Shaheen Statement on President's FY2017 Budget

Press Release

U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) made the following statement on the President's budget, which was revealed today:

"The federal government needs to be doing much more to address the heroin and opioid pandemic and I'm relieved that the President's budget reflects the urgency of this crisis," said Shaheen. "Congress must work with the administration to address this crisis and approve additional funding for our first responders and treatment providers."

"I welcome the substantial increase of funding in this budget for cybersecurity. We need to improve our defenses against costly and dangerous cyberattacks, which are becoming more and more common. I'm also very pleased the President has put a strong emphasis on computer science education in this budget. We need to help inspire more young students, especially girls, to pursue careers in STEM fields to stay globally competitive, and this proposal is a big step in the right direction. I also appreciate that this budget fully funds the Land and Water Conservation Fund, a program critical to preserving New Hampshire's beautiful spaces."

"I am concerned by other parts of the President's budget. I disagree with the administration's request for a new round of military base closures, which have proven to be costly and unnecessary in the past. And I am disappointed that this budget cuts funding for the heating assistance that is a necessity for many Granite State families during the winter months. I am also concerned with proposed cuts to grants that help our state and local first responders prepare for and respond to catastrophic events."

Senator Shaheen has been a leading voice in Congress in calling for the federal government to do more to tackle the opioid pandemic. Last month, she called for President Obama to commit additional budgetary resources to support substance abuse prevention, intervention, treatment, and recovery. She has also introduced legislation in the Senate for $600 million in emergency funding to address the crisis.‎

As a co-chair and co-founder of the Senate STEM Caucus, Shaheen has made promoting science, technology, and math education one of her top legislative priorities. Her legislation to expand funding for STEM programs was included as part of The Every Student Succeeds Act which was signed into law in December.‎

The Senator also led efforts to reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) last year, and traveled throughout New Hampshire to highlight the importance of LWCF to the state's economic growth and environmental stewardship.

As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Shaheen has consistently opposed Base Realignment and Closing (BRAC). According to nonpartisan experts, the 2005 BRAC round exceeded cost estimates by $14 billion.

Senator Shaheen has consistently called for increased funding for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).

Shaheen is a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee that is tasked with reviewing much of the President's budget request. She is also the lead Democrat of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security. In this role, she has worked to increase funding for cybersecurity as well as for adequate grant funding to help state and local first responders prepare for major disasters.

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