In The News
Cortez Masto Joins Bipartisan Senate Effort Urging FCC to Close Rural Broadband Gap
Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined a bipartisan group of Senators to send a letter to the new Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai urging him to prioritize mobile broadband deployment in rural and underserved areas. Specifically, the Senators are calling on the agency to move forward with Phase II of the Universal Service Fund's (USF) Mobility Fund, which is aimed at providing broadband service to these areas. "Advances on … Continue Reading
February 02, 2017
Cortez Masto RGJ Op-Ed: “Why I Can’t Support ‘Foreclosure King”
Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, wrote an op-ed column for the Reno Gazette-Journal highlighting why she cannot support President Trump's Treasury Secretary nominee, former OneWest Bank CEO and Goldman Sachs executive Steven Mnuchin. The column highlights Heather McCreary of Sparks, Nevada, who recently came to Capitol Hill to discuss OneWest's controversial foreclosure … Continue Reading
February 01, 2017
Cortez Masto Co-Signs Letter to Wells Fargo Calling for Answers into Bank’s Alleged Fraud Cover-up
Scathing report alleges Wells Fargo branches were tipped off ahead of investigations, shredded, forged documents to hide massive customer fraud Washington, DC - U.S. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), member of the Senate Banking Committee, joined five Democratic committee members today signing a letter to Wells Fargo CEO Tim Sloan demanding answers after revelations that the bank reportedly tried to cover its tracks by shredding and forging documents to conceal the widespread customer fraud. … Continue Reading
February 01, 2017
Cortez Masto and Senate Indian Affairs Committee Democrats Urge President Trump to Exempt Indian Services Agencies from Federal Hiring Freeze
Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Al Franken (D-Minn.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), and Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.) urged President Trump to exempt federal agencies that provide essential services to Native communities - particularly the Indian Health Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs and Bureau of Indian Education -- from his executive order freezing federal hiring. In a letter to the president, … Continue Reading
February 01, 2017
Cortez Masto Celebrates Black History Month
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) released the following statement in celebration of Black History Month: "At a time when defending our civil rights is more important than ever, celebrating Black History Month is an opportunity for us to recommit ourselves to fighting against racial inequality. It is a time for us to remember the achievements and immense sacrifices of those who fought for African Americans to be full and equal citizens of this country. It's a time … Continue Reading
January 31, 2017
Cortez Masto Statement on Department of Interior Nominee Rep. Ryan Zinke
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, issued the following statement on her vote today in support of U.S. Representative Ryan Zinke's nomination to serve as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Interior: "The majority of Nevada's land is operated by the federal government, and the Department of the Interior will continue to directly affect many issues that concern our vast and beautiful state, from … Continue Reading
January 31, 2017
Cortez Masto Statement on Energy Secretary Nominee Rick Perry
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), a member of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, voted today in support of former Texas Governor Rick Perry's nomination to serve as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy. Senator Cortez Masto met one-on-one with Governor Perry in her office earlier this month and questioned him at his recent confirmation hearing about issues including Nevada's vocal opposition to Yucca Mountain, clean-up of the Nevada National … Continue Reading
January 31, 2017
Cortez Masto Joins Bipartisan Coalition of 48 Senators in Urging President Trump to Include Broadband in Any Infrastructure Initiative
Promoting broadband access will empower Americans living in every community-from rural towns to urban city centers -with economic opportunities that will jumpstart growth in jobs and wages; In fact, for every $5 billion invested in broadband infrastructure, 250,000 jobs are created and with every percentage point increase in new broadband distribution, employment expands by 300,000 In a letter to President Trump, the senators urged the prioritization of policies that will promote deployment … Continue Reading
January 30, 2017
Cortez Masto Co-Sponsors Legislation to Rescind President Trump’s Discriminatory Executive Order on Immigration
Cortez Masto also rallied today with Senate Democrats outside the Supreme Court to protest Trump's executive order Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) announced that she is co-sponsoring legislation to rescind President Trump's discriminatory executive order barring immigrants from Muslim-majority countries. Senator Cortez Masto also joined Senate colleagues tonight for a rally outside the Supreme Court in Washington to call for a reversal of the President's … Continue Reading
January 30, 2017
Cortez Masto Statement Opposing Secretary of State Nominee Rex Tillerson
Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) released the following statement opposing former ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson's nomination to serve as President Donald Trump's Secretary of State: "Rex Tillerson's background in diplomacy is limited to corporate deal making, advancing only the interests of Big Oil while the rest of the world is ready to move toward clean and renewable energy. Even more troubling is his refusal to answer questions on Exxon's decades-long … Continue Reading
January 27, 2017
