Shaheen Launches ‘Investing in the American Worker’ Kitchen Table Tour

Shaheen speaks to the Hobbs family of Hooksett on the shortage of affordable, quality child care in New Hampshire.

Earlier: Shaheen, DEKA Founder Dean Kamen Present New Commemorative Coin Honoring Christa McAuliffe 

Shaheen delivers remarks during today’s presentation of the Christa McAuliffe Commemorative Coin at the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center in Concord.

(Hooksett, NH) – Today, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) launched her ‘Investing in the American Worker’ Kitchen Table Tour, which will take her across the state to meet with working families about the pressing issues facing Granite Staters as they recover from the pandemic. During the first stop, Shaheen sat down with the Hobbs family of Hooksett to discuss the shortage of affordable, quality child care in New Hampshire.  

Granite State working parents rely on child care providers to educate and care for their children so they can keep their jobs and support their families. However, providers in the state and across the country have been severely impacted by the fallout of the public health and financial crisis, and many are at risk of permanent closure. During her conversation, Shaheen heard from the Hobbs family on how the shortage has impacted them. 

“As we turn the corner of the COVID crisis, many families are struggling to find good-paying jobs, afford child care, put food on the table and access quality health care coverage. That’s why I’m launching this Kitchen Table Tour – to hear directly from Granite Staters about what they need to see prioritized in Washington as we look toward the road to recovery in the aftermath of the pandemic,” said Shaheen. “For my first stop on this tour, I sat down with the Hobbs family to discuss the child care crisis. For many working parents like Amanda, access to affordable child care is the difference between being able to return to work and provide for their families or forgoing a job offer. I appreciated Amanda welcoming me into her home so we could sit face-to-face and discuss the hardships she and her family have experienced, which have been shared by so many in New Hampshire and throughout the nation. I’ll take her story with me as we get to work on legislation in the Senate that will invest in the American worker, from child care to health care and more. I look forward to continuing this tour and hearing from Granite Staters in the weeks and months ahead.” 

Earlier in Concord, Shaheen joined DEKA Founder Dean Kamen at the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center to present the Christa McAuliffe Commemorative Coin, which honors Christa McAuliffe, the Concord teacher who tragically died aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger in 1986. Shaheen led the bipartisan legislation to create the honorary coin, which was signed into law in 2019, to reaffirm American commitment to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education. A portion of the proceeds from sales of the coin will go to Kamen’s FIRST Robotics to promote STEM education. In December, Shaheen released a video message celebrating the coin’s unveiling. Senator Shaheen also entered a statement into the Congressional Record celebrating Christa McAuliffe’s life and service. 

“I was thrilled to join Dean Kamen this afternoon to honor Christa McAuliffe’s extraordinary legacy of scientific discovery and exploration by presenting this commemorative coin,” said Shaheen. “I worked in the Senate to enact bipartisan legislation authorizing this commemorative coin, which will help create and foster a new generation of leaders in STEM to follow in her footsteps and reach for the stars – as she did. I’m excited this coin commemorates Christa and strengthens STEM education here in New Hampshire and across the country.”