Shaheen Releases NH Priorities in FY23 Senate Government Funding Proposal

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies (CJS), issued the following statement on newly released legislation by Democrats on the Senate Appropriations Committee late last week to fund the federal government for fiscal year (FY) 2023. Senator Shaheen worked to include and supported numerous measures that were added to the legislation that invest in important New Hampshire and national security priorities.  

“Veterans, working families, shipyard workers, students, police officers, firefighters and so many others in New Hampshire will benefit from this government funding proposal,” said Shaheen, a senior member of the Committee who helped write the legislation. “This funding bill addresses the full scope of issues impacting Granite Staters, from combating PFAS exposure in our water supplies to prioritizing early education to providing urgently needed federal support to family planning services amid the rollback in access to care following the reversal of Roe v. Wade. Whether it’s confronting the challenges we’re facing locally or amplifying how our state fills an important role in support of our national defense through the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, this legislation is a crucial opportunity to advance New Hampshire and national interests. In addition, this bill contains robust federal investments in specific New Hampshire priorities, which are in direct response to community outreach and input. As we work to finalize government funding legislation for fiscal year 2023, I'll work to ensure our state’s key objectives are maintained and that Granite Staters’ voices, concerns and priorities are represented.” 

As Chair of the CJS Appropriations Subcommittee, Shaheen helps write the legislation that funds key federal programs that respond to the substance use disorder crisis, help domestic and sexual violence survivors, invest in law enforcement programs, spur research and innovation and much more.  

Earlier this week, Shaheen announced that the government funding proposal also includes congressionally directed spending (CDS) projects that will invest in a myriad of Granite State priorities, including water infrastructure, health care facility investments, educational training, law enforcement, resources to combat homelessness and food insecurity, support for substance use disorder programs and much more. In total, Shaheen secured more than $89 million in CDS awards that would directly benefit New Hampshire communities.  

Read more below about the programmatic priorities Shaheen worked to include in the FY23 government funding legislation.  

NH & NATIONAL PRIORITIES INCLUDED IN FY23 SENATE GOVERNMENT FUNDING LEGISLATION 

Military Readiness Priorities for Portsmouth Naval Shipyard & Strengthening the Shipbuilding Industrial Base 

Senator Shaheen, also co-chair of the Senate Navy Caucus, secured the inclusion of $503 million for the Multi-Mission Dry Dock project at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. This follows the $475 million in funding secured by Shaheen in FY22 for the project.  

In the legislation released, Senator Shaheen also secured $541 million for submarine supplier development initiatives and $207 million for submarine workforce programs. The proposal also fully funds the Columbia-class and Virginia-class submarine programs.  Virginia-class submarines are repaired and maintained at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. Shaheen has long been a steadfast supporter of the Virginia-class, and a fierce advocate for Shipyard priorities.  

Cold Weather Research  

Shaheen secured an additional $4 million in funding for cold weather research at the Department of Defense (DOD). One of DOD’s preeminent laboratories for cold weather research is the Army Corps of Engineers Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL) in Hanover, New Hampshire.  Funding will support advanced weather effect modeling and energy transmission in cold environments. She also secured $6 million to continue modernization of CRREL capabilities to analyze the effects of cold climates on vehicles and infrastructure.

Federal Assistance for the ‘Beyond Yellow Ribbon’ Program to Help Granite State Service Members & Families   

Senator Shaheen worked to include $25 million for the Beyond Yellow Ribbon (BYR) program, which funds the New Hampshire National Guard’s Care Coordination Program. BYR programs provide outreach services to troops returning from deployment, including health care, marriage and financial counseling, substance misuse treatment and mental health services.  

Support for New Hampshire First Responders  

A member of the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, Senator Shaheen worked to include $370 million for the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program. The AFG program provides direct financial assistance to eligible fire departments in order to enhance the safety of firefighters and the public. Shaheen frequently advocates for New Hampshire fire departments to receive awards through this program. The Senator also helped include $370 million for the Staffing for Adequate Fire & Emergency Response Grants (SAFER) program, which provides grants directly to fire departments and volunteer firefighter interest organizations to help them increase or maintain the number of trained, "frontline" firefighters available in their communities. In total, this bill would provide a $20 million increase in funding for firefighters compared with the enacted FY 2022 funding level.

