Shaheen Hosts Roundtable on Efforts to Address PFAS Contamination at Pease Tradeport, Discusses Career in Foreign Policy with Former National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan at University of New Hampshire Security Forum

(Durham, NH) – Today, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee , hosted a roundtable discussion to hear updates on efforts to address PFAS contamination at Pease Tradeport before traveling to Durham to sit down with former National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan at the University of New Hampshire Carsey School of Public Policy’s 2026 Security Forum. Photos from today’s events can be found HERE. In Portsmouth, Senator Shaheen convened Seacoast leaders and community stakeholders for a roundtable focused on discussing the most recent developments on efforts to address PFAS contamination at Pease Tradeport and to highlight the tireless efforts of local advocates who have worked alongside Senator Shaheen for over a decade to combat PFAS contamination in the region. At the roundtable, Shaheen discussed the United States Air Force’s engagement with the Portsmouth community and their recent response to a letter from the New Hampshire congressional delegation requesting a firm timeline for prompt funding and treatment of PFAS contamination in two municipal drinking water wells in Portsmouth before the water system falls out of compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act. With Senator Shaheen set to retire at the end of this Congress, she also commemorated the progress Seacoast communities have made in combatting PFAS contamination and thanked local advocates, such as Andrea Amico, founder of Testing for Pease, for their unwavering commitment to addressing the issue. “Since PFAS contamination was uncovered at Pease over a decade ago, New Hampshire has been leading the way to advance our understanding of the health impacts of PFAS and address these forever chemicals head on,” Senator Shaheen. “I’ve been so proud of the strides we’ve made to combat PFAS in our communities, and that is in large part due to the tireless work of local stakeholders who took it on themselves to raise the alarm and make real change. It has been my honor to partner with these folks during my time in the Senate. As I near retirement, I am confident our Seacoast communities will be safer and healthier in the years to come thanks to the work of advocates across the region.” Senator Shaheen has been a leader in Washington on addressing PFAS issues in New Hampshire and across the country. In 2018, Senator Shaheen secured authorization and funding for the first ever nationwide study on the health impacts of PFAS in drinking water, with Pease Tradeport serving as the pilot study side. Since then, Senator Shaheen has continued to fight against PFAS contamination in the Senate. In the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law , Shaheen secured $10 billion to address PFAS and other emerging contaminants, which has delivered a total of $95 million to address PFAS in drinking water, including in private wells and other water sources across New Hampshire. Then in Durham, Senator Shaheen joined former U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan for a fireside chat at the University of New Hampshire Carsey School of Public Policy’s 2026 Security Forum. At the forum, Senator Shaheen provided her insights on some of the most pressing foreign policy challenges of today, including Russia’s war in Ukraine, the future of the NATO Alliance and the importance of bipartisanship in foreign policy. Senator Shaheen also discussed her recent visit to the Western Balkans, her efforts to promote female leadership abroad and the importance of American leadership in strengthening global democratic institutions. Shaheen then took questions from University of New Hampshire students. “As President Trump continues to berate our nation’s closest allies, capitulate to dictators like Vladimir Putin and President Xi and engages in reckless wars in the Middle East, now more than ever we must make it clear that the foreign policy of this Administration is not in the best interest of the United States and does not represent the will of the American people,” said Senator Shaheen . “It will be up to our next generation of leaders to rebuild American leadership and credibility abroad. As Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Shaheen is the top Democratic voice on foreign affairs in the United States Senate and fights to protect and advance American interests abroad and conducts critical oversight of the Trump Administration's foreign policy. In her role, Shaheen leads diplomatic efforts to strengthen key alliances, promote economic development and bolster democratic institutions across the globe. Senator Shaheen has served on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee since 2009 and is the first woman to serve as Ranking Member of the Committee. ###