Senators Hassan, Shaheen Join in Reintroducing Bipartisan Legislation to Aid Student Loan Borrowers

WASHINGTON – Senator Maggie Hassan, a member of the Senate Finance Committee and the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, and Senator Jeanne Shaheen last week joined their colleagues in reintroducing legislation that would allow undergraduate borrowers repaying public or private loans to refinance those loans at an interest rate of 3.76 percent. The Bank on Students Emergency Loan Refinancing Act would also allow graduate and parent borrowers to refinance to competitive rates, reducing monthly payments and helping borrowers repay loans sooner.

Shaheen, Hassan Call for Acting Interior Head to Come Clean on Offshore Drilling

(Washington, DC) – Citing bipartisan concerns about the Trump administration’s push to expand offshore oil and gas drilling, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) joined a group of Senators yesterday led by Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) to demand answers from the current acting head of the Department of Interior prior to his upcoming confirmation hearing to permanently replace former Secretary Ryan Zinke.

Senator Hassan Cosponsors Bipartisan Legislation Requiring POW/MIA Flag to be Displayed With American Flag on Federal Properties

WASHINGTON – As part of her efforts to honor the more than 82,000 Americans who are listed as Prisoners of War (POW), Missing in Action (MIA), or otherwise unaccounted for from our nation’s past wars and conflicts, Senator Maggie Hassan recently cosponsored the bipartisan National POW/MIA Flag Act, which would require the POW/MIA flag to be displayed whenever the American flag is displayed on prominent federal properties.

NH Congressional Delegation Applauds Additional $12 Million in Funding to Fight Opioid Epidemic Made Possible by Bipartisan Budget Agreement

(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) issued the following statements after the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced an additional $12 million in funding for New Hampshire’s efforts to fight the opioid epidemic drawn from resources secured by the New Hampshire Congressional Delegation.

Shaheen, Hassan Lead Letter to DOD & EPA Pressing for Answers on Reports of Efforts to Weaken Contamination Standards for PFAS

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) led a group of sixteen Senators in sending a letter to Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler, requesting the agencies to release communications they’ve had with the White House, and with each other, regarding the establishment of federal drinking water standards for per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and groundwater pollution guidelines related to these chemicals. The Senators’ letter comes in response to recent media reports that the Department Of Defense (DOD) is requesting the White House to adopt substantially weaker guidelines for groundwater pollution caused by PFAS than those suggested by the EPA.

NH Congressional Delegation Vows to Fight Trump’s Proposal to Cut Funding for Northern Border Regional Commission in FY2020 Budget

(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) issued the following statements in response to the President’s budget proposal to Congress that eliminates funding for the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) for fiscal year (FY) 2020. The NBRC provides critical support throughout New Hampshire and has funded grants that spur economic and community development in more rural parts of the state.

Senator Hassan Statement on Department of Defense Including Portsmouth Naval Shipyard on List of Projects that Could Lose Funding

WASHINGTON – Senator Maggie Hassan released the following statement after the Department of Defense included projects at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard on a list of military construction projects that could lose funding as a result of the President’s emergency declaration to pay for the border wall. Last week, Senator Hassan voted for a resolution to revoke the emergency declaration, which passed with a strong bipartisan majority.   

Senator Hassan Discusses Workforce Development Efforts At Safran Aerospace in Rochester

ROCHESTER – Senator Maggie Hassan today visited Safran Aerospace, where she discussed with Safran leadership and employees the company’s workforce development program that helps prepare students for jobs in the 21^st century economy at employers like Safran. The Senator met with employees of the company who have participated in the program, and discussed her efforts to help strengthen workforce development and job training efforts. The Senator also commended the company for its work to equip U.S. military aircraft to carry out vital missions across the globe.

Senator Hassan Recognizes Gerald Kotkowski of Hampton as March 2019 Granite Stater of the Month

WASHINGTON –Senator Maggie Hassan today recognized Gerald Kotkowski of Hampton as the March 2019 Granite Stater of the Month for his volunteer work helping people undergoing cancer treatment and those who are blind and visually impaired.

At New Hampshire College and University Council Higher Education Summit, Senator Hassan Outlines Higher Education Priorities for Year Ahead

CONCORD – Senator Maggie Hassan today spoke at the 2^nd Annual New Hampshire College and University Council Higher Education Summit, where she outlined her priorities for comprehensive, bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the Higher Education Act. The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee (HELP) - on which the Senator serves – is working on the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act this year.

Shaheen, Hassan Join Booker to Reintroduce Bill to Ban Seismic Testing in Atlantic

(Washington, DC) – Yesterday, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) joined U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) and a group of Senators to reintroduce the Atlantic Seismic Airgun Protection Act, a bill that prohibits oil, gas, and methane hydrate-related seismic activities in the Atlantic Ocean. 

