ICYMI: Shaheen Receives Prestigious Legacy Award from New England Council for Decades of Public Service, Championing Regional Business Community

(Boston, MA) – In case you missed it, yesterday, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), a senior member and former Chair of the U.S. Senate Small Business Committee, received the New England Council’s Legacy Award at its 2026 Annual Celebration in Boston. The award recognizes Shaheen’s decades of public service and longstanding commitment to strengthening New England’s business community. At the celebration, Shaheen delivered remarks reflecting on her career, the importance of bipartisanship and her work to support Granite Staters. Photos from the event can be found HERE . “It’s been a tremendous honor to serve New Hampshire for so many years. But what has meant the most to me is the opportunity to make a difference for people,” said Senator Shaheen. “I hope if there’s one lesson we carry forward, it’s that we don’t have to agree on everything to work together. Most people want the same things for their families and communities. And as the people representing them, they want us to listen, to work together and they want us to get things done.” The New England Council—the nation’s oldest regional business association—established the Legacy Award in 2025 as part of its 100th anniversary celebration to recognize past New Englanders of the Year for their lasting contributions to the region. Shaheen, who was named New Englander of the Year in 2011 , received this year’s award alongside documentary filmmaker Ken Burns. This year’s celebration brought together approximately 1,600 business and community leaders from across New England’s six states. Throughout her decades of public service, Senator Shaheen has built a long track record of working across the aisle to deliver results for Granite Staters and strengthen New Hampshire’s economy, including by supporting the business community. As governor, Shaheen led the first New Hampshire trade delegation outside of North America. In the Senate, serving on the Small Business Committee, Shaheen continued her work to help Granite State businesses access markets across the globe. In 2010, Shaheen created the State Trade Expansion Program (STEP) and continues to lead action in support of STEP in Congress. From 2023 to 2025, Shaheen served as the Chair of the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee , where she led efforts to advance STEP’s reauthorization out of the Committee. Shaheen also leads legislation that would streamline reporting and administrative requirements of STEP, making it easier for businesses to use. Throughout her tenure as Chair of the Small Business Committee, Shaheen focused on addressing some of the biggest challenges facing small businesses, such as rising costs and access to child care. She also worked across the aisle to find ways to lower barriers for veteran and disabled entrepreneurs. ###