Jeanne Shaheen facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jeanne Shaheen
Official portrait, 2021
Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2025
Preceded by	Jim Risch
Chair of the Senate Small Business Committee
In office September 27, 2023 – January 3, 2025
Preceded by	Ben Cardin
Succeeded by	Joni Ernst
Ranking Member of the Senate Small Business Committee
In office April 2, 2015 – February 6, 2018
Preceded by	Ben Cardin
Succeeded by	Ben Cardin
United States Senator from New Hampshire
Incumbent
Assumed office January 3, 2009 Serving with Maggie Hassan
Preceded by	John Sununu
78th Governor of New Hampshire
In office January 9, 1997 – January 9, 2003
Preceded by	Steve Merrill
Succeeded by	Craig Benson
Member of the New Hampshire Senate from the 21st district
In office December 5, 1990 – December 4, 1996
Preceded by	Franklin Torr
Succeeded by	Katie Wheeler
Personal details
Born	Cynthia Jeanne Bowers (1947-01-28) January 28, 1947 (age 78) St. Charles, Missouri, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	William Shaheen ​ (m. 1972)​
Children	3
Education	Shippensburg University (BA) University of Mississippi (MSS)
Signature

Cynthia Jeanne Shaheen (born January 28, 1947) is an American politician and former teacher. She is currently a U.S. Senator for New Hampshire, a role she has held since January 2009. She is a member of the Democratic Party.

Before becoming a senator, she was the 78th governor of New Hampshire from 1997 to 2003. Shaheen made history as the first woman elected as both a governor and a U.S. senator. She was also the first woman elected governor of New Hampshire.

After serving in the New Hampshire Senate, Shaheen was elected governor in 1996. She was reelected in 1998 and 2000. In 2008, she ran for the U.S. Senate and won. She is now the most experienced member of New Hampshire's group of lawmakers in Congress.

Shaheen was the first Democratic senator from New Hampshire since 1980. She was reelected to the Senate in 2014 and again in 2020. This made her the first New Hampshire Democrat to win three full terms in the Senate.

About Jeanne Shaheen

Jeanne Shaheen was born Cynthia Jeanne Bowers in St. Charles, Missouri. Her parents were Belle Ernestine and Ivan E. Bowers.

She finished high school in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania. She earned a bachelor's degree in English from Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania. Later, she received a master's degree in political science from the University of Mississippi. She taught high school in Mississippi. In 1973, she moved to New Hampshire. There, she continued teaching and, with her husband, owned a store. She is married to Bill Shaheen, who is a lawyer and judge. They have three children.

Early Political Career

Jeanne Shaheen is a Democrat. She worked on several political campaigns. In 1990, she ran for office herself. She was elected to the state Senate for the 21st district.

She was elected governor of New Hampshire in 1996. She won reelection in 1998 and 2000.

Governor of New Hampshire

Shaheen decided to run for governor when Republican Governor Steve Merrill retired. In 1996, her opponent was Ovide M. Lamontagne. Shaheen presented herself as a moderate politician. She focused on how schools were funded. She also promised to expand kindergarten. She won the election with 57% of the votes.

Shaheen was the first woman to be elected governor of New Hampshire. However, Vesta M. Roy had served as acting governor for a short time in 1982.

In 1998, Shaheen was reelected by a large margin. In both 1996 and 1998, she promised not to create new taxes. After a court decision changed how schools were funded, her government created a plan. This plan would have increased school spending. It also included a statewide property tax.

When running for a third term in 2000, Shaheen did not promise to avoid new taxes. She was the first New Hampshire governor in 38 years to win without making that promise.

U.S. Senate Elections

Shaheen on the campaign trail at Dartmouth College, July 2008

After serving three terms as governor, Shaheen decided not to run for a fourth term. Instead, she ran for the U.S. Senate in 2002. Republican John E. Sununu defeated her in that election.

2008 Election

Official portrait, 2009

In 2007, polls showed that Shaheen would do well against Sununu in the 2008 Senate race. On September 14, 2007, Shaheen announced she would run for the Senate. She officially started her campaign at her home in Madbury, New Hampshire.

Shaheen defeated Sununu in the 2008 election. She won with 52% of the votes.

2014 Election

Shaheen, Hillary Clinton and Maggie Hassan in November 2014

Shaheen ran for reelection in 2014. She faced former Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown.

