Press Releases
Six More Senators Join Bipartisan STOP Surprise Medical Bills Act as Momentum Builds
WASHINGTON – Six more Senators today cosponsored the bipartisan STOP Surprise Medical Bills Act as momentum builds for the legislation that Senator Maggie Hassan and her colleagues introduced last week. The addition of Senators Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Ben Cardin (D-MD), John Kennedy (R-LA), Bob Casey (D-PA), Joni Ernst (R-IA), and Sheldon Whitehouse (R-RI) as cosponsors brings the total cosponsors of the legislation to 14 senators – seven Republicans and seven Democrats. They join Senator Hassan, Senators Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Todd Young (R-IN), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Tom Carper (D-DE), Dan Sullivan (R-AK) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH).
… Continue ReadingMay 20, 2019
Senator Hassan, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Ensure Pregnant Mothers Can Access Affordable Health Care During and After Pregnancy
WASHINGTON – Senator Maggie Hassan joined her colleagues last week to introduce legislation to expand health care options for expectant mothers. The Healthy Maternal and Obstetric Medicine (Healthy MOM) Act, would ensure that all women eligible for coverage through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) insurance marketplaces, as well as women eligible for other individual or group health plan coverage, can access affordable health coverage throughout their pregnancies. The bill would establish a special enrollment period (SEP) for expectant mothers. Right now, marriage, divorce, giving birth, adoption, and changing jobs are considered qualifying life events that trigger a special enrollment period. However, becoming pregnant is not considered a qualifying event.
… Continue ReadingMay 20, 2019
Senators Shelby, Hassan Express Concern Over Anticipated Release of Convicted American Taliban Fighter John Walker Lindh and Other Terrorist Offenders
WASHINGTON – Senators Richard Shelby (R-AL) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) sent a letter last week to Acting Director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons Hugh Hurwitz expressing concern over the anticipated release of convicted American Taliban fighter John Walker Lindh and other terrorist offenders. The Senators also requested further information about what steps the federal government is taking to ensure public safety upon the release of these individuals.
… Continue ReadingMay 17, 2019
U.S. Senate Unanimously Passes Bipartisan Legislation Cosponsored by Senator Hassan to Prevent Police Suicide
WASHINGTON – During National Police Week, the United States Senate unanimously passed bipartisan legislation Senator Hassan cosponsored to help prevent police suicide. The Supporting and Treating Officers in Crisis, which was introduced by Senators Josh Hawley (R-MO) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) aims to address suicide within the law enforcement community.
… Continue ReadingMay 17, 2019
Senators Hassan and Capito Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Help Close the Rural-Urban Digital Divide
WASHINGTON – Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) yesterday reintroduced the bipartisan Rural Reasonable and Comparable Wireless Access Act to help close the rural-urban digital divide and expand access to broadband in rural parts of New Hampshire, West Virginia, and across the country.
… Continue ReadingMay 17, 2019
Senators Hassan, Shaheen Introduce Legislation to Protect Students, Reduce Bullying and Harassment at Colleges and Universities
WASHINGTON – Senator Maggie Hassan, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee and Senator Jeanne Shaheen, joined their colleagues this week in introducing legislation to help reduce bullying and harassment, including cyberbullying, at colleges and universities across the country.
… Continue ReadingMay 16, 2019
Senator Hassan, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Improve and Reduce Remedial Education
WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Doug Jones (D-Ala.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) today introduced legislation to help reduce the need for students to take remedial courses when pursuing post-secondary education, and to improve degree completion rates. The Promoting Readiness in Education to Prevent Additional Remediation and Expense (PREPARE) Act would better align high school graduation requirements with entrance requirements for credit-bearing post-secondary coursework, and would provide resources to schools to strengthen their remedial programs and improve outcomes.
… Continue ReadingMay 16, 2019
Senator Hassan, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Support First Responders
WASHINGTON - Today U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), along with U.S. Senators Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), introduced the National Urban Search and Rescue Parity Act to eliminate a misguided policy that currently prevents federal employees from assisting with the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Urban Search and Rescue (US&R) efforts.
… Continue ReadingMay 16, 2019
Senators Hassan, Cassidy, and Bipartisan Group of Senators Introduce Legislation to End Practice of Surprise Medical Bills for Granite Staters and Americans
WASHINGTON – Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), and a bipartisan group of Senators introduced bipartisan legislation today to end the practice of surprise medical bills. The Senators announced the introduction of the bipartisan STOP Surprise Medical Bills Act along with Michael Bennet (D-CO), Todd Young (R-IN), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), and Tom Carper (D-DE), at a press conference today. U.S. Senators Dan Sullivan (R-AK) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) are also cosponsoring the bill.
… Continue ReadingMay 15, 2019
Shaheen Reintroduces Legislation to Boost Public Participation in Approval of Energy Projects and Rates
(Washington, DC) – Today, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) reintroduced legislation to create an Office of Public Participation and Consumer Advocacy at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). As one of the lead agencies responsible for developing energy infrastructure and ensuring reliability of the electric grid, FERC has sweeping authority over the wholesale power markets and ultimate jurisdiction in the federal siting and permitting process for natural gas pipelines. While FERC’s decisions determine which energy projects are constructed and significantly influence the energy prices consumers pay, private citizens have expressed frustration that participating in FERC’s complex proceedings is extremely challenging.