Senator Hassan Pushes Back on Backward Priorities for Small Businesses in Trump Administration’s Budget for FY 2020

WASHINGTON – Senator Maggie Hassan today participated in a Senate Finance Committee hearing, where she pushed back on the backward priorities for small businesses in the Trump Administration’s FY 2020 budget, which include eliminating the Treasury Department’s Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) Program. This program leverages loans and grants to assist Community Development Financial Institutions such as the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund, which has provided critical support to small businesses throughout New Hampshire. The Senator noted how the tax cuts delivered to the top one percent from the Republican tax law are far greater than the funding for the Community Development Financial Institution Program.

Shaheen, Hassan & Bicameral Group of Lawmakers Introduce Landmark Bipartisan LGBTQ Rights Bill

(Washington, DC) – Last night, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) joined Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and a bipartisan group of Senators to introduce historic, comprehensive federal legislation – the bipartisan Equality Act of 2019 – to ban discrimination against LGBTQ Americans. They introduced the legislation, which includes Shaheen’s Jury ACCESS Act, with Senators Collins (R-ME), Baldwin (D-WI), Booker (D-NJ) and 41 of their Senate colleagues. The legislation was filed simultaneously in the U.S. House of Representatives, led by Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI) and joined by Reps. Kuster (NH-02) and Pappas (NH-01), and 237 Representatives.

Senator Hassan and Bipartisan Group of Senators Introduce Bipartisan JOBS Act to Help Build a Stronger Workforce and Expand Economic Opportunity

WASHINGTON – Senator Maggie Hassan, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, today joined a bipartisan group of colleagues to introduce the bipartisan Jumpstart Our Businesses By Supporting Students (JOBS) Act, in order to help students access more job training programs that will help them develop the skills and thinking needed for jobs in the 21^st century innovation economy.

Senator Hassan Presses HHS Secretary Azar on Trump’s Proposed Budget That Would End Medicaid Expansion, Disrupt Efforts to Combat Opioid Crisis

WASHINGTON – During a Senate Finance Committee hearing today, Senator Maggie Hassan pressed Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar on the Trump Administration’s proposed FY 2020 budget that would cut and cap the traditional Medicaid program and end Medicaid expansion, moves that would severely set back efforts to combat the opioid epidemic and take away access to health care for tens of thousands of New Hampshire citizens.

Senator Hassan Votes to Reject President Trump’s Emergency Declaration to Build Border Wall

WASHINGTON – Senator Maggie Hassan today joined members from both parties in voting to reject President Trump’s emergency declaration that would take funding from critical military construction projects in order to build a wall at the southern border.

On Senate Floor, Senator Hassan Blasts Trump Administration’s Action to Undermine Women’s Access to Health Care at Providers Such As Planned Parenthood

WASHINGTON – Senator Maggie Hassan delivered a speech on the Senate floor blasting the Trump Administration’s Title X Gag Rule, which would undermine women’s access to critical health services at providers such as Planned Parenthood.

Senator Hassan Pushes U.S. Trade Representative to Include Criminalization of Fentanyl in Final US-China Trade Agreement

WASHINGTON – During a Senate Finance Committee hearing today, Senator Maggie Hassan pressured U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer to include the criminalization of fentanyl in the final U.S.-China trade agreement. The Senator followed up on President Trump’s assurance from December of 2018 when he tweeted that Chinese President Xi Jinping promised that China would criminalize the sale of fentanyl.

Shaheen and Hassan Legislation to Save LWCF, Redesignate Saint-Gaudens Site & Protect Nashua River Signed into Law

(Washington, DC) — U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) released the following statements after their legislation to permanently reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) was signed into law by the President. Shaheen and Hassan introduced bipartisan legislation to permanently reauthorize LWCF, which helps preserve and maintain critical lands for national parks, forests, wildlife refuges and recreational areas in all 50 states and nearly every congressional district at no cost to American taxpayers. The U.S. outdoor recreation economy generates roughly $900 billion in annual economic activity and supports 7.6 million jobs, all of which benefits from investments by LWCF. The bill signed into law includes Shaheen and Hassan’s legislation to protect the Nashua River and its tributaries and redesignate Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site as a “National Historical Park.” 

Shaheen, Hassan Join Bicameral Effort to Restore Net Neutrality Protections

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) joined Senate and House Democrats last week to introduce the Save the Internet Act – legislation that would keep the internet open and free. The bill would reverse the disastrous repeal of critical net neutrality protections by President Trump’s Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in late 2017. The legislation is co-sponsored by 46 Senate Democrats.