s reckless tariffs and illegal war with Iran are hurting small businesses and raising prices for Granite Staters,” said Senator Hassan. “I appreciated the opportunity to hear directly from the owners of Ragged Mountain Outdoor Equipment about how increased costs throughout their supply chain are making it harder for them to get the inventory and materials that they need for their own manufacturing line. The Trump Administration needs to reverse course and work with Congress on a bipartisan basis to fulfill President Trump’s campaign promise of lowering costs for families and small businesses.”

Senator Hassan Meets with the Owners of Ragged Mountain Outdoor Equipment in Intervale

A recent report from the Joint Economic Committee – Minority showed that New Hampshire families have had to pay an additional $4,400 for goods and services due to inflation in Trump's second term.

###",1,2026-08-21T05:30:57Z,2026-08-21T05:32:22Z
https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/shaheen-visits-affordable-housing-in-keene-spotlights-key-provisions-she-secured-for-new-hampshire-in-landmark-21st-century-road-to-housing-act,"Shaheen Visits Affordable Housing in Keene, Spotlights Key Provisions She Secured for New Hampshire in Landmark 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act",2026-08-20,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,NH,Jeanne Shaheen,S001181,www.shaheen.senate.gov,shaheen,https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press,scraper,"(Keene, NH) – Today, with New Hampshire housing costs at a record-high level, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) continued her “Affordability Action Tour” by visiting an affordable housing site in Keene to discuss her work in Washington to lower housing costs for Granite State families and increase the supply of homes across the state. Shaheen was joined by local officials to tour the Marlboro Street site of a multifamily home acquired by the Keene Housing Authority that will be redeveloped into affordable housing. The project is funded in part by a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)—a program that Shaheen has long supported. The bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act—which includes three Shaheen-led provisions—expands the CDBG program and will increase support for projects like Keene’s Marlboro Street renovation. Photos from today’s event can be found HERE.

“Between the war with Iran raising gas prices and the Trump Administration’s tariffs skyrocketing the cost of building materials, it’s no wonder our state is facing record-high housing costs and a persistent shortage of affordable options,” said Senator Shaheen. “Granite State families deserve financial relief, and that’s exactly what the 21st Century ROAD to Housing legislation will do by giving us more tools to speed up the construction of new affordable housing and preserving existing units in our communities. I was proud to support the federal grant helping to make Keene’s Marlboro Street project possible—it's exactly the kind of development that will see increased support thanks to this new housing law.”

Shaheen is leading efforts in the Senate to lower housing costs and increase the supply of affordable units, including her efforts to help pass the landmark 21st Century Renewing Opportunity in the American Dream (ROAD) to Housing Act earlier this year. The legislation includes three New Hampshire-focused provisions Shaheen secured—the Strategy and Investment in Rural Housing Preservation Act, Streamlining Rural Housing Act and the Preservation and Reinvestment Initiative in Community Enhancement (PRICE) Act—to expand the supply of affordable housing, streamline construction and lower costs in the Granite State and across the country. In the bipartisan Fiscal Year 2026 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies Appropriations bill, Shaheen secured upwards of $9 million in federal funding for affordable housing in New Hampshire. Recently, Senator Shaheen visited Salem, Franconia, West Lebanon and Laconia to discuss policy solutions to lower housing costs for communities across the state.

###",1,2026-08-22T05:24:59Z,2026-08-22T05:26:16Z
https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-hassan-recognizes-renee-blacken-of-bethlehem-as-augusts-granite-stater-of-the-month,Senator Hassan Recognizes Renée Blacken of Bethlehem as August’s Granite Stater of the Month,2026-08-19,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,NH,Margaret Wood Hassan,H001076,www.hassan.senate.gov,hassan,https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan recognized Renée Blacken of Bethlehem as August’s Granite Stater of the Month for completing a historic solo row across the Atlantic Ocean and using the journey to support trauma recovery programs in northern New Hampshire.

On January 24, Renée departed from Lanzarote in the Canary Islands as part of the Atlantic Dash. Over the next 65 days, she rowed 3,200 miles across the Atlantic before reaching Antigua in the Caribbean. The crossing made Renée the first American and first solo female to complete the Atlantic Dash, as well as the oldest American woman to complete a solo Atlantic row.

Renée used the expedition to bring greater attention and resources to Outdoor Adventuring for Good, a nonprofit that she founded to help make trauma recovery programs more accessible in northern New Hampshire. Her organization raises funds for programs that integrate mind and body approaches to healing and has already provided support for programs serving communities in Coös and Grafton Counties. Renée also brought Granite Staters along on her journey, regularly sharing updates from the Atlantic and connecting with local students who followed her progress from their classrooms.

Senator Hassan launched the “Granite Stater of the Month” initiative in 2017 to recognize outstanding New Hampshire citizens who go above and beyond to help their neighbors and make their communities stronger. To nominate a New Hampshire citizen to be a “Granite Stater of the Month,” constituents can complete the nomination form here.

To read Senator Hassan’s statement for the Congressional Record, see below:

I am honored to recognize Renée Blacken of Bethlehem as August's Granite Stater of the Month for her extraordinary resilience, adventurous spirit, and commitment to expanding access to trauma recovery resources in northern New Hampshire.

Earlier this year, Renée became the first American and first solo female to complete the Atlantic Dash, rowing more than 3,200 miles alone across the Atlantic Ocean in a 6-meter wooden boat without a chase boat or resupply. After 65 days at sea, she arrived in Antigua, becoming the oldest American woman to complete a solo Atlantic row.

Renée undertook this extraordinary challenge not only to test her own limits, but also to support a cause deeply personal to her. After overcoming physical and mental health challenges with the help of trauma recovery resources, she founded the New Hampshire nonprofit Outdoor Adventuring for Good to expand access to trauma recovery programs throughout northern New Hampshire. Today, the organization is helping fund programs that support first responders, veterans, survivors of domestic abuse and sexual assault, and others on their healing journeys.

Throughout her voyage, Renée remained connected to Granite Staters by sharing updates with supporters and exchanging videos with students in classrooms across New Hampshire. She taught young people to embrace challenges, that extraordinary achievements are possible through courage, preparation, and perseverance, to believe in themselves, and to understand the importance of asking for help when facing difficult times.

Renée's historic achievement, courage, and dedication to ensuring others have access to the support they need are why I am proud to name her August's Granite Stater of the Month.

###",1,2026-08-20T05:28:41Z,2026-08-20T05:29:58Z
https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-hassan-tours-construction-of-a-new-child-care-center-in-gorham,Senator Hassan Tours Construction of a New Child Care Center in Gorham,2026-08-19,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,NH,Margaret Wood Hassan,H001076,www.hassan.senate.gov,hassan,https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"GORHAM – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan toured the construction of the new Gorham Community Learning Center and spoke with local child care leaders about their efforts to expand access to affordable child care in the North Country. The new center was made possible through $1.5 million in federal funding, including from the Northern Border Regional Commission.

Once renovations are complete, the learning center will be able to serve up to 55 children, increasing its capacity by more than 50%.

“The soaring cost and low availability of child care in New Hampshire is stretching family budgets and making it harder for our small businesses to recruit the workforce that they need. This situation is especially dire in the North Country, where recent child care center closures have left families with fewer options for care close to home. That’s why projects like the Gorham Community Learning Center expansion are so important,” said Senator Hassan. “It was great to tour the construction of the new Learning Center and speak with the leaders whose work made the expansion possible. I will continue to support investments like this one here in Gorham that help parents remain in the workforce and set children up for success.”

Senator Hassan previously toured the Gorham Family Resource Center and saw firsthand the need for the Community Learning Center to expand beyond its current location. The new facility, located in a former bank building, is part of efforts by Evergreen Start to expand child care capacity across Coös County.

Senator Hassan leads several bipartisan efforts to help more families access and afford child care. Her bipartisan Child Care Tax Benefit Outreach and Assistance Act, which would help more businesses use existing federal child care tax benefits to support their employees, recently advanced out of the Senate Finance Committee. Senator Hassan also introduced the bipartisan After Hours Child Care Act to improve access to affordable child care for parents working nontraditional hours. Additionally, Senator Hassan helped introduce the Child Care for Working Families Act, which would cap child care costs at 7 percent of a family’s income, make high-quality preschool universally accessible for all 3-and 4-year olds, and increase wages for early childhood workers.

###",1,2026-08-20T05:28:41Z,2026-08-20T05:29:58Z
https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/shaheen-highlights-federal-funding-she-secured-for-affordable-housing-in-salem-health-care-accessibility-in-nashua,"Shaheen Highlights Federal Funding She Secured for Affordable Housing in Salem, Health Care Accessibility in Nashua",2026-08-19,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,NH,Jeanne Shaheen,S001181,www.shaheen.senate.gov,shaheen,https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press,scraper,"(Salem, NH) – Today, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, continued her “Affordability Action Tour” with a visit to Nashua to see critical radiology equipment acquired by Southern New Hampshire Health to increase health care accessibility and Salem to tour the future site of an affordable housing development. Both projects were made possible with Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) that Shaheen helped secure. Photos from today’s events can be found HERE.

First in Nashua, Shaheen toured Southern New Hampshire Health with hospital leadership and learned more about how their purchase of a PET/CT scanner has improved care for patients. In the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 government funding legislation, Shaheen secured $453,000 in CDS for the purchase of this critical medical imagery technology to increase health care access for the entire region. Shaheen’s visit comes roughly one year after congressional Republicans cut billions in federal health care funding.

“It’s vital that health care centers in our communities have the most up to date medical equipment and facilities so that they can better serve Granite Staters,” said Senator Shaheen. “With health care costs rising, I was glad to help Southern New Hampshire Health secure Congressionally Directed Spending to get a new PET/CT scanner and to see some of the work the hospital is doing to update their facilities so that patients can get the care they need right in Nashua.”

Senator Shaheen has a long track record of securing resources to support the enhancement of health facilities across New Hampshire. Shaheen secured millions of dollars to support key health care priorities in New Hampshire in the Fiscal Year 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and Related Agencies appropriations bill, including funding for health care facility improvement and workforce development.

In Salem, Shaheen joined local officials and the Salem Housing Authority to tour the site of the upcoming Millville Street Apartments, to hear updates on the project and discuss her work in Washington to lower housing costs in the state. Shaheen secured $3 million in CDS in the FY 26 government funding legislation for the development, which will expand the supply of affordable housing for seniors, individuals with disabilities and veterans in the Salem community.

“The shortage of affordable housing in our state and record-high costs are pricing too many people out of the market and making it harder for families to live and work in New Hampshire,” said Senator Shaheen. “That’s why I’m working in Washington to secure federal funding to help build new, affordable housing in communities like Salem. The housing crisis in New Hampshire won’t be solved overnight, but new developments like the future Millville Street Apartments are an example of the kind of projects we need to invest in to help more families access housing they can afford.”

Shaheen is leading efforts in the Senate to lower housing costs and increase the supply of affordable units, including her efforts to help pass the landmark 21st Century Renewing Opportunity in the American Dream (ROAD) to Housing Act earlier this year. The legislation includes three New Hampshire-focused provisions Shaheen secured—the Strategy and Investment in Rural Housing Preservation Act, Streamlining Rural Housing Act and the Preservation and Reinvestment Initiative in Community Enhancement (PRICE) Act—to expand supply of affordable housing, streamline construction and lower costs in the Granite State and across the country. In the bipartisan Fiscal Year 2026 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies Appropriations bill, Shaheen secured upwards of $9 million in federal funding for affordable housing in New Hampshire. Recently, Senator Shaheen visited Franconia, West Lebanon and Laconia to discuss policy solutions to lower housing costs for communities across the state.

###",1,2026-08-20T05:28:41Z,2026-08-20T05:29:58Z
https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-hassan-hosts-discussion-in-alexandria-on-the-communitys-successful-strategy-in-combating-the-fentanyl-epidemic-and-recent-trump-administration-actions-that-threaten-the-progress-that-has-been-made,Senator Hassan Hosts Discussion in Alexandria on the Community’s Successful Strategy in Combating the Fentanyl Epidemic and Recent Trump Administration Actions that Threaten the Progress That Has Been Made,2026-08-18,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,NH,Margaret Wood Hassan,H001076,www.hassan.senate.gov,hassan,https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"ALEXANDRIA – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan hosted a discussion yesterday in Alexandria with Police Chief David Suckling and leaders of organizations that help Granite Staters get into and stay in recovery about their ongoing work to combat addiction and reduce overdose deaths in New Hampshire.

During the conversation, Senator Hassan discussed how the Trump Administration’s decision to ban the use of federal funding for proven overdose prevention methods that enjoy bipartisan support, such as the distribution of fentanyl and xylazine test strips, will hurt recovery efforts. In the years since New Hampshire decriminalized the distribution of fentanyl and xylazine test strips, rates of fatal overdose deaths in the state have steadily dropped.

“Thanks to the tireless work of law enforcement leaders like Chief Suckling and recovery experts, overdose deaths have fallen drastically in New Hampshire over the last few years. Alexandria has not had an overdose since 2020. One of the ways in which Alexandria has been able to achieve this is by distributing overdose prevention kits that include fentanyl test strips,” said Senator Hassan. “There is good evidence that fentanyl test strips save lives, but the Trump Administration decided to ignore science and the law by announcing that communities can no longer use federal grant funding to distribute these tools.”

“The Administration’s decision is outrageous; the fight against addiction is hard enough, and the work of first responders and law enforcement will only become more difficult if we defund proven efforts that have saved lives,” Senator Hassan continued. “The Administration needs to listen to law enforcement officers on the ground and restore funding for the tools that have helped rural communities like Alexandria confront the opioid epidemic and save lives.”

Senator Hassan continues to work to combat the fentanyl crisis and expand access to evidence-based addiction treatment. At the end of last year, Senator Hassan played a key role in spearheading the passage of the bipartisan SUPPORT Act, which included important support for federal funding for fentanyl test strips. Additionally, Senator Hassan helped introduce the Modernizing Opioid Treatment Access Act, bipartisan legislation to improve access to medication-assisted treatment by allowing more addiction specialists to prescribe methadone. In 2022, Senator Hassan successfully passed into law her bipartisan Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment (MAT) Act to increase the number of medical professionals authorized to prescribe medication-assisted treatment.

###",1,2026-08-19T05:29:02Z,2026-08-19T05:30:24Z
https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/shaheen-continues-affordability-action-tour-with-roundtable-on-rising-prices-food-insecurity-highlights-federal-funding-she-secured-for-historic-gale-school,"Shaheen Continues Affordability Action Tour with Roundtable on Rising Prices, Food Insecurity; Highlights Federal Funding She Secured for Historic Gale School",2026-08-18,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,NH,Jeanne Shaheen,S001181,www.shaheen.senate.gov,shaheen,https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press,scraper,"(Belmont, NH) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee and Ranking Member of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies (Ag-FDA) Appropriations Subcommittee, continued her “Affordability Action Tour” by leading a roundtable discussion in Rochester focused on the rising cost of everyday essentials, particularly an alarming increase in food insecurity in the Granite State. Shaheen also visited the newly reopened Gale School in Belmont where she secured much-needed federal funding for updates to the historic school house, and to help expand access to child care in the Lakes Region.

In Rochester, Shaheen held a roundtable where she heard firsthand from representatives from the Strafford County Community Action Partnership, the New Hampshire Food Bank, the Rochester Child Care Center, Granite YMCA, Gather NH, the Share Fund and other food access and service program leaders about the challenges of rising costs and the increase in food insecurity in New Hampshire. New reporting shows how congressional Republicans’ decision to cut billions in SNAP funding is harming Granite State families, especially children across the state.

“It is absolutely unacceptable that we’re seeing a rise in food insecurity in our state. With congressional Republicans cutting billions in SNAP funding, a reckless war in Iran and President Trump’s tariff policies, costs are skyrocketing and it’s putting a real strain on Granite State families,” said Senator Shaheen. “I am grateful for all that our food banks, child care centers and community organizations do to connect families across our state with resources. I thank them for joining me for this important discussion as I continue my efforts in Washington to bring down costs and fight against an Administration that believes the affordability concerns of families in our state are nothing more than a ‘hoax.’”

With Granite Staters paying $4,400 more on everyday essentials since President Trump took office, Shaheen also discussed her work in Washington to lower prices for Granite State families, including her fight against President Trump’s reckless tariffs, provisions she secured in the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act and her leadership on the INSULIN Act to directly lower health care costs.

As Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Ag-FDA Appropriations Subcommittee, which funds SNAP and WIC, Senator Shaheen remains committed to protecting food assistance from Republican-led attacks. Shaheen was unequivocally opposed to President Trump and congressional Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which has already caused more than 4 million people nationwide, including an estimated 1.5 million children, to lose food assistance. As part of her efforts to highlight the impacts of this “Big Beautiful Betrayal,” last year, Shaheen visited the New Hampshire Food Bank to hear directly from stakeholders whose work and the people they serve were being impacted by federal funding cuts. At this year’s State of the Union, Shaheen hosted Elsy Cipriani, the Executive Director of the New Hampshire Food Bank, as her guest to spotlight the growing affordability crisis Americans are facing, including rising food and grocery prices.

Later, in Belmont, Shaheen visited the historic Gale School on the heels of its recent reopening to tour the recently renovated school house. In 2022, Shaheen secured over $390,000 in Congressionally Directed Spending to help renovate the historic Gale School building, which will serve in part as a new daycare run by the Boys & Girls Club, expanding access to much-needed affordable, quality child care in the Laconia region.

“As a member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, ensuring our state receives its fair share of federal grant funding is one of my top priorities in Washington. The renovation of the Gale School ensures this historic school house continues to be a point of pride for the Belmont community, all while expanding much-needed child care access and supporting economic development in the region,” said Senator Shaheen. “The restoration effort for the historic school house has been remarkable to follow, and I thank all those who joined me today as I saw the newly renovated Gale School for the first time since it opened its doors earlier this summer.”

Senator Shaheen has been a leader in advocating for more accessible and affordable child care. Earlier this year, Shaheen secured key priorities in the bipartisan Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and Related Agencies Appropriations bill, including $8.8 billion for the Child Care and Development Block Grant. Shaheen also stands strongly opposed to the Trump Administration’s attacks on Head Start, and has introduced legislation to respond to the nation’s child care shortage, including her signature, bipartisan Expanding Child Care for Military Families Act. Shaheen also led the introduction of the Right Start Child Care and Education Act earlier this summer, which would strengthen the child care workforce by creating a new tax credit for child care professionals with college degrees.

###",1,2026-08-20T05:28:41Z,2026-08-20T05:29:58Z
https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-hassan-in-the-union-leader-slashing-regulations-will-lower-housing-costs-for-granite-staters,Senator Hassan in the Union Leader: Slashing regulations will lower housing costs for Granite Staters,2026-08-13,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,NH,Margaret Wood Hassan,H001076,www.hassan.senate.gov,hassan,https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"MANCHESTER – In a new op-ed published in the Union Leader, U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan highlights how the bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act will lower housing costs by slashing outdated red tape, building more middle-class homes, and banning Wall Street hedge funds and private equity firms from buying up single-family homes.

The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, which Senator Hassan cosponsored and helped pass, became law last month without President Trump’s signature.

To read Senator Hassan’s op-ed in the Union Leader, click here or see below.

No matter where I go in our state, Granite Staters of all ages, walks of life, and political stripes have the same problem: It costs too much to live in New Hampshire. Rents and mortgages are eating up more of every paycheck. Young people are moving away, and businesses are struggling to find the workers that they need to grow. Our state can’t reach its full potential if people can’t afford to live here.

The good news is that we’re finally starting to make progress. Congress recently passed into law the landmark, bipartisan 21st Century Road to Housing Act. At the center of this law is the belief that the American Dream should be affordable for everyone. This legislation will help make it possible to build more homes and apartments by slashing red tape and outdated regulations that slow down construction. It also curbs corporate price gouging by prohibiting large private equity companies from buying up homes, inflating prices for everyone. Young families should not be priced out of the housing market because they can’t compete with the deep pockets of Wall Street when bidding on a house. We need a housing policy that puts American families first — that makes the American dream accessible to everyone who works hard.

In addition to going after the bad actors in the housing market, this bill also tackles the systemic problems that have kept housing costs stubbornly high. Right now, America has a shortage of an estimated 4.7 million homes. Government regulations and red tape have helped make the home-building process too long and too expensive, which left too many construction projects stalled out in a never-ending cycle of government reviews and fights over permitting. This not only has limited the housing supply and driven up costs, but it also runs counter to who we are as Americans. America has always been a nation of builders who, with creativity and determination, carved a country out of a continent. But now, in the country that built the Empire State Building in 13 months, it often takes years to put a shovel in the ground to build a new home.

