ICYMI: In Bipartisan Appropriations Package, Shaheen Secures National and New Hampshire Priorities, More Than $43 million for 54 Granite State Projects

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH),Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies (Ag-FDA) Subcommittee and a senior member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, highlighted the numerous priorities she championed and secured in the bipartisan Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) Department of Defense; Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and Related Agencies; Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies Appropriations and Financial Services and General Government Appropriations bills recently passed by the U.S. Senate and House, including $43 million in Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) for 54 projects in New Hampshire. In these bills, which Senate Democrats helped craft, Shaheen secured critical investments to address housing affordability, bolster support for resources to fight the substance use disorder epidemic, invest in childcare, support small businesses and more. The funding bills now head to the President's desk to be signed into law.
“By rejecting the Trump Administration’s most reckless funding cuts and investing in programs that help provide financial breathing room for Americans during the cost of living crisis, this bipartisan package sends a clear signal of support for working families across the nation,”said Senator Shaheen.“As a senior member of the Appropriations Committee who helps craft these bills, I was proud to secure Congressionally Directed Spending that helps small states like New Hampshire fund over fifty critical projects that will make life better for families in every corner of our state.”
Shaheen-Secured Priorities in the Department of Defense Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2026
Standing With Ukraine
Senator Shaheen has consistently worked to ensure the delivery of military, humanitarian and economic assistance to Ukraine as they fight for their freedom and democracy amid Putin’s war. The Senate-passed Defense Appropriations bill includes $400 million to equip the Ukrainian Armed Forces and Eastern Europe with the tools needed to fend off Russia’s aggression.
Upholding the Women, Peace and Security Law
Amid efforts by Secretary Hegseth to undermine the Women, Peace and Security law Senator Shaheen ushered through Congress under the first Trump Administration, the Senate-passed Defense Appropriations bill includes $12.5 million to implement WPS across the combatant commands.
In 2017, Shaheen led the bipartisan Women, Peace and Security law through Congress to prioritize the promotion of women’s participation in foreign policy and national security efforts, such as conflict prevention, peace negotiations and democratic institutions. Women’s participation in peace negotiationsincreases the probability by 35 percent ofagreements lasting at least 15 years.
Supporting New Hampshire’s Defense Industrial Base
As a result of Senator Shaheen’s leadership for New Hampshire’s aerospace industry, the bill provides $5 million for the work done in Londonderry on L3 Harris’s Enhanced Night Vision Goggle-Binocular and funds the procurement of one additional F-15EX aircraft above the President’s Budget Request. It also fully funds the KC-46 refueling tanker, flown by the New Hampshire National Guard’s 157th Air Refueling Wing; and fully funds the procurement of two additional Compass Call aircraft, for which key components come from BAE System’s facilities in Hudson and Merrimack. The bill also includes a $175 million increase for the Improved Turbine Engine Program, which will support work on the program done in Hooksett.
Shaheen also worked to include $9.6 billion for the procurement of F-35 Joint Strike Fighters. Shaheen has been a steadfast supporter of the F-35 program, which enhances U.S. national security and invests in New Hampshire’s economy and role in support of our national defense. New Hampshire has 58 first-tier suppliers for the program. Shaheen also secured $5 million for the verified destruction of aqueous film forming foam (AFFF), which use per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) as an ingredient. The DOD has used AFFF for several decades across the country, and PFAS chemicals have been linked with human health concerns.
Finally, the bill includes a $32 billion increase requested by Shaheen for the APEX Accelerators Program, which assists small businesses in New Hampshire with procurement opportunities with the Department of Defense.
Investing in Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and New England’s Ship Building Workforce
As a co-chair of the U.S. Senate Navy Caucus and a senior member of the Defense Subcommittee and U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, Senator Shaheen built on her long legacy of support for New England’s shipbuilding industry and workforce, including through authorizing funding and workforce development for the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. The defense bill provides $5.4 billion to procure two Virginia-class submarines, which are maintained at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. This funding will also directly support Virginia-class program suppliers in New England. The bill also provides $12.2 billion for the procurement of two Columbia class submarines, plus one in advance procurement dollars.