Support for Law Enforcement and to Enhance Police-Community Relations   

Senator Shaheen successfully secured $815 million for the Byrne-Justice Assistance Grants (JAG) program, which helps law enforcement agencies in New Hampshire and across the country, strengthens the criminal justice system and bolsters services for victims of crime. Of this amount, $584 million is dedicated to state and local law enforcement agencies, an increase of $202 million more than the FY 2022 level. In addition, Shaheen helped allocate $307 million for Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Hiring, an increase of $61 million from the FY 2022 level. This program supports state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies’ ability to hire, preserve and/or rehire law enforcement officers and increases community policing efforts.  

Senator Shaheen worked to add $240.5 million for Office of Justice Programs and COPS Office grant programs to support efforts that improve police-community relations. This is an increase of $39.5 million, or 20 percent, above the enacted FY 2022 funding level. This will support programs for law enforcement officer training on de-escalation, implicit bias and crisis intervention, as well as hate crime prevention and community violence intervention programs. 

Critical Funding for Department of Justice Substance Use Disorder Grants    

Shaheen has led efforts in Congress to combat the substance use disorder epidemic through her role as Chair of the Commerce, Justice and Science Subcommittee, and this year secured $631 million to help communities and first responders combat the substance use crises, including opioid and meth addiction and drug trafficking.  This is an increase of $58.5 million above last year’s funding level. The largest part of this funding is $455 million for Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) grants, an increase of $40 million above last year’s funding level. These grants support programs like drug, mental health and veteran treatment courts and substance use disorder treatment programs administered by state and local correctional facilities. Last year, Senator Shaheen helped introduce the bipartisan CARA 3.0 to help combat the opioid epidemic by increasing the funding authorization levels for these programs. Shaheen also secured funding for the COPS anti-heroin task force and anti-methamphetamine task force programs, as well as $32.5 million in Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention funding to assist children and youth impacted by a substance use disorder in their families and communities.   

This funding builds on Shaheen’s extensive efforts to provide flexibility for treatment providers to use State Opioid Response (SOR) grant dollars to help patients suffering from meth and cocaine dependency, in addition to opioid use disorders. Shaheen’s efforts have led to a more than tenfold increase in federal treatment and prevention funding for New Hampshire. 

Continued Federal Investments for Law Enforcement & Community Prevention Efforts to Combat the Drug Epidemic  

Senator Shaheen worked to procure $300 million for the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) Program, which provides assistance to federal, state and local law enforcement agencies operating in areas determined to be critical drug-trafficking regions in the United States. Shaheen has previously visited the New England HIDTA headquarters to meet with law enforcement about ongoing efforts to reduce the trafficking of illicit drugs within the region.    

Support for Community Coalitions to Prevent & Reduce Substance Misuse  

Senator Shaheen advocated successfully for $107 million for the Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Program, which provides grants to local community coalitions to prevent and reduce youth substance misuse. Senator Shaheen has consistently advocated for the DFC program and has led efforts in the Senate to respond to the opioid crisis.  

Funding for State Opioid Response Grants  

Senator Shaheen successfully advocated for the inclusion of $2.025 billion in State Opioid Response grant funding, a $500 million increase in funding, as well as the continuing of a 15 percent set-aside of those funds for hardest hit states, like New Hampshire. Since 2018, New Hampshire has received approximately $140 million from these grants to combat the opioid epidemic in the state, with the hardest-hit state set-aside responsible for the majority of those funds. The bill also continues to provide flexibility provisions authored by Senator Shaheen that allow for SOR grant dollars to be used to support treatment and recovery for cocaine and methamphetamine misuse, in addition to opioid misuse.  

Federal Housing Assistance Resources for Granite Staters  

Shaheen pushed to include federal support in this funding legislation to provide housing assistance for Granite Staters and Americans across the country who are in recovery due to substance misuse through the SUPPORT Act. This program is funded at $25 million. In addition, Shaheen worked to include $390 million for the Office of Lead Control and Healthy Homes, which provides funds to state and local governments to develop cost-effective ways to reduce lead-based paint hazards. 