… Continue ReadingMay 15, 2019
NH Delegation Applauds $300,000 in Federal Funding Awarded to Manchester Community College to Expand Skilled Technical Workforce
(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), the Ranking Member on the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies (CJS) Appropriations subcommittee, Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Representatives Annie Kuster (NH-02) and Chris Pappas (NH-01) applauded the announcement of a $299,529 grant awarded to Manchester Community College to support programs to help educate the next generation of skilled technical workers. The grant is funded through the National Science Foundation (NSF).
… Continue ReadingMay 15, 2019
Capito, Hassan Introduce Legislation to Improve Mental Health Care in Emergency Departments
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) introduced the Improving Mental Health Access from the Emergency Department Act, legislation to improve the way patients receive care for mental illness in emergency departments. The bipartisan bill would establish a competitive grant program for emergency departments to adopt more collaborative and connected mental health care models and deploy new technology to better connect patients with appropriate resources in their communities.
… Continue ReadingMay 15, 2019
Bipartisan Hassan-Backed Bills to Strengthen Fiscal Responsibility, Improve Government Efficiency Pass Committee
WASHINGTON – Today, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, on which Senator Maggie Hassan serves, voted to approve several bipartisan bills that Senator Hassan has supported to strengthen fiscal responsibility and improve efficiency within the federal government.
… Continue ReadingMay 15, 2019
Bipartisan Hassan-Rubio Legislation to Strengthen Counterterrorism Coordination Efforts at DHS Passes Out of Committee
WASHINGTON – Today, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, on which Senator Maggie Hassan serves, voted to approve the bipartisan Counter Threats Advisory Board Act. Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Marco Rubio (R-FL) introduced the legislation to strengthen counterterrorism coordination efforts at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The bipartisan legislation will authorize and rename the Counterterrorism Advisory Board (CTAB), which brings together intelligence, operational, and policy-making elements from across DHS to advise the DHS Secretary on how to respond to potential terrorist attacks as well as other threats.
… Continue ReadingMay 14, 2019
Senator Hassan Highlights Importance of Making it Easier For Americans to Save for Retirement During Senate Finance Hearing
WASHINGTON – Senator Maggie Hassan highlighted today the importance of making it easier for Americans to save for retirement. The Senator recently cosponsored a bill – led by the Ranking Member of the Finance Committee, Ron Wyden (D-OR) – to allow employees who make student loan payments to receive an employer match into their retirement accounts for those payments.
May 14, 2019
NH Delegation Announce $2.7 Million in Federal Funding for Pease & Claremont Airports
(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH), and Representatives Annie Kuster (NH-02) and Chris Pappas (NH-01) announced $2.7 million in federal funding for construction projects at Portsmouth International Airport at Pease and Claremont Municipal Airport. Pease has been awarded $2 million for a terminal expansion project, and Claremont has similarly been awarded $700,000 to construct a new state of the art terminal. Both projects are funded through the Airport Improvement Program (AIP).
… Continue ReadingMay 13, 2019
Senators Hassan, Shaheen Introduce Legislation to Make Bankruptcy Relief Available to Student Loan Borrowers
WASHINGTON – Senator Maggie Hassan, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee and the Senate Finance Committee, and Senator Jeanne Shaheen recently joined their colleagues in introducing bicameral legislation that would give hard-working Granite Staters and Americans overwhelmed by debt the option of obtaining meaningful bankruptcy relief that includes student loan debt.
… Continue ReadingMay 13, 2019
Shaheen, Hassan & Bipartisan Group Introduce Legislation to Support Fishing Safety Programs
(Washington, DC) – On Friday, Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) joined Senators Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Angus King (I-ME), Susan Collins (R-ME), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) to introduce the Funding Instruction for Safety Health, and Security Avoids Fishing Emergencies (FISH SAFE) Act. The bipartisan bill restores the federal share of fishing safety training and research grants back to 75 percent, which had been unfortunately cut to 50 percent in 2018 legislation. The bill would also reauthorize the safety training and research programs for $6,000,000 per year for 2019-2021.
… Continue ReadingMay 13, 2019
Senator Hassan Cosponsors Bipartisan Bill to Make College Cost Comparisons Easier
WASHINGTON – Senator Maggie Hassan last week cosponsored a bipartisan bill to empower students and their families with better information about the costs of college. The bipartisan Understanding the True Cost of College Act would create a universal financial aid award letter to allow prospective students to compare colleges to find the best value. NPR recently highlighted the issue of colleges and universities providing misleading and confusing financial aid letters.
… Continue ReadingMay 10, 2019
Senator Hassan Joins in Introducing Bipartisan, Bicameral Legislation to Curb Improper Federal Payments to Deceased Individuals
WASHINGTON – Senator Maggie Hassan this week joined her colleagues in re-introducing bipartisan legislation that would help save millions of federal dollars by curbing erroneous payments to deceased individuals. The bipartisan Stopping Improper Payments to Deceased People Act would give all federal agencies access to the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) death records – which represent the most complete federal databases of the deceased – and require that federal agencies make appropriate use of the death data to curb improper payments.
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