Shaheen-Secured Priorities in the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2026
Boosting Efforts to Address the Substance Use Disorder Crisis
A longtime champion of increasing funding to address the ongoing substance use disorder crisis, Senator Shaheen secured $20 million in increased funding for the State Opioid Response (SOR) grant program, as well as a $40 million increase for the Substance Use Prevention, Treatment and Recovery Services Block Grant.
The report includes language ensuring that the formula used to calculate the 15 percent hardest hit state set aside includes opioid-specific overdose data. The bill also directs the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to avoid large funding cliffs between funding cycles and encourages the agency to expand the number of states eligible for the hardest-hit set aside.
Protecting Investments in Workforce Development
Maintaining key investments that support job training and help connect Granite Staters with good jobs, Shaheen secured $2.9 billion forWorkforce Innovation and Opportunity Act(WIOA)formula grants and $285 million for Registered Apprenticeships. The Registered Apprenticeships Program supports an industry-driven, high-quality career pathway where employers can develop and prepare their future workforce, and individuals can obtain paid work experience with a mentor, receive progressive wage increases, classroom instruction and a portable, nationally-recognized credential.
Investing in Child Care and Education
Amid efforts by the Trump Administration to roll back, delay and withhold critical funding that helps make child care and education more affordable for Granite Staters, the Senate-passed appropriations bill makes significant investments in students’ and families’ ability to get ahead, including:
Boosting Health and Medical Research
The Senate-passed appropriations package includes Shaheen-backed provisions to counter ill-advised cuts to medical research at the Department of Health and Human Services, including:
Uncovering Damaging Effects of PFAS
As part of her efforts to uncover the health effects related to PFAS contamination, the Senate-passed appropriations bill includes Senator Shaheen’s request directing the Director of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health to engage with the National Institute of Standards and Technology on their ongoing study to identify a firefighter’s relative risk of exposure to PFAS released from their protective gear.
Advancing Access to Lower Cost Drugs
The Senate-passed appropriations package includes Shaheen’s provision urging the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to examine barriers to biosimilar drug access, which have been proven to increase competition and lower drug costs. Shaheen’s bipartisanINSULIN Actalso includes proposals to expedite Federal Drug Administration (FDA) approval of biosimilar drugs.
Shaheen-Secured Priorities in the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2026
Increasing Access to Affordable Housing
To help address New Hampshire’s severe shortage of affordable housing, the bill invests $1.25 billion in the HOME Investment Partnerships Program, which helps build new housing across the state and supports grant programs that aid state and local efforts to remove barriers to housing construction. The bill also protects funding for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) rental assistance programs, rejecting drastic cuts proposed by the Trump Administration.
The legislation also protects grant programs that provide housing assistance and supportive services for people experiencing homelessness, including increased funding for Homeless Assistance Grants. The bill includes language Senator Shaheen supported which ensures local organizations that help Granite Staters keep a roof over their heads are not cut off from funding.
Shaheen also successfully included language to cut red tape that can slow affordable housing construction, as well as a provision calling for HUD to prioritize projects that address the dual challenges of housing and child care.
Prioritizing Aviation Safety
In the wake of numerous near misses and tragedies, the appropriations bill invests in programs to address air traffic controller (ATC) staffing shortages, improve working conditions for controllers and ensure the safe transportation of people and goods within U.S. airspace, including by providing:
Shaheen-Secured Priorities in the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2026
Supporting Small Businesses
As a long-time leader on small business issues and a top member of the U.S. Senate Small Business Committee, Senator Shaheen helped protect funding for the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Entrepreneurial Development programs, including the State Trade Expansion Program, Women's Business Centers, Small Business Development Centers and more.
Shaheen has alsoled the charge to ensurethat SBA’s district offices are adequately staffed—a challenge currently facing the Granite State office. In the FY26 appropriations bills, Shaheen secured language encouraging SBA to have at least seven full-time employees at each district office and directing them to fill vacant positions below that level.
