Shaheen, Hassan & Pappas Join EDA at ARMI to Highlight BioFabrication Cluster Grant for Manchester

(Manchester, NH) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee that funds the Economic Development Administration (EDA), and U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Representative Chris Pappas (NH-01) joined Craig Buerstatte, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Regional Affairs for the EDA, in Manchester today to highlight the new $44 million BioFabrication Cluster grant to the City and its coalition partners for which the New Hampshire congressional delegation successfully advocated. Shaheen, Hassan and Pappas were also joined by Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig and ARMI Executive Director Dean Kamen for a driving tour of ARMI, followed by a roundtable with other stakeholders and local officials. 

“Today was an exciting day to launch this historic project for the City of Manchester and participating partners, solidifying our state’s role as a hub for regenerative medicine and the most cutting-edge research and development,” said Shaheen. “The tour of ARMI and dialogue during the roundtable were incredibly informative for how this joint effort will progress and what these robust investments will mean for Southern New Hampshire in terms of job creation and scientific innovation. This federal award reaffirms the important – and groundbreaking – opportunities that the EDA can create for New Hampshire, which is why I’ll work to ensure it is properly funded as the Senate works to finalize government spending legislation for the coming year.”  

“I’m excited to see this $44 million heading to Southern New Hampshire to position our state as a leader in cutting-edge science and innovation – not just across the nation, but also on the global stage. This substantial investment will revitalize our communities in meaningful, lasting ways, from creating good-paying jobs to preparing our workforce to propel emerging industries. Manchester and its coalition partners were awarded this highly competitive EDA grant in recognition of their transformative vision around local biotechnology,” continued Shaheen. “I’m thrilled to welcome this grant from the innovative Build Back Better Regional Challenge, and I stand ready to support the region’s economic growth and revitalization in the years to come.” 

“New Hampshire is an innovation state and leading our country’s biotechnology industry, which is why I was proud to advocate for Manchester to receive this transformative grant,” said Senator Hassan. “We will see the impacts of the technologies that are developed through this project reverberate across the world -- and we will see the economic impacts right here at home. This project will produce life-saving research and technology and bring good-paying jobs to our state, while also supporting job training initiatives that will meet the workforce needs of businesses.”

“The Biofabrication Cluster will firmly establish Manchester’s place as a leader in the development of regenerative tissues and organs,” said Congressman Pappas. “I was a proud advocate for this proposal and I thank Mayor Joyce Craig and her office for pursuing this new opportunity to support our businesses, manufacturers, and economy. With a focus on economic equity and underserved communities, the Biofabrication Cluster will create good-paying jobs and improve quality of life in our city and state.” 

The visit to ARMI follows the EDA’s selection of Southern New Hampshire’s BioFabrication Cluster as a BBBRC awardee. This $44 million award will be used to establish Southern New Hampshire as the global epicenter for the production and distribution of regenerative tissues and organs. Through her leadership as Chair of the CJS Appropriations Subcommittee, Shaheen routinely secures strong federal resources for the agency. As an agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce, the EDA invests in economically distressed communities to create jobs for U.S. workers, promote American innovation and accelerate long-term sustainable economic growth. During negotiations for government funding legislation for fiscal year (FY) 2022, Senator Shaheen secured $373.5 million for the EDA. In the FY 2023 government funding legislation that Shaheen’s Subcommittee released earlier this year, the Senator included $450 million for the EDA, which is an increase of $76.5 million above the prior year. Shaheen previously opposed efforts by the Trump administration to reduce or eliminate funding for the EDA, which recently awarded grants to Granite State communities for a wide variety of projects. 

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