Press Releases
Senator Hassan Cosponsors Bipartisan Legislation to Address Veterans’ Burn Pits Exposure
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) cosponsored the Veterans Burn Pits Exposure Recognition Act, bipartisan legislation reintroduced by Senators Dan Sullivan (R-AK) and Joe Manchin (D-WV) to formally recognize that certain veterans were exposed to burn pits during their service in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other locations, which would make it easier for them to access U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care and benefits for illnesses and diseases related to exposure to burn pits.
… Continue ReadingMarch 02, 2021
Senators Hassan, Braun Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Support New Businesses Amid the Pandemic
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Mike Braun (R-IN) introduced bipartisan legislation today to support entrepreneurship and help new businesses create jobs throughout the economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
… Continue ReadingMarch 02, 2021
Senator Hassan Discusses Strengthening Cybersecurity & Government Efficiency at Committee Hearing
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) discussed strengthening government efficiency and cybersecurity during the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee’s annual hearing with the Government Accountability Office on addressing its High-Risk List of waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in federal government operations.
… Continue ReadingMarch 02, 2021
Following Bipartisan Push from Senators Hassan and Burr, IRS Ensures Additional Access to Employee Retention Tax Credit for Small Businesses
WASHINGTON – Following a push from U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Richard Burr (R-NC), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issued guidance that will ensure that employers who have received Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) assistance can fully access the Employee Retention Tax Credit. This follows the Senators’ successful effort last year to allow PPP recipients to receive Employee Retention Credit assistance.
… Continue ReadingMarch 02, 2021
Shaheen, Hassan & Pappas Announce Nearly $244K to Support Climate Change Research Led by UNH
(Washington, DC) – Today, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Chair of the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations subcommittee which funds the National Science Foundation (NSF), announced with U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) that the NSF will award $243,760 to the University of New Hampshire (UNH) in support of climate change research. Specifically, the funding would support efforts by UNH to understand the impact of three significant global changes – climate warming, the release of nitrogen into the atmosphere, and invasion by non-native plants – on soil located in the American Northeast. These three factors have significant implications in New Hampshire and throughout the Northeast for economic activities and the survival of ecosystems that serve as natural habitats for native plant and animal species and could further accelerate the ongoing impact of climate change.
… Continue ReadingMarch 01, 2021
Senator Hassan Votes to Confirm Miguel Cardona as Education Secretary
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH), a member of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, voted today to confirm Dr. Miguel Cardona to be the next Secretary for the Department of Education.
… Continue ReadingMarch 01, 2021
Senators Hassan, Shaheen, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Allow Importation of More Affordable Prescription Drugs from Canada
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH), a member of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee and Senate Finance Committee, and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) joined their colleagues in reintroducing bipartisan legislation to lower the cost of health care by allowing individuals to import safe prescription drugs from Canada.
… Continue ReadingMarch 01, 2021
Sen. Hassan joins Sens. Collins & Manchin to introduce adaptive vehicles for veterans legislation
Washington, D.C.—U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) joined Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Joe Manchin (D-WV) in introducing bipartisan legislation that would reduce the financial burden for severely disabled veterans who require special adaptive equipment to drive a motor vehicle. The Advancing Uniform Transportation Opportunities (AUTO) for Veterans Act would make these veterans eligible to receive a grant to help purchase a new adaptive vehicle once every ten years, helping them to drive safely and maintain their independence. Companion legislation was introduced in the House by Representatives Dan Meuser (R-PA) and David Trone (D-MD).
… Continue ReadingMarch 01, 2021
Senators Hassan, Lee Introduce Bipartisan Counterterrorism Bill
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Chair of the Emerging Threats Subcommittee of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, and Mike Lee (R-UT) today introduced the bipartisan Reporting Efficiently to Proper Officials in Response to Terrorism (REPORT) Act, which requires federal agencies to report to Congress after a terrorist attack with information about exactly what happened and recommendations to prevent future attacks.
… Continue ReadingFebruary 28, 2021
In Honor of Black History Month, Senator Hassan Recognizes Vernis Jackson of Portsmouth as February’s Granite Stater of the Month
WASHINGTON – In honor of Black History Month, Senator Maggie Hassan recognized Vernis Jackson of Portsmouth as February's Granite Stater of the Month for elevating the stories and cultures of African Americans on the Seacoast and around the world through founding the Seacoast African American Cultural Center, and helping establish the African Burying Ground Memorial Park in downtown Portsmouth.