Support for Ocean Research & Conservation Efforts and Weather Satellites 

Senator Shaheen secured $6.511 billion for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which is an increase of $633 million or 10.8 percent over last year’s funding level. This includes $776 million for NOAA research, much of which pertains to combating the climate crisis. This funding will help coastal communities in New Hampshire and across the nation bolster their resilience to changing climate, as well as support ocean health and research. In addition, the bill invests in successful job-creating programs, sustainable economic development and environmental restoration.  The bill provides full funding to cover the full cost of at-sea monitoring in the New England groundfish fishery and an increase of $2 million for research and conservation efforts to protect the endangered North Atlantic right whale, for a total of $30 million, of which $10 million will help defray costs paid by the lobster fishing industry to protect right whales.   

Additionally, Shaheen helped secure $1.75 billion for NOAA weather and climate satellites, an increase of $137 million or 8.4 percent above the FY 2022 enacted level.  The bill provides sufficient funding to keep the construction of the current generation of polar, geostationary and space weather satellites on track. Polar Weather Satellites help forecast weather to protect property and economic security for families in New Hampshire and across the nation. One-third of U.S. GDP is affected by climate and weather – from farmers in the North Country trying to protect livestock and crops to climate disasters costing billions of dollars of damage. 

Federal Resources for Coast Guard Fishing Safety Training & Research Grants  

Senator Shaheen worked to include $6 million for Coast Guard fishing safety training and research grants. Shaheen has previously introduced bipartisan legislation with Senators Markey (D-MA), Sullivan (R-AK), King (I-ME), Collins (R-ME), Murkowski (R-AK), Warren (D-MA) and Hassan (D-NH) – the Funding Instruction for Safety Health, and Security Avoids Fishing Emergencies (FISH SAFE) Act – to improve these fishing safety training and research grants. Understanding the daunting conditions that fishermen face on the job, Senator Shaheen has worked across the aisle to support fishing safety programs and has consistently fought for continued funding for these programs.   

PFAS Response Efforts 

Senator Shaheen leads action in the Senate to address PFAS remediation, research and prevention. Shaheen worked to include robust funding and direction to speed up efforts at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to identify, address and prevent PFAS contamination. The funding proposal also enhances support for the EPA to address treatment solutions, conduct research, and undertake regulatory actions. It directs EPA to act expeditiously to designate PFAS chemicals as a hazardous substance under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, set an enforceable drinking water standard under the Safe Drinking Water Act, support testing and monitoring in drinking water sources across the country and address PFAS discharges into drinking water under the Clean Water Act. 

PFAS Remediation at Military Installations  

Shaheen also helped secure more than $326.8 million in funding for PFAS investigation, testing, remediation and disposal on and around U.S. military installations.  

Continued Investments in Shaheen’s PFAS Health Impact Study  

Senator Shaheen has spearheaded efforts in Congress to uncover the potential health effects related to PFAS contamination, respond to the chemical exposure and remediate polluted sites. In this new legislation, Senator Shaheen successfully fought to include $20 million to continue the PFAS health impact study that she created in the 2018 NDAA, an increase of $5 million over past years.  In FY20 government funding legislation, she secured numerous provisions that were signed into law to address PFAS contamination. Shaheen successfully fought for Pease International Tradeport to be included in the health impact study. Because of her efforts, Pease is serving as a model site for the nationwide study. Democrats’ proposal also includes $15 million for on-site PFAS remediation and destruction technology, and language added by Shaheen that critiques the DoD’s insufficient budgeting for PFAS testing and remediation.  

Energy Efficiency in Homes, Businesses, Industry and the Federal Government 

Senator Shaheen championed increases in funding for key programs to help improve the energy efficiency of residential and commercial buildings, industry and the federal government. The funding proposal includes a total of $353 million for weatherization, including $10 million for training and technical assistance and $30 million for a Weatherization Readiness Fund that will help address safety and structural issues that may otherwise prevent weatherization services. In March, Shaheen joined Senators Jack Reed (D-RI), Susan Collins (R-ME) and Chris Coons (D-DE) in introducing the bipartisan Weatherization Assistance Program Improvements Act to authorize the Weatherization Readiness Fund and make other program improvements. Shaheen also worked to increase funding to $65 million for the State Energy Program (SEP), which assists sates with the development of energy efficiency and renewable energy programs. 

