Source: United States Senator for New Hampshire Jeanne Shaheen
October 20, 2021
(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement on newly released legislation by the Senate Appropriations Committee this week to fund much of the federal government for fiscal year (FY) 2022. Senator Shaheen worked to include and supported numerous measures that were added to the legislation that invest in important New Hampshire priorities.
“Each year, the government funding process provides an important opportunity to address the critical needs facing Granite State communities. The numerous provisions I fought to secure in this legislation – including investments in the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, resources to strengthen cybersecurity for state and local governments, federal assistance to combat the substance use disorder crisis and much more – will invest in our communities, strengthen New Hampshire’s role in support of our national defense and much more,” said Shaheen. “I’ll continue to reach across the aisle to build on this important progress, and will work to advance this legislation swiftly through Congress and deliver it to the President’s desk.”
As Chair of the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies (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 and much more.
Earlier this week, Shaheen announced that government funding legislation for fiscal year FY22 also includes congressionally directed spending awards that will invest in a myriad of Granite State priorities, including water infrastructure, health care facility investments, educational training, resources to combat homelessness and food insecurity, support for substance use disorder programs and much more. In total, Shaheen has secured more than $108 million in congressionally directed spending awards that would directly benefit New Hampshire communities.
NH PRIORITIES INCLUDED IN FY22 SENATE GOVERNMENT FUNDING LEGISLATION
Support for Military Spouse Occupational Licensing
Senator Shaheen secured $3 million to implement her bipartisan legislation with Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) that will improve the transferability of military spouses’ occupational licenses, and also help alleviate the burden spouses endure if they’re small business owners from having to constantly re-register their businesses as they move from state to state with their families. This legislation was signed into law in 2019 as part of the final FY2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). When the bill was signed into law, Shaheen highlighted the story of Andrea Krull, whose husband is a Granite Stater, and her personal experience of having to continuously re-establish her business as a consultant with every move.
Military Readiness Priorities for Portsmouth Naval Shipyard
Senator Shaheen secured the inclusion of $475 million for the Multi-Mission Dry Dock project at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. This follows the $160 million in funding secured by Shaheen in FY21 for the project.
In the legislation released, Senator Shaheen also secured funding for the procurement of two new Virginia-class submarines—which are repaired and maintained at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard—as well as an appropriation of $2.1 billion for the advance procurement of additional submarines in the future. Shaheen has long been a steadfast supporter of the Virginia-class, and a fierce advocate for Shipyard priorities.
Strengthen the Shipbuilding Industrial Base
Senator Shaheen, co-chair of the Senate Navy Caucus, supported the inclusion of $20 million for submarine workforce development training and $130 million for submarine industrial base expansion. Funds will support continued expansion of the submarine workforce and supplier base in New Hampshire and surrounding states.
Cold Weather Research
Shaheen secured an additional $12.5 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 in Hanover, New Hampshire. Funding will support advanced weather effect modeling and energy transmission in cold environments.
Federal Assistance for the ‘Beyond Yellow Ribbon’ Program to Help Granite State Service Members & Families
Senator Shaheen helped secure $22 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.
Improving Cyber Security
Senator Shaheen worked to include $20 million for a new Cyber Response and Recovery Fund to provide assistance to state and local governments in the aftermath of cyber attacks. This funding would be directed by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency and could be used by state and local governments to purchase equipment and services needed to respond to a cyber attack. State and local governments have increasingly been targeted by malicious actors seeking to disrupt operations and secure a ransom. Senator Shaheen also included language in the bill directing the Department of Homeland Security to pursue a zero trust security model which ensures that all users inside or outside the Department’s network are continuously screened and validated.
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, “front line” firefighters available in their communities.
Additionally, Senator Shaheen included a provision directing the U.S. Fire Academy (USFA) to provide a status report on its efforts to collect data on firefighter suicide. In last year’s bill, Shaheen fought to include a provision requiring the USFA to maintain a data set and report on firefighter suicides. It also directed USFA to include an assessment of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) ability to require reporting of firefighter suicide data in applications for AFG grants and SAFER grants. Understanding the severe trauma and stress impacting police officers, firefighters and emergency personnel, Shaheen has made prioritizing suicide prevention efforts for first responders a top concern.