The Road to Housing Act takes a series of steps to help get our country back to building — and building quickly — by eliminating needless red tape. One such provision finally eliminates an outdated requirement that all manufactured housing include a steel chassis — which raises the cost of the home by up to $10,000 even though it adds no structural support. This law also includes reforms that will streamline government reviews required for constructing homes in rural areas, allow a simpler permitting process for smaller construction projects, and help make it easier for new housing to be built with pre-approved housing designs.

All together, these reforms will make it easier to build homes for hard-working families more quickly and more efficiently. There are many more provisions in this law — and it includes the best ideas from both Democrats and Republicans alike. Our politics may be deeply divided right now, but the Road to Housing Act was a truly bipartisan endeavor and a reminder that, when we put our country ahead of partisan politics, we have the capacity to tackle big challenges.

Unfortunately, even though the process of writing this law was bipartisan, President Trump refused to sign the legislation, meaning that it became law without his support. The President tried to use his refusal to sign the bill as leverage to force members of Congress to vote for the so-called SAVE Act, a bill based on the lie that the 2020 election was “stolen” from him. So, while Americans are feeling the pain of high costs — in no small part due to the President’s tariffs, war with Iran and cuts to health care, an agenda that is making everything more expensive — the President tried to block critical bipartisan legislation aimed at reducing the cost of housing. All for the sake of his partisan agenda and obsession over an election he lost 6 years ago.

Even with the headwinds posed by a recalcitrant and petulant President, there’s more that we can — and must — do to make homes and apartments more affordable in New Hampshire. We need to expand the low-income housing tax credit to help more families find a place to call home, crack down on corporations that buy up manufactured housing communities just to jack up prices, invest in workforce housing developments, and much more.

This doesn’t have to be a partisan issue. The American Dream doesn’t belong to just Republicans or Democrats, it’s what we all want as Americans. Now is the time for both parties to keep up the momentum and do whatever we can to fight high housing costs and make the American dream something everyone can afford.

###",1,2026-08-14T06:13:05Z,2026-08-14T06:14:08Z
https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases/hassan-cassidy-bill-to-protect-americans-private-health-data-passes-committee,"Hassan, Cassidy Bill to Protect American's Private Health Data Passes Committee",2026-08-12,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,NH,Margaret Wood Hassan,H001076,www.hassan.senate.gov,hassan,https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Bipartisan legislation led by U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) to protect American’s private health data recently advanced out of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. The Health Information Privacy Reform Act would expand health privacy protections to account for new technologies that are not currently required to have privacy protections, such as smartwatches and health apps.

“Americans are increasingly using smartwatches, health rings, and apps to take charge of their health, but our privacy laws haven’t kept up with these new technologies. People deserve to know who has access to their most personal health information and how it's being used and protected,” said Senator Hassan. “This bipartisan bill will require companies to clearly disclose how they collect and share health information so that people can use these tools without giving up control of their personal data. ”

“Protecting patient information is essential to delivering quality care,” said Dr. Cassidy. “Smartwatches and health apps are helpful tools but open the door to privacy concerns that didn’t exist when it was just a patient and a doctor in an exam room. This bipartisan legislation ensures Americans’ data is secure and only collected and used with their consent.”

The exchange of health data that is shared between patients and health care providers is governed by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). However, HIPAA does not currently cover consumer health products that connect individuals to health tools outside of the doctor’s office, like new health tracking devices and applications.

The Health Information Privacy Reform Act requires health technologies not subject to HIPAA to disclose how consumer information is collected and shared. It also explores how to give consumers’ opportunities to share their health data to support future research and be compensated for their contributions.

Read the full bill text here.

###",1,2026-08-13T06:17:16Z,2026-08-13T06:18:13Z
https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-hassan-presses-dhs-on-investigation-into-corey-lewandowskis-alleged-corruption-and-abuse-of-taxpayer-dollars,Senator Hassan Presses DHS on Investigation into Corey Lewandowski’s Alleged Corruption & Abuse of Taxpayer Dollars,2026-08-12,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,NH,Margaret Wood Hassan,H001076,www.hassan.senate.gov,hassan,https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH), a senior member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, today issued requests to the newly-confirmed Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Under Secretary for Management for additional details on the ongoing investigation into former DHS official Corey Lewandowski’s reported corruption and abuse of taxpayer dollars during his time at the department.

“The allegations against Mr. Lewandowski, if true, indicate significant corruption, abuse of taxpayer funds, and flagrant conflicts of interest that require Congressional investigation based on a comprehensive record of his tenure at DHS,” wrote Senator Hassan in her request. The need for Congressional investigation is especially urgent given the possibility that DHS contracts that arose from alleged wrongdoing by Mr. Lewandowski may still be ongoing.

In June, Senator Hassan opened an investigation into allegations against Lewandowski, and she subsequently questioned DHS Under Secretary for Management nominee Brian Cavanaugh about the matter during his nomination hearing before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.

In her follow up request today, Senator Hassan wrote, “In response to my questioning, you confirmed that Secretary Mullin had begun the process of reviewing contracts that Mr. Lewandowski might have approved in connection with potential self-dealing and corrupt pay-to-play schemes and indicated that you would personally oversee this process. After I asked if you would provide Congress with the information it needs to conduct an independent investigation into alleged corruption by Mr. Lewandowski, you committed to ‘being open and transparent and accountable with the [Congressional] oversight committees.’”

Read the full text of Senator Hassan’s request to Under Secretary Cavanaugh here or below.

Dear Under Secretary Cavanaugh:

I write today to follow up on your testimony before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) on June 17, 2026, and request documents related to the ongoing Department of Homeland Security (DHS) review of Corey Lewandowski’s reported corruption and abuse of taxpayer dollars during his time at DHS.

During your nomination hearing before the Committee, I raised serious allegations that Mr. Lewandowski, a former DHS employee, had abused his position to profit personally from blatant corruption through the DHS contracting process. As I detailed in a letter I sent to Mr. Lewandowski on June 11, 2026, for example, he allegedly asked for compensation from a DHS contractor based on new or renewed contracts. During his tenure, former political associates of Mr. Lewandowski also received a public affairs consulting contract from DHS despite having no prior experience in homeland security policy. Mr. Lewandowski also reportedly reviewed all contracts worth more than $100,000 prior to approval by former Secretary Kristi Noem, which apparently resulted in delays for critical DHS activities.

In response to my questioning, you confirmed that Secretary Mullin had begun the process of reviewing contracts that Mr. Lewandowski might have approved in connection with potential self-dealing and corrupt pay-to-play schemes and indicated that you would personally oversee this process. After I asked if you would provide Congress with the information it needs to conduct an independent investigation into alleged corruption by Mr. Lewandowski, you committed to “being open and transparent and accountable with the [Congressional] oversight committees.”

As the chief management officer and senior acquisition official at DHS, you now have responsibility for overseeing DHS procurement activities and ensuring that the Department spends taxpayer dollars lawfully and effectively. The allegations against Mr. Lewandowski, if true, indicate significant corruption, abuse of taxpayer funds, and flagrant conflicts of interest that require Congressional investigation based on a comprehensive record of his tenure at DHS. Given the seriousness of the allegations and your commitments before HSGAC, I request that you please provide the following documents and information by September 1, 2026:

All documents establishing, directing, authorizing, or describing the contract review process that you referenced during the Committee nomination hearing, including memoranda, directives, briefing materials, and investigative plans.

The date on which the review was initiated and the identities of all DHS personnel, offices, contractors, or outside entities participating in the review.

Any interim findings, reports, memoranda, presentations, briefing materials, or recommendations generated as part of the review.

Any referrals, notifications, or communications concerning the review made to:

a) DHS Office of Inspector General;

b) DHS Office of General Counsel;

c) DHS ethics officials;

d) Department of Justice;

e) U.S. Office of Special Counsel; or

f) Any other investigative or law enforcement entity.

A list of every contract or other transaction currently under review.

A list of every contract or other transaction that the contract review process has identified as one in which Mr. Lewandowski participated, reviewed, recommended, commented upon, attended meetings regarding, received briefing materials regarding, approved, or otherwise influenced in any manner.

A list of every contract or other transaction that the contract review process has identified as being delayed, accelerated, canceled, denied, restructured, or otherwise altered following input from Mr. Lewandowski.

For each matter identified in response to Request 6 or Request 7, please provide the contract number, vendor, value, competition status, contracting office, and responsible contracting officer.

For every transaction identified in response to Request 6 or Request 7, please provide:

a) Routing sheets, decision memoranda, or any other materials regarding approval of the transaction;

b) All proposals received by DHS, including all solicited and unsolicited bids;

c) Base contract awards and documents reflecting any proposed changes to base contracts;

d) Documents reflecting all contract modifications, task orders, delivery orders, and invoices;

e) All related DHS procurement planning and decision-making documents; and

f) All related communications, including social media messages, Signal chats, and other official and personal communications, between Mr. Lewandowski and contractors, advisors, and all DHS leadership or management responsible for overseeing and implementing these transactions, including contracting officers and program managers.

All complaints, allegations, referrals, hotline submissions, ethics inquiries, or misconduct reports concerning Mr. Lewandowski and pay-to-play allegations; conflicts of interest; other procurement integrity violations; or retaliation against employees who raised procurement concerns.

A description of all procurement, contracting, and management process changes that DHS has implemented since the departure of Mr. Lewandowski and former Secretary Noem.

###",1,2026-08-13T06:17:16Z,2026-08-13T06:18:13Z
https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/icymi-annual-shaheen-led-bipartisan-resolution-designating-national-fentanyl-prevention-and-awareness-day-unanimously-passes-senate,ICYMI: Annual Shaheen-Led Bipartisan Resolution Designating National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day Unanimously Passes Senate,2026-08-12,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,NH,Jeanne Shaheen,S001181,www.shaheen.senate.gov,shaheen,https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press,scraper,"(Washington, DC) – Last week, a bipartisan resolution annually led by U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) designating August 21 as ""Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day” unanimously passed the U.S. Senate. The bipartisan push aims to raise awareness around dangers of fentanyl, highlight prevention efforts, encourage drug-free lifestyles and recognize the lives lost to drug overdoses.

“I’m glad the Senate came together to unanimously pass our bipartisan resolution designating August 21 as National Fentanyl Prevention and Awareness Day and memorializing those who have lost their lives to drug overdoses,” said Senator Shaheen. “There’s always more work to be done to address the substance use disorder crisis in New Hampshire, and driving more awareness in our communities around the dangers of fentanyl use is one important way we can prevent the loss of more lives.”

A copy of the bipartisan resolution can be read HERE.

As a senior member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee and Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies (Ag-FDA) Appropriations Subcommittee, Shaheen is committed to fighting the substance use disorder crisis in New Hampshire. Earlier this year, Shaheen renewed a years-long effort to authorize billions in federal funding for substance use disorder treatment and prevention with the reintroduction of the Turn the Tide Act. Shaheen also leads the bipartisan End Veterans Overdose Act to expand access to naloxone and other overdose reversal agents to our veterans, which went on to unanimously clear the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee—a significant step toward passing the bill into law. In the Fiscal Year 2026 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations bill that was signed into law, Shaheen secured provisions that will ensure veterans can better access health care, including substance use disorder treatment. In 2025, Senator Shaheen introduced the Keeping Drugs Out of School Act alongside Senator Grassley to establish a new grant program to educate students about the dangers of synthetic opioids.

###",1,2026-08-13T06:17:16Z,2026-08-13T06:18:13Z
https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases/release-senate-unanimously-passes-hassan-grassley-bill-to-combat-counterfeit-imports,RELEASE: Senate Unanimously Passes Hassan-Grassley Bill to Combat Counterfeit Imports,2026-08-11,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,NH,Margaret Wood Hassan,H001076,www.hassan.senate.gov,hassan,https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) are applauding the Senate’s unanimous passage of their legislation to better detect and intercept counterfeit imports. The bipartisan bill would authorize U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to share suspected counterfeit goods’ packing and shipping information with key intellectual property (IP) rights holders, e-commerce platforms, and transportation carriers.

“Counterfeit products brought over our borders hurt American small businesses and can put people’s safety at risk,”Senator Hassan said. “This bipartisan bill will give law enforcement and businesses better tools to work together and intercept counterfeit products before they reach our communities. I’m glad to see it pass the Senate, and I urge my colleagues in the House to take up and pass this bill.”

“Counterfeit goods harm American businesses, threaten our nation’s economy and put consumers at serious risk. By increasing communication between Customs and Border Protection, IP rights holders and commerce professionals, this bipartisan bill will effectively crack down on dangerous counterfeit products and prevent them from reaching our shores,” Senator Grassley said. “I’m pleased the Senate has passed this important bill and look forward to its advancement in the U.S. House of Representatives.”

The Hassan-Grassley bill is supported by the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, the Alliance for Safe Online Pharmacies, the American Apparel & Footwear Association, the Automotive Anti-Counterfeiting Council, the Baby Safety Alliance, the International AntiCounterfeiting Coalition, the International Trademark Association, the Partnership for Safe Medicines, the Pharmaceutical Security Institute and the Transnational Alliance to Combat Illicit Trade.

“U.S. Customs and Border Protection is our first line of defense against counterfeit goods, but they can’t do that job alone. This legislation ensures their ability to work collaboratively with responsible stakeholders throughout the supply chain to protect American consumers, manufacturers, and retailers,” said Bob Barchiesi, President of the International AntiCounterfeiting Coalition. “We applaud Senator Grassley and Senator Hassan for their leadership on this issue and look forward to working with our colleagues at CBP to put these new tools into action.”

Click here to view the text of the bill.

This legislation is part of Senator Hassan’s ongoing efforts to strengthen border security and protect American businesses and consumers. Senator Hassan’s bipartisan legislation requiring the Department of Homeland Security update its Northern Border Strategy unanimously passed the Senate last week. Senator Hassan has also introduced bipartisan legislation to allow U.S. and Canadian law enforcement personnel to jointly patrol both sides of the Northern border by aircraft, helping them more effectively combat drug smuggling and other illegal cross-border activities. Earlier this year, Senator Hassan met with federal law enforcement officials working at the Southern border to discuss efforts to counter drug trafficking, terrorism, and other national security threats.

###",1,2026-08-12T06:18:38Z,2026-08-12T06:20:33Z
https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-hassan-trumps-presidency-will-be-defined-not-by-lowering-costs-for-families-but-by-raising-monuments-to-himself,Senator Hassan: Trump’s Presidency Will Be Defined Not by Lowering Costs for Families but by Raising Monuments to Himself,2026-08-11,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,NH,Margaret Wood Hassan,H001076,www.hassan.senate.gov,hassan,https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan recently delivered remarks on the floor of the U.S. Senate highlighting how President Trump's policies, including his reckless tariffs and the illegal war in Iran, are driving up costs and hurting New Hampshire families.

A recent Joint Economic Committee – Minority report found that New Hampshire families have had to spend $4,400 more due to inflation since President Trump took office last year. Earlier this year, a Committee report found that families paid an average of $310 more for groceries in President Trump’s first year than the year prior. A Joint Economic Committee – Minority report from July found that Granite Staters have paid $596 more per household on gas since the start of the Iran war.

Click here to watch Senator Hassan’s full remarks, and see key quotes and a full transcript below:

“For the vast majority of Americans of all ages and walks of life, of all political stripes, costs aren’t a partisan thing and it is simply clear: It costs more to be an American with Donald Trump as President.”

“A year and a half into his Presidency, my Republican colleagues are making excuse after excuse for the President’s failure to address the American people’s basic needs. They need to stop. Stop trying to advance the fiction that the President cares about lowering costs, or perhaps is trying to lower costs but is getting some bad counsel from his advisers.”

“Donald Trump has made himself very, very clear: his presidency will be defined not by lowering costs for families but by raising monuments to himself.”

“He will save one of his corrupt campaign donors asking for a pardon but won’t lift a finger to save American families a dime on their groceries.”

“The American people right now want an American dream that they can afford. A dream that doesn’t belong just to a privileged few. A dream that’s bigger than self-dealing, kickbacks and self-enrichment schemes in the gilded rooms of Mar-a-Lago.”

“The American people want an America that is as good as this nation’s promise; they deserve a President whose word is as good as our people.”

Madam President, I rise today to speak about a broken promise, a promise that the President made to the country when he took office.

Time and again, the President promised that ‘‘starting on day one’’ of his administration, he would ‘‘end inflation’’—his words. A year and a half into his term, it is clear that the President not only has broken his word but that he disdains the very notion that he should even try to make good on his pledge. Now, for the vast majority of Americans of all ages and walks of life, of all political stripes, costs aren’t a partisan thing, and it is simply clear: It costs more to be an American with Donald Trump as President.

Part of why I am speaking today is because, as a new Joint Economic Committee — Minority report details, American life has become more expensive under this administration. As of June, in my home State of New Hampshire, the average Granite State family has had to pay an additional $4,400 for goods and services since President Trump took office. This toll is exacted from virtually every part of everyday life.

In Donald Trump’s America, when a person wakes up and starts their day, they now drink coffee that costs around $10 a pound, a 25-percent increase since the President launched senseless trade wars, launched without the support of the American people.

After they finish their coffee and drive to work or to drop their children off at school, they do so in a car that now costs more to fill up every time they stop at the pump. Each Granite State family has spent $596 more on gas, in fact, since President Trump launched his reckless, illegal war against Iran—a war he launched without a plan to win.

Now, let’s say our typical American has a doctor’s appointment that day. Assuming that they are able to afford health insurance, they will receive care covered by a plan which premiums rose as much as 50 percent under President Trump. Why? Because the President let Affordable Care Act insurance premiums surge.

And at the end of the day, the average Granite Stater returns to a house or an apartment that is also more expensive, as families in our state have so far spent $1,108 more on rent or mortgage payments since President Trump started his term—all because the President refuses to address our country’s housing crisis.

And after my constituent gets home and goes to pick up her mail, she opens another electric bill. Electricity has gotten so expensive that people in New Hampshire have had to pay $194 more so far this year than last year because the President caused a worldwide energy crisis and canceled clean energy projects.

Next on the list, my constituent goes into the kitchen to make dinner, where—you guessed it—the ingredients cost more than they did before Trump took office. Granite Staters paid $310 more for groceries last year than they did the year before.

So what has been the cost of the Trump Presidency, a Presidency where food, healthcare, gas, rent, and more have all become more expensive? The costs can be summed up by the figures in this report, but it can also be put more simply: For many in our country, the cost has been nothing less than seeing their chance at the American dream fade before their very eyes.

A year and a half into his Presidency, my Republican colleagues are making excuse after excuse for the President’s failure to address the American people’s basic needs. They need to stop— stop trying to advance the fiction that the President cares about lowering costs or perhaps is trying to lower costs but is getting some bad counsel from his advisers.

If the President actually wanted to help the American people, he would listen to them. He would hear that this economy isn’t working for them and, for some, well, it is breaking them. If he cared, this man who was supposed to understand the economy, as well as the hopes and dreams of the American people, would acknowledge that he needs to take action to lower costs.

And even if he doesn’t care, if this President believed that, in America, Presidents are accountable to the American people, he would be working to make life more affordable. But this President neither cares nor thinks he is accountable to anyone other than himself and perhaps his billionaire backers.

Just consider, he has attacked and dismissed anyone who says that there is a problem at all. He has called inflation a ‘‘hoax’’ and dismissed the cost-of-living crisis as—his words—‘‘made up.’’ He says this despite the fact that virtually every American of every political perspective—at least those who live outside the splendor of Mar-a-Lago—knows that American life has become more expensive under President Trump.

So when the American people say that their costs have gone up and the President dismisses inflation as a ‘‘hoax,’’ is he saying that American families are lying? Is he suggesting that they should not believe their own eyes, their own understanding of math, when they look at the numbers at the cash register or at the gas pump?

Because it is one thing not to solve a problem for American families; it is quite another to essentially say that the American people are lying. What have American families done, what have the people who gave the President the privilege of serving in the highest office in our country done to have their biggest challenge, their greatest anxiety and fear dismissed by the President as a ‘‘hoax’’?

Should we be surprised that a President who incited a mob to storm the Capitol and tried to overturn the voices and votes of the American people dismisses yet again what they have to say?

Maybe the President would be more inclined to help the American people if they were a little less decent and a lot better connected. After all, this is President Trump’s Washington, and we know well who this President is. He will save one of his corrupt campaign donors asking for a pardon, but he won’t lift a finger to save American families a dime on their groceries.

And so I return to the President’s promise. When he sought our country’s highest office yet again, Donald Trump told the American people to put aside his corruption, his self-dealing, his poor character, his willingness to fan the flames of division and extremism, to forget the way he disrespects our veterans. He wanted us to even forget the attack on this Chamber, to forget the scars of the Capitol Police officers, forget all of this and more because he said he would bring down costs. And now he is dismissive and contemptuous of anyone who asks him to make good on his pledge.