In addition, Shaheen secured $30 million to support adoption and compliance with building energy codes to improve energy efficiency and resilience. Shaheen also helped secure $60 million for research and development to support commercial building energy retrofits, including specific funding to help support a skilled energy efficiency workforce. Shaheen helped increase funding for the advanced manufacturing office to $505 million. 

Finally, Shaheen worked to boost funding for the Federal Energy Management Program to $60 million, including $20 million for programs to leverage private sector investment through public-private partnerships like Energy Savings Performance Contracts and Utility Energy Service Contracts. 

Shaheen has long led the Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act (ESIC), which is hallmark energy efficiency legislation that she and Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) have championed for years and have successfully included in pieces of legislation that have since been signed into law. 

Highest Funding Level Ever for Violence Against Women Act Programs   

For the sixth year in a row, Senator Shaheen successfully secured the highest funding level ever for the Department of Justice’s Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) programs, totaling $732 million for the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW). This is a 27 percent increase from last year’s funding level and will support training officials, rape prevention programs, processing rape kits, domestic violence hotlines, women’s shelters and transitional housing support services.  Funding is provided for newly authorized programs covered under the VAWA 2022 reauthorization, including $5 million for the Abby Honold Act, which establishes a grant program to provide trauma informed training to law enforcement so officers can improve their response to sexual assault survivors, and $15 million for the restorative justice program.  

In addition, the bill provides $5 million to jumpstart Senator Shaheen’s Survivors’ Bill of Rights incentive program, which encourages states to ensure that sexual assault survivors have the same rights guaranteed to survivors under federal law, including not being charged for a medical forensic exam and being informed of results of a sexual assault evidence collection kit. Last year, Senator Shaheen reintroduced bipartisan legislation with Senator Grassley (R-IA) to build on her legislation that is now law, the Survivors’ Bill of Rights Act, by incentivizing states to pass legislation that guarantees the survivors rights included in the federal legislation. She also introduced a bill with Senator Sullivan (R-AK) to permanently extend the authorization for expand pro bono legal resources for victims and survivors. 

Support for Victims of Violent Crimes & Bolstered Legal Services 

A staunch advocate for the Crime Victims Fund (CVF), Shaheen successfully secured $1.75 billion for the fund this year. This fund provides direct assistance and programs to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, human trafficking and other violent crimes. Shaheen is a leader in the Senate fighting in support of survivors. Shaheen previously urged fellow lawmakers to overcome partisan politics and pass the VOCA Fix to Sustain the Crime Victims Fund Act. After her speech on the Senate floor, the Senate approved the measure unanimously and President Biden signed the bill into law. The legislation redirects monetary penalties from federal deferred prosecution and non-prosecution agreements into the CVF in order to provide continued support for state victim compensation and assistance programs. Through her leadership on the CJS Appropriations Subcommittee, Shaheen has historically bolstered resources for the CVF.  

Shaheen also helped secure $539 million for the Legal Services Corporation, which is the largest funder of civil legal aid in the country with counsel on family law, domestic violence, housing and financial fraud. The funding in this bill is $50 million higher than last year’s funding level. 

Permanently Removes “Global Gag Rule”  

Shaheen worked to include language that permanently repeals the Global Gag Rule, also known as the Mexico City Policy. The rule is an executive order that bans federal funds for foreign non-governmental organizations that use non-U.S. funds to provide abortion services or provide information about abortion as part of comprehensive family planning services. When enacted, this policy forces clinics to choose between providing limited reproductive health services while accepting U.S. foreign aid or providing inclusive family planning and reproductive health care with a limited budget.  

A member of both the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services Committees, Senator Shaheen has been a fierce advocate for women and girls around the globe and has long led the bipartisan effort in the Senate to permanently repeal the Global Gag Rule, including through her bipartisan, bicameral bill, the Global Health, Empowerment, and Rights (HER) Act. Heeding Shaheen’s calls, the Biden administration issued an executive order reversing the rule. She has also supported efforts in Congress in opposition to the domestic Gag Rule, a Trump administration policy that restricted women’s access to reproductive health services at centers funded by the Title X program, which the Biden administration moved to reverse in April.  