Funding to Support Law Enforcement & Enhance Police-Community Relations
Senator Shaheen successfully secured $23.8 billion — $1.1 billion more than last year – for Department of Justice (DOJ) law enforcement agencies. This increased funding will allow the hiring of additional agents, deputy marshals, intelligence analysts and other personnel to help keep our communities safe. She also secured $640 million for the Byrne-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. Within Byrne-JAG, $416 million will go to support state and local criminal justice systems, an increase of $56 million more than last year. This includes funding Shaheen secured for a community policing initiative at the New Hampshire Department of Justice, as well as funding for the police departments in Nashua, Keene, Greenland and Exeter. Additionally, she helped allocate $248 million for Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Hiring, an increase of $11 million from the fiscal year 2021 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 fought to include $283 million for State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance and COPS Office grant programs to support programs that improve police-community relations. This is an 84 percent increase from last year’s funding levels, and will support programs on de-escalation, implicit bias, crisis intervention and training to respond to situations where individuals are mentally ill or disabled. Shaheen secured additional funding for the NH Department of Safety-Division of State Police to support equipment and technology training, as well as funding for radio upgrades for police departments in Merrimack, Cheshire, Strafford and Durham.
Critical Funding for Department of Justice Anti-Opioid Grants
Shaheen has led efforts in Congress to combat the substance use disorder epidemic through her leadership on this committee, and this year secured $615 million to help communities and first responders respond to substance crises, including opioid addiction and drug trafficking. This is $73.5 million higher than the FY21 funding level and includes $447 million for Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) grants. 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. Earlier this year, Senator Shaheen helped introduce the bipartisan Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery (CARA) Act 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.
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 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 $293.5 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 for $106 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 billion in State Opioid Response grant funding, a $500 million increase over FY21, as well as the continuing of a 15 percent set-aside of those funds for hardest hit states, like New Hampshire, with the highest opioid overdose death rates. Since 2018, New Hampshire has received approximately $114 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.
Bolster Federal Housing Assistance Resources for Granite Staters in Recovery
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, the same level as FY21, and based on the funding formula used, New Hampshire could receive up to $1.17 million in FY22.
Support for Ocean Research & Conservation Efforts and Weather Satellites
Senator Shaheen secured $730 million to support National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) research, including critical research to combat the climate crisis, marking a 19 percent increase from 2021. 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 $14 million for research and conservation efforts to protect the endangered North Atlantic right whale, including $10 million to help defray costs paid by the lobster fishing industry to protect right whales. The bill includes $6.5 million specifically targeted for research related to key New England seafood species, including to study the effects of climate change.
Additionally, Shaheen helped secure $405 million to continue construction of Polar Weather Satellites, which 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.
Additional Federal Resources to 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.
Addressing PFAS and Contaminants of Emerging Concern
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. Overall, EPA will receive a 17% increase in programmatic funding, which will support ongoing efforts including work necessary to designate PFAS chemicals as a hazardous substance under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) and set an enforceable drinking water standard under the Safe Drinking Water Act. Shaheen worked to secure increased funding for Superfund Emergency Response and Removal activities while calling on EPA to expeditiously remediate Superfund sites contaminated by emerging contaminants like PFAS and provide technical assistance and support to States and Tribes during the remedial cleanup process.
Accelerating PFAS Remediation at Military Installations
Shaheen also helped secure more than $770 million in funding for PFAS investigation, testing, remediation and disposal on and around U.S. military installations. The historic investment includes $494 million for the Air Force, $167 million for the Navy and $98 million for the Army.
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 $15 million to continue the PFAS health impact study that she created in the 2018 NDAA. In last year’s government funding legislation, she secured numerous provisions that were signed into law to address PFAS contamination. Shaheen 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. The study at Pease is actively seeking participants.
