Jeanne (Jeanne) Shaheen (D)
Web Site

Capitol: 202.224.3324
FAX: 202.224.4952
District: 603.752.2604
Senator
Room 520 HSOB- Hart Senate Office Building Constitution Avenue and 2nd Street, NE
Washington, DC 20510-2906

Residence: Madbury, NH
Elected: 2008    Next Election: 2014
Spouse: William (Bill) Shaheen   DOB: 1/28/1947
Committee Assignments
ChairmanSenate Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support
ChairmanSenate Subcommittee on The Legislative Branch
MemberSenate Subcommittee on African Affairs
MemberSenate Subcommittee on European Affairs
MemberSenate Subcommittee on International Operations and Organizations, Human Rights, Democracy, and Global Women's Issues
Co-ChairCongressional Sugar Reform Caucus
MemberSenate Subcommittee on Near Eastern and South and Central Asian Affairs
MemberSenate Subcommittee on Seapower
MemberSenate Committee on Foreign Relations
MemberSenate Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities
FC MemberSenate National Service Caucus
MemberSenate Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veteran Affairs and Related Agencies
MemberSenate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship
MemberSenate Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs
MemberSenate Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
MemberSenate Committee on Armed Services
MemberSenate Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies
FC MemberSenate Women’s Caucus on Burma
FC MemberCongressional Caucus for Women's Issues
FC MemberSenate Military Family Caucus
FC MemberModerate Democrats Working Group
FC MemberSenate General Aviation Caucus
MemberSenate Committee on Appropriations
FC MemberNortheast-Midwest Senate Coalition
FC MemberCongressional Sportsmen's Caucus
FC MemberSenate Caucus on WMD Terrorism
FC MemberSenate Diabetes Caucus
FC MemberSenate Rural Health Caucus
FC MemberSenate National Guard Caucus
FC MemberCongressional Veterans Jobs Caucus
FC MemberCongressional Fire Services Caucus

Bio

The first woman in history to be elected a Governor and a United States Senator, Jeanne Shaheen has been involved in all levels of New Hampshire life. She taught in a New Hampshire high school, chaired the Town of Madbury's zoning board and served three terms in the State Senate. Shaheen became the first woman elected Governor of New Hampshire, serving three terms from 1997-2003. In 2008 Shaheen became the first woman elected to the United States Senate from New Hampshire. Although neither of Senator Shaheen’s parents graduated from college, her father worked his way up to a management position in the shoe manufacturing business and her mother worked as a secretary in their local church. They instilled in their daughter the values of determination and hard work that have guided her throughout her life. After attending public schools, Senator Shaheen received a bachelor's degree from Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania and a master's degree from the University of Mississippi. A champion of middle class families, as Governor, Shaheen worked to make college more affordable, made public kindergarten a reality for over 25,000 additional children, and extended affordable health coverage to tens of thousands of New Hampshire children. Her focus on the economy led to the creation of nearly 67,000 new jobs during her six years as Governor and the third-highest high tech employment in the nation. Recognizing that for New Hampshire’s middle class to prosper we must be able to compete in an increasingly global economy, she was the first New Hampshire Governor to lead a trade mission outside of North America. A former small business owner, Jeanne Shaheen understands that small businesses are the backbone of the New Hampshire economy. Never afraid to stand up to powerful interests, Jeanne Shaheen took on the utilities and led the fight to bring competition to the New Hampshire electric industry. She stood up to the insurance industry, first as a State Senator, when she championed legislation to prevent premium discrimination against small businesses that employ sick or older workers, and then as Governor, when she pushed through her HMO Accountability Act. A consensus builder, Shaheen brought Republicans and Democrats in the New Hampshire legislature together to pass the Clean Power Act, first-in-the-nation legislation reducing power plant emissions, and the Land and Community Heritage Investment Program, which has helped preserve 250,000 acres of open space and 88 historic places. Energy efficiency programs initiated by the Shaheen administration have saved New Hampshire families and businesses over $400 million. Senator Shaheen is committed to fiscal responsibility. As Governor, Shaheen proposed balanced budgets and insisted on fiscal discipline, enabling the state to nearly triple its Rainy Day Fund. New Hampshire maintained the lowest state tax burden in the country the entire six years Shaheen was Governor. Shaheen also signed historic civil rights laws, including legislation making New Hampshire only the 10th state to add sexual orientation to its anti-discrimination laws and establishing a Martin Luther King, Jr. Day – ending New Hampshire’s status as the only state in the nation not to recognize Dr. King’s birthday as an official holiday. In 2005 she took on the challenge of forging a new generation of public leaders when she became the Director of Harvard University’s Institute of Politics at the Kennedy School of Government. Shaheen was sworn-in as a member of the United States Senate in January 2009. She chairs the Committee on Foreign Relations' Subcommittee on European Affairs, and the Energy and Natural Resources Committee's Subcommittee on Water and Power. Shaheen is also a member of the Armed Services Committee and the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. She and her husband, Bill, live in Madbury, New Hampshire, and have three daughters, Stefany, Stacey and Molly, and seven grandchildren.