Senators Hassan, Romney to Food and Drug Administration: January Vaping Rules Fall Short of Protecting Youth and Public Health

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Mitt Romney (R-UT) led their colleagues in expressing concerns regarding the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) recently issued guidance on vaping. In a letter to the director of the Center for Tobacco Products, Mitch Zeller, the senators expressed their concerns and requested answers from Mr. Zeller about a variety of vaping-related issues, including the FDA’s refusal to ban menthol-flavored vaping products, which research has shown to be extremely popular among youth. 

Shaheen, Hassan Press Trump Administration to Request Emergency Funding for Novel Coronavirus Response

WASHINGTON, DC – Yesterday, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, along with Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) sent a letter with their fellow Senators to Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Alex Azar and Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Mick Mulvaney expressing their concern over the Trump Administration’s failure so far to outline what additional resources it needs to respond to the rapidly developing coronavirus outbreak. The letter comes after earlier this week the Trump Administration released its new budget proposal, which suggested cutting public health and preparedness programs that help protect against global health threats. 

Three Months From E-Cigarette Review Deadline, Shaheen & Hassan Urge FDA To Protect Kids, Hold Industry Accountable

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH), along with 15 other bipartisan Senators, urged Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Dr. Stephen Hahn to comply with the agency’s requirements to reject e-cigarette applications that do not protect the public health, upon the FDA’s May 12 deadline for e-cigarette product review. The Senators, in a letter sent to Commissioner Hahn yesterday, highlighted concerns with FDA’s ongoing lax oversight of e-cigarettes and tobacco products, and pressed the agency for a science-based review that holds the industry accountable for products that are responsible for fueling the youth e-cigarette epidemic.

Senator Hassan Joins Bipartisan Colleagues in Introducing Bill to Protect Children from Human Trafficking

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) joined Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Tina Smith (D-MN) in introducing the bipartisan Human Trafficking and Exploitation Prevention Training Act of 2020, which would help prevent the human trafficking and exploitation of children by providing grants to train students, parents, teachers, and school personnel to understand, recognize, prevent, and respond to signs of human trafficking.

Shaheen Leads NH Delegation Call to ATSDR for Update on Merrimack-Area Health Consultations on PFAS Exposure

(Washington, DC) – Today, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) led a letter with Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Representatives Annie Kuster (NH-02) and Chris Pappas (NH-01) to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) requesting an update on health consultations, which have been underway in the Merrimack-area since August 2016 in response to the discovery of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination in the region.

Senator Hassan Presses HHS Secretary on Proposed Cuts to Medicaid, Efforts to Eliminate Pre-Existing Conditions Protections at Senate Finance Committee Hearing

WASHINGTON – At a Senate Finance Committee hearing today with Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar about the Administration’s proposed budget, Senator Hassan pressed Secretary Azar on the impact that the Administration’s proposed cut of nearly $1 trillion to Medicaid would have on New Hampshire. The Senator also questioned Secretary Azar on the Administration’s efforts to gut protections for people with pre-existing conditions.

Senator Hassan Statement on Passage of War Powers Resolution

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) released the following statement after voting to pass a bipartisan war powers resolution aimed at preventing further escalation of hostilities with Iran without congressional authorization:

Senator Hassan, Treasury Secretary Discuss Efforts to Combat Terrorist Funding Streams at Finance Committee Hearing

Senator Maggie Hassan raised the importance of the Treasury Department’s work to combat terrorist financing at a Senate Finance Committee hearing on the Department’s proposed budget. She also stressed the importance of supporting craft breweries and the R&D tax credit for local businesses and startups — all issues that the Senator has prioritized as a member of the Committee.

Senator Hassan Calls for Administration to Increase Funding and Improve Coordination Efforts to Contain Coronavirus Outbreak Following Additional Briefings from Current and Former Trump Administration Officials

WASHINGTON – Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) today called on the Trump Administration to increase funding and improve its coordination efforts to contain the coronavirus outbreak following briefings from current and former Administration officials on the government’s response to this public health emergency.

Shaheen, Hassan Call on Trump Administration to End Treatment Delay for Veterans Suffering from Agent Orange

(Washington, DC) – Today, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) sent a letter with a group of Senators condemning the Trump administration for delaying critical benefits to Vietnam veterans suffering from health conditions associated with their exposure to Agent Orange. In their letter, the Senators specifically called on the administration to stop denying scientific evidence, and end the years-long delay of adding Bladder Cancer, Hypothyroidism, Parkinsonism and Hypertension to the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) list of service-connected presumptive conditions. The offices of Senators Shaheen and Hassan assist veterans throughout New Hampshire experiencing difficulties receiving the care they’re owed by the VA, including many who have conditions from their exposure to Agent Orange.