He even undermines my Republican colleagues when they do try, in good faith, to lower costs. He actually threatened to block a bipartisan bill to bring down the cost of housing, a law that we were eventually able to pass.

Now, Donald Trump has made himself very, very clear. His Presidency will be defined not by lowering costs for families but by raising monuments to himself.

It doesn’t have to be this way. The American people, right now, want an American dream that they can afford, a dream that doesn’t belong just to a privileged few, a dream that is bigger than self-dealing, kickbacks, and self-enrichment schemes in the gilded rooms of Mar-a-Lago. The dreams of the American people aren’t focused on golden luxury trappings. Their dreams are less gilded than all of that, but they are also far more noble.

Americans want their children to live better lives than they did; with quality, affordable healthcare that can help them rest easier at night; a decent education for their children; a place to build not a gilded ballroom but a home—a home in a country where we don’t live fearing one another, divided over politics, but instead united as freedom-loving Americans who know that we are lucky to live in the greatest country on Earth, who love this country too much to ever hate our fellow Americans and who won’t let the miracle of self-government die—not in the service of one man’s ego, not for anything.

The American people want an America that is as good as this Nation’s promise. They deserve a President whose word is as good as our people.

###",1,2026-08-12T06:18:38Z,2026-08-12T06:20:33Z
https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/icymi-at-senate-foreign-relations-hearing-shaheen-highlights-impact-of-global-scam-operations-in-new-hampshire-urges-passage-of-bipartisan-scam-act,"ICYMI: At Senate Foreign Relations Hearing, Shaheen Highlights Impact of Global Scam Operations in New Hampshire, Urges Passage of Bipartisan SCAM Act",2026-08-11,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,NH,Jeanne Shaheen,S001181,www.shaheen.senate.gov,shaheen,https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press,scraper,"(Washington, DC) – In case you missed it, at a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, highlighted the harmful impacts of online scams in the Granite State and described how overseas scam compounds are spreading rapidly across the globe. The hearing, entitled, “Protecting Americans from Global Scam Operations: Assessing the U.S. Response,” focused on transnational criminal organizations behind online scam operations and the bipartisan Scam Compound Accountability and Mobilization (SCAM) Act.

In her remarks, Shaheen described the proliferation of overseas scam compounds and emphasized how transnational scam operations threaten U.S. national security—exploiting corruption and weak governance while making billions of dollars that are often traced to Chinese criminal syndicates. Shaheen then underscored the importance of passing the SCAM Act to guarantee that coordinated international responses to scam compounds become a fixed part of U.S. policy.

Click HERE to watch Shaheen’s opening remarks.

Key quotes from Senator Shaheen:

“Behind many of the online scams targeting Americans are scam compounds where trafficked workers are forced to defraud victims online. Just a few years ago, these compounds were concentrated in a handful of countries. But today, scam operations have spread to countries across Africa, the Middle East, Asia and even in the Western Hemisphere. Americans lose more than $12 billion dollars—billion with a B—a year from schemes perpetrated by overseas scam compounds[ …] Global losses are now estimated to exceed $100 billion dollars each year. And every senator on this committee has constituents whose lives have been upended by sophisticated online fraud.”

“In Hollis, New Hampshire, one 78-year-old lost about $150,000 after being lured into a fraudulent online investment scheme. And another Granite State resident reported purchasing a vehicle online and lost $6,200 and never received the car, and his calls went unanswered. We’ve had a scam in New Hampshire targeting our EZ pass system that’s gone out to everyone who has an EZ pass in the state. [...] At a time when families are already feeling squeezed, they cannot afford to lose their hard-earned savings to fraud.”

“This hearing looks beyond those individual stories to the transnational criminal organizations behind many of these sophisticated fraud schemes and why law enforcement alone is not going to be able to dismantle them. These networks have direct consequences for U.S. national security—they span multiple countries, often eroding the rule of law and exploiting weak governance. And they thrive on corruption. They rely on victims from over 80 countries who have been trafficked and forced to carry out these scams. And they generate billions for transnational criminal organizations, many with links to China.”

“That’s exactly the approach Senator Cornyn and I put forward in the Scam Compound Accountability and Mobilization, or SCAM Act, which passed the Senate by unanimous consent. The bill would build on the Administration's work by making that coordinated international response a permanent part of U.S. policy.”

Full remarks as delivered:

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And thank you to our witnesses for being here today. As the Chairman says, behind many of the online scams targeting Americans are scam compounds where trafficked workers are forced to defraud victims online. Just a few years ago, these compounds were concentrated in a handful of countries. But today, scam operations have spread to countries across Africa, the Middle East, Asia and even in the Western Hemisphere.

Americans lose more than $12 billion dollars—billion with a B—a year from schemes perpetrated by overseas scam compounds. We have that poster to just remind everybody about the total. Global losses are now estimated to exceed $100 billion dollars each year.

And every senator on this committee has constituents whose lives have been upended by sophisticated online fraud. In Hollis, New Hampshire, one 78-year-old lost about $150,000 after being lured into a fraudulent online investment scheme. And another Granite State resident reported purchasing a vehicle online and lost $6,200 and never received the car, and his calls went unanswered. We’ve had a scam in New Hampshire targeting our EZ pass system that’s gone out to everyone who has an EZ pass in the state. [...] At a time when families are already feeling squeezed, they cannot afford to lose their hard-earned savings to fraud.

This hearing looks beyond those individual stories to the transnational criminal organizations behind many of these sophisticated fraud schemes and why law enforcement alone is not going to be able to dismantle them.

These networks have direct consequences for U.S. national security—they span multiple countries, often eroding the rule of law and exploiting weak governance. And they thrive on corruption. They rely on victims from over 80 countries who have been trafficked and forced to carry out these scams. And they generate billions for transnational criminal organizations, many with links to China. Fighting them requires diplomacy, support for human trafficking victims, international law enforcement cooperation, sanctions and strong partnerships with foreign governments.

Now, the good news is that the United States has begun responding to this threat. The Administration has elevated countering scam compounds to be a national security priority. It has imposed sanctions on scam operators and human traffickers. And it has pursued criminal prosecutions and launched a government-wide effort to combat these networks.

These are important steps. But the criminal networks are adapting just as quickly. And when one country cracks down, they move somewhere else. Without a coordinated global response, it becomes a game of whack-a-mole. If these criminal organizations operate across borders, our response has to be to operate across borders. That means preventing recruitment, supporting trafficking survivors, working with our allies and partners and holding both criminal organizations and the governments that enable them accountable.

That’s exactly the approach Senator Cornyn and I put forward in the Scam Compound Accountability and Mobilization, or SCAM Act, [...] which passed the Senate by unanimous consent. The bill would build on the Administration’s work by making that coordinated international response a permanent part of U.S. policy.

Today’s hearing is about how we build on that progress. I look forward to hearing from our witnesses about what's working, about where the gaps remain and what it will take to build a response that is every bit as coordinated as the criminal networks we’re trying to defeat.

Again, thank you both for being here.

###",1,2026-08-12T06:18:38Z,2026-08-12T06:20:33Z
https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/with-less-than-100-days-until-the-midterm-elections-shaheen-presses-trump-administration-on-legal-deployment-of-election-monitors-prohibition-of-mass-voter-purges,"With Less than 100 Days Until the Midterm Elections, Shaheen Presses Trump Administration on Legal Deployment of Election Monitors, Prohibition of Mass Voter Purges",2026-08-10,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,NH,Jeanne Shaheen,S001181,www.shaheen.senate.gov,shaheen,https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press,scraper,"(Washington, DC) – With less than 100 days until November’s midterm elections, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) is continuing her efforts to defend our nation’s election integrity in two recent letters she sent to Trump Administration officials, one to Attorney General Todd Blanche and Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Harmeet Dhillon and the other to Attorney General Blanche and Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin.

“For years, President Trump has not been shy about undercutting public faith in our nation’s safe and secure election system,” said Senator Shaheen. “In response to this and with elections underway in many states across the country, I was proud to join many of my Senate colleagues in defense of our nation’s elections to ensure all American citizens have their voices heard at the ballot box.”

Following an announcement by the Department of Justice (DOJ) that the Trump Administration will deploy election monitors in New Hampshire, Senator Shaheen joined her Senate colleagues to demand DOJ comply with federal voting laws. In their letter to Attorney General Todd Blanche and Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Harmeet Dhillon, the Senators cautioned against the misuse of any federal election monitors to target jurisdictions in a partisan manner or interfere with voting or state and local election officials’ administration of the voting process.

While the Trump Administration’s DOJ has characterized their election monitoring efforts as “routine” and “nonpartisan,” Shaheen and her colleagues are concerned that monitors are being disproportionately assigned to jurisdictions in states led by Democrats. The Senators also noted that the announcement comes amid repeated efforts by President Trump to interfere with the local administration of free and fair elections, which underscores the importance of election monitors following the law by only observing elections.

The Senators wrote, in part: “The election monitors program has been implemented under Democratic and Republican administrations alike and has largely operated without incident or controversy. It is important that American voters trust that the U.S. Department of Justice’s election monitors will focus only on their statutory ambit and will not target jurisdictions in a partisan manner; discourage voter participation or interfere with the voting process; or pressure, harass, or interfere with state and local election officials as they do their jobs.”

They continued: “On July 7, 2026, Assistant Attorney General (AAG) Harmeet Dhillon announced that the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division will be sending election monitors to 15 jurisdictions in Arizona, Michigan, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Hampshire, and Virginia during the 2026 primary election season. In the announcement, AAG Dhillon indicated that the program will be expanded for the general election. The announcement characterizes this effort as “routine” and “nonpartisan.” However, it would be remiss not to acknowledge concerns that monitors are being deployed disproportionately to jurisdictions in states governed by Democratic leaders or with Democratic chief election officials. Moreover, election monitors are being deployed in the context of President Trump’s ongoing threats to nationalize, militarize, and otherwise interfere with the conduct of free and fair elections.”

The Senators concluded: “As demonstrated under both Democratic and Republican administrations, U.S. elections are safe, secure, and fair. The Department’s election monitors program must not be used to undermine that fact. Election monitors must carry out their responsibilities in a manner that respects and upholds voters’ rights, complies with the applicable legal requirements, and does not interfere with state and local election officials’ administration of the voting process.”

The full text of the letter can be found HERE.

Senator Shaheen was joined on the letter by Senators Mark Warner (D-VA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Amy Klobhchar (D-MN), Tina Smith (D-MN), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) and Gary Peters (D-MI).

Shaheen then joined many of her Senate colleagues in demanding the Trump Administration adhere to the National Voter Registration Act’s (NVRA) “quiet period” that prohibits large-scale voter purges within 90 days of an election, pushing back against the Trump Administration’s ongoing voter suppression efforts.

In a letter to Attorney General Blanche and Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin, Shaheen reminded the Trump Administration to adhere to the law and refrain from supporting, assisting or coercing states into conducting mass voter purges prior to the November midterm elections. This comes as the Trump Administration has demanded voter information from all 50 states, losing 21 lawsuits and counting in the process, while a separate court has barred it from misusing federal databases in illegal attempts to remove voters from state voter rolls. In July, President Trump and Secretary Mullin escalated their efforts to force states to purge voters ahead of the November general election in a presidential speech and subsequent DHS press conference. The letter copies the chief election officers for all 50 states.

The Senators wrote, in part: “We are writing to remind you that any efforts directing states to conduct mass voter purges, including by using the deeply flawed Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program to purge voter rolls, would violate the 90 day ‘quiet period’ mandated by the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA). Under the NVRA, election officials are supposed to complete any program for ‘systematically’ removing ineligible voters 90 days before Election Day. This statutory protection was included to protect eligible voters who may be (and in many cases have been) removed as part of state voter list maintenance activities.”

They continued: “In various lawsuits, federal courts have ruled against states that attempted systemwide voter list removals during the ‘quiet period,’ including those made under the pretext of removing noncitizen voters. Outside the 90-day quiet period, voter list maintenance is an important function, but noncitizen voting remains extremely rare. Federal law addresses these incidents through criminal penalties, including financial penalties and imprisonment.”

The Senators concluded: “We must re-emphasize that current use of the SAVE program for list maintenance is illegal, and efforts to coerce states to conduct mass voter purges during the ‘quiet period’ are also illegal under the NVRA, despite DOJ arguments to the contrary in recent court filings. The DOJ should also drop its litigation to obtain state voter rolls and its continued threats to prosecute election officials. As you know, DOJ has lost every federal case seeking to obtain states’ unredacted voter lists so far. We remain deeply opposed to the waste of taxpayer funds and attacks on state election officials involved with DOJ’s continued attempts to compel states to hand over unredacted voter rolls.”

The full text of the letter can be found HERE.

Shaheen was joined on the letter by Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Patty Murray (D-WA), Bernard Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Mark Warner (D-VA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RT) and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

As the Trump Administration continues its efforts to make voting more difficult for American citizens ahead of November’s midterm elections, Shaheen has remained outspoken in protecting the vote of all Americans. Shaheen has demanded the United States Postal Service abandon its proposed rule to implement President Trump’s unconstitutional executive order to restrict voting by mail, and in March took to the Senate floor to voice her strong opposition to the partisan SAVE America Act, which would prevent millions of eligible voters from exercising their civic duty. Shaheen also continues to push back against efforts in the Granite State to restrict students’ voting access. Throughout her time in the Senate, Shaheen has fought to protect America’s electoral system, including with legislation protecting election workers and her continued support of the John R. Lewis Voting Advancement Act. Shaheen for years has also led the Democracy for All Amendment, a constitutional amendment that would protect election integrity by overturning the Supreme Court’s ruling in Citizens United v. FEC, which opened the door to a flood of corporate and dark money in American elections that have diminished the voice of voters.

###",1,2026-08-11T05:54:29Z,2026-08-11T05:56:25Z
https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/shaheen-statement-on-passage-of-continuing-resolution-to-avoid-government-shutdown-in-fall,Shaheen Statement on Passage of Continuing Resolution to Avoid Government Shutdown in Fall,2026-08-08,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,NH,Jeanne Shaheen,S001181,www.shaheen.senate.gov,shaheen,https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press,scraper,"(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, released the following statement after voting to advance the continuing resolution to keep the government open through December:

“I’m relieved that the Senate came together to pass a continuing resolution on an overwhelming bipartisan basis that will avoid a government shutdown in the fall that would hurt Granite Staters. While stop-gap funding bills can create inefficiencies within government that sow uncertainty in the economy, this step represents a reasonable path forward that will allow time for Republicans and Democrats to reach an agreement on a realistic appropriations package that works for the American people.

“Americans want us to work together to solve problems and make their lives better. When we return to Congress in September, I remain committed to working in good faith alongside my colleagues to deliver spending packages that invest in our states and communities and provide the long-term certainty they need.”

###",1,2026-08-09T05:47:57Z,2026-08-09T05:49:40Z
https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/shaheen-statement-on-vote-against-attorney-general-nominee-todd-blanche,Shaheen Statement on Vote Against Attorney General Nominee Todd Blanche,2026-08-08,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,NH,Jeanne Shaheen,S001181,www.shaheen.senate.gov,shaheen,https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press,scraper,"(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) released the following statement on her vote against President Trump’s nominee to be U.S. Attorney General, Todd Blanche:

“Todd Blanche has proven himself to be unfit to be the next attorney general. He is the architect and champion of the President’s corrupt slush fund, which would channel $1.8 billion in tax dollars to people who assaulted police officers defending the U.S. Capitol and attempted to overthrow the government. He’s refused to give the American people assurances that this outrageous weaponization fund is dead.

“Instead of fighting corruption, Blanche helped the President himself, his family and his businesses get off the hook and exempted by the IRS. That’s not the way our country should work—no elected officials should be above the law. At a time when so many Americans are struggling to get by, it’s absolutely unacceptable for any public official to be given a green light to enrich themselves or their political allies.”

###",1,2026-08-09T05:47:57Z,2026-08-09T05:49:40Z
https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases/passed-the-senate-hassan-cramer-bipartisan-bill-to-help-strengthen-northern-border-security,"PASSED THE SENATE: Hassan, Cramer Bipartisan Bill to Help Strengthen Northern Border Security",2026-08-07,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,NH,Margaret Wood Hassan,H001076,www.hassan.senate.gov,hassan,https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Bipartisan legislation led by U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Kevin Cramer (R-ND) to strengthen security at the Northern border by requiring the Department of Homeland Security to regularly complete a new Northern Border Threat Analysis and update its Northern Border Strategy unanimously passed the Senate. Even though criminal activity continues to evolve along the Northern border, there has not been a Northern Border Threat Analysis conducted since 2017, and the Northern Border Strategy has not been updated since 2018.

“As threats at our Northern border continue to evolve, the federal government’s strategy must keep pace,” said Senator Hassan. “I am glad that the Senate unanimously passed our bipartisan bill to give law enforcement officers current information and a clear strategy to combat drug smuggling and other illegal cross-border activity, and I urge the House to pass this commonsense legislation without delay.”

“A secure nation requires secure borders, but the threats differ from North to South,” said Senator Cramer. “The Senate’s passage of the Northern Border Security Enhancement and Review Act recognizes our two borders are distinct and require different strategies. This bill gives us the tools to better identify and respond to emerging threats while preserving the strong U.S.-Canada partnership keeping our communities safe and our economy moving.”

This legislation is part of Senator Hassan’s ongoing efforts to strengthen border security. Senator Hassan most recentlyvisited the Northern border last year in Pittsburg, where she received a security briefing from Border Patrol and state and local law enforcement officials and she toured a segment of the border. Senator Hassan has also introduced bipartisan legislation to allow U.S. and Canadian law enforcement personnel to jointly patrol both sides of the Northern border by aircraft, helping them more effectively combat drug smuggling and other illegal cross-border activities. Earlier this year, Senator Hassan met with federal law enforcement officials working at the Southern border to discuss efforts to counter drug trafficking, terrorism, and other national security threats.

###",1,2026-08-08T05:41:38Z,2026-08-08T05:43:24Z
https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/shaheen-helps-introduce-legislation-to-stop-the-trump-administration-from-hiding-the-human-cost-of-the-iran-war,Shaheen Helps Introduce Legislation to Stop the Trump Administration from Hiding the Human Cost of the Iran War,2026-08-07,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,NH,Jeanne Shaheen,S001181,www.shaheen.senate.gov,shaheen,https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press,scraper,"Shaheen Helps Introduce Legislation to Stop the Trump Administration from Hiding the Human Cost of the Iran War

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee and a senior member of the Armed Services Committee, joined 17 of her Senate Democratic colleagues in introducing legislation that would ban the U.S. Secretary of Defense from manipulating casualty records and jeopardizing the benefits of our service members and public servants. The Honoring the Sacrifices of Our Troops in War Act comes after the Pentagon unprecedentedly recategorized recent casualties suffered in President Trump’s Iran war—including four killed and over 200 wounded service members—under a separate category outside Operation Epic Fury in a shameless attempt to downplay the true cost of his disastrous conflict and evade accountability to the American people.

“It’s outrageous the Administration would try to shortchange our troops and their families from receiving the full benefits that they have earned through service and sacrifice,” said Senator Shaheen. “Because President Trump and Secretary Hegseth started a war they don’t know how to end, they’re trying to obscure the real costs of it—all while service members’ benefits hang in the balance. Our bill would ensure these brave patriots and their families receive the full support that they are due.”

Specifically, the Honoring the Sacrifices of Our Troops in War Act would:

Ban arbitrary, unjustified recategorizing of designated contingency operations by prohibiting redesignating an ongoing conflict if the Administration continues to mobilize forces against the same enemy;

Prevent manipulation of casualty records by prohibiting manipulation of casualty records by falsely redesignating a contingency operation;

Restore casualty records of our fallen and wounded heroes in the Iran war by requiring restoration of casualty records for Iran-related operations since February 28, 2026, and notify next-of-kin about the correction;

Ban cutting hard-earned benefits for troops and civilian personnel by prohibiting the modification of eligibility for deployment-related personnel benefits on the basis of falsely redesignating a contingency operation; and

restore benefits to personnel supporting Iran war by retroactively restoring all covered benefits entitled to members of the Armed Services and civilian employees who have supported Iran-related operations since February 28, 2026.

A copy of the legislation can be read HERE.

The Honoring the Sacrifices of Our Troops in War Act is endorsed by VoteVets and Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA).

Since President Trump began the war in Iran, Senator Shaheen has continued to grill Secretary Hegseth and top Administration officials about their lack of strategy and transparency surrounding the conflict in the Middle East. Last month, Shaheen joined her colleagues on a letter to the Department of Defense demanding a full and accurate accounting of all service member casualties in support of or in connection with Operation Epic Fury. Shaheen also recently pressed Secretary Hegseth on the cost of the war and questioned why the American people were being asked to further absorb the cost of the war when the Department still has unspent funding.