… Continue ReadingFebruary 28, 2021
Senator Hassan, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Close Loophole That Encourages For-Profit Colleges to Target Veterans & Service Members
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH), a member of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee and the Veterans Affairs Committee, joined Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and others in introducing bicameral legislation to help end the for-profit college industry’s aggressive recruiting of veterans, service members, and their families. The Protecting Our Students and Taxpayers (POST) Act would prohibit for-profit colleges and universities from receiving more than 85 percent of their revenue from the federal government, as well as change how federal revenue is calculated to include all federal funds, including Department of Veterans Affairs GI Bill and Department of Defense Tuition Assistance benefits. The Senators’ efforts comes as for-profit colleges have seen an uptick in enrollment due to the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
… Continue ReadingFebruary 26, 2021
Senators Hassan, Shaheen Join in Introducing Bipartisan Legislation to Provide Veterans with Disabilities Full Military Benefits
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan, a member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, and Jeanne Shaheen joined a bipartisan group of their colleagues in introducing the Major Richard Star Act, bipartisan legislation to provide combat-injured veterans with less than 20 years of military service their full benefits.
… Continue ReadingFebruary 26, 2021
Senator Hassan Questions President Biden’s Nominees for Key Public Health Positions about Substance Misuse and Pandemic Fatigue During Committee Hearing
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) questioned President Joe Biden’s nominees for Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy, and Assistant Secretary of Health at the Department of Health and Human Services, Dr. Rachel Levine, on the substance misuse crisis and pandemic fatigue during a hearing yesterday of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee.
… Continue ReadingFebruary 26, 2021
Senators Hassan, Moran, Cortez Masto, and Cramer Lead Bipartisan Call for Additional Assistance to Help Hardest-Hit Businesses Retain Employees
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), and Kevin Cramer (R-ND) led a bipartisan call to Senate leadership to help businesses hardest hit with major revenue losses because of the pandemic retain employees by improving access to the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC) in the upcoming COVID-19 relief package.
… Continue ReadingFebruary 26, 2021
Grassley, Hassan, Ernst, Baldwin Introduce Bill to Save CFTC Whistleblower Program from Potential Financial Shortfall
WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) along with his colleagues Sens. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) introduced the CFTC Fund Management Act to expand a whistleblower reward fund in danger of drying up due to the increasing success of the program. This bipartisan bill allows the commission to set aside more money from fines collected to pay whistleblower awards and secures the long-term success of the program without spending a single taxpayer dollar.
… Continue ReadingFebruary 26, 2021
Senators Hassan, Thune Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Support Passenger Rail in New Hampshire and Across the Country
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and John Thune (R-SD) reintroduced the Railroad Rehabilitation and Financing Innovation Act, bipartisan legislation to improve the Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing (RRIF) loan program, which is designed to provide direct loans to help develop passenger and short line railroads in New Hampshire and across the country. The bipartisan legislation would make it easier for businesses and communities to apply for this loan program and increase the flexibility of it. The loan could be used to help finance projects like the Capitol Corridor Project that would connect Manchester and Nashua to Boston via commuter rail.
… Continue ReadingFebruary 25, 2021
Biden Administration Heeds Call Led by Senator Hassan, Announces Unemployment Insurance Fix
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced that it will heed calls led by U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) to fix a policy that has limited the ability of workers whose hours have been reduced or were temporarily laid off from receiving Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA). Senator Hassan was joined in her call by Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and Mark Warner (D-VA).
… Continue ReadingFebruary 25, 2021
Shaheen & Hassan Introduce DISCLOSE Act to Crack Down on Dark Money in Elections
(Washington, DC) – Today, U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) reintroduced the DISCLOSE Act with Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), legislation that would require organizations spending money in federal elections to disclose their donors and guard against hidden foreign influence in our democracy.
… Continue ReadingFebruary 25, 2021
King, Hassan, Warner Urge FCC to Use COVID Broadband Programs to Help Close the Digital Divide
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Angus King (I-Maine), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), and Mark Warner (D-Va.) sent a letter to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), urging the Commission to administer the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program (EBBP) in a way that helps address the longstanding digital divides that block too many Americans from securing a reliable, affordable broadband connection. In their letter, the Senators encourage the FCC to design the program in a way that helps to establish a “durable, scalable model for future digital equity efforts,” and lays out specific steps to ensure that all Americans can access this essential 21st century tool.
… Continue ReadingFebruary 25, 2021
Hassan, Murkowski, Tonko, Turner Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Broaden Access to Addiction Treatment
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Representatives Paul D. Tonko (D-NY) and Michael Turner (R-OH) announced the reintroduction of their Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment (MAT) Act, legislation that would vastly increase access to life-saving addiction medicine by eliminating a duplicative bureaucratic hurdle—colloquially known as the “x-waiver”—currently blocking millions of highly trained health professionals from prescribing buprenorphine to their patients.
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