NH Delegation Announces More Than $6 Million in Funding Through CARES Act to Help Address Economic Impacts of COVID-19 on Vulnerable Granite Staters

(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) announced that New Hampshire will receive $6,052,440 in federal grants established under the bipartisan Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act that was passed by Congress and signed into law. Specifically, $4,679,946 was awarded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Community Development Block Grant program (CDBG) to the state. $1,372,494 will be distributed through the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ (HHS) Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) program to New Hampshire’s five Community Action Agencies (CAA): Community Action Program Belknap-Merrimack Counties, Inc., Community Action Partnership of Strafford Country, Southwestern Community Services, Inc., Southern New Hampshire Services, Inc. and the Tri-Country Community Action Program.

Senators Markey, Schumer, Cantwell, Van Hollen, Bennet, Schatz, and Hassan Lead Colleagues on Legislation to Ensure All Students Have Access to Internet During Coronavirus Pandemic

Washington (May 12, 2020) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), Ranking Member Maria Cantwell (D-Wash,), and Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) today led 39 of their Democratic Senate colleagues in introducing the Emergency Educational Connections Act, legislation aimed at ensuring all K-12 students have adequate home internet connectivity and devices during the coronavirus pandemic. The bill is the Senate companion to legislation recently introduced by Congresswoman Grace Meng (NY-06), but makes one important change: increasing the appropriation from $2 billion to $4 billion. Education groups had originally identified the $2 billion figure believing the crisis would last only through this academic year. As more educators have come to realize the crisis could last far longer, need has only increased. 

Senator Hassan Participates in Call with Bipartisan White House Task Force on Reopening Country in the Wake of COVID-19

WASHINGTON – As a member of the bipartisan White House task force to reopen the economy, U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan today participated in a call with a bipartisan group of Senators and White House officials, including the Director of the National Economic Council Larry Kudlow, on what is needed to safely begin to reopen more parts of the economy.

NH Delegation Announces More Than $6.7 Million in Funding Through CARES Act to Support Home Energy Assistance

(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) announced that New Hampshire is set to receive $6,768,870 in assistance under the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). LIHEAP is a federally funded program that provides eligible households with help paying a portion of their energy bills. The program provided assistance to nearly 30,000 Granite Staters this past year, many of them families, seniors and people with disabilities.

Senator Hassan, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Assist Renters During COVID-19 Crisis

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) joined Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and colleagues in the Senate and House of Representatives to announce the bicameral Emergency Rental Assistance and Rental Market Stabilization Act of 2020.

Senator Hassan, Colleagues Call on IRS to Swiftly Distribute Full $500 COVID-19 Payments for Dependents

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and 12 of her colleagues are requesting information from Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner Charles Rettig about the status of $500 COVID-19 stimulus payments for qualifying individuals with dependents.

Senator Hassan Emphasizes Importance of Improving Accuracy of COVID-19 Tests, Planning Now for the Manufacturing and Distribution of Vaccines

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan today emphasized the importance of improving the accuracy of COVID-19 tests and planning now for the manufacturing and distribution of vaccines during a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee hearing focused on the “Shark Tank” initiative to help improve testing availability through private-public partnerships.

NH Delegation Announces More Than $2.4 Million to Expand COVID-19 Testing in NH Community Health Centers

(Washington, DC) – 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) announced that $2,404,930 will be awarded to community health centers throughout New Hampshire to expand their COVID-19 testing capabilities. The funding was awarded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and is part of $583 million that has been distributed nationally to community health centers as part of funds appropriated by the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act that was passed by Congress and signed into law in last month.

Shaheen & Hassan Secure NH Priorities in Bipartisan Water Infrastructure and Drinking Water Bills

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) issued the following statements in response to the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works’ (EPW) unanimous approval of the America’s Water Infrastructure Act (AWIA) of 2020 and the Drinking Water Infrastructure Act (DWIA) of 2020, two pieces of biennial legislation that authorize water infrastructure projects and drinking water programs around the country.

Shaheen, Hassan, Kuster & Sununu Applaud $1.9 Million USDA Investment in NH Broadband Infrastructure

(Manchester, NH) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Representative Annie Kuster (NH-02) and Governor Chris Sununu issued the following statements in response to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) announcement that a New Hampshire company will receive a $1.9 million loan through the department’s ReConnect Program, which provides funding to improve broadband service in rural communities. This is the first time the ReConnect Program has awarded New Hampshire federal support, which will be distributed to Granite State Communications to make investments in services benefiting Hillsborough, Deering and Washington, New Hampshire.