###",1,2026-08-08T05:41:38Z,2026-08-08T05:43:24Z
https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/shaheen-applauds-advancement-of-her-bipartisan-bill-to-bring-missing-service-members-home,Shaheen Applauds Advancement of Her Bipartisan Bill to Bring Missing Service Members Home,2026-08-06,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,NH,Jeanne Shaheen,S001181,www.shaheen.senate.gov,shaheen,https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press,scraper,"(Washington, DC) – Today, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee and a senior member of the Armed Services Committee, and Mike Crapo (R-ID) applauded the advancement of their bipartisan bill to strengthen efforts to bring home missing service members by a unanimous, bipartisan vote in the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. The Bring Our Heroes Home Act would eliminate obstacles preventing families from accessing records needed to learn more about the fates of service members and civilian personnel who went missing.

“Military families often wait years, sometimes even decades, to access information about their lost loved ones who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country,” said Senator Shaheen. “I’m pleased the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee unanimously cleared our legislation to ensure the records of service members are properly collected and shared so that our lost soldiers’ loved ones can get the closure they need to heal.”

“We have a duty to our missing servicemembers and their families to make every effort to bring them home,” said Senator Crapo. “Government bureaucracy cannot stand in the way of fulfilling this promise or providing closure to families who, in some cases, have waited decades for answers about their loved ones. The Committee’s action today is an important step forward, and I will continue working to get this bill signed into law.”

According to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, more than 81,500 Americans remain unaccounted for from World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Cold War, the Gulf Wars and other conflicts. Shaheen secured a provision based on the Bring Our Heroes Home Act in the Committee-approved Fiscal Year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to eliminate obstacles preventing families and caseworkers from accessing the records needed for recovering America’s POWs and MIA.

Throughout her time in Congress, Shaheen has worked diligently on behalf of Granite State families to return the remains of their loved ones lost in war. In 2016, Shaheen successfully added an amendment to North Korea Sanctions legislation, which was signed into law, to protect efforts to recover the remains of American service members in North Korea. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 government funding legislation that was signed into law, Shaheen supported efforts to increase funding of an additional $30 million for the Defense Personnel Accounting Agency (DPAA), which is the agency responsible for identifying remains of POWs and MIAs from conflicts around the world.

###",1,2026-08-07T06:11:19Z,2026-08-07T06:12:42Z
https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/shaheen-cassidy-introduce-bipartisan-legislation-to-establish-support-for-disabled-entrepreneurs,"Shaheen, Cassidy Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Establish Support for Disabled Entrepreneurs",2026-08-06,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,NH,Jeanne Shaheen,S001181,www.shaheen.senate.gov,shaheen,https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press,scraper,"(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) are introducing bipartisan legislation that would help reduce barriers and increase support for disabled entrepreneurs starting and expanding their small businesses. The bipartisan Supporting Disabled Entrepreneurs Act would direct the Small Business Administration (SBA) to establish a designated Coordinator for Disabled Small Business Concerns and to collect data, on a voluntary basis, on the disability status of small business owners participating in SBA programs.

“Disabled entrepreneurs face a unique set of obstacles to building and growing their businesses, so it’s critical that these individuals have specialized avenues for support and equal access to resources at the Small Business Administration,” said Senator Shaheen. “Our legislation would do just that, ensuring disabled small business owners can attain financial stability and unlock the kind of innovative, entrepreneurial opportunity that is vital to helping our local economies flourish.”

In the United States, one in four people live with disabilities, and according to a 2022 report by National Disability Institute, approximately 1.8 million individuals with disabilities are business owners. Entrepreneurship offers an alternative path to traditional employment for individuals with disabilities. To achieve economic prosperity and independence, Americans living with a disability turn to self-employment and small business development at a rate that is nearly twice that of people without disabilities. Several barriers persist for this community in starting and growing their own businesses, including a lack of targeted technical and programmatic assistance as well as outdated attitudinal norms.

To address these barriers, the Supporting Disabled Entrepreneurs Act directs the SBA to:

Establish a Coordinator for Disabled Small Business Concerns at the agency;

Collect voluntary demographic data from program applicants on disability status; and

Publish data on the participation of disabled entrepreneurs in SBA programs.

A copy of the bill text can be read HERE.

The Supporting Disabled Entrepreneurs Act is endorsed by the National Disability Institute (NDI), America's Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network, NH SBDC, 2Gether-International, American Association of People with Disabilities, Disability Rights Center – NH, Melwood, Alliance for Expanding America's Workforce, CEO Commission for Disability Employment, National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) and Gallaudet University.

As a senior member and former chair of the U.S. Senate Small Business Committee, Shaheen champions the work to support New Hampshire’s small business community. In Congress, Shaheen leads efforts to mitigate the harmful impacts of President Trump’s tariffs, including with the introduction of the Speedy Tariff Refund Act to ensure full refunds of President Trump’s illegal tariffs that raised costs for American small business owners. Shaheen also directly called out Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick for the harm the Administration has inflicted on New Hampshire’s small businesses. Shaheen has traveled across the Granite State to discuss the impact of tariffs on New Hampshire’s tourism industry and to visit businesses impacted by President Trump’s trade war.

###",1,2026-08-07T06:11:19Z,2026-08-07T06:12:42Z
https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/shaheen-leads-new-hampshire-and-maine-colleagues-in-opposing-new-opm-rule-weakening-civilian-labor-protections-at-portsmouth-naval-shipyard,Shaheen Leads New Hampshire and Maine Colleagues in Opposing New OPM Rule Weakening Civilian Labor Protections at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard,2026-08-04,2026,2026-08,Democrat,Senate,NH,Jeanne Shaheen,S001181,www.shaheen.senate.gov,shaheen,https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press,scraper,"(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) led U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Angus King (I-ME) and U.S. Representatives Chris Pappas (NH-01), Maggie Goodlander (NH-02) and Chellie Pingree (ME-01) in raising concerns around a new rule proposed by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the Merit Systems Protection Board that would weaken civil service protections and undermine workers’ rights at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY). In their letter, the lawmakers note that the rule would threaten workforce recruitment and retention at the Shipyard—which already needs 700 workers annually to keep pace—and potentially harm U.S. naval readiness.

The lawmakers wrote, in part: “We write in strong opposition to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB)’s proposed rule ‘Promoting Employee Accountability,’ Docket OPM-2025-0012 (RIN 3206-AO91). This proposed rule would weaken longstanding civil service protections that promote merit-based employment, due process and the recruitment and retention of skilled workers. Moreover, as Members of Congress who represent nearly eight thousand civilian workers at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, we are concerned about the proposed rule’s impact on workers essential to our national security.”

They continued: “As you are no doubt aware, the men and women who work at our public shipyards are critical members of our defense industrial base, without whom the ability to repair, retrofit and refuel our country’s submarines would be in jeopardy. In our states, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (PNSY) has nearly eight thousand civilian employees, creating more than $1.5 billion in annual economic impact in surrounding communities. [...] PNSY currently needs to hire over 700 workers annually to meet the Navy’s demand – which is an increase from 550 over the past two years. Further, policies that reduce workplace protections risk making federal service less attractive to qualified candidates. Due to civilian hiring quotas imposed by the Office of Personnel Management, PNSY has struggled to onboard workers and cannot risk additional delays or departures. If the Administration intends to retain this political litmus test at our public shipyards, the costs of unnecessarily losing more skilled workers through this proposed rule far outweigh any potential benefit.”

They concluded: “By stripping away the procedures that keep discipline fair for civilian employees doing the work of naval readiness and refusing to consider important factors, the proposed rule introduces costly unpredictability in the workforce and needlessly undermines readiness. We are concerned this will increase attrition in the critical and experienced workforce that keeps our submarine fleet ready, ultimately harming the shipyard’s ability to meet the Navy’s needs and threatening our national security. We, therefore, ask you to withdraw OPM and MSPB’s proposed rule, ‘Promoting Employee Accountability,’ and consider alternatives that preserve federal workers’ longstanding civil service protections.”

A full copy of the letter can be read HERE.

As a co-chair of the U.S. Senate Navy Caucus and a senior member of the U.S. Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee and Armed Services Committee, Senator Shaheen has long advocated for New England’s shipbuilding industry and workforce, including through authorizing funding and workforce development for the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. Recently, Shaheen led the Maine and New Hampshire Congressional delegations in calling for the Trump Administration to explain its refusal to process an Unfair Labor Practice charge (ULP) filed by the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Metal Trades Council on behalf of its members. In the Committee-approved Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and the enacted FY 26 NDAA, Shaheen secured full authorization for the Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program investments at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. Shaheen’s provision to exempt employees from all four public shipyards from OPM’s civilian hiring freeze and any future hiring freezes or reductions in force was included in the FY 2026 NDAA and extended in the Committee-passed FY 27 NDAA. She also secured a number of other provisions to increase capacity at the Shipyard and improve quality of life.

###",1,2026-08-05T07:37:37Z,2026-08-05T07:38:44Z
https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/shaheen-tours-derry_londonderry-i-93-exit-4a-project-leads-discussion-with-new-hampshire-aerospace-leaders-in-merrimack-delivers-remarks-to-honor-korean-war-veterans-in-boscawen,"Shaheen Tours Derry – Londonderry I-93 Exit 4A Project, Leads Discussion with New Hampshire Aerospace Leaders in Merrimack, Delivers Remarks to Honor Korean War Veterans in Boscawen",2026-07-31,2026,2026-07,Democrat,Senate,NH,Jeanne Shaheen,S001181,www.shaheen.senate.gov,shaheen,https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press,scraper,"(Boscawen, NH) – Today, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) visited the site of the Derry – Londonderry I-93 Exit 4A project to tour the site and received a briefing on the status of the project. Prior to her visit to the Exit 4A site, Shaheen began the day by leading a roundtable with Granite State aerospace business leaders in the wake of her Congressional delegation to the Farnborough Air Show in the United Kingdom. She closed the day at the New Hampshire State Veterans Cemetery in Boscawen, where she delivered remarks to honor Korean War veterans.

Photos from today’s events can be found HERE.

In Derry, Shaheen visited the site of the Derry – Londonderry I-93 Exit 4A project, where she toured the active construction site and was given an update on the projected timeline for completion of the project by officials from the New Hampshire Department of Transportation. The I-93 Exit 4A project is a longtime priority for the Derry and Londonderry communities, and once completed, it will improve traffic safety while unlocking access to underdeveloped lands and easing traffic in both communities. The I-93 4A Exit project was funded in part by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which Shaheen helped negotiate and pass in Congress.

“The Derry – Londonderry I-93 Exit 4A project will reduce traffic congestion, promote downtown Derry and Londonderry and improve safety in each community and for travelers across the state,” said Senator Shaheen. “Touring the active Exit 4A site today underscored the importance of continued federal investments in our state’s road infrastructure to boost tourism and spur economic development. I was proud to see the progress made since my last visit to the site and will continue to support this critical project.”

As a key negotiator of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Shaheen helped secure a $550 billion investment in our nation’s infrastructure, including more than $1.1 billion for roads, bridges, roadway safety and major projects in New Hampshire. In 2024, Shaheen was joined by then-Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in a visit to the Exit 4A site to highlight the impact in New Hampshire of federal investments in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

Earlier in the day, Shaheen led a roundtable in Nashua on the heels of the 2026 Farnborough Air Show, the largest biennial trade-show in the world. At the roundtable, Shaheen led a discussion on pathways to unlock new markets for New Hampshire businesses, the state’s status in the global aerospace market and the critical role the Air Show played in connecting Granite State businesses with industry leaders across the globe.

“New Hampshire’s robust aerospace industry remains on the cutting-edge of innovation, building and manufacturing products that spur technological innovation and keep our nation safe,” said Senator Shaheen. “Following record turnout at Farnborough earlier this month, it was great to convene industry leaders from across the state for an insightful conversation recapping this year’s Air Show and discussing the bright future that lies ahead for one of our state’s most valuable industries.”

Just recently, Shaheen led her final bipartisan Congressional delegation to the Farnborough Air Show with the goal of representing New Hampshire’s aerospace sector on the international stage. Aerospace serves as New Hampshire’s top export sector, supporting 24,000 jobs and representing $1.7 billion in exports in 2025 alone. The New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs, alongside New Hampshire’s Aerospace and Defense Consortium (NHADC), directly connects Granite State talent with the state’s $12.5 billion aerospace, space and defense sector. NHADC featured New Hampshire exhibitors at the Air Show this year through the State Trade Expansion Program (STEP), which provides export assistance to small businesses. Senator Shaheen created the STEP program in 2010 and continues to lead action in support of STEP in Congress.

To close the day, Shaheen attended and delivered remarks at the New Hampshire State Veterans Cemetery to honor New Hampshire veterans of the Korean War and thank them for their service and sacrifice. Hosted by the Korean American Society of New Hampshire following National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day earlier this week, the event was also attended by Governor Kelly Ayotte, Sun Woo Park, President of the Korean American Society of New Hampshire, Jeongyeol Kwak, Deputy Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Boston and Maj. Gen. David J. Mikolaities, Adjutant General of the New Hampshire National Guard.

“The courage, service and sacrifice of American soldiers in Korea helped preserve freedom for millions and was a proud chapter in the history of our country’s military,” said Senator Shaheen. “Our brave service members who fought in Korea must never be forgotten, and I was honored to join the Korean American Society of New Hampshire to express our gratitude to the veterans of the Korean War for their valor and unyielding commitment to our nation.”

Throughout her time in public office, Senator Shaheen has remained a staunch advocate for our nation’s veterans and for the families of those service members who remain unaccounted for from American conflicts overseas. For years, Shaheen has led the bipartisan Bring Our Heroes Home Act, legislation that would eliminate obstacles preventing families from accessing records needed to learn more about the fates of service members and civilian personnel who went missing. Earlier this year, Shaheen helped secure a provision in the annual Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) based on her Bring Our Heroes Home Act.

###",1,2026-08-01T07:27:26Z,2026-08-01T07:28:22Z
https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/shaheen-van-hollen-call-on-treasury-secretary-bessent-to-explain-inaction-on-long-overdue-harriet-tubman-20-bill-redesign,"Shaheen, Van Hollen Call on Treasury Secretary Bessent to Explain Inaction on Long Overdue Harriet Tubman $20 Bill Redesign",2026-07-30,2026,2026-07,Democrat,Senate,NH,Jeanne Shaheen,S001181,www.shaheen.senate.gov,shaheen,https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press,scraper,"**Shaheen leads a decade-long effort to place Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill stemming from her longstanding legislation**

(Washington, DC) – Today, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) are leading eight Senators in pressing the U.S. Department of Treasury to explain why it is no longer planning to redesign the $20 bill to depict Harriet Tubman’s likeness and urging it to reconsider. Their letter, calling for more transparency and clarity, is a direct response to recent comments from Treasury Secretary Bessent indicating the Department is not currently working to put Harriet Tubman on U.S. currency. The Senators note that the Department has instead devoted resources to circulating multiple coins with President Trump’s likeness and plans for an illegal $250 bill depicting the President.

The Senators wrote, in part: “We write to express our deep frustration that the Department of the Treasury is ‘not at present’ planning to move forward with the long-standing effort to place Harriet Tubman on the twenty-dollar bill. The process to celebrate Tubman through our currency included extensive public engagement and bipartisan recognition of her extraordinary contributions to our nation, but your recent decision ignores that and abandons years of work at Treasury to honor her legacy. We urge you to immediately reconsider and resume plans to create the new bill without further delay.”

They continued: “While we acknowledge the creation of a new currency note is a multi-year process involving design, counterfeit protection and implementation into our financial system, the administration has released plans for a $250 bill depicting President Trump to celebrate America’s 250th birthday, a currency that would be illegal for the Treasury Department to issue under current law. You also released plans for multiple coins featuring President Trump’s likeness for the semiquincentennial. Meanwhile, a woman has not been featured on modern American currency in over a century and recognition for their contributions to our nation are long overdue. If the administration is actively working on new currency notes, the administration should focus on the long-standing plan to feature Harriet Tubman rather than develop a new design.”

They concluded: “Honoring Harriet Tubman on our nation's currency is an important recognition of her legacy and we urge you to reconsider. In addition, we request that you provide a detailed explanation of your comments about placing Harriet Tubman on the twenty-dollar bill, including what factors informed the decision and whether the redesign has been permanently canceled or merely delayed. The American people and Congress deserve transparency regarding this decision, and we request a briefing no later than August 12, 2026.”

The full letter can be read HERE.

In addition to Senators Shaheen and Van Hollen, the letter is cosigned by U.S. Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Mazie Hirono (D-HI) and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

For a decade, Senator Shaheen has led action in the Senate pushing for Harriet Tubman’s depiction on the $20 bill. In 2015, she called on the Obama administration to feature a woman on our currency through executive action and introduced the Harriet Tubman Tribute Act to require all $20 bills to bear Tubman’s likeness. During the first Trump Administration, Shaheen called on U.S. Department of Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to release a detailed timeline on the $20 bill redesign to meet the 2020 deadline in conjunction with the 100-year anniversary of women’s suffrage. Secretary Mnuchin failed to provide such information and the Trump Administration refused to make this a priority. Shaheen engaged with the Biden administration transition team before the President took office, urging his administration to make this a priority. In 2021, Shaheen, along with then-U.S. Senator Ben Sasse (R-NE), sent a letter to U.S. Department of Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, urging the Department to prioritize putting Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill.

###",1,2026-07-31T07:49:23Z,2026-07-31T07:50:48Z
https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases/icymi-during-interview-with-wkbks-dan-mitchell-senator-hassan-discusses-the-rising-costs-facing-new-hampshire-families,"ICYMI: During Interview with WKBK’s Dan Mitchell, Senator Hassan Discusses the Rising Costs Facing New Hampshire Families",2026-07-29,2026,2026-07,Democrat,Senate,NH,Margaret Wood Hassan,H001076,www.hassan.senate.gov,hassan,https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"KEENE – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan joined WKBK’s Dan Mitchell to discuss the rising costs that New Hampshire families are facing because of President Trump. In the interview, Senator Hassan highlighted the new Joint Economic Committee – Minority report that shows that New Hampshire families have spent $4,400 more on goods and services under President Trump.

In case you missed it, listen to Senator Hassan’s interview here and see below for some key moments:

Senator Hassan on what she’s hearing from New Hampshire families: “Housing costs, grocery costs, energy, health care, those are all top of mind for people because those are the things you have to pay for... You've got to make that math work every month, and right now, it is not working for way too many people here in New Hampshire and around the country.”

Senator Hassan on Trump’s actions that drive up costs: “The hardest part about this for me in particular is knowing that Donald Trump's decisions to impose tariffs around the world and to go to war with Iran have made this problem worse. Some of the reasons that we're seeing these costs — not only some of the reasons, a lot of the reasons we're seeing these costs so high—are directly related to decisions that Donald Trump has made about the war, about refusing to extend tax cuts for people to pay for their ACA healthcare premiums, and tariffs. If he would reverse those things, or if Congress would vote to and pressure him to reverse those things and override vetoes if he made them, we could help bring costs down.”

Senator Hassan on the bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act she helped pass: “I also want people to know with all the news about high costs, we did pass a bipartisan housing bill which has become law. And that bill, among other things, will keep Wall Street companies—big private equity companies—from buying [up] single-family homes. That should help with the supply of homes. It cuts red tape so that we can build more homes more quickly, and it also cuts the cost of manufactured housing, which is a critical component to increasing our housing supply. I want people to leave this conversation with an understanding that even in the midst of all this difficulty and this sense that the country's going in the wrong direction, we did find a way to get bipartisan work done to begin to increase the supply of housing in this country, which should help bring costs down.”

###",1,2026-07-30T07:32:48Z,2026-07-30T07:34:08Z
https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/after-months-of-pressure-from-senator-shaheen-administration-finally-releases-global-health-funds-to-vaccinate-children-and-prevent-global-outbreaks,"After Months of Pressure from Senator Shaheen, Administration Finally Releases Global Health Funds to Vaccinate Children and Prevent Global Outbreaks",2026-07-29,2026,2026-07,Democrat,Senate,NH,Jeanne Shaheen,S001181,www.shaheen.senate.gov,shaheen,https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press,scraper,"**After pressing both Secretaries Rubio and Kennedy on the stalled distribution, Shaheen helped facilitate the release of $600 million in Congressional appropriations to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance**

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, celebrated the release of $600 million in Congressionally-appropriated funds for Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, that was previously withheld by U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Shaheen facilitated negotiations between HHS and Gavi to help achieve this outcome and sustained public pressure on the Administration to end their blockade of life-saving resources.