Cortez Masto Co-Sponsors Constitutional Amendment to Overturn Bad Court Decisions Like Citizens United and Get Big Money Out of Politics
Washington, DC - Following the seventh anniversary of the Supreme Court's Citizens United v. FEC decision allowing unlimited corporate spending in elections, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) this week joined Senate and U.S. House of Representatives colleagues to reintroduce the Democracy for All constitutional amendment to restore democratic power to the American people. Led by U.S. Senator Tom Udall (D-N.M.), the constitutional amendment would overturn Buckley v. Valeo (1976) and … Continue Reading
January 27, 2017
Cortez Masto Statement Denouncing President Trump’s Muslim Ban
Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) released the following statement in response to President Donald Trump's Muslim ban: "President Trump's latest executive order would essentially enact his unconstitutional Muslim ban. This type of religious discrimination is wrong and ineffective - in fact, all it accomplishes is stirring up bigotry and violence against American Muslims, alienating our Muslim allies across the world, and helping terrorist organizations like … Continue Reading
January 26, 2017
Cortez Masto Co-Sponsors Bipartisan Legislation to Clear Criminal Records for Human Trafficking Victims
Bill Would Provide Relief to Victims of Sex Trafficking, Labor Trafficking, and Other Forms of Human Trafficking Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) is co-sponsoring the Trafficking Survivors Relief Act, bipartisan legislation that would help human trafficking victims by clearing any federal convictions for nonviolent crimes from criminal records. The legislation, led by U.S. Sens. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), would increase support for … Continue Reading
January 26, 2017
Cortez Masto Co-Sponsors Global HER Act, Bipartisan Legislation to Permanently Repeal the Global Gag Rule
Forty-seven Democrat and Republican Senators introduced legislation supporting women's reproductive rights and international family planning programs following President Trump's executive order reinstating 'global gag rule' Washington, D.C. - Following President Trump's issuance of an executive order to reinstate the Global Gag Rule, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined a bipartisan coalition of 47 Senators to introduce the Global Health, Empowerment, and Rights (HER) Act, … Continue Reading
January 26, 2017
Cortez Masto Applauds Federal Grant to Support Northwest Nevada Efforts to Repair Roads & Highways after Recent Storms
Nevada's northwest region will receive $2 million from the Department of Transportation to help recovery efforts following severe storms earlier this month Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) applauded the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration (FHA) for awarding $2 million in Emergency Relief to Nevada to help repair highways and roads on federal lands in the state's northwest region that suffered damage after severe storms earlier this … Continue Reading
January 25, 2017
Cortez Masto Statement on President Trump’s Divisive Executive Orders on Immigration
Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) released the following statement in response to President Donald Trump's divisive executive orders on immigration: "If there was ever any doubt, President Trump is bringing his hateful anti-immigrant rhetoric from the campaign trail and putting it into action in the White House. Instead of trying to work with both parties to fix our broken immigration system and actually grow our economy, President Trump is choosing to … Continue Reading
January 25, 2017
Cortez Masto Joins Members of Congress to Demand Trump Exempt Entire VA from Hiring Freeze
Federal Hiring Freeze Will Delay Veterans' Access to Care and Benefits, and Hurt Veterans Seeking Federal Jobs Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined a group of 53 members of Congress to demand President Trump exempt the entire VA and all veterans seeking federal jobs from his executive order that freezes federal hiring. In a letter to President Trump, the members highlighted the devastating impacts on veterans and their families that will be caused by … Continue Reading
January 25, 2017
Cortez Masto Co-Sponsors Legislation Increasing Safeguards for DREAMers, Reducing Vulnerability to Trump Administration’s Deportations
Bill would prevent Trump Administration from accessing confidential information of all young immigrants who applied for DACA Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined a group of Senate Democrats to introduce S. 229, the Protect DREAMer Confidentiality Act of 2017, a bill to safeguard private information such as addresses and telephone numbers of the young immigrants, also known as DREAMers. The legislation will help ensure any young immigrant who requested … Continue Reading
January 24, 2017
Cortez Masto Statement on Trump Seeking to Advance Keystone XL and Dakota Access Pipelines
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), member of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee and the Indian Affairs Committee, issued the following statement today after President Trump signed executive orders that seek to advance the controversial Keystone XL and Dakota Access oil pipelines: "President Trump's efforts to try to resurrect these two controversial pipeline projects won't actually grow the economy or increase our energy independence - this is all about … Continue Reading
January 24, 2017
Cortez Masto Statement on Vote to Confirm Wilbur Ross as Secretary of U.S. Department of Commerce
Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, issued the following statement announcing her vote in support of Wilbur H. Ross to be the next Secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce: "Following my discussions with Mr. Ross and a thorough review of his record, I will be supporting him to be Commerce Secretary. Mr. Ross assured me of his commitment to supporting efforts that will grow our … Continue Reading