In March 2014, Brown announced he was thinking about running against Shaheen. Shaheen won reelection with 51% of the vote. This made her only the second Democrat in New Hampshire's history to win two terms in the Senate.

2020 Election

Shaheen was reelected in 2020. She won with 57% of the vote against Republican Bryant Messner. She is the first New Hampshire Democrat elected to three full terms in the Senate.

Time in the Senate

Senator Shaheen with Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan, 2010

On January 3, 2009, Shaheen was sworn into the United States Senate. As a senator, she has supported many bills. Five of these bills have become law.

On January 6, 2021, Shaheen was part of the process to confirm the 2020 election results. During this time, supporters of President Trump attacked the U.S. Capitol. Shaheen tweeted that she and her staff were safe. She stated that they would continue their duty to the country. The day after the attack, Shaheen said Trump was "unfit for office." She supported removing him from office.

In 2024, Shaheen was named one of the top 10 most bipartisan senators. This means she works well with members of both major political parties.

Committee Work

Jeanne Shaheen with U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and New Hampshire Agriculture Commissioner Lorraine Merrill announcing a farm grant, 2014

Shaheen and President Joe Biden at the 2022 NATO summit, June 2022

As a senator, Jeanne Shaheen serves on several important committees:

• Committee on Appropriations: This committee decides how the government spends money.
  • Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (Chair): She leads this group that handles money for commerce, justice, and science.
  • Subcommittee on Defense: This group deals with funding for the military.
• Committee on Armed Services: This committee oversees the military and national defense.
• Committee on Foreign Relations: This committee handles issues with other countries.
• Committee on Small Business (Chair): She leads this committee that supports small businesses.
• Select Committee on Ethics: This committee handles rules of conduct for senators.

Political Views

Health Care

Shaheen speaks on health care, 2019

In 2009, Shaheen worked with Senator Susan Collins on a bill called the Medicare Transitional Care Act. This law helps hospital patients get follow-up care. It aims to reduce how often patients have to return to the hospital. It also helps save money. The bill became law in 2010.

In December 2009, Shaheen voted for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. This law is also known as Obamacare.

In 2019, Shaheen and other senators asked the government for information. They wanted to understand how a lawsuit against the Affordable Care Act might affect people and state budgets.

Money Matters

In 2011, Shaheen voted for a bill that would spend money on roads, schools, and local governments. This spending would have been paid for by a tax on high incomes. The bill did not pass.

Gun Policy

Shaheen believes that people on the terrorist watchlist should not be able to buy guns. She voted to expand background checks for gun purchases. She also voted to ban large-capacity magazines (those holding more than 10 bullets). In 2016, she joined other senators in a protest for stricter gun laws after a shooting in Orlando. Shaheen said that "moments of sympathy are not enough" and that common-sense gun laws are needed.

Energy

After a large oil spill in 2010, Shaheen suggested changes to how offshore drilling is regulated. She also proposed a law to give a special commission more power to investigate the spill. She wanted to prevent future disasters.

In 2014, Shaheen introduced a bill to improve efficient energy use. In 2019, she supported a bill to make certain chemicals hazardous substances. This would allow cleanup funds to be used for them. Shaheen was against the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. This pipeline would deliver natural gas from Russia to Germany.

Iraq and Afghanistan Wars

In 2002, Shaheen supported the 2003 invasion of Iraq. She also supported removing Saddam Hussein from power. She later questioned how President George W. Bush handled the situation in Iraq. She said that the war had not made the U.S. safer.

Shaheen was against the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan in 2021.

LGBT Rights

Shaheen used to be against same-sex marriage when she was governor. However, in 2009, she began to support marriage for same-sex couples. She also supported the Respect for Marriage Act. She voted to end the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. This policy prevented openly gay people from serving in the military. She also supports government recognition of same-sex spouses of military members.

Minimum Wage

In 2021, Shaheen voted against a proposal to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour.

Election Results

Governor elections in New Hampshire: Results 1996–2000

*Write-in and minor candidate notes: In 2002, write-ins received 197 votes. Primaries

Images for kids

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  Shaheen and Senator Joni Ernst in a meeting with Afghan women, 2021

See also

In Spanish: Jeanne Shaheen para niños

• List of female governors in the United States
• Women in the United States Senate