Eliminating the “Hyde Amendment”   

Since 1976, appropriations bills have included discriminatory language limiting abortion coverage in government-sponsored health programs, commonly referred to as the Hyde Amendment. This language is particularly impactful for low-income women who rely on Medicaid coverage. Senator Shaheen worked to eliminate this controversial policy rider and improve access to critical care for Granite State women.  

Title X Funding  

Senator Shaheen helped secure $512 million for the Title X Family Planning program, an increase of $225 million over previous funding levels. The Title X program provides critical funding for preventative and primary health care services across the country, including in New Hampshire. Senator Shaheen has led advocacy efforts on behalf of Title X providers to repeal harmful Trump-era rules and restore funding for New Hampshire family planning centers.   

Senator Shaheen is a fierce advocate for women’s reproductive health. Shaheen is a cosponsor of legislation that would protect funding for Planned Parenthood and family planning centers through the Title X program. Shaheen recently participated in a roundtable discussion at Lovering Health Center about services still available to women following the Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade, and her ongoing efforts to safeguard women’s reproductive freedom.  

Shaheen long sounded the alarm about what was at stake for women’s freedoms and reproductive health in New Hampshire if the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. In May, Shaheen spoke on the Senate floor to urge lawmakers to vote in favor of legislation that would have codified Roe. In March, Shaheen joined Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra in Manchester for a meeting with New Hampshire family planning providers amid continued attacks from State and congressional Republicans, including New Hampshire Republicans’ continued refusal to approve federal contracts for family planning centers that provide 80 percent of services in the state. 

Suicide Prevention & Mental Health Awareness  

Shaheen supported action to invest $697 million for 988 and the National Suicide Prevention Hotline. Shaheen cosponsored legislation establishing the three-digit dialing code for the hotline. The Democrats’ proposal also includes $222 for Project AWARE, an increase of $102 million over FY22, which supports school-based mental health and trauma services to students. 

This continues Shaheen’s leadership on suicide prevention measures. Last year, she visited the Mental Health Center of Greater Manchester to discuss the needs and challenges facing the area as it addresses the mental health crisis. She also hosted a virtual discussion with New Hampshire stakeholders and advocates to discuss the youth and teen mental health epidemic facing the state. To highlight the need to address teen mental health challenges, Shaheen invited Maureen O’Dea, President of the New Hampshire School Counselors Association and Director of School Counseling at Londonderry High School, as her virtual guest to President Biden’s joint address to Congress in 2021. Shaheen has fought to secure funding for mental health care and substance misuse services during the pandemic, including $4.25 billion in funding through the 2020 emergency COVID relief legislation and nearly $4 billion through the American Rescue Plan. 

Diabetes Research, Treatment and Prevention 

Co-chair of the bipartisan Senate Diabetes Caucus, Shaheen supported efforts to include $2.28 billion for the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases to advance diabetes research. Shaheen also included $38.3 million for the National Diabetes Prevention Program, as well as report language based on her standalone legislation to expand Medicare coverage for diabetes self-management training (DSMT) sessions. 

Shaheen leads action in the U.S. Senate to lower the cost of insulin and support Americans living with diabetes and is the lead sponsor of the bipartisan INSULIN Act.  

Continued Efforts on Pediatric Cancer Research   

Senator Shaheen helped secure continued investments for the implementation of Trevor’s Law, which monitors cancer clusters – including pediatric cancers – and provides outreach to communities affected by cancer clusters. This funding proposal includes $3 million to implement the law. A report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that between 2003 and 2014, New Hampshire had the highest pediatric cancer rate in the country – with 205 pediatric cancer cases per 1,000,000 in the population. Previously, Senator Shaheen successfully added an amendment to government funding legislation that bolstered support for public outreach to raise awareness of contributing factors for pediatric cancers in New Hampshire.  

Funds for the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) & Substance Abuse Prevention Treatment Block Grant

Shaheen fought to increase funding levels for NIDA, within the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and successfully increased funding by $89 million above FY 2022 levels. The funding bill allocates $1.684 billion for NIDA. Having previously secured language in government funding legislation that supports medical researchers studying addiction, namely the NIH’s Helping to End Addiction Long-term (HEAL) Initiative, Shaheen successfully built on those efforts in this proposal by adding $100 million towards the HEAL Initiative, bringing total funding to $715 million. 