Supporting Housing and Economic Development
The bill protects the U.S. Department of Treasury’sCommunity Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund)from funding cuts proposed by the Trump Administration and limits the administration’s ability to undercut the fund by slashing staffing. Shaheen has been a strong support of the CDFI Fund which promotes development in low-income urban and rural communities by investing in mission-driven financial institutions.
Battling the Substance Use Disorder Crisis
Senator Shaheen has spearheaded crucial legislation and funding to stem the opioid epidemic and increase access to substance use treatment in New Hampshire. In the FY26 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations bill, Shaheen helped protect funding for theDrug-Free Communities (DFC) Program, which provides grants to local community coalitions to address the youth substance use disorder crisis, and 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.
Preventing Postal Disruptions
Senator Shaheen has long been concerned about the Postmaster General’s harmful changes to the U.S. Postal Service that are negatively impacting Granite Staters. That’s why she supported language in the legislation directing the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) to brief the Appropriations Committee on the status of postal facility consolidations within 180 days of this legislation’s enactment. Senator Shaheen previouslyhelped introducebicameral, bipartisan legislation that would prohibit USPS from consolidating, closing or downgrading a processing and distribution center if it would leave a state without one or negatively impact mail delivery across a state.
Missing Armed Forces and Civilian Personnel
Senator Shaheen has long been committed to helping the families of prisoners of war (POWs) and those missing in action (MIA). Her bipartisan bill with Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID), theBring Our Heroes Home Act, would eliminate obstacles preventing families and caseworkers from accessing the records needed for recovering America’s POWs and MIA. According to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, more than 81,500 Americans remain unaccounted for from World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Cold War, the Gulf Wars and other conflicts. As part of this effort, Shaheen secured language in the appropriations bill encouraging the National Archives to begin searching for and publicly releasing records related to missing service men and women, as her bill would require.
Cracking Down on Scams
In an effort to protect the American public from the proliferation of increasingly complex scams, this year’s bill includes Shaheen-led language expressing concern about the dangers posed by AI-generated robocalls and directing the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to brief the Committee within 60 days of enactment.
Senator Shaheen also included the following Congressionally Directed Spending projects for New Hampshire, totaling more than $43 million:
Recipient
Project
Description
Funding ($)
Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and Related Agencies
Elliot Health System
Elliot Health System Healthcare Workforce Expansion
Funds will be used to expand workforce programs to grow the Elliot Health System workforce.
460,000
International Institute of New England
Bridging the Childcare Gap: Expanding Pathways to Early Childhood Education Careers
Funds will be used to provide enhanced and expanded employment services and career pathways programs to refugees and immigrants.
470,000
Ammonoosuc Community Health Services, Inc.
Warren Renovation for Resilience & Regeneration
Funds will be used to renovate the Ammonoosuc Community Health Services facility in Warren, New Hampshire.
250,000
Amoskeag Health
Capital Equipment to Serve More
Funds will be used to purchase capital equipment essential to the operation of the community health center, including the outfitting of a new point of service, replacing old equipment and acquiring security equipment for the safety of staff and patients.
485,000
Archways
Strengthening Tilton: Archways’ Second Floor for Community and Workforce Development
Funds will be used to add a second floor of the Archways Tilton existing facility, which will double capacity on substance use disorder treatment. The expanded facility will also serve as a training center, creating two workforce pipelines for recovery coaching and family support specialists.
300,000
Behavioral Health and Developmental Services of Strafford County, Inc.
Spectrum Connection Renovation - Community Partners
Funds will be used to renovate an existing facility to support Applied Behavioral Analysis therapy services for children ages two to eight.
110,000
Coos County Administration
Coos County Skilled Nursing Facility-Berlin NH Electrical Panel and Emergency Generator Project
Funding will be used to update the Coos County Nursing Facility’s fire alarm panel to comply with state regulations and to purchase a new generator and corresponding equipment.