“I am glad that the Administration finally announced it would release the $600 million Congress directed to Gavi, ending a months-long, unnecessary stalemate based on baseless obstructionism from Secretary Kennedy. Gavi supports American manufacturing jobs, it helps prevent outbreaks from reaching the United States’ shores and it strengthens global health; since its founding, it has prevented more than 20 million deaths. This resolution, despite being long overdue, is welcome news for global health security,” said Senator Shaheen. “In the context of a raging Ebola epidemic that is growing, this funding is urgently needed to support efforts led by Gavi to enable mass production of a vaccine to treat this lethal strain of Ebola that currently has no cure. I look forward to continuing to conduct rigorous oversight to ensure that the Department of State obligates all $600 million as intended.”

In April, Shaheen demanded answers from U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as to why crucial global health vaccine funding has not been delivered despite being appropriated by Congress. Specifically, highlighting that millions of children could die if the funding wasn’t fulfilled, Shaheen pressed Secretary Kennedy about whether he was knowingly blocking funding that helps vaccinate millions of children and prevents global health outbreaks. Secretary Kennedy agreed to appoint someone to work with Gavi and Shaheen’s office to reach a solution.

In May, Shaheen led a group of bipartisan lawmakers urging the State Department to restore U.S. contributions to Gavi. Last month, Shaheen again raised the issue with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in the context of the current Ebola outbreak, to which Gavi has committed up to $40 million for promising vaccine candidates. Secretary Rubio expressed that he would like to re-engage in resolving the funding impasse.

###",1,2026-07-30T07:32:48Z,2026-07-30T07:34:08Z
https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/shaheen-raises-concerns-about-usda-rural-development-reorganization,Shaheen Raises Concerns About USDA Rural Development Reorganization,2026-07-29,2026,2026-07,Democrat,Senate,NH,Jeanne Shaheen,S001181,www.shaheen.senate.gov,shaheen,https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press,scraper,"(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee and Ranking Member of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies (Ag-FDA) Appropriations Subcommittee, joined her colleagues in raising strong concerns about the plan to reorganize the Rural Development mission area at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The letter was led by Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, and Peter Welch (D-VT), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Rural Development, Energy, and Credit.

The Senators wrote, in part: “We write with significant concern regarding the reorganization of the Rural Development mission area at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Rural communities, small businesses, and families will lose access to important services if the proposed reorganization plan moves forward. Rural Development is a unique division within the Department, supporting agriculture and ensuring that rural communities prosper by administering grants and loans to support rural businesses, providing financial support for rural housing, financing the construction of rural health clinics and daycare centers, and championing critical infrastructure projects for water, electric, or broadband.”

They continued: “In order for rural communities to benefit from these projects, the Rural Development agency must have the capacity to process applications and disburse funds. The mission area has already lost about 36 percent of its staff last year, with nearly a third of those who left having more than 20 years of USDA experience. The reorganization plan for Rural Development will result in even further cuts, with 60 percent of staff in the National Capital Region being required to relocate to St. Louis or Dallas […] Rural Development’s depletion of staff has already left rural America without the support it needs as the prices of gas, groceries, and agricultural inputs are skyrocketing as a result of tariffs and foreign conflicts. Without adequate and expert staff, the money that Congress has appropriated to help rural communities will not reach its intended beneficiaries.”

The full letter can be read HERE.

As Ranking Member of the Ag-FDA Appropriations Subcommittee, Senator Shaheen has been outspoken about the misguided plans by the Trump Administration to reorganize USDA. Shaheen successfully pushed back against the closure of New Hampshire’s Hubbard Brook and Bartlett Experimental Forests as part of the reorganization of the U.S. Forest Service earlier this year. Following conversations with Secretary Rollins and New Hampshire Governor Kelly Ayotte, Shaheen secured confirmation that the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) would not close New Hampshire’s Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest and a commitment from Secretary Rollins to review plans at Bartlett Experimental Forest.

###",1,2026-07-30T07:32:48Z,2026-07-30T07:34:08Z
https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senators-hassan-grassley-introduce-bipartisan-bill-to-help-stop-1-billion-in-tax-fraud-and-identity-theft,"Senators Hassan, Grassley Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Help Stop $1 Billion in Tax Fraud and Identity Theft",2026-07-28,2026,2026-07,Democrat,Senate,NH,Margaret Wood Hassan,H001076,www.hassan.senate.gov,hassan,https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) introduced the bipartisan Preventing Tax Fraud and Identity Theft Act to better protect Americans from tax fraud and identity theft by more quickly giving the federal government the information that it needs to verify tax returns before fraudulent tax refunds are sent out. The legislation comes as a part of Senator Hassan’s work to help combat scams and government waste, fraud, and abuse.

“Hardworking Americans shouldn’t have to worry about bad actors stealing their identity and filing fraudulent tax returns in their name,” said Senator Hassan. “This bipartisan legislation will help stop almost $1 billion in fraud by giving the IRS the same information that taxpayers already have, and better help protect people and our government from waste, fraud, and abuse.”

“This commonsense legislation is a meaningful step toward strengthening protections for the taxpayer. By moving up the due date for certain third-party information returns, our bipartisan bill will improve tax compliance and help protect taxpayers from tax-related identity theft. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation to help the IRS prevent tax refund fraud,” saidSenator Grassley.

While taxpayers generally receive many tax forms by January 31, businesses often do not electronically submit the same information to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) until March 31. This two-month gap can prevent the IRS from verifying information on tax returns before refunds are issued, giving criminals an opportunity to file fraudulent tax returns using stolen identities. The Preventing Tax Fraud and Identity Theft Act would close this loophole by requiring tax forms to be submitted to the IRS at the same time as they get sent to taxpayers — helping the agency stop an estimated $944 million in fraud over the next decade.

Specifically, the Preventing Tax Fraud and Identity Theft Act would:

· Accelerate the filing deadline for certain information returns from March 31 to January 31 so the IRS receives the same information as taxpayers do at the same time.

· Give the IRS the information it needs to verify tax returns before issuing refunds, helping prevent fraudulent tax refunds.

· Better protect taxpayers from identity theft by allowing the IRS to detect fraudulent returns earlier in the filing season.

· Cut waste, fraud, and abuse while helping to protect an estimated $944 million in taxpayer dollars over the next decade.

The proposal is supported by the IRS, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, and the Electronic Tax Administration Advisory Council.

Click here to view the text of the bill.

The Preventing Tax Fraud and Identity Theft Act builds on Senator Hassan’s longstanding efforts to protect taxpayers, prevent waste and fraud, and help government work more effectively for the American people. Last month, she introduced the bipartisan ReportScams.gov Act to establish a centralized portal where Americans can report scams and get help. She also introduced the bipartisan No Aid for Ghost Students Act to prevent fraudsters from using stolen identities to steal federal student aid. As Ranking Member of the Joint Economic Committee, Senator Hassan is leading comprehensive investigations into combating scams, and as part of that, she led a Committee hearing earlier this year where she secured commitments from the FBI and Department of Justice to improve coordination and strengthen the federal response to scams.

###",1,2026-07-29T07:41:48Z,2026-07-29T07:42:57Z
https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/shaheen-colleagues-press-hegseth-on-inaccurate-casualty-reporting-lack-of-transparency-about-human-cost-of-war-in-iran,"Shaheen, Colleagues Press Hegseth on Inaccurate Casualty Reporting, Lack of Transparency About Human Cost of War in Iran",2026-07-28,2026,2026-07,Democrat,Senate,NH,Jeanne Shaheen,S001181,www.shaheen.senate.gov,shaheen,https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press,scraper,"(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, joined a group of her Senate colleagues in a letter to the Department of Defense (DoD) demanding a full and accurate accounting of all service member casualties in support of or in connection with Operation Epic Fury, the President’s military campaign in Iran. The Senators raised concerns about multiple inconsistencies between the Pentagon’s public casualty number and official statements and pressed Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth to be transparent with the American people, service members and their families on the human cost of the ongoing war in Iran.

The Senators wrote, in part: “The American people, Congress, service members, and their families are entitled to a full and accurate accounting of the human costs of war. The information currently available to the public suggests that the Department has not consistently provided timely and comprehensive public casualty reporting throughout the conflict.”

They continued: “This lack of transparency undermines confidence that military families and the American people are receiving a complete and accurate accounting of the sacrifices made by those serving in uniform.”

The Senators concluded: “We appreciate your prompt attention to these questions and expect a timely and complete response. Our service members and their families deserve nothing less than a full and honest accounting of the costs of this war.”

The full letter can be read HERE.

In addition to Shaheen, the letter was signed by Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Senate Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Jack Reed (D-RI), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI).

Since President Trump began the war in Iran, Senator Shaheen has continued to grill Secretary Hegseth and top Administration officials about their lack of strategy and transparency surrounding the conflict in the Middle East. Earlier this month, Shaheen pressed Secretary Hegseth on the cost of the war and questioned why the American people were being asked to further absorb the cost of the war when the Department still has unspent funding.

###",1,2026-07-29T07:41:48Z,2026-07-29T07:42:57Z
https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases/committee-advances-senator-hassans-bill-to-increase-health-care-price-transparency,Committee Advances Senator Hassan’s Bill to Increase Health Care Price Transparency,2026-07-27,2026,2026-07,Democrat,Senate,NH,Margaret Wood Hassan,H001076,www.hassan.senate.gov,hassan,https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee advanced bipartisan legislation that U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan helped introduce to help patients better understand the cost of their health care before they receive it.

The Patients Deserve Price Tags Act would require hospitals, clinical laboratories, imaging centers, and ambulatory care centers to publicly post the actual cash prices they charge for all health care services. The legislation would also strengthen transparency requirements for health plans offered through the federal marketplace by requiring clearer information about coverage and patient cost-sharing responsibilities.

""No one should have to guess what a health care service will cost before getting the care that they need,"" said Senator Hassan. ""Too often, patients are left navigating a confusing system without clear information about what they'll owe until after they've received care. This bipartisan legislation will help patients make more informed decisions by requiring greater transparency about health care prices and out-of-pocket costs, which will also help drive down costs as this transparency will allow patients to more easily compare prices at different health care providers for the same service.""

Current federal hospital transparency regulations require hospitals to post payer-negotiated minimum and maximum prices. The Patients Deserve Price Tags Act would go further by requiring providers to disclose their actual cash prices and requiring hospitals and insurers to give patients specific cost-sharing estimates in advance, giving patients clearer and more meaningful pricing information. The legislation builds on the No Surprises Act by clearly defining what information must be included in these estimates—including facility fees, a provision added at Senator Hassan's request—to help patients avoid unexpected costs.

The Patients Deserve Price Tags Act builds on Senator Hassan’s ongoing bipartisan work to lower costs and make health care more affordable. Earlier this year, two of Senator Hassan’s bipartisan measures to lower prescription drug costs passed into law. The Increasing Transparency in Generic Drug Applications Act will speed the approval of generic drugs by ending the lengthy guessing game that manufacturers currently go through with the FDA, enabling generic drugs to get to market sooner, lowering prices for consumers, and saving taxpayer dollars. The Patients Before Middlemen (PBM) Act helps stop pharmacy benefit managers from driving up prescription drug pricing for seniors. Senator Hassan’s No Surprises Act was signed into law in 2020 to protect patients from receiving unexpected medical bills.

###",1,2026-07-28T07:37:32Z,2026-07-28T07:38:50Z
https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases/release-senator-hassan-discusses-rising-food-and-grocery-costs-impact-of-trumps-tariffs-at-portsmouth-grocery-store,"Senator Hassan Discusses Rising Food & Grocery Costs, Impact of Trump’s Tariffs at Portsmouth Grocery Store",2026-07-27,2026,2026-07,Democrat,Senate,NH,Margaret Wood Hassan,H001076,www.hassan.senate.gov,hassan,https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"PORTSMOUTH – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan visited Richardson's Market in Portsmouth to hear from the owners of the locally owned grocery store about how President Trump’s reckless tariffs and his war in Iran are raising food and grocery costs for families.

""President Trump promised to lower prices, but families across New Hampshire are paying more every time they go to the grocery store because of his reckless tariffs and illegal war with Iran,"" said Senator Hassan. ""Now, his new tariffs on Canadian goods, as well as the across-the-board tariffs, will stretch the budgets of New Hampshire families even more. I appreciated the opportunity to hear directly from the owners of Richardson's Market about how rising costs are affecting their small business and the families that they serve. While the President continues his mission to make life more expensive, I'll keep working to lower costs for Granite Staters.""

Earlier this year, a Joint Economic Committee report found that families paid an average of $310 more for groceries in 2025 after President Trump took office. A new report released last week showed that New Hampshire families have had to spend $4,400 more due to inflation in Trump's second term. In addition, a new Joint Economic Committee report found that American farmers spent $1.4 billion more on diesel fuel during this year’s spring planting season than they did last year, driving up production costs that are ultimately passed down to families at the grocery store.

Last week, President Trump announced new 50 percent tariffs on many Canadian goods, as well as new across-the-board tariffs on dozens of countries, which will further increase costs for New Hampshire families and businesses.

###",1,2026-07-28T07:37:32Z,2026-07-28T07:38:50Z
https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/shaheen-helps-introduce-new-bipartisan-legislation-to-promote-renewable-fuels,Shaheen Helps Introduce New Bipartisan Legislation to Promote Renewable Fuels,2026-07-27,2026,2026-07,Democrat,Senate,NH,Jeanne Shaheen,S001181,www.shaheen.senate.gov,shaheen,https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press,scraper,"(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) joined her colleagues to introduce new bipartisan legislation that would expand the use of biomass from wood waste and low-value timber for renewable fuels. The Wildfire Reduction Market Expansion Act proposes to modernize the definition for renewable biomass under the Renewable Fuel Standard, establishing a strong market for woody biomass generated through responsible forest management activities.

“The forest products industry is crucial to the stewardship of the Granite State’s forests and fuels economic opportunity in our state’s rural communities,” said Senator Shaheen. “By allowing for timber byproducts to be used for renewable fuels, the legislation creates new markets for the material while also incentivizing continued sustainable management of our state’s working forests.”

The bill is supported by more than 74 organizations, including the National Alliance of Forest Owners (NAFO), Intertribal Timber Council (ITC), Alliance for Wildfire Resilience, American Forest Resource Council and American Farm Bureau Federation.

You can read the full bill text HERE.

Shaheen has long advocated for the Granite State’s forest products industry, including securing federal investments. Shaheen recently introduced the Community Wood Facilities Assistance Act, bipartisan legislation that supports innovative and sustainable wood products and energy from biomass made from small-diameter timber left over from forest thinning projects, including projects that reduce the risk of wildfire. The Community Wood Facilities Assistance Act builds on Shaheen and Collins’ Community Wood Energy Innovation Act which was signed into law in the 2018 Farm Bill and expanded the Community Wood Energy Program to better incentivize investments in energy-efficient wood energy systems and facilities that repurpose low-grade, low-value wood that would otherwise be sent to landfills.

###",1,2026-07-28T07:37:32Z,2026-07-28T07:38:50Z
https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/shaheen-joins-colleagues-in-investigating-whether-irs-misled-congress-and-public-about-agency-staffing-shortage-while-customer-service-dropped-off-during-filing-season,Shaheen Joins Colleagues in Investigating Whether IRS Misled Congress and Public About Agency Staffing Shortage While Customer Service Dropped Off During Filing Season,2026-07-27,2026,2026-07,Democrat,Senate,NH,Jeanne Shaheen,S001181,www.shaheen.senate.gov,shaheen,https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press,scraper,"(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) joined 13 of her Senate colleagues in investigating whether Frank Bisignano, Chief Executive Officer of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS), misled Congress and the public about his agency’s staffing problems after the Trump Administration gutted the IRS workforce—leaving Americans struggling to reach customer service at the agency during the past tax filing season. New reporting reveals that the IRS is scrambling to hire thousands of new workers after the agency fired or pushed out nearly 30,000 workers last year—more than a fourth of its staff.

The Senators wrote, in part: “We write regarding recent reports that after cutting 27 percent of its staff in 2025, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is now scrambling to hire thousands of new staff. These reports raise questions about whether you misled Congress and the public about the Trump administration’s reckless cuts at the agency. Earlier this year, you stated that the IRS had no additional staffing needs, despite the fact that the Trump Administration spent its first year in office firing or pushing out nearly 30,000 workers. You defended the staff cuts on numerous occasions […] You indicated in April 2026 that there was “no staffing shortage” at the IRS […].”

They continued: “But independent reports were telling a different story. In January, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration warned that staffing shortages were serious and could impact customer service at the IRS. Press reports described internal IRS communications explaining that the agency was struggling […] And contrary to your claims about improved customer service, an independent watchdog found that, during this filing season, time on hold for taxpayers more than doubled while IRS customer service representatives answered 20% fewer phone calls […] New reporting suggests that the IRS understood the need for more agency staff […] Yet when addressing Members of Congress, you did not mention the ‘ongoing staffing shortages [that] put the 2026 Filing Season at risk’ that IRS officials identified in the memo—instead, you repeatedly denied the existence of a staffing shortage.”

They concluded: “This discrepancy requires an explanation […] Therefore, to better understand whether you misrepresented the IRS’s staffing shortage to Congress and the public, we request that you answer the following questions by August 5, 2026: 1. Are the reports that the IRS requested and received special authority to hire new employees on an expedited basis accurate? If so: a. What authority was used for this hiring? b. When did the IRS request this authority? c. When was this authority granted? d. How many employees have been hired under this authority to date? e. Where have these employees been assigned? 2. Were you aware of the internal memo sent in February by Chief Human Capital Officer Alex Kweskin? If so, when did you become aware? If not, why not? 3. Had you read the memo prior to your appearances in front of the Congressional tax writing committees? If not, why not? 4. What was your basis for telling Congress and the public that there was ‘no staffing shortage’ at the IRS while at the same time seeking hiring authority due to a ‘critical hiring need’?”

The full letter can be read HERE.

Simplifying the tax system and ensuring Americans have the resources they need to file their taxes has been a long-time priority for Senator Shaheen. Ahead of this past tax season, Shaheen joined her colleagues in a letter warning that the IRS was woefully unprepared to assist the American people due to mass layoffs and chaos at the agency. Shaheen is a staunch supporter of the highly successful Direct File program, helping to introduce legislation earlier this year to reverse the Administration’s decision to cancel the popular program. Shaheen has also worked to protect Granite Staters who experienced challenges when using online tax services like TurboTax and introduced the Tax Filing Simplification Act to ease the tax filing process for millions of Americans and lower costs.

###",1,2026-07-28T07:37:32Z,2026-07-28T07:38:50Z
https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/at-farnborough-air-show-shaheen-represents-new-hampshire-aerospace-industry-celebrates-record-high-participation-from-granite-state-businesses,"At Farnborough Air Show, Shaheen Represents New Hampshire Aerospace Industry, Celebrates Record-High Participation from Granite State Businesses",2026-07-24,2026,2026-07,Democrat,Senate,NH,Jeanne Shaheen,S001181,www.shaheen.senate.gov,shaheen,https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press,scraper,"(London, U.K.) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee and a senior member of the Armed Services and Appropriations Committees, recently led her final bipartisan Congressional delegation to the Farnborough International Air Show, the largest biennial trade show in the world. This year’s Air Show had the strongest U.S. presence in history, including a robust trade delegation from New Hampshire. Aerospace serves as New Hampshire’s top export sector, supporting 24,000 jobs and representing $1.7 billion in exports in 2025 alone. The goal of Senator Shaheen’s travel to Farnborough was to showcase this key industry and connect Granite State businesses with industry leaders from across the globe. This year, a record number of representatives from New Hampshire travelled to the United Kingdom to participate in the Air Show, a testament to the growth of Granite State businesses and the value the Air Show provides.

Earlier in the weekend, Shaheen welcomed businesses from the entire region during SENEDIA’s fourth-annual New England Breakfast. During the celebration, SENEDIA also announced the Senator Jeanne Shaheen Aerospace and Defense Scholarship to support young women pursuing careers in aerospace and defense.

Photos from the Senator’s trip can be found HERE.

“Our state’s aerospace sector supports good jobs across New Hampshire, and I was proud to see this represented on the global stage at the Farnborough Air Show in my final year in the Senate,” said Senator Shaheen. “With thanks to the hard work of the New Hampshire Aerospace and Defense Consortium (NHADC) and SENEDIA, I’ve seen our presence grow year after year—and there were a record-breaking number of New Hampshire businesses at this year’s Air Show. The trade relationships fostered at the Air Show will bolster our state’s economy and fuel the innovation that builds technologies to keep America and our allies secure.”

""Thanks to Senator Shaheen's tireless work on behalf of aerospace, space, and defense for our nation, combined with the power of the STEP grant program, Members of NHADC are able to hire, grow, and prosper both domestically and on the international stage. She led us to this moment, and she will leave an even greater legacy. Her leadership inspires our present and future workforce. It is proof that hard work, dedication, and doing the right things for the right reasons always leads to success. We are now, and always will be, incredibly grateful for Senator Shaheen and her amazing accomplishments for the betterment of New Hampshire's leading industry,” said Randy Makee, Executive Director of NHADC.