In First Virtual Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Roundtable, Senator Hassan Stresses the Importance of Increasing National Testing Capacity in Order to Reopen the Economy Safely

WASHINGTON – In the first-ever virtual Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee roundtable, U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) stressed the importance of massively increasing the nation’s daily testing capacity in order to safely reopen America’s economy.

In Letter To President Trump, Shaheen & Hassan Call Administration’s Testing Blueprint Insufficient, Urge Federal Government to Release And Implement National Plan

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) sent a letter with 40 Senate Democrats to President Trump, calling on his administration to develop a comprehensive national strategic plan of action by May 24^th to ensure states have sufficient tests to begin safely re-opening.

Senator Hassan Joins Bipartisan Colleagues in Urging the Trump Administration to Fund Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Treatment

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and a bipartisan group of her colleagues are urging the Trump Administration to allocate CARES Act funding to behavioral health centers that provide mental health and substance misuse treatment to Granite Staters and all Americans. Although need is increasing because of the COVID-19 pandemic, many behavioral health centers have had to reduce their operations.

Senator Hassan Leads Colleagues in Call for Greater Support for Students With Disabilities

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) led 24 of her colleagues in calling for greater support for students who experience disabilities in upcoming COVID-19 response legislation. The funding would give school districts more resources to continue to provide students who experience disabilities with a free and appropriate public education as required under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

Senator Hassan Introduces Bipartisan Legislation to Boost Federal Investment in Innovative Businesses Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) joined her colleagues in introducing bipartisan, bicameral legislation to expand support for American companies that invest in the research and development (R&D) of new products and technologies. Along with Senator Hassan, the bipartisan bill was introduced by Senators Chris Coons (D-DE), Pat Roberts (R-KS), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Todd Young (R-IN), and Steve Daines (R-MT), along with U.S. Representatives Suzan DelBene (D-WA) and Jackie Walorski (R-IN).

NH Delegation Announces $3.6 Million in Funding Through CARES Act to Support Affordable Housing for Granite Staters

(Manchester, NH) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, 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) announced that housing authorities and agencies throughout New Hampshire will receive $3,594,661 through the CARES Act to support affordable housing for Granite Staters during the COVID-19 crisis. Specifically, funding was distributed through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Public Housing Operating Fund, which is used to support housing authorities in funding the operating and maintenance expenses of their buildings, and its Housing Choice Voucher Program, which is used to help low-income, disabled and elderly people afford safe and decent housing in the private market.

NH Delegation Announces $115.4 Million in COVID-19 Relief Funds for Rural Hospitals and Health Care Providers through CARES Act

(Washington, DC) - U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) announced with Representatives Annie Kuster (NH-02) and Chris Pappas (NH-01) that New Hampshire rural hospitals and health care providers will receive $115.4 million in a third installment of federal grants established under the bipartisan Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act that was passed by Congress and signed into law. In total, the law includes $100 billion for health care providers. The f… Continue Reading

Senators Hassan & Shaheen Push for Tax Credit Expansion for Hard-Working Families in Next COVID-19 Relief Package

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan and Jeanne Shaheen today called for a temporary expansion of the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit in the next COVID-19 relief package. As the economic effects of COVID-19 are expected to last into next year, this would put money back in the pockets of hard-working Granite Staters and Americans to help weather the economic downturn. The letter, which was sent to Senate leadership, was led by Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Ron Wyden (D-OR).

NH Delegation Pushes for Expanded Housing Options for Domestic Violence Survivors in Next Covid-19 Package

WASHINGTON – Amid concerns of increasing domestic violence as the COVID-19 pandemic continues, U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan and Jeanne Shaheen and Representatives Annie Kuster and Chris Pappas are pushing for additional funding to expand housing options for domestic violence survivors in the next COVID-19 emergency package.

Senators Markey, Van Hollen, Bennet, Hassan, and Colleagues Plan to Introduce Legislation to Direct $4 Billion in E-Rate Funds to Close Growing Learning Gap in Coronavirus Pandemic

Washington (April 30, 2020) – Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) today announced that they plan to increase their request in upcoming legislation aimed at ensuring all K-12 students have adequate home internet connectivity and devices during the coronavirus pandemic. The Senators previously announced their intention to introduce the Senate companion to legislation, the Emergency Educational Connections Act, recently introduced by Congresswoman Grace Meng (NY-06) in the House of Representatives. The Senators plan to introduce companion legislation, but will make one important change: increasing the appropriation from $2 billion to $4 billion. Education groups had originally identified the $2 billion figure believing the crisis would last only through this academic year. As more educators have come to realize the crisis will last far longer, need has only increased.