Additionally, Shaheen helped negotiate more than $2.408 billion in funding for the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant, which is an increase of $500 million over FY22 funding levels. The proposal also includes report language added by Shaheen to address youth e-cigarette use and encourages NIDA to support research to develop therapies to combat pediatric nicotine addiction. Shaheen leads action in the U.S. Senate to confront the e-cigarette use crisis among young people. 

Early Education Investments 

Senator Shaheen worked to include a $1 billion increase to $7.165 billion for Child Care and Development Block Grants to states, as well as a nearly $1 billion increase to Head Start, funding the program at $12.036 billion for FY 2023. The bill additionally includes an increase of $60 million to $350 million for Preschool Development Grants. Shaheen has been a champion for funding to support child care and early education in the Senate. She has led efforts in Congress to assist the child care sector, which has been among the hardest hit the pandemic. In the emergency COVID-19 relief legislation that passed Congress and was signed into law in 2020, and the American Rescue Plan enacted in March 2020, Shaheen successfully included language that provided $50 billion dollars in urgently needed relief for child care providers in New Hampshire.  

Special Education Programming 

The bill includes a more than $1.975 billion increase for special education, funding Individuals with Disabilities Education Act State Grants at a total of $15.32 billion.  

Support for the Great American Outdoors Act   

Senator Shaheen supported allocation of funding provided by the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) to priority projects for New Hampshire and the region, including $967,900 for deferred maintenance at the White Mountain National Forest from the National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund, as well as $3 million for the Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge and $1.5 million for Great Thicket National Wildlife Refuge through the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). The funding proposal also allocates $200 million to state conservation grants and $125 million to Outdoor Recreation Legacy Grants that support close-to-home outdoor recreation opportunities in communities in New Hampshire and around the country. 

Northern Border Regional Commission Resources 

Senator Shaheen helped secure $40 million for the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC), which is a $5 million increase above the FY 2022 funding level and the highest the program has ever been funded. The NBRC helps address community and economic development needs throughout the Northern Forest region. In February, Senator Shaheen introduced the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) Reauthorization Act of 2022. This bipartisan bill will extend the authorization of the NBRC for 10 years and support job creation and community development in the most economically vulnerable parts of rural New Hampshire and the Northeast. To address unique challenges facing rural workforces, the legislation also invests in projects that expand rural access to childcare, health care and affordable housing needs. The NBRC Reauthorization Act also broadens NBRC’s ability to award grants to projects and activities to address the opioid epidemic and other substance use disorders impacting the region. This legislation builds on the members’ previous efforts by adding New Hampshire’s Merrimack County and Maine’s Lincoln County as newly eligible to receive these funds. 

Investments in Science and to Advance U.S. Space Exploration   

Shaheen secured $10.3 billion – a historic increase of $1.5 billion above last year’s enacted level – for the National Science Foundation (NSF). This funding will support U.S. competitiveness in key areas like quantum computing, artificial intelligence and climate science, as well as help build an innovative workforce fueled by a diverse pipeline of scientists and engineers. Shaheen also helped secure $1.69 billion for the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to invest in STEM programs that improve competitiveness of domestic manufacturers and strengthen domestic supply chains. Additionally, Shaheen secured $3 million to continue research into the prevalence of PFAS in firefighter personal protective equipment. This research is a key component in Shaheen’s bipartisan bill, which was signed into law, that takes important steps to address concerns regarding firefighters’ occupational exposure to PFAS chemicals.  

To support America’s continued leadership in space, Shaheen helped secure $25.9 billion for NASA. This will support climate research and space missions. The bill also includes funding to support the International Space Station and returning humans to the Moon. Additionally, within the $8 billion Shaheen secured for NASA Science, $828 million is for NASA Heliophysics, an increase of $68 million above the FY 2022 level. The University of New Hampshire is a leading heliophysics research institution, with instruments on 16 of 22 operating heliophysics missions.  

