Democrat Stefany Shaheen will represent New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
She defeated Republican Anthony DiLorenzo on Tuesday, filling the seat being vacated by Congressman Chris Pappas. Shaheen previously served on the Portsmouth City Council and the city’s police commission. She’s also the daughter of outgoing U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen.
Here are some takeaways from NHPR’s conversation with Congresswoman-elect Stefany Shaheen. A full transcript of her conversation with NHPR’s All Things Considered host Julia Barnett follows below.
On her priorities in Congress
- Economic relief for New Hampshire, by ending funding for the war in Iran, rolling back tariffs, expanding Affordable Care Act credits and rolling back Medicaid cuts
- Medicare for All, even if it faces pushback from President Donald Trump
On accountability for the Trump Administration
- Stands by her proposal on the campaign trail of criminal penalties for Trump for his alleged profiteering off the White House
- Wants to pursue meaningful ethics reform measures or legislation, including preventing congressional stock trading and profiteering
On working across the aisle
- Believes there are legislators across the political spectrum who wants to see similar change and says she is willing to work with “anyone and everyone” to make it happen
Transcript
So how are you feeling? How have the last few days been like for you and your team?
We are exhilarated and working hard already to build the team needed to serve the 1st [Congressional] District, feeling incredibly honored and humbled by the responsibility. So very excited and looking forward to getting to work on the change we know people voted for on Tuesday.
Your party secured a definitive victory and a congressional majority. So what's priority No. 1 when you are seated in January?
I think we need to bring an end to the war so we can bring down the price of gas and home heating oil. I also believe we need to roll back the tariffs that have been hurting our small businesses here and driving up the prices for everything else.
I've also campaigned aggressively on the need to fix our health care system. I think we're going to need to expand the Affordable Care Act tax credits and roll back the Medicaid cuts while we work to rebuild health care.
And then, we need to take on the president's corruption. But ultimately, we've got to bring relief for New Hampshire families. And that starts in January.
Let's touch on a few of those things. You mentioned ending the war in Iran. How do you plan to stop a war that was started without congressional approval?
Well, again, I think both with the war and the tariffs, Congress failed to act. Congress controls the purse strings. It should be controlling the purse strings for the war. And it should have been the body to implement tariffs. We have the power to put an end to the funding and to roll back the tariffs. And I think we need to do that starting on day one.
On the campaign trail, you backed Medicare For All. Will Democrats push for this, knowing it could face a veto from the president?
We'll see. I mean, I'll be pushing for it. I'll be pushing for reforms to our health care system. You know, [it’s] one of the greatest pain points I heard from people about on the campaign trail every day. We need to fix our health care system. The combination of the Medicaid cuts that are going to go into effect in 2027, and [in] even greater ways than were impacted in 26, plus, the cuts to the Affordable Care Act tax credits mean it's only going to get worse. And we need to be doing everything we can to fix health care. And I think, again, that starts in January.
And when you speak about accountability for the Trump administration, what will that realistically look like for you?
Well, on the campaign trail, I proposed stiff criminal penalties for the president personally profiting off his role in the White House. I think we're going to need to take meaningful ethics reform measures, things like, preventing congressional stock trading, preventing the kind of profiteering we're seeing from the Trump family and from the president himself. Some of that will come in the form of legislation to prevent it from ever happening again. Some of it will come in the form of accountability for what's already happened. And, you know, we'll see how that unfolds in the weeks ahead.
Democrats now have control of both the House and Senate, but you'll still need support from Republicans. So how will you reach across the aisle in a divided Congress?
Well, look, the American people made it very clear [that] change is coming. They have given us a mandate to act. And I think we need to act with intent and purpose to bring down the costs that are hurting people so much, to fix health care, to tackle this corruption, to bring an end to the war. I think there are people across the political spectrum who want to see those changes enacted, and we need to work with anyone and everyone who's willing to bring about the kind of change we know families need and were voted for on Tuesday.
Your mother is outgoing U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen. Has she given you any advice on how to approach your time in Washington?
Well, right now she's giving advice on tactical things, like the importance of making sure we have an office opened on day one and the transition responsibilities, so that as soon as we're sworn in, if not before, we can start serving constituents, which I'm very grateful for. I think in general, her advice has really been centered on the work and what it takes to get the work done. And I'm very grateful for that perspective and guidance along the way.