Senators Hassan, Paul Lead Afghanistan Oversight Hearing

WASHINGTON – The United States must learn from past missteps by establishing — and following — a clear, comprehensive strategy in Afghanistan, Senator Hassan stressed during a hearing examining America’s role in Afghanistan held by the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Federal Spending Oversight and Emergency Management. The hearing was led by Subcommittee Chairman Rand Paul (R-KY) and Ranking Member Maggie Hassan (D-NH).

Following Advocacy from Senators Hassan, Schumer, and Peters, Critical Cybersecurity Information-Sharing Program Will Be Fully Funded

WASHINGTON – The Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center (MS-ISAC) program—which ensures that the federal government communicates information on cyber threats and best practices to state and local entities—will be fully funded, as will the Election Infrastructure Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EI-ISAC) program, Chris Krebs, director of the Department of Homeland Security Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, confirmed to Senator Maggie Hassan at a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing today.

Shaheen, Hassan Introduce Legislation to Reduce Emissions and Bolster the Clean Energy Economy

(Washington, DC)  – Today, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) introduced the Clean Economy Act with Tom Carper (D-DE) and a number of other colleagues. The legislation will boost American competitiveness while putting the United States on a path to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Army Corps Approves Funding for Rye Harbor Dredging

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) – a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee – with Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Chris Pappas (NH-01), issued the following statements in response to the Army Corps of Engineers’ (The Corps) release of their fiscal year 2020 work plan, which includes $4 million to complete dredging work at Rye Harbor. Just last month, Shaheen led a New Hampshire congressional delegation letter to the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Mick Mulvaney and Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works R.D. James, requesting that dredging for Rye Harbor be included in the Corps’ 2020 work plan. She also helped lead the legislative effort in the Senate to make sure the Corps has the funding available to prioritize Rye Harbor. She previously led efforts to help secure approval and funding to dredge Hampton-Seabrook Harbor, which started in the fall and was recently completed. 

Senator Hassan on President Trump’s Proposal to Eliminate Northern Border Regional Commission in Fiscal Year 2021 Budget

WASHINGTON – Senator Maggie Hassan issued the following statement in response to the President’s budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2021 that would eliminate the Northern Border Regional Commission. The Northern Border Regional Commission provides grants that help spur community and economic development for communities in rural areas of the state.

Senator Hassan Statement on President Trump’s Proposed Budget Cuts to Medicaid, Medicare, and Other Health Priorities

WASHINGTON – Senator Maggie Hassan released the following statement about President Trump’s federal budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2021, which includes cuts to Medicaid and Medicare, among other damaging cuts. While the budget heeds calls from Senators Hassan, Shaheen and the entire New Hampshire Congressional Delegation to support continued funding for the State Opioid Response grant program, it cuts other health priorities that would harm the response to the opioid crisis.

NH Delegation Applauds $51 million for Innovative Generic Drug Manufacturing Project in Manchester

(Washington, DC) – Today, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Representatives Annie Kuster (NH-02) and Chris Pappas (NH-01) issued the following statements after the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that the Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute (ARMI) in Manchester will be awarded up to $51 million over 5 years to develop an innovative “Priority Medicines on Demand” project. The “Priority Medicines on Demand” project seeks to develop a portable technology that would chemically engineer and produce medications and vaccines to expand access to critical medical care in places where drugs are logistically and financially difficult to deliver. Such areas could potentially include natural disaster areas, locations abroad where service members are deployed and rural areas with limited pharmacy access.

NH Delegation Announces More Than $641K in Federal Funding to Dartmouth in Support of Breast Cancer Research

(Washington) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Representatives Annie Kuster (NH-02) and Chris Pappas (NH-01) today announced the award of $641,864 in federal funding to Dartmouth College in support of research efforts to improve the detection and diagnosis of breast cancer. Specifically, the grant will be used to develop and evaluate a new breast imaging system that will improve detection rates for breast cancer. This funding is distributed from the National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) Cancer Detection and Diagnosis Research grant program. NCI is housed under the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which is a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Senator Hassan Joins Colleagues in Urging Food and Drug Administration to Immediately Ban the Use of Electrical Shock Devices on Children and Adults with Disabilities

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, joined her colleagues in urging Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Stephen M. Hahn to immediately ban the use of electrical stimulation devices (ESDs) on children and adults with disabilities.

Hassan-Cassidy Statement on Proposals to Address Surprise Medical Bills from Two House Committees

WASHINGTON – Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) released the following statement on the surprise medical billing proposals from the House Education and Labor Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee. In December, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee – on which both Senators serve – and the House Energy and Commerce Committee released a bipartisan, bicameral compromise that incorporated considerable feedback and work from the two Senators.