“Defense is a $119 billion industry in New England, representing more than 407,000 jobs. Senator Jeanne Shaheen is a champion for the sector and for the hardworking people filling those jobs, and we are grateful for her leadership at Farnborough and in all of her work,"" said SENEDIA Board Chair Tim DelGiudice.

Every two years, the aerospace, aviation and defense industries are invited to Farnborough International Exhibition & Conference Centre for the Farnborough International Airshow, where civilian and military aircraft are demonstrated to potential customers and investors in Farnborough, United Kingdom. Moran and Shaheen led a bipartisan delegation to the Paris Air Show in 2025 and 2023. Senator Shaheen welcomed Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Michael Duffey, Deputy NASA Administrator Matt Andersen, U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom Warren Stephens and General Masiello, joint F-35 program director, to the opening of New Hampshire’s booth at the Air Show on Monday.

The New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs, alongside New Hampshire’s Aerospace and Defense Consortium (NHADC), directly connects Granite State talent with the state’s $12.5 billion aerospace, space and defense sector, ensuring New Hampshire businesses remain competitive on the global stage. NHADC featured New Hampshire exhibitors at the Air Show this year through the State Trade Expansion Program (STEP), which provides export assistance to small businesses. Senator Shaheen created the STEP program in 2010 and continues to lead action in support of STEP in Congress, including through leading efforts to advance STEP’s reauthorization out of the Senate Small Business Committee. Senator Shaheen’s new legislation would streamline reporting and administrative requirements of STEP, making it easier for businesses to use. New Hampshire exported about $19 million in aerospace products to the United Kingdom in 2023. 22 percent of all exports from the state are in the aerospace industry.

###",1,2026-07-25T07:13:44Z,2026-07-25T07:15:09Z
https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/at-senate-hearing-shaheen-presses-usda-secretary-rollins-on-plans-for-bartlett-experimental-forests-secures-new-commitments,"At Senate Hearing, Shaheen Presses USDA Secretary Rollins on Plans for Bartlett Experimental Forests, Secures New Commitments",2026-07-24,2026,2026-07,Democrat,Senate,NH,Jeanne Shaheen,S001181,www.shaheen.senate.gov,shaheen,https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press,scraper,"(Washington, D.C.) – At a U.S Senate Appropriations Committee hearing this week, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies Subcommittee, pressed U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins to commit to both restoring staffing levels at Bartlett Experimental Forest and to make sure the facilities at Bartlett remain open. In response to Shaheen’s questioning, Secretary Rollins committed to providing Shaheen with an answer and acknowledged their consistent communication regarding Bartlett.

Click HERE to watch Senator Shaheen’s questioning.

Key quotes from Senator Shaheen:

“Secretary Rollins, the timber industry has also been hard hit, as you know, by trade wars, by drought, by wildfires, by other natural disasters that are increasingly common. In New Hampshire, which is the second-most heavily forested state in the nation, one of the things that we really need, as you know, because we've had this conversation, is a research program and forest service staffing on the ground in a variety of ways, but particularly at Bartlett Experimental Forest.”

“These small investments in research and staffing and sound management help make the forest economies healthier and more competitive…Can you commit to restoring staffing at Bartlett and keeping the facilities there open, now that you’ve seen the critical nature of that research?”

The Bartlett Experimental Forest is a nationally recognized research site that contributes to forest management, environmental science and economic activity in New Hampshire and across the region. As the second-most forested state in the country, New Hampshire’s timber industry is critical to the health of local economies across the state. Senator Shaheen’s questioning comes as the industry faces continued headwinds, including President Trump’s trade wars and natural disasters such as drought and wildfires.

Senator Shaheen is a champion of New England’s experimental forests. In the Fiscal Year 2026 government funding bills that were signed into law, Shaheen helped increase funding for Forest and Rangeland Research by $8.5 million, and she secured language recognizing the importance of experimental forests like Bartlett and encouraging the Forest Service to restore staffing expeditiously. Shaheen also helped boost funding for state and private forestry. Earlier this year, following conversations with Secretary Rollins and New Hampshire Governor Kelly Ayotte, Shaheen secured confirmation that the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) would not close New Hampshire’s Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest and a commitment from Secretary Rollins to review plans at Bartlett Experimental Forest. Shaheen, Ayotte and Rollins also agreed to further conversations regarding New Hampshire’s critical experimental forest facilities.

This victory was achieved following Shaheen’s push back against USFS reorganization in April. Senators Shaheen and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) also sent a letter to USDA expressing concern about the reorganization of the Forest Service following a roundtable they led in Bretton Woods with local conservation advocates and forest leaders.

###",1,2026-07-25T07:13:44Z,2026-07-25T07:15:09Z
https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases/committee-advances-bipartisan-hassan-led-bill-to-help-rural-hospitals-provide-urgent-maternal-care,Committee Advances Bipartisan Hassan-led Bill to Help Rural Hospitals Provide Urgent Maternal Care,2026-07-23,2026,2026-07,Democrat,Senate,NH,Margaret Wood Hassan,H001076,www.hassan.senate.gov,hassan,https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee voted today to advance the Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act, bipartisan legislation led by Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) to support rural health care facilities in providing urgent obstetric care.

""As labor and delivery units close in rural areas in New Hampshire and across the country, it is critical that every hospital is prepared to treat pregnant and postpartum women who are facing life-threatening emergencies,"" said Senator Hassan. ""This bipartisan bill will help rural hospitals provide emergency obstetric care by expanding access to training and connecting providers in rural facilities to specialists. I'm pleased to see it advance with strong bipartisan support, and I'll keep working to ensure that families in rural New Hampshire can access the care that they need close to home.”

Eleven maternity wards have closed in New Hampshire over the last two and a half decades, and the median drive to a labor and delivery unit has doubled to about 40 minutes in recent years, increasing the risks that mothers and babies face during emergencies. Senator Hassan's Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act would help rural hospitals respond to obstetric emergencies by creating labor and delivery training programs for non-specialists and providing small rural hospitals with funding to implement that training, obtain technical assistance with their obstetric readiness plans, and more easily consult with maternal specialists using telehealth during an obstetric emergency.

The Committee also voted to advance the Patients Deserve Price Tags Act, which would require doctors and hospitals to publish the costs of services and provide the transparency that can help lower prices. Senator Hassan has helped introduce the bill twice. At Senator Hassan’s request, the bill would require providers to disclose any facility fees before a patient receives a service, which will help patients avoid facilities that charge unfair fees.

The Hassan-cosponsored Expedited Access to Biosimilars Act, which would streamline the approval process for biosimilars by eliminating costly and redundant clinical study requirements also advanced out of committee.

Senator Hassan also supported Senator Shaheen’s INSULIN Act, which advanced from the Committee today, which caps the cost of insulin at $35 per month for Americans on private and employer insurance and creates a pilot program to provide insulin at the same cost to Americans without insurance.",1,2026-07-24T07:30:11Z,2026-07-24T07:31:13Z
https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/shaheen-collins-warnock-kennedy-applaud-advancement-of-their-bipartisan-insulin-act-out-of-key-senate-committee,"Shaheen, Collins, Warnock, Kennedy Applaud Advancement of Their Bipartisan INSULIN Act Out of Key Senate Committee",2026-07-22,2026,2026-07,Democrat,Senate,NH,Jeanne Shaheen,S001181,www.shaheen.senate.gov,shaheen,https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press,scraper,"***Bipartisan vote out of the HELP Committee is major step toward Senate passage of the legislation***

(Washington, DC) – Today, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Susan Collins (R-ME), Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and John Kennedy (R-LA) applauded the advancement of their bipartisan INSULIN Act out of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee. The bipartisan legislation to cap the monthly out-of-pocket cost of insulin at $35 enjoys strong bipartisan support, with 29 senators backing the bill.

“We applaud the advancement of our bipartisan legislation to make insulin more affordable out of the Senate HELP Committee,” said Senators Shaheen, Collins, Warnock and Kennedy. “We are glad that our colleagues on the Committee agreed that action is sorely needed to lower health care costs for American families, including the millions of people who need insulin every day just to survive but struggle to make ends meet. Today's vote brings us another step closer to making insulin affordable and available to those whose lives depend on it and demonstrates the continued bipartisan momentum behind our legislation. We will continue to work every day to get this vital piece of legislation to the Senate floor for a vote.”

Polling released last month from the American Diabetes Association found that 40% of respondents who rely on insulin report paying more than $150 per month for insulin, and 76% of respondents across political parties support a $35 limit on cost sharing for insulin.

The Improving Needed Safeguards for Users of Lifesaving Insulin Now (INSULIN) Act would cap the monthly out-of-pocket cost of insulin at $35 for Americans on private and employer-sponsored insurance and create a pilot program to provide insulin at the same cost to Americans without insurance. In addition to Shaheen, Collins, Warnock and Kennedy, the legislation is supported by U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Angus King (I-ME), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Katie Britt (R-AL), Chris Coons (D-DE), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Jim Justice (R-WV), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Joni Ernst (R-IA), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Jim Banks (R-IN), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Dave McCormick (R-PA), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) and Mark Warner (D-VA).

###",1,2026-07-23T07:31:02Z,2026-07-23T07:32:26Z
https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases/following-fatal-ice-shootings-shaheen-hassan-join-colleagues-in-renewing-demands-to-dhs-for-civilian-protections-greater-transparency,"Following Fatal ICE Shootings, Hassan, Shaheen Join Colleagues in Renewing Demands to DHS for Civilian Protections, Greater Transparency",2026-07-21,2026,2026-07,Democrat,Senate,NH,Margaret Wood Hassan,H001076,www.hassan.senate.gov,hassan,https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) are joining dozens of their Senate colleagues in calling for stronger accountability measures for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers. In a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin, the thirty-nine Senators urge DHS to fulfill its previous commitments to deploy and expand the usage of body-worn cameras, strengthen officer identification requirements and review enforcement protocols.

The measures called for by the Senators are intended to help prevent future deadly encounters involving ICE enforcement officers—and come after two recent fatal shootings during immigration enforcement operations in Biddeford, Maine, and Houston, Texas. The shootings in Texas and Maine are the latest in a disturbing trend of ICE recklessness and follow the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti at the hands of the agency in Minnesota earlier this year.

The Senators wrote, in part: “The recent fatal shootings involving U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officers, specifically within U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), in Biddeford, Maine, and Houston, Texas, coupled with similar incidents elsewhere in the country, are completely unacceptable. Rather than making our communities safer, these actions endanger our citizens and seriously undermine confidence in law enforcement generally.”

The Senators continued: “The tragic deaths of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo and Johan Sebastian Durán Guerrero occurred less than a week apart and carry startling similarities. In both incidents, the individuals were killed in enforcement actions in which they were not the intended targets. Furthermore, both individuals were shot by DHS officials while inside a vehicle. The unnecessary loss of life in these incidents demands immediate, thorough, independent, and transparent investigations (including the full involvement of local and state law enforcement personnel) along with a comprehensive examination of enforcement protocols, training, and operational approaches necessary to prevent such tragedies. These recent events have further compromised the credibility of DHS and fractured public trust within communities across our country. In each case, DHS quickly issued statements asserting that officers were acting in self-defense, even before evidence of the facts surrounding the incidents had been gathered. Compounding this failure, no DHS officials involved in these fatal shootings wore body-worn cameras that could be reviewed by investigators or members of the public.”

The Senators concluded: “We remain supportive of removing dangerous convicted criminals from our communities, but this goal can and must be achieved without endangering these very communities in the process. By no stretch could either of the victims in Texas and Maine be characterized as “the worst of the worst,” making these tragic deaths even more egregious. The American people deserve clarity and accountability. We urge you to honor your Department’s earlier commitments and take immediate action to implement these necessary reforms. We also stand ready to work with you to codify reforms into law.”

The full letter can be found HERE.

Shaheen and Hassan were joined on the letter by Senators Angus King (I-ME), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Patty Murray (D-WA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Gary Peters (D-MI), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Chris Coons (D-DE), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Mark Warner (D-VA), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) and John Fetterman (D-PA).

Senators Shaheen and Hassan have been outspoken against ICE’s recklessness and lack of accountability and continue to press the agency for more transparency. Earlier this year, amid efforts by DHS to convert industrial warehouses into processing facilities and detention centers, including in Merrimack, Shaheen led the entire New Hampshire delegation in introducing the Respect for Local Communities Act. The bicameral legislation would require DHS to solicit public comments and receive written approval from state and local officials before constructing, acquiring or operating any new ICE processing facility or detention center. Following the introduction of this legislation and advocacy from Shaheen and Hassan, DHS cancelled its plans for an ICE processing and detention center in Merrimack.

As a senior member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Senator Hassan has fought to protect Americans' basic civil rights from unlawful actions by ICE. Under questioning from Senator Hassan, ICE’s then-Acting Director Todd Lyons admitted that public comments from former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and White House Homeland Security Advisor Stephen Miller ""put a bias"" on the ongoing investigations into the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. Following Lyon’s testimony, Senator Hassan called for an investigationinto whether Noem’s comments influenced the investigations or violated DHS policy. She also worked with the New Hampshire congressional delegation to reverse DHS plans to open an ICE facility in Merrimack and pressed Secretary Mullin during his confirmation hearing to work with local communities before opening future facilities.

###",1,2026-07-22T07:34:13Z,2026-07-22T07:35:16Z
https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-hassan-recognizes-matthew-ives-of-peterborough-as-julys-granite-stater-of-the-month,Senator Hassan Recognizes Matthew Ives of Peterborough as July’s Granite Stater of the Month,2026-07-21,2026,2026-07,Democrat,Senate,NH,Margaret Wood Hassan,H001076,www.hassan.senate.gov,hassan,https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan recognized Matthew Ives of Peterborough as July’s Granite Stater of the Month for his extraordinary commitment to helping others through his service as a volunteer trauma nurse in Ukraine.

As a nurse with a background in emergency medical services and a graduate of Nashua Community College, Matthew has devoted his career to helping others. After witnessing the humanitarian toll of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, he answered the call to serve by volunteering near the front lines. Since first traveling to Ukraine in 2024, Matthew has provided trauma care to both civilians and service members suffering from devastating injuries.

Matthew has continued returning to Ukraine to train service members in lifesaving medical skills while also helping secure critical medical supplies and equipment for those providing care in combat zones. Guided by New Hampshire’s ""Live Free or Die"" spirit, Matthew has demonstrated a commitment to supporting people facing unimaginable hardship with remarkable compassion, courage, and selflessness.

Senator Hassan launched the “Granite Stater of the Month” initiative in 2017 to recognize outstanding New Hampshire citizens who go above and beyond to help their neighbors and make their communities stronger. To nominate a New Hampshire citizen to be a “Granite Stater of the Month,” constituents can complete the nomination form here.

To read Senator Hassan’s statement for the Congressional Record, see below:

I am honored to recognize Matthew Ives of Peterborough as July’s Granite Stater of the Month for his extraordinary commitment to helping others through his service as a volunteer trauma nurse in Ukraine.

Matthew has dedicated his career to the care of others. His path into nursing began with years of service in health care, working as a lifeguard, EMT, 911 dispatcher, pharmacy technician, and ultimately graduating from nursing school at Nashua Community College. After he witnessed the suffering caused by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Matthew asked himself what he could do to help. He recognized a critical need for additional training in lifesaving trauma care, particularly the proper use of tourniquets to prevent otherwise survivable injuries from becoming life-threatening.

In 2024, Matthew traveled to Ukraine for his first volunteer deployment. Working in a bomb-damaged stabilization point near the front lines, he treated both military personnel and civilians suffering from burns, broken bones, shrapnel wounds, and other traumatic injuries. Matthew has repeatedly returned because he knows that the need for care remains great. Even when he is back in the United States, he continues to support the people he met in Ukraine by helping secure the resources that they need to continue their lifesaving work. In addition to training and treating patients, he has personally helped provide supplies and equipment, including funding vehicles and medical equipment for those serving on the front lines.

Matthew says that New Hampshire’s “Live Free or Die” spirit has shaped the way tha the views the resilience of the Ukrainian people. He sees that same determination in those who continue to defend their communities despite immense hardship, refusing to surrender their freedom in the face of tyranny. His work reminds Granite Staters that courage often takes the form of quietly showing up each day to serve others, even in the most dangerous circumstances.

Matthew has returned to Ukraine, where he trains Ukrainian service members in life-saving medical skills and continues to provide care on the front lines. Matthew’s compassion, courage, and selflessness are why I am proud to name him July’s Granite Stater of the Month.

###",1,2026-07-22T07:34:13Z,2026-07-22T07:35:16Z
https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/following-fatal-ice-shootings-shaheen-hassan-join-colleagues-in-renewing-demands-to-dhs-for-civilian-protections-greater-transparency,"Following Fatal ICE Shootings, Shaheen, Hassan Join Colleagues in Renewing Demands to DHS for Civilian Protections, Greater Transparency",2026-07-21,2026,2026-07,Democrat,Senate,NH,Jeanne Shaheen,S001181,www.shaheen.senate.gov,shaheen,https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press,scraper,"(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) are joining dozens of their Senate colleagues in calling for stronger accountability measures for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers. In a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Markwayne Mullin, the thirty-nine Senators urge DHS to fulfill its previous commitments to deploy and expand the usage of body-worn cameras, strengthen officer identification requirements and review enforcement protocols.

The measures called for by the Senators are intended to help prevent future deadly encounters involving ICE enforcement officers—and come after two recent fatal shootings during immigration enforcement operations in Biddeford, Maine, and Houston, Texas. The shootings in Texas and Maine are the latest in a disturbing trend of ICE recklessness and follow the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti at the hands of the agency in Minnesota earlier this year.

The Senators wrote, in part: “The recent fatal shootings involving U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officers, specifically within U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), in Biddeford, Maine, and Houston, Texas, coupled with similar incidents elsewhere in the country, are completely unacceptable. Rather than making our communities safer, these actions endanger our citizens and seriously undermine confidence in law enforcement generally.”

The Senators continued: “The tragic deaths of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo and Johan Sebastian Durán Guerrero occurred less than a week apart and carry startling similarities. In both incidents, the individuals were killed in enforcement actions in which they were not the intended targets. Furthermore, both individuals were shot by DHS officials while inside a vehicle. The unnecessary loss of life in these incidents demands immediate, thorough, independent, and transparent investigations (including the full involvement of local and state law enforcement personnel) along with a comprehensive examination of enforcement protocols, training, and operational approaches necessary to prevent such tragedies. These recent events have further compromised the credibility of DHS and fractured public trust within communities across our country. In each case, DHS quickly issued statements asserting that officers were acting in self-defense, even before evidence of the facts surrounding the incidents had been gathered. Compounding this failure, no DHS officials involved in these fatal shootings wore body-worn cameras that could be reviewed by investigators or members of the public.”

The Senators concluded: “We remain supportive of removing dangerous convicted criminals from our communities, but this goal can and must be achieved without endangering these very communities in the process. By no stretch could either of the victims in Texas and Maine be characterized as “the worst of the worst,” making these tragic deaths even more egregious. The American people deserve clarity and accountability. We urge you to honor your Department’s earlier commitments and take immediate action to implement these necessary reforms. We also stand ready to work with you to codify reforms into law.”

The full letter can be found HERE.

Shaheen and Hassan were joined on the letter by Senators Angus King (I-ME), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Patty Murray (D-WA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Gary Peters (D-MI), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Chris Coons (D-DE), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Mark Warner (D-VA), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) and John Fetterman (D-PA).

Senators Shaheen and Hassan have been outspoken against ICE’s recklessness and lack of accountability and continue to press the agency for more transparency. Earlier this year, amid efforts by DHS to convert industrial warehouses into processing facilities and detention centers, including in Merrimack, Shaheen led the entire New Hampshire delegation in introducing the Respect for Local Communities Act. The bicameral legislation would require DHS to solicit public comments and receive written approval from state and local officials before constructing, acquiring or operating any new ICE processing facility or detention center. Following the introduction of this legislation and advocacy from Shaheen and Hassan, DHS cancelled its plans for an ICE processing and detention center in Merrimack.

As a senior member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Senator Hassan has fought to protect Americans' basic civil rights from unlawful actions by ICE. Under questioning from Senator Hassan, ICE’s then-Acting Director Todd Lyons admitted that public comments from former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and White House Homeland Security Advisor Stephen Miller ""put a bias"" on the ongoing investigations into the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. Following Lyon’s testimony, Senator Hassan called for an investigation into whether Noem’s comments influenced the investigations or violated DHS policy. She also worked with the New Hampshire congressional delegation to reverse DHS plans to open an ICE facility in Merrimack and pressed Secretary Mullin during his confirmation hearing to work with local communities before opening future facilities.