415,000
Cottage Hospital
Cottage Hospital Fossil Energy Project
Funds will be used to remove and replace the underground oil tank on its property, which is well beyond its maximum lifespan.
76,000
Cheshire County Administration
Advanced EMS/Fire Radio Network Equipment
Funds will be used to install, configure and optimize new internet protocol-based equipment and systems at 12 radio repeater sites thus solidly protecting this essential community lifeline from the impacts of the natural and technological disasters that frequently occur in the region.
936,000
Dartmouth Health
Inpatient Detox for Pregnant and Parenting Women
Funds will be used to support the creation of an inpatient program for the purpose of withdrawal management and initiation of treatment medications for pregnant women with fentanyl, alcohol and other substance use disorders.
900,000
Lamprey Health Care, Inc.
Lamprey Health Care Pharmacy Integration Project
Funds will be used to integrate Pharmacy Services into its health center by creating an onsite pharmacy at its Raymond, New Hampshire location.
250,000
New England College
Community Mental Health Bachelor's Degree Program
Funds will be used for training equipment and facilities needs associated with its new four-year bachelor's degree program in Community Mental Health.
775,000
Rivier University
Expanding the Community Health Nursing Workforce through Mobile Medical Van Services
Funds will be used to purchase and equip a mobile medical van to support nursing student site visits to vulnerable populations at senior centers, youth organizations and social service centers such as soup kitchens.
317,000
Seven Hills New Hampshire, Inc.
Clinic Renovations for Crotched Mountain School
Funds will be used to create housing for transition-age youth with disabilities by renovating the Fox Meadow Lane apartments, located on the campus of the Crotched Mountain School.
1,350,000
The Mental Health Center of Greater Manchester
Modernization of IT Infrastructure at the Mental Health Center of Greater Manchester
Funds will be used to modernize the center’s aging IT infrastructure by replacing outdated servers and storage systems that are critical to clinical operations, patient data security and service delivery.
354,000
Town of Plaistow
Town of Plaistow Paramedic Intercept Program
Funds will be used to implement the Paramedic Intercept program, including start up and sustainability costs for paramedic hiring, advanced regional dispatch and communications infrastructure, advanced training and continuing education for compliance and equipment purchase.
1,500,000
Wentworth Home for the Aged
Wentworth Home for the Aged Life Safety Renovation Project
Funds will be used for required fire code and life safety upgrades. These upgrades are necessary to ensure the continued safety and security for current and future residents of this supported residential care home.
300,000
Friends of Recovery, New Hampshire dba Hope for NH Recovery
Hope for NH Recovery Housing Program
Funds will be used to open an 18 to 24 bed facility for individuals facing homelessness and enhance essential services—such as case management, peer support, wellness programs, workforce development and care coordination.
487,000
NAMI New Hampshire
Expanding Postvention Support in the Granite State
Funding will support the adaptation of NAMI's Connect Postvention training to include sudden deaths resulting from overdose; develop collateral; disseminate information and resources; and provide no-cost trainings to high-risk communities throughout the state.
444,000
NH Hunger Solutions
Hunger Free NH
NH Hunger Solutions will use funds to carry out its Social Determinants of Health Action Plan created with state agencies, health care, public health and community partners around the state. Funds will also advance communications outreach for SNAP, WIC and School Meals that was initiated this year.
430,000
City Year, Inc.
City Year New Hampshire's 7-Year Promise
Funds will be used to develop City Year New Hampshire’s 7-Year Promise - an innovative new initiative to promote life skills, economic mobility and generational prosperity for students in grades 3-9 who are furthest from opportunity.
700,000
New Hampshire School Principals Foundation
NHSPF Workforce Development Leadership Series
Funds will be used to support a year-long workforce development leadership series across the state for current and aspiring PK-12 school leaders.