Examine Safety of Firefighters’ Personal Equipment
Shaheen included $3 million for PFAS personal protective equipment research. In 2019, Shaheen introduced bipartisan legislation with Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO), which would take important steps to address concerns regarding firefighters’ occupational exposure to PFAS chemicals through their personal protective equipment.
Senator Shaheen has led efforts in Congress to address PFAS exposure, and specifically, occupational exposure to the chemicals. The 2020 defense bill included Shaheen’s bipartisan legislation, the Protecting Military Firefighters from PFAS Act, requiring the Department of DefensE) to include blood testing for PFAS as part of routine physicals for military firefighters, as well as a provision authored by Shaheen that would phase out the use of PFAS in DOD firefighting foams by 2024.
Highest Funding Level Ever for Violence Against Women Act Programs
Through her leadership on the CJS subcommittee, Shaheen secured – for the fifth year in a row – the highest funding level ever for Violence Against Women Act programs, totaling $760 million. This is a 48 percent increase from last year’s funding level and will support training officials, rape prevention programs, processing rape kits, domestic violence hotlines and women’s shelters and transitional housing support services. Funding would be provided for several new initiatives, including a restorative justice program, a National Deaf Services Line and Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys to address violence against women in Indian Country.
In addition, the bill would provide $2.65 billion to be released through the Crime Victims Fund (CVF) for services and programs that will help survivors in our communities. This is an increase of $635 million for the CVF compared to last year’s funding levels.
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 $500 million for the Title X Family Planning program, a $214 million increase over the previous year. 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.
Firefighter Cancer Registry
The bill includes $2.5 million to continue to support the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Firefighter Cancer Registry, which enables researchers to better understand why firefighters are at higher risk for certain types of cancer. Firefighters are more likely to be exposed to PFAS chemicals, and combatting PFAS exposure continues to be a priority for Senator Shaheen. Senator Shaheen has advocated for increased Firefighter Cancer Registry funding through multiple appropriations cycles.
Continued Efforts on Pediatric Cancer Research
Senator Shaheen helped secure another 50% increase over last year’s levels from the implementation of Trevor’s Law, which monitors cancer clusters – including pediatric cancers – and provides outreach to communities affected by cancer clusters. This year’s funding bill include $3 million to implement the law. A report from the 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.
Increased funding 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 more than $353 million above FY 2021 levels. The funding bill allocates $1.83 billion for NIDA. Senator Shaheen was also successful in including report language supporting medical researchers studying addiction, namely the NIH’s Helping to End Addiction Long-term (HEAL) Initiative.
Additionally, Shaheen helped negotiate more than $3 billion in funding for the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant, which is an increase of $1.15 billion over last year’s funding levels.
Early Education
Senator Shaheen worked to include $2.8 billion in increased funding for key federal child care and early learning programs. The bill includes a $1.4 billion increase to $7.3 billion for Child Care and Development Block Grants to states, as well as a nearly $1.2 billion increase to Head Start, funding the program at nearly $12 billion for FY 2022. The bill additionally includes an increase of $175 million to $450 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 December, and the American Rescue Plan enacted in March, Shaheen successfully included language that provided $50 billion dollars in urgently needed relief for child care providers in New Hampshire.
Special Education
The bill includes a more than $2.6 billion increase for special education, funding Individuals with Disabilities Education Act State Grants at a total of $15.5 billion. The bill additionally includes increased funding for grants that support the education of young children with disabilities. This year, Senator Shaheen led 42 other Senators in her annual letter to the Appropriations Committee calling for robust funding for special education.
Great American Outdoors Act
Senator Shaheen supported allocating funding provided by the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) to priority projects for New Hampshire and the region, including $1.665 million in Forest Legacy Program funding for the Androscoggin Valley Corridor. The Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge and Great Thicket National Wildlife Refuge, which include lands in New Hampshire, each receive funding from the Land and Water Conservation Fund for work across multiple states. Additionally, the GAOA-funded National Parks and Public Land Legacy Restoration Fund includes $622,000 for the Glen Ellis Road/Trail/ Civilian Conservation Corps Era Site Improvements project, as well as $80,000 for Androscoggin Area Trails rehabilitation in the White Mountain National Forest.
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