###",1,2026-07-22T07:34:13Z,2026-07-22T07:35:16Z
https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/shaheen-presses-hegseth-senior-pentagon-officials-on-lack-of-transparency-around-supplemental-funding-request,"Shaheen Presses Hegseth, Senior Pentagon Officials on Lack of Transparency Around Supplemental Funding Request",2026-07-21,2026,2026-07,Democrat,Senate,NH,Jeanne Shaheen,S001181,www.shaheen.senate.gov,shaheen,https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press,scraper,"(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services and Appropriations Committees and Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Ag-FDA Subcommittee, today questioned U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Secretary Pete Hegseth, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine and U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins in a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing reviewing the President’s supplemental funding request. With the President relaunching the war with Iran, Shaheen pressed Secretary Hegseth on the lack of transparency around the conflict and failure by the Administration to achieve any of its stated objectives. Click HERE to watch Senator Shaheen’s remarks and questions.

Key quotes from Senator Shaheen:

“You've told this committee that you barely spent half of the $150 billion in reconciliation funding. And if you still have $75 billion available, why are you asking the American people to absorb the cost of a war they don't support, instead of asking for transfer authority for unspent reconciliation funding, especially if you can't even get $400 million in Ukraine funding out the door?”

“If you can't spend it [reconciliation funding] on a timeline that makes sense, why do you need to come back and ask for more money? Wouldn't it be better to spend money that you already have? [...] This supplemental doesn't include funding to repair damage to our bases or to our military infrastructure in the region. And I have not heard that we've gotten the full extent of any of those damage estimates. So should we expect another request to address that military construction costs?”

“At what point do you stop asking Americans to foot the bill for a war they don't support, on top of an inflated budget request and billions in reconciliation funds that you still haven't spent?”

###",1,2026-07-22T07:34:13Z,2026-07-22T07:35:16Z
https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-hassan-highlights-decline-in-affordable-care-act-enrollment-during-conversation-with-doctors-and-health-care-leaders-in-raymond,Senator Hassan Highlights Decline in Affordable Care Act Enrollment During Conversation with Doctors and Health Care Leaders in Raymond,2026-07-20,2026,2026-07,Democrat,Senate,NH,Margaret Wood Hassan,H001076,www.hassan.senate.gov,hassan,https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"RAYMOND – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan hosted a conversation with health care leaders at Lamprey Health Care in Raymond to discuss the recent decline in Affordable Care Act (ACA) enrollment and the ways in which the Trump Administration’s actions are straining the health care system and increasing costs for Granite Staters.

Last year, President Trump and Congressional Republicans made massive cuts to Medicaid and allowed tax cuts for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act to expire, raising health insurance costs for all Americans. New data shows that since then, ACA health insurance enrollment has fallen by at least 13 percent nationwide and 7.8 percent in New Hampshire.

“President Trump and Congressional Republicans chose to make Americans’ health care premiums more expensive in order to give billionaires and corporate special interests a tax break. Now, we're seeing the consequences of that decision, with enrollment in Affordable Care Act health insurance already down by almost eight percent in New Hampshire and that number is likely to grow,” said Senator Hassan. “I was grateful to hear from the doctors and health care leaders at Lamprey Health Care about how these higher costs are affecting their patients, and I will continue to advocate for solutions that bring down the cost of health care for Granite Staters.”

During the conversation, doctors and other health care leaders at Lamprey Health Care highlighted how President Trump’s decision to take health care away from millions of Americans has caused patients to delay care, and it has raised health care costs for all Americans.

Senator Hassan continues to push for the full restoration of the Affordable Care Act’s tax cuts that helped make health insurance more affordable for families. At the end of last year, Senator Hassan sounded the alarm on the floor of the Senate about the impending expiration of these tax cuts, warning that millions of people would lose their health insurance and costs would go up for all Americans. Ultimately, Senate Republicans rejected a proposal to restore these tax cuts.

###",1,2026-07-21T07:32:02Z,2026-07-21T07:33:33Z
https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/to-kick-off-final-farnborough-air-show-shaheen-highlights-new-england-businesses-innovation-and-role-in-us-national-and-economic-security-at-senedia-breakfast,"To Kick Off Final Farnborough Air Show, Shaheen Highlights New England Businesses’ Innovation and Role in U.S. National and Economic Security at SENEDIA Breakfast",2026-07-20,2026,2026-07,Democrat,Senate,NH,Jeanne Shaheen,S001181,www.shaheen.senate.gov,shaheen,https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press,scraper,"(London, U.K.) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee and a senior member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, helped kick off the Farnborough International Air Show by welcoming Granite State and other New England businesses as part of SENEDIA’s New England Breakfast on Saturday in London. A primary focus of Senator Shaheen’s bipartisan Congressional delegation to the Airshow is to connect smaller, regional businesses in New Hampshire and New England with industry leaders. With aerospace serving as New Hampshire’s top export sector, the SENEDIA New England Breakfast hosted a number of companies with business in New England who are supporting additional investment and trade abroad. Click HERE to view photos from the event.

“New Hampshire and New England companies are helping build the technologies and manufacturing capacity that keep America and our allies secure. I’m incredibly proud to welcome them to the Farnborough Air Show so that they can showcase their capabilities and deepen partnerships with larger industry players,” said Senator Shaheen. “I thank SENEDIA for hosting this morning’s breakfast focused on strengthening the trade relationships that will both support our economy by creating jobs and bolster our national defense and preparedness.”

“Senator Shaheen has dedicated her life to public service and the last two decades to national security and to growing the aerospace and defense economy, not only in New Hampshire, but across New England,” said Tim DelGiudice, chair of the SENEDIA Board. “To celebrate the Senator’s legacy and reinforce our gratitude for her leadership, SENEDIA is proud to create the Senator Jeanne Shaheen Aerospace and Defense Scholarship in her honor.”

SENEDIA’s Senator Jeanne Shaheen Aerospace and Defense Scholarship will support young women pursuing careers in aerospace and defense, with the first scholarship to be awarded this summer at Defense Innovation Days.

Supporting nearly 24,000 jobs and representing $1.7 billion in exports just last year, New Hampshire’s top export sector is aerospace—comprising a large, vital component of the state’s economy. This year, New Hampshire is sending its largest trade mission yet to the Air Show.

New Hampshire’s Office of International Commerce will feature New Hampshire exhibitors at the Air Show through the State Trade Expansion Program (STEP), which Shaheen created in 2010. STEP assists New Hampshire businesses with expanding into overseas markets, helping small manufacturers compete globally while strengthening the domestic industrial base that supports American economic and national security.

Farnborough is the largest biennial trade show in the world and showcases aerospace manufacturers and suppliers from New Hampshire and around the world. Since 2023, Shaheen and Moran have led bipartisan Congressional delegations to the Farnborough and Paris Air Shows to highlight U.S. capabilities and strengthen international partnerships.

###",1,2026-07-21T07:32:02Z,2026-07-21T07:33:33Z
https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/shaheen-joins-moran-to-lead-her-final-bipartisan-congressional-delegation-to-farnborough-international-air-show,Shaheen Joins Moran to Lead Her Final Bipartisan Congressional Delegation to Farnborough International Air Show,2026-07-17,2026,2026-07,Democrat,Senate,NH,Jeanne Shaheen,S001181,www.shaheen.senate.gov,shaheen,https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press,scraper,"(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee and a senior member of the Armed Services Committee, is leading her final bipartisan Congressional delegation to the Farnborough International Air Show in the United Kingdom with Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS), a senior member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations and Commerce Committees. Farnborough is the largest biennial trade show in the world and will showcase aerospace manufacturers and suppliers from New Hampshire and around the world. Since 2023, Shaheen and Moran have led bipartisan Congressional delegations to the Farnborough and Paris Air Shows to highlight U.S. capabilities and strengthen international partnerships.

“The Farnborough Air Show is an opportunity to showcase American manufacturing and innovation on the world stage. As NATO allies commit to increased defense spending to ward off growing threats from Russia and China, it’s in our national interest to deepen trade partnerships with our allies while strengthening national readiness,” said Senator Shaheen. “I’m grateful to once again, and for the final time as a member of the Senate, co-lead a bipartisan group of lawmakers to London to meet with foreign and U.S. aerospace leaders. Additionally, I’m looking forward to meeting with New Hampshire’s robust trade mission; our aerospace sector plays a pivotal role in both national defense and civilian aviation, and the United Kingdom is one of our largest trading partners.”

“The United States continues to lead the world in the aerospace and defense industries, and Kansas’ innovation and manufacturing capabilities play an important role in that leadership,” said Senator Moran. “Last year’s airshow included the largest delegation of Kansans yet, and I look forward to seeing that record surpassed as Senator Shaheen and I lead a bipartisan delegation to the Farnborough International Airshow. This forum provides a valuable avenue to showcase American innovation, highlight the capabilities of our talented workforce and strengthen partnerships with allies and industry leaders from across the world. As our adversaries continue to exert pressure in the Middle East, Europe and Asia, opportunities like this are critical to strengthening our national security and expanding economic partnerships with our allies.”

Joining Senators Shaheen and Moran are U.S. Senators John Boozman (R-AR), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Deb Fischer (R-NB), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), John Kennedy (R-LA), Alex Padilla (D-CA) and Katie Britt (R-AL).

Every two years, the aerospace, aviation and defense industries are invited to Farnborough International Exhibition & Conference Centre for the Farnborough International Air Show, where civilian and military aircraft are demonstrated to potential customers and investors in Farnborough, Hampshire, England. Moran and Shaheen led a bipartisan delegation to the Paris Air Show in 2025 and 2023.

New Hampshire’s Office of International Commerce will also feature New Hampshire exhibitors at the Air Show through the State Trade Expansion Program (STEP), which provides export assistance to small businesses. Senator Shaheen created the STEP program in 2010 and continues to lead action in support of STEP in Congress - including through leading efforts to advance STEP’s reauthorization out of the Senate Small Business Committee. Senator Shaheen’s new legislation would streamline reporting and administrative requirements of STEP, making it easier for businesses to use. New Hampshire exported about $19 million in aerospace products to the United Kingdom in 2023. 22 percent of all exports from the state are in the aerospace industry.

###",1,2026-07-18T06:58:50Z,2026-07-18T07:00:34Z
https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/insulin-act-co-leads-applaud-legislations-advancement-to-key-committee,INSULIN Act Co-Leads Applaud Legislation’s Advancement to Key Committee,2026-07-16,2026,2026-07,Democrat,Senate,NH,Jeanne Shaheen,S001181,www.shaheen.senate.gov,shaheen,https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press,scraper,"(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Susan Collins (R-ME), Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and John Kennedy (R-LA) applauded the inclusion of their bipartisan INSULIN Act in the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee markup next week. The bipartisan legislation to cap the monthly out-of-pocket cost of insulin at $35 enjoys strong bipartisan support, with 14 Senators from each party backing the bill.

“We are pleased to see that our bipartisan legislation to make insulin more affordable will come before the Senate HELP Committee for consideration next week,” said Senators Shaheen, Collins, Warnock and Kennedy. “With our constituents crying out for financial relief, our bipartisan bill represents an immediate step Congress can take with overwhelming bipartisan support to lower costs for the millions of Americans who need insulin each and every day just to survive. We strongly urge our colleagues on the HELP Committee to vote in favor of advancing the INSULIN Act in its entirety, which is sorely needed to lower costs for Americans with diabetes, regardless of their insurance status.”

Polling released last month from the American Diabetes Association found that 40% of respondents who rely on insulin report paying more than $150 per month for insulin, and 76% of respondents across political parties support a $35 limit on cost sharing for insulin.

The Improving Needed Safeguards for Users of Lifesaving Insulin Now (INSULIN) Act would cap the monthly out-of-pocket cost of insulin at $35 for Americans on private and employer-sponsored insurance and create a pilot program to provide insulin at the same cost to Americans without insurance. In addition to Shaheen, Collins, Warnock and Kennedy, the legislation is supported by U.S. Senators Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Angus King (I-ME), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Katie Britt (R-AL), Chris Coons (D-DE), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Jim Justice (R-WV), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Joni Ernst (R-IA), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Jim Banks (R-IN), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Dave McCormick (R-PA) and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI).

###",1,2026-07-17T07:15:58Z,2026-07-17T07:17:05Z
https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/shaheen-receives-highest-honor-from-national-guard-association-of-the-united-states-for-distinguished-service-in-support-of-us-national-defense,Shaheen Receives Highest Honor from National Guard Association of the United States for Distinguished Service in Support of U.S. National Defense,2026-07-15,2026,2026-07,Democrat,Senate,NH,Jeanne Shaheen,S001181,www.shaheen.senate.gov,shaheen,https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press,scraper,"(Washington, DC) – Today, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee and co-chair of the Senate National Guard Caucus, was presented with the Harry S. Truman Award for Distinguished Service in Support of National Defense from the National Guard Association of the United States (NGAUS) for her work throughout her career in support of U.S. national security. The Harry S. Truman Award for Distinguished Service in Support of National Defense was authorized by the NGAUS Board of Directors in 1968 and is the highest recognition conferred upon an individual by the Association. Photos from the award presentation can be found HERE.

“My work on behalf of the National Guard has been a point of pride in both my Senate and gubernatorial careers so I’m very honored to be recognized today by the National Guard Association,” said Senator Shaheen. “My gratitude goes out to all the men and women who risk their lives every day in defense of our nation, particularly the New Hampshire Air National Guard’s 157th Air Refueling Wing who deployed in support of Operation Epic Fury and the brave soldiers from New Hampshire’s own Charlie Company, 172nd Mountain Infantry Regiment, who deployed last month in support of Operation Spartan Shield.”

“The Harry S. Truman Award is our association’s highest honor,” said retired Army Maj. Gen. Francis M. McGinn, the NGAUS president. “It is reserved for individuals who have made sustained contributions of exceptional and far-reaching magnitude to the defense and security of the United States in a manner worthy of recognition at the national level. Senator Jeanne Shaheen is that kind of patriot.”

###",1,2026-07-16T07:21:44Z,2026-07-16T07:23:13Z
https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-hassan-hosts-conversation-in-manchester-on-new-hampshires-battle-against-addiction,Senator Hassan Hosts Conversation in Manchester on New Hampshire’s Battle Against Addiction,2026-07-15,2026,2026-07,Democrat,Senate,NH,Margaret Wood Hassan,H001076,www.hassan.senate.gov,hassan,https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"MANCHESTER – This week, U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan discussed with recovery community leaders what is working and what additional support is needed to continue to combat addiction in New Hampshire. After years of sustained effort at the federal, state, and local effort to combat fentanyl and other opioid addiction, in 2025, fatal overdoses declined by 14 percent nationally and 30 percent in Manchester.

“Thanks to the tireless work of local leaders who help Granite Staters battling addiction, we’re finally beginning to see a drop in overdose deaths in New Hampshire. This progress is a result of the advocacy of Granite Staters in the recovery community, and it’s critically important that we do not let up in this fight,” said Senator Hassan. “I appreciated the opportunity to hear from leaders of organizations that help combat addiction about what programs have been working and the ways in which we can continue to expand access to the treatment and support that saves lives.”

Senator Hassan continues working to combat the fentanyl crisis and expand access to evidence-based addiction treatment. At the end of last year, Senator Hassan played a key role in spearheading the passage of the bipartisan SUPPORT Act — legislation that expands the federal response to the fentanyl crisis and allows more training, equipment, and resources to flow to first responders as they support Americans battling addiction. Additionally, Senator Hassan helped introduce the Modernizing Opioid Treatment Access Act, bipartisan legislation to improve access to medication-assisted treatment by allowing more addiction specialists to prescribe methadone. In 2022, Senator Hassan successfully passed into law her bipartisan Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment (MAT) Act to increase the number of medical professionals authorized to prescribe medication-assisted treatment.

###",1,2026-07-21T07:32:02Z,2026-07-21T07:33:33Z
https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/shaheen-hassan-pappas-goodlander-applaud-va-signing-of-lease-for-new-cheshire-county-outpatient-clinic-to-expand-veterans-access-to-health-care,"Shaheen, Hassan, Pappas, Goodlander Applaud VA Signing of Lease for New Cheshire County Outpatient Clinic to Expand Veterans’ Access to Health Care",2026-07-14,2026,2026-07,Democrat,Senate,NH,Jeanne Shaheen,S001181,www.shaheen.senate.gov,shaheen,https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press,scraper,"(Washington, DC) – Following advocacy from the New Hampshire Congressional delegation, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) alongside U.S. Representatives Chris Pappas (NH-01) and Maggie Goodlander (NH-02) applauded the signing of a PACT Act lease by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that will make West Chesterfield, New Hampshire, the home of a new Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC), replacing the CBOCs in Keene and Brattleboro, Vermont. The announcement is a significant step toward expanding access to high-quality health care for veterans in the Granite State.

“It’s imperative that the men and women who sacrificed everything to defend and serve our nation have access to first rate health care when they need it – no matter where they live in our state,” said Senator Shaheen. “For a long time, the Monadnock region was a health care desert for veterans until we worked with the VA to open its first and only health care facility more than a decade ago. This announcement is a continuation of that years-long effort and a crucial step toward bringing more health care services to veterans in Cheshire County and the entire Monadnock region.”

“America’s veterans risked their lives to keep our country safe, secure, and free. We will never fully repay the debt we owe them, but we have an obligation to try each and every day,” said Senator Hassan. “This new outpatient clinic will help veterans in the Monadnock region access the health services they need closer to home. I will continue to work to help get our veterans access to the health care that they have earned and deserve.”

“I’m thrilled to welcome this new VA outpatient clinic to Cheshire County,” said Congressman Pappas, member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee and Ranking Member of the Economic Opportunity Subcommittee. “Every veteran across New Hampshire should be able to access the care they need close to home, whether through a VA medical center, our community-based outpatient clinics, or community care. I’ll always fight for our veterans to receive the best possible care and to cut the red tape between them and the treatment they deserve.”

“We have a sacred obligation to the women and men who have served our country in uniform. Our veterans put their lives on the line to keep us safe, and it’s my mission in Congress to ensure that they have access to the services, benefits, and healthcare they have earned,” said Congresswoman Goodlander, a member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee. “This clinic will deliver quality care to these brave American heroes across the Monadnock Region and beyond, and I am proud to stand with our partners across New Hampshire to get our veterans the care they need.”

According to the VA, the clinic will increase clinical capacity and provide Veterans with more convenient and timely access to VA care, with construction and facility preparation expected to be completed by fall 2028, and the first patient is planned to be seen by spring 2029. The new lease will expand and modernize Primary Care space while rightsizing a state of the art, energy efficient facility that delivers integrated Primary Care, Mental Health, Specialty Care, and Ancillary services, improving operational efficiency and the Veteran experience in the Keene, NH and Brattleboro, VT area. The project will lease 26,603 net usable square feet (NUSF) of replacement outpatient clinic space in the vicinity of West Chesterfield, NH, with 150 parking spaces, in support of the White River Junction VA Health Care System.

Senator Shaheen has a long history of working to ensure New Hampshire’s veterans have access to high-quality health care. The new CBOC in Cheshire County will be a continuation of Shaheen’s efforts to bring VA facilities to the Monadnock region. Following successful, multi-year advocacy from Shaheen in 2011, the VA opened the Monadnock region’s first and only veterans’ health services facility as an “outreach clinic” in Keene, NH. In 2022, Shaheen worked to include provisions and helped pass the historic PACT Act, which expanded health care for veterans who were exposed to burn pits and other toxic substances. As a senior member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies (MilCon-VA) Appropriations bill that was signed into law, Shaheen secured provisions to help veterans better access substance use disorder treatment.

Last year Congressman Pappas led the New Hampshire delegation in introducing the Veterans Full-Service Care and Access Act, legislation that would require the VA to operate at least one full-service Veterans Health Administration hospital in each of the 48 contiguous states. In 2022 Pappas fought back against and stopped a Biden administration plan to close Community-Based Outpatient Clinics in Conway, Somersworth, and Portsmouth. Thanks to Pappas's advocacy, these clinics remain open today. In the same year, Pappas fought to pass the PACT Act as a member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, which expanded VA health care to millions of veterans exposed to toxic substances like burn pits and Agent Orange. Since the PACT Act became law, the Department of Veterans Affairs has received more than 12,000 claims from New Hampshire veterans.

###",1,2026-07-15T07:12:08Z,2026-07-15T07:13:45Z
https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/shaheen-statement-on-todays-vote-on-the-national-defense-authorization-act,Shaheen Statement on Today’s Vote on the National Defense Authorization Act,2026-07-14,2026,2026-07,Democrat,Senate,NH,Jeanne Shaheen,S001181,www.shaheen.senate.gov,shaheen,https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press,scraper,"(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, released the following statement on today’s vote on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA):

“I believe it is vital that we both pass the NDAA and that we constrain the President’s lawless and costly war against Iran. Since the beginning of hostilities, we have failed to achieve any of the objectives the President laid out at its onset and the American people have been left paying the price. That is also why I have repeatedly pressed the Trump Administration for more transparency on their planning and execution of this conflict, and why I’ve voted multiple times for War Powers Resolutions to constrain the President’s ability to further prosecute the war. I am also disappointed that two amendments I voted for to both reduce the topline and withhold any authorization of funding for operations in Iran failed on party line votes during the Committee markup.