342,000
Reach for the Top Therapy Services
Strafford County Children's Speech, Language, Communication, and Development Infrastructure Project
Funds will be used to hire two additional Speech Language Pathologists, provide training, upgrade assessment tools and purchase speech-generating devices to improve access to support for children with disabilities.
181,000
SAU #2
Lakes Region School(s) for Intensive Learning Differences
Funds will be used to hire one full-time Executive Director for a Consortium of Lakes Region Public Schools to develop a proposal for the creation of a regional school in the Lakes Region for children with intensive learning needs from preschool through grade eight.
225,000
YMCA of Greater Nashua
YMCA Power Scholars Academy for Under-Resourced NH Students
YMCA of Greater Nashua, in collaboration with the Nashua and Milford New Hampshire School Districts, will operate Power Scholars Academy to provide, free evidence-based summer learning loss prevention programming to at least 400 students in Summer 2026.
95,000
Community College System of New Hampshire
Community College System of NH High-Demand Jobs Programs
Funds will be used to increase the number of students accessing high-quality education and completing credentials in advanced manufacturing, automation, robotics, microelectronics, health care and dentalcare.
2,000,000
Keene State College
Expanding Career Opportunities in Construction Safety & Construction Management
Funds will be used to expand capacity to offer education and specialized training in construction safety sciences and construction management. CDS Funds will focus on internships and field experiences, recruitment and retention and academic program and curricular development.
1,000,000
Plymouth State University
Plymouth State University Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship
Funds will be used to build out Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship technologies, expand outreach and develop a cadre of successful, experienced students, including by constructing and equipping labs and teaching spaces, developing curricula and supporting program marketing and outreach.
1,000,000
Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies
Nashua Community College
Early Childhood Education Center for Teaching and Learning at Nashua Community College
Funds will be used to support Nashua Community College’s new Early Childhood Center. The center will serve as a lab school for students enrolled in the college’s Early Childhood Education Program with the goal of improving availability and high-quality care.
933,500
City of Claremont
Sugar River Revitalization and Brownfields Redevelopment Project
Funds will be used to continue design/implementation activities along the north side of the Sugar River (including additional pedestrian access points to the Synergy Site – a fully remediated brownfield) and will be used for site work to prepare the area to host community events/commercial activity.
850,000
Town of Hooksett
Martins Ferry Roadway Intersection Improvement and Bridge Project
Funds will be used to reconstruct the intersection of Martins Ferry Road and North River Road in Hooksett. The project will include the realignment of the roadway and construction of a new bridge to improve safety at the intersection and restore the Messer Brook to its natural course.
2,000,000
Laconia Housing Redevelopment Authority – Union Avenue Limited Partnership
Laconia Affordable Housing Expansion
Laconia Housing & Redevelopment Authority would use these funds to renovate an existing property to create new one-bedroom apartments in an existing building.
750,000
Salem Housing Authority
Salem Area Housing Development
Salem Housing Authority owns a stand-alone community building that will be demolished to construct a three-story Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Development for senior housing with a preference for Veterans. The development will include a community room, laundry area, and office space.
3,000,000
NeighborWorks Southern New Hampshire
Pearl Street Apartments Manchester
Funds will be used to assist with the construction and creation of new affordable housing units in partnership with the City of Manchester.
2,212,000
Gather
Expanding Food Access Across the Seacoast
Funds will be used to purchase two refrigerated box trucks and two electric lifts to ensure the continued operation of its Mobile Market and Pantry Market programs. These programs serve over 100,000 low- and moderate-income individuals across the coast and distribute 1.7 million pounds of food.
345,000
St. Joseph Community Services
Meals on Wheels of Hillsborough County: Community Nutrition Center Project
Funds will be used to support the renovation and construction of the Meals on Wheels of Hillsborough County Community Nutrition Center, a consolidated nutrition storage and distribution complex.
686,000
Avesta Housing Development Corporation
Rural NH Affordable Housing Preservation Project
Funds will be used to support preservation work on three affordable housing properties in Exeter and Farmington, New Hampshire.