Funding for the Economic Development Administration and Trade 

Senator Shaheen secured $450 million for the Economic Development Administration (EDA), which awards infrastructure and planning grants to communities around the country. This level is an increase of $76.5 million above the prior year. The Senator previously opposed efforts by the Trump administration to reduce or eliminate funding for the EDA, which has recently awarded grants to Granite State communities for a wide variety of projects. The EDA funding also includes $5 million to assist communities recovering from biomass plant closures.  

Shaheen also secured $1.5 million for the Bureau of Economic Analysis to continue the annual assessment of the economic value of the outdoor recreation industry – a key sector supporting local economies across New Hampshire. This report, which was created as a result of the enactment of the Senator’s Outdoor REC Act, provides a comprehensive assessment of the role that outdoor recreation plays in supporting jobs and economic growth, allowing policymakers to craft legislation to further support the sector. The bill also provides over $625 million for the International Trade Administration (ITA), which promotes American exports, supports small and medium-sized businesses and ensures fair trade practices on the global stage. This marks a $55 million increase above FY 2022.  

Bolstering Manufacturing Programs  

Senator Shaheen worked to include $270 million for NIST manufacturing programs, an increase of $95.5 million or 55 percent above the FY 2022 enacted level.  The bill provides a $42 million increase for the popular Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP), providing a total of $200 million to improve competitiveness of domestic manufacturers and to strengthen domestic supply chains. The bill also includes $70 million for Manufacturing USA Institutes, including $40 million for the first year of two new institutes. 

Humanitarian Assistance to Address Global Food Insecurity 

Shaheen supported measures to include $8.1 billion for humanitarian assistance to address natural and man-made disasters, including to respond to the impacts of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The bill also includes $1 billion for food security and agricultural development programs to counter Putin’s deliberate attempt to weaponize global food systems and take advantage of the instability that he has created by invading Ukraine. Furthermore, the bill directs the administration to establish a new Global Food Security Partnership Fund to engage our allies, the private sector and other stakeholders to improve global food security and protect the world’s most vulnerable individuals.  

Engagement in the Balkans 

Shaheen, also a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Chair of the Europe and Regional Security Subcommittee, successfully included report language that would require the Secretary of State and USAID Administrator to jointly brief Congress on programs and initiatives being conducted or intended to be conducted to increase bilateral trade between the United States and the Balkans, to reduce youth unemployment in the region, and to grow small and medium enterprises to spur economic growth. Shaheen leads U.S. policy toward the Balkans in the U.S. Senate and recently led a bipartisan congressional delegation with Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Chris Murphy (D-CT) to the region to convey continued U.S. support for its allies amid Russian aggression against Ukraine and the implications for European security in the Balkans. 

Assistance for Partner Nations Seeking Pro-Democratic Reform  

Senator Shaheen worked to include $132 million in economic and international security assistance for Georgia as it works to advance pro-democratic reforms in the hopes of enhancing greater Euro-Atlantic integration.  

Shaheen is a leader in the Senate on U.S. policy toward Georgia. Last year, Shaheen and Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) held a hearing on bolstering democracy in Georgia in response to the country’s political crisis. During the hearing, Shaheen and Johnson both agreed on the importance of showing bipartisan support for Georgia’s path to strengthen its democracy and committed to spearheading a resolution in the Senate that expresses that sentiment, which has been approved by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Shaheen led a bipartisan congressional delegation to Eastern Europe last year, which included a stop in Georgia to reaffirm U.S. commitment to its regional partner and strengthen democratic reforms. Shaheen and Senator Jim Risch (R-ID) previously served as election monitors during Georgia’s 2012 elections.   

Advancing the Rights and Role of Women and Girls Around the World

In 2017, Senator Shaheen’s bipartisan legislation with Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), the Women, Peace and Security Act, was signed into law, requiring the U.S. Government to actively work to promote the meaningful participation of women in conflict prevention and peace negotiations. This year, Shaheen built on this progress by securing $135 million for the development and implementation of a multi-year strategy on women, peace and security. This is in addition to $175 million to prevent and respond to gender-based violence, as well as $50 million to support women’s leadership, which the bill designates as the Madeleine K. Albright Women’s Leadership Program. Furthermore, the bill includes $200 million for the Gender Equity and Equality Action Fund. 

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