“With the President re-launching his self-defeating war, I voted against the motion to end debate on the NDAA, so we can continue to advocate for greater transparency and an end to this conflict.”

###",1,2026-07-15T07:12:08Z,2026-07-15T07:13:45Z
https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-hassan-visits-newport-farm-discusses-how-trumps-policies-are-driving-up-costs-for-families,"Senator Hassan Visits Newport Farm, Discusses How Trump’s Policies are Driving up Costs for Families",2026-07-13,2026,2026-07,Democrat,Senate,NH,Margaret Wood Hassan,H001076,www.hassan.senate.gov,hassan,https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"NEWPORT – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan toured the locally owned Beaver Pond Farm in Newport on Friday to hear directly from farmers about how President Trump's policies, including tariffs and the illegal war in Iran, are driving up costs and hurting New Hampshire farms.

The farm’s owners described how higher fuel prices and increased costs for equipment and replacement parts are making it more expensive to operate. At the same time, the Trump Administration has delayed, eliminated, or severely reduced federal agriculture programs that New Hampshire farmers have relied on for decades, creating uncertainty and driving costs up even further.

“New Hampshire's farms are essential to our state's economy and way of life. President Trump's policies are driving up costs and making it harder for farms like Beaver Pond to feed Granite Staters,” said Senator Hassan. “I appreciated the opportunity to hear from the farmers about the impacts they’ve seen and the need for the Trump administration to reverse course.”",1,2026-07-14T07:08:55Z,2026-07-14T07:10:52Z
https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/shaheen-celebrates-university-of-new-hampshire-and-noaa-center-of-excellence-delivers-remarks-at-beam-signing-ceremony,"Shaheen Celebrates University of New Hampshire and NOAA Center of Excellence, Delivers Remarks at Beam Signing Ceremony",2026-07-13,2026,2026-07,Democrat,Senate,NH,Jeanne Shaheen,S001181,www.shaheen.senate.gov,shaheen,https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press,scraper,"(Durham, NH) – Today, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, celebrated the University of New Hampshire (UNH) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) decades-long partnership with a beam signing ceremony at the future site of the UNH and NOAA Center of Excellence for Operational Ocean and Great Lakes Mapping. Since 1999, UNH and NOAA have collaborated on the operation of the Joint Hydrographic Center and Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping. Located on the UNH campus, the facility has mapped over one million square kilometers of ocean floor, contributed to advances in autonomous vehicle ocean mapping and supported the federal government in disaster response efforts.

Photos from today’s event can be found HERE.

Since Fiscal Year 2023 (FY 23), Senator Shaheen has secured $30 million to support UNH and NOAA’s ocean mapping partnership, with a portion of the funding Shaheen secured directly contributing to the construction of the new Center. The state-of-the-art facility will create new employment opportunities in the Granite State, expand educational opportunities for students and promote new research—ensuring UNH remains a global leader in ocean floor and coastal mapping, which is critical to safe navigation, disaster preparedness and national security.

“For decades, the University of New Hampshire and NOAA have maintained a partnership that has advanced critical research and expanded educational opportunities for students in the Granite State. I’m proud of the work I have done to support this key relationship, including securing funding that will support construction of this new, cutting-edge facility,” said Senator Shaheen. “From fostering new opportunities for students to promoting critical research, the Center of Excellence will be a hub of scientific innovation while powering our coastal economy with new jobs.”

Shaheen is the former chair and current senior member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies, which funds NOAA. Along with securing $30 million in federal funding to support the partnership between UNH and NOAA, Shaheen has delivered millions in funding for NOAA. In bipartisan FY 26 Appropriations legislation, Shaheen helped ensure NOAA had the resources it required for key programs to support New Hampshire’s fisheries, ocean research and conservation efforts.

###",1,2026-07-14T07:08:55Z,2026-07-14T07:10:52Z
https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/shaheen-statement-on-passing-of-senator-graham,Shaheen Statement on Passing of Senator Graham,2026-07-12,2026,2026-07,Democrat,Senate,NH,Jeanne Shaheen,S001181,www.shaheen.senate.gov,shaheen,https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press,scraper,"(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) released the following statement:

“I am shocked and deeply saddened to learn of my friend Senator Lindsey Graham’s sudden passing. Billy and I are keeping his loved ones, constituents and staff close in thought.

“Lindsey was a tireless advocate for America’s indispensable global role and had a particular focus on supporting Ukraine in the face of Russia’s unprovoked invasion. Just days ago, we were at the NATO Summit together, pushing toward this goal.

“On Friday, Senators Graham, Blumenthal, Wicker and I announced White House support for our Russia sanctions legislation to help finally achieve peace for Ukraine, which Lindsey described as one of his most consequential efforts. There can be no more fitting memorial to Lindsey, his legacy or the causes he fought for than to pass this legislation and realize his long-held dream of an independent and secure Ukraine.”

###",1,2026-07-13T08:14:37Z,2026-07-13T08:15:42Z
https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases/passed-into-law-major-bipartisan-housing-package-pushed-by-senator-hassan-that-bans-wall-street-home-purchases-makes-building-homes-easier,"PASSED INTO LAW: Major Bipartisan Housing Package Pushed by Senator Hassan That Bans Wall Street Home Purchases, Makes Building Homes Easier",2026-07-11,2026,2026-07,Democrat,Senate,NH,Margaret Wood Hassan,H001076,www.hassan.senate.gov,hassan,https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) today celebrated the fact that the bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act has become law. This major bipartisan legislative package, cosponsored and advocated for by Senator Hassan, reduces the cost of housing by banning Wall Street hedge funds and private equity firms from buying up single-family homes, providing funding and cutting red tape to help build more middle-class homes, and making it easier for veterans to buy homes. The historic legislation became law without President Trump’s signature because President Trump used the possibility of vetoing the legislation in an effort to pressure Congress to pass a voter suppression bill known as the SAVE America Act.

“Families across the country deserve the opportunity to buy a home, raise a family, and build a future in the communities that they love, but that dream is too hard to reach as Wall Street buys up single-family homes and costs soar,” said Senator Hassan. “The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act is an important step toward addressing our housing shortage. The bill bans Wall Street from buying single-family homes and makes it easier to build more homes for hard-working families. President Trump chose politics over this bipartisan effort to lower housing costs, but I'm glad that this bipartisan bill is now law.”

Senator Hassan was a strong supporter of the entire package, which contains a number of Hassan-backed housing bills, including:

• The Housing Supply Expansion Act, which makes manufactured homes more affordable for families

• The PRICE Act, which provides funding to manufactured housing communities for important infrastructure upgrades and weatherization

• The VA Home Loan Awareness Act, which helps veterans learn about the VA home loan benefits that may be available to them when buying a home

• The Streamlining Rural Housing Act, which cuts red tape and unnecessary barriers that often delay new construction and drive housing costs even higher

Senator Hassan has worked to address affordability and availability of housing in New Hampshire, including by pushing to successfully restore a tax cut for middle class families who have mortgage insurance and expand the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit in order to help increase access to housing that families can more easily afford.

###",1,2026-07-12T07:28:31Z,2026-07-12T07:30:18Z
https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-hassan-highlights-bipartisan-road-to-housing-bill-and-need-to-lower-housing-costs-at-events-across-new-hampshire,Senator Hassan Highlights Bipartisan ROAD to Housing Bill & Need to Lower Housing Costs at Events Across New Hampshire,2026-07-10,2026,2026-07,Democrat,Senate,NH,Margaret Wood Hassan,H001076,www.hassan.senate.gov,hassan,https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"NEW HAMPSHIRE – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan highlighted the bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act at events in Londonderry and Keene this week, underscoring how the bill will help reduce hosting costs for New Hampshire families.

“To lower housing costs for families, we need to build more housing. Developments like the Village at Technology Hill and the Roosevelt East Apartments will help more Granite Staters find an affordable place to live and stay in New Hampshire,” said Senator Hassan. “The bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act that I fought for will help more communities build homes like these, and I look forward to it becoming law at midnight— despite President Trump’s tantrum about it.”

In Londonderry, the Senator spoke at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Village at Technology Hill, a new middle-class family housing development that will add 400 new units when completed.

In Keene, Senator Hassan toured the Roosevelt East Apartments, a newly opened apartment complex built on the site of a former school. The project was funded using the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit that Senator Hassan worked to expand.",1,2026-07-14T07:08:55Z,2026-07-14T07:10:52Z
https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases/ranking-members-hassan-and-garcia-launch-investigation-into-trump-administrations-personal-use-of-luxury-government-aircraft,Ranking Members Hassan and Garcia Launch Investigation into Trump Administration’s Personal Use of Luxury Government Aircraft,2026-07-09,2026,2026-07,Democrat,Senate,NH,Margaret Wood Hassan,H001076,www.hassan.senate.gov,hassan,https://www.hassan.senate.gov/news/press-releases,scraper,"WASHINGTON – Today, Senator Maggie Hassan, Ranking Member of the Joint Economic Committee, and Representative Robert Garcia (D-CA), Ranking Member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, requested the Government Accountability Office to investigate Trump Administration officials’ personal use of government-owned aircraft and other expensive air travel on the taxpayers’ dime. Federal procurement data shows that agencies more than doubled spending on air travel in recent years, with costs growing from $2.35 billion in 2016 to more than $5 billion in Fiscal Year 2025. As the letter notes, according to ongoing public reporting, FBI Director Kash Patel has taken more than 10 trips that are likely to violate regulations, including to a wrestling tournament where his girlfriend performed.

""People are fed up with a Trump Administration defined by self-dealing and corruption that serves its members at the expense of hardworking Americans. As Americans struggle to fill up their gas tanks and pay rent, top Trump Administration officials are reportedly wasting taxpayer dollars by using government-owned planes for personal travel around the world,” said Senator Hassan. “Taxpayers should not be footing the bill for luxury personal travel for Trump Administration officials. These allegations of misuse of taxpayer dollars require oversight.”

“Trump Administration officials like Kash Patel are jetting around the country on luxury aircrafts paid for by taxpayers, while most Americans can’t afford rent and groceries. At every level of this corrupt Administration, officials are abusing their positions for their own gain. Congress has a responsibility to uncover the truth and hold those responsible accountable,” said Representative Robert Garcia.

Click here or see below to read the full text of Ranking Members Hassan and Garcia’s letter:

We are deeply concerned by Trump Administration officials’ flagrant personal use of government-owned aircraft and other expensive air travel on the taxpayers’ dime. As Americans deal with President Trump’s unprecedented affordability crisis and are forced to spend hundreds of extra dollars on groceries, electricity, and housing, they have watched as Trump Administration officials waste taxpayer dollars on extravagant and luxurious air travel. To make matters worse, the Trump Administration has provided no transparency into whether this air travel complies with federal regulations. To assist with essential oversight, we write to request that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) review federal agency compliance with Office of Management and Budget’s Circular No. A-126, “Improving the Management and Use of Government Aircraft,” and the General Services Administration’s (GSA) Federal Travel Regulation requirements, to ensure that taxpayers are not being forced to cover exorbitant and corrupt costs.

Since becoming Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Kash Patel has continued to spark outrage and concern over his repeated use of government-owned aircraft for his leisure. According to ongoing public reporting, Director Patel has taken more than 10 trips that are likely to violate regulations. For example:

February 20, 2026: Traveled to Milan, Italy, on FBI-controlled aircraft to watch a hockey match at the Winter Olympics.

· February 20, 2026: Traveled to Milan, Italy, on FBI-controlled aircraft to watch a hockey match at the Winter Olympics.

· October 20, 2025: Traveled to Pennsylvania to attend the Real American Freestyle wrestling tournament where his girlfriend performed.

· Following his Senate confirmation, traveled to Nashville, Tennessee, multiple times to visit his girlfriend.

Presidents across administrations have designated the FBI Director as a “required use” traveler within the Department of Justice. However, OMB Circular A-126 requires designees to reimburse the government for personal and political travel.6 Given the FBI’s lack of response to a December 1, 2025, request from House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jamie Raskin and Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove, the Oversight Committee reiterates congressional interest in learning whether reimbursement standards for personal or excessive air travel are being followed. We also echo the February 24, 2026, requests made by the Senate Committee on the Judiciary Ranking Member Dick Durbin “that the GAO’s ongoing review incorporate the Director’s latest international travel.”

Our concerns that taxpayer dollars are being used to fund unnecessary luxury travel are not isolated to one agency. GSA regulations state that “taxpayers should pay no more than necessary for the transportation of travelers” and that “a determination that another method of transportation is more advantageous to the Government will not be made on the basis of personal preference or inconvenience to the traveler.” Yet, federal procurement data shows that agencies more than doubled spending on air travel in recent years, with costs growing from $2.35 billion in 2016 to more than $5 billion in FY2025. Actual spending on air travel may be considerably higher if agencies use charge cards to charter air transportation, such as helicopter travel. GAO has previously reported on agencies’ use of helicopters in the D.C. area specifically, where the number of flights has been growing in recent years. We understand that GAO has done similar work on this matter, specifically a 2013 report titled, “Department of Justice: Executives’ Use of Aircraft for Nonmission Purposes.” Thus, this explosive growth and the long-ignored concerns expressed by both chambers of Congress surrounding the Trump Administration’s use of luxury travel on the taxpayers’ dime require timely attention. Americans deserve transparency surrounding Trump Administration officials’ compliance with federal requirements related to travel costs and oversight bodies need timely assessments to identify waste and abuse. Therefore, in addition to GAO’s ongoing work on this issue, we ask that you also review agencies with high annual obligations for air transportation. Specifically, we ask that GAO:

1. Review circumstances under which government-owned aircraft are being used by agency officials for non-mission purposes, such as personal travel, and the costs associated with these flights;

2. Review agency processes for tracking, documenting, and reporting agency and component executives’ use of agency aircraft;

3. Review agencies’ annual spending on air transportation for agency officials, including agency leadership use of government-owned aircraft and chartered aircraft that is procured via contract or charge card;

4. Assess agency officials’ use of government-owned aircraft with respect to OMB and GSA regulations and determine if reimbursements for personal travel were collected in accordance with federal requirements; and

5. Identify the amount reimbursed or not reimbursed in accordance with those policies.

###",1,2026-07-10T08:20:04Z,2026-07-10T08:21:18Z
https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/shaheen-joins-colleagues-to-protect-integrity-of-scientific-research-demand-omb-director-vought-rescind-politicized-regulation,"Shaheen Joins Colleagues to Protect Integrity of Scientific Research, Demand OMB Director Vought Rescind Politicized Regulation",2026-07-09,2026,2026-07,Democrat,Senate,NH,Jeanne Shaheen,S001181,www.shaheen.senate.gov,shaheen,https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press,scraper,"(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) joined 11 of her Senate colleagues in submitting public comment to White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought to demand OMB rescind a proposed rule, broadly titled “Regulation for Federal Financial Assistance”, that could alter how nearly all federal agencies administer grants and financial agreements. The proposed change would give the White House more political control over these awards, which could enable corruption, undermine U.S. scientific investments and competitiveness and block funding for critical life-saving research and collaboration.

The Senators wrote, in part: ""The proposed changes solidify federal grant-making as an unprecedented partisan power-grab that eliminates transparency of how taxpayer dollars are spent. This rule would derail American innovation and competitiveness at the local and national levels, kill good-paying American jobs, drive up costs for families, and halt essential projects in local communities.”

They continued: “Instead of supporting data-driven investments that pay dividends for the American people, this guidance facilitates partisan ideals and cronyism, leaving Americans in the dark.”

The Senators concluded: “We share the goals of improved transparency, accountability, and oversight; clarification of regulatory structure; and reducing recipient burden–all in pursuit of continuing America’s global leadership in science and innovation. However, these regulations would act in opposition to these goals. They would undermine our country’s competitiveness, erode our scientific ecosystem, increase unwanted bureaucracy, enable corruption, and perpetuate uncertainty across our local communities. We strongly urge you to withdraw this proposed rule.”

OMB has proposed sweeping changes to the rules governing how federal agencies award and administer grants and cooperative agreements. These are the primary mechanisms through which the country funds basic research, applied science and scientific workforce development. These agencies also fund a wide array of grants for local projects, including but not limited to, infrastructure, public health, resource conservation and rural development. The proposed rules formalize an August 7, 2025, Executive Order that directed OMB to expand political oversight over all federal awards.

Shaheen was joined by U.S. Senators John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Mark Warner (D-VA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Peter Welch (D-VT), Angus King (I-ME), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY).

Nonpartisan, unbiased federal funding for research is critical to scientific advancement, technological growth and medical breakthroughs—ensuring the United States remains on the cutting-edge of innovation. Amid the Trump Administration’s efforts to politicize federal funding and undermine scientific integrity, Senator Shaheen has continued to fight back. In May, Shaheen helped lead the Scientific Integrity Act to protect scientific research from being politicized or unduly influenced by special interests.

###",1,2026-07-10T08:20:04Z,2026-07-10T08:21:18Z
https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press/shaheen-demands-trump-administration-omb-director-vought-release-affordable-housing-construction-funds,"Shaheen Demands Trump Administration, OMB Director Vought Release Affordable Housing Construction Funds",2026-07-07,2026,2026-07,Democrat,Senate,NH,Jeanne Shaheen,S001181,www.shaheen.senate.gov,shaheen,https://www.shaheen.senate.gov/news/press,scraper,"(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and a number of her Senate colleagues are pressing the Trump Administration and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought to unlock community development tools and promptly release $750 million in federal housing construction funds. This effort is particularly important as President Trump continues his refusal to sign the bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, which Congress passed last month to help build more housing, lower costs, streamline construction regulations and curb private equity’s ability to buy single-family homes and drive up housing prices.

The Trump Administration is sitting on approximately $750 million in housing construction funds available under the Capital Magnet Fund (CMF), Housing Trust Fund (HTF) and Housing Production-Financial Assistance Awards (HP-FA) programs. These federal funds can be leveraged by state and local organizations to develop, preserve, rehabilitate and increase the supply of affordable housing. Together, these programs strengthen communities, revitalize neighborhoods, create jobs and ensure more Americans can afford a high-quality home at a decent price that fits their budget. Senator Shaheen and 22 of her colleagues demanded OMB Director Vought release these housing construction funds without further delay.

The Senators wrote, in part: “We write to urge you to immediately direct the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of the Treasury to release approximately $750 million in housing construction funds available under the Capital Magnet Fund (CMF), Housing Trust Fund (HTF), and Housing Production-Financial Assistance Awards (HP-FA) programs.”

They continued: “These funds, which are derived from the profits of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and revenue from the Emergency Capital Investment Program, could pay to build or rehabilitate over 63,000 homes at no cost to American taxpayers.”

The Senators concluded: “Today, Americans are suffering through a housing affordability crisis. Single-family home prices and the average age of first-time homebuyers hit record highs last year, while more households are paying unsustainable amounts of rent than ever before. This crisis is nationwide: home prices have surged 40% in Texas, 43% in Iowa, 54% in Georgia, and 65% in Maine over the past six years – far outpacing wages and overall inflation. You have the ability to increase our nation’s housing supply and help address this crisis. With that in mind, we urge you to direct the release of these funds without any further delay.”

A full copy of the letter can be found HERE.

In addition to Shaheen, the letter is signed by U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Tina Smith (D-MN), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Peter Welch (D-VT), Mark Warner (D-VA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Tim Kaine (D-VA), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Angus S. King, Jr. (I-ME), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Patty Murray (D-WA), Raphael Warnock (D-GA) and Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE).

Shaheen is leading efforts in the Senate to lower housing costs and increase the supply of affordable units in the Granite State. Earlier this year, Senator Shaheen secured three commonsense provisions—the Strategy and Investment in Rural Housing Preservation Act, Streamlining Rural Housing Act and the Preservation and Reinvestment Initiative in Community Enhancement (PRICE) Act in the landmark 21st Century Renewing Opportunity in the American Dream (ROAD) to Housing Act to expand supply of affordable housing, streamline construction and lower costs in the Granite State and across the country. In the bipartisan Fiscal Year 2026 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies Appropriations bill, Shaheen secured upwards of $9 million in federal funding for affordable housing in New Hampshire. Recently, Senator Shaheen visited Franconia, West Lebanon and Laconia to discuss policy solutions to lower housing costs for communities across the state.

###",1,2026-07-09T08:24:13Z,2026-07-09T08:26:05Z