335,000
Cross New Hampshire Adventure Trail
Twin State Rails-to-Trails Project
Funds will be used to restore, preserve and convert the inactive and decaying New Hampshire-owned Twin State Railroad corridor into a scenic rail trail for four seasons of recreation and active transportation in Coos County.
250,000
Marguerite's Place
Nashua Transitional Housing, Child Care and Family Resource Center
Funds will be used to redevelop a vacant and blighted building. The building will be demolished and redeveloped into a four-story building with transitional housing units for mothers and their children experiencing homelessness and a family resource center.
2,500,000
School Administrative Unit #18
Franklin High School Revitalization Project
Funds will be used to renovate and update portions of Franklin High School to improve safety measures for staff/students and create an environment that fosters community engagement. Funds will refurbish the front entrance of the building, modernize and upgrade bathrooms and replace all interior doors.
461,000
Our Place, Inc.
Supportive Housing for Adults with Disabilities
Funds will be used to create supportive housing for adults with IDD. The funds will be used to pay for site work, renovations and construction of an addition to an existing building.
1,950,000
SNHS Management Corps
Community Action Partnership Hillsborough and Rockingham Opportunity Center
Funds will be used to renovate an existing client resource center to transform it to an opportunity center, creating a welcoming accessible space for clients to access services, utilize a business center and have a “one-stop-shop” for assistance.
688,000
Families in Transition
Affordable Housing and Shelter Security Improvement Plan
Funds will be used to complete a four-step security plan, including replacing all door locks with electronic lock systems, updating outdated surveillance systems, installing better lighting around key buildings, and hiring an expert to redesign building maps and emergency evacuation plans.
1,060,000
Sullivan County
Regional Child Care Facility Enhancement Project
Funds will be utilized to renovate an existing space and establish a new child care center at the County’s Unity Campus serving working families in the surrounding region.
1,600,000
Southwestern Community Services, Inc.
Keene Eastside Housing
Funds will be used to repair and upgrade the existing and aging elevator located within the Keene Eastside Senior Housing building. This building is a three-story senior housing complex providing thirty individual units of housing for older adults.
198,000
Monadnock Affordable Housing Corporation
Monadnock Affordable Housing Project
Funds will be used to develop two-bedroom apartments and one-bedroom apartments in Keene, New Hampshire.
2,000,000
Mark Stebbins Community Center
Mark Stebbins Community Center Project
Funds will support the construction/development of a multi-service nonprofit center, addressing critical community needs such as child care, health care, food access and social services, fostering collaboration among nonprofits and providing comprehensive support to underserved children/families.
2,000,000
Affordable Housing, Education and Development Inc.
North Country Main Street Revitalization
Funds will be used to rehabilitate a downtown building in the North Country of New Hampshire. This property will be mixed use and provide refreshed commercial and residential units.
1,000,000
Bridges: Domestic & Sexual Violence Support Services, Inc.
Emergency Housing Program
Funds will be used to purchase a building in Southern New Hampshire and renovate that building as additional emergency shelter space for survivors fleeing domestic violence.
1,000,000
Financial Services and General Government
Monadnock Economic Development Corporation
Child Care Business Development
Funds will be used for entrepreneurial training and technical assistance programming for small child care businesses.
600,000
Claremont Development Authority
Claremont Small Business Center
Funds will be used for the establishment of the Claremont Small Business Center Project, a small business coworking space in downtown Claremont.
466,000
Coos Economic Development Corporation
Coos County Outdoor Economy Small Business Resiliency Support
Funds will be used to expand the technical assistance program for local outdoor economy small businesses.
200,000
University System of New Hampshire
NH SBDC Rural Business Advising
Funds will be used to expand business advising to meet increased need in rural New Hampshire.
444,000
Strafford Economic Development Corporation
Strafford EDC Technical Assistance Project
Funds will enable the Strafford Economic Development Corporation (SEDC) to provide and support technical assistance directly to small business owners throughout the state.
300,000
TOTAL:

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