In The News
Cortez Masto Joins Bipartisan Effort to Support Physician Training Programs in Rural Communities
Washington, D.C. - As COVID-19 cases continue to rise throughout the nation, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Michael Rounds (R-S.D.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), in calling on the Trump administration to support physician training programs in rural communities to strengthen and maintain a physician workforce for the … Continue Reading
July 31, 2020
Cortez Masto: Congress is Failing Struggling Nevada Workers & Families As $600 Pandemic Unemployment Compensation Program Lapses
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) today released the following statement urging Congress to immediately pass legislation to continue the enhanced unemployment insurance programs established in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation, which has provided an extra $600 in monthly unemployment benefits to struggling Nevadans, expires today. Yesterday, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell brought … Continue Reading
July 30, 2020
Cortez Masto Statement on the Anniversary of Medicare and Medicaid
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) today released the following statement on the 55th anniversary of the day President Lyndon Johnson signed Medicare and Medicaid into law in 1965. "Although Medicare and Medicaid were established in 1965, calls to create a program to protect Americans' health go back over a century. From Teddy Roosevelt to Harry Truman, Lyndon Johnson to Richard Nixon, American presidents have long understood that we have an essential obligation … Continue Reading
July 30, 2020
Cortez Masto Stresses Importance of Increased Production of PPE, More Mental Health Support for Frontline Workers in Senate Finance Committee Hearing
Washington, D.C. - During this week's Senate Finance Committee hearing on the reliability of the U.S. medical supply chain during the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) questioned panelists about why the Administration has not fully invoked the Defense Production Act to ensure the United States has adequate personal protective equipment and medical supplies, and stressed the importance of more funding for mental health support for frontline health care workers. "I … Continue Reading
July 30, 2020
Cortez Masto Hosts Small Business Workshop
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) today joined the Nevada Small Business Development Center (SBDC), Grow With Google, and the Connected Commerce Council to co-host a workshop to help small businesses use Google tools to connect with customers and manage their businesses during this time of uncertainty. "Nevada in particular has been hit hard by the economic impact of this pandemic, because of our hospitality and travel … Continue Reading
July 30, 2020
Cortez Masto Highlights Existing Inequities in Indian Country
Washington, D.C. - During this week's Indian Affairs Committee oversight hearing, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) questioned Director Tony Dearman of the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) about the bureau's plan to provide resources to help tribal schools with providing reliable broadband for students learning from home and helping educators with planning to safely reopen. In Nevada, Duckwater Shoshone Elementary and Pyramid Lake Schools are Bureau of Indian Education … Continue Reading
July 30, 2020
Cortez Masto Leads Nevada Delegation in Sending Letter to DoEd and USDA Addressing Digital Divide for Nevada Students
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) led Nevada's Congressional delegation, including Senator Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Congresswoman Dina Titus (D-Nev.-01), Congressman Mark Amodei (R-Nev.-02), Congressman Steven Horsford (D-Nev.-04), and Congresswoman Susie Lee (D-Nev.-03), in a bipartisan, bicameral letter to the U.S. Departments of Education and Agriculture asking for guidance on how best to connect low-income families with low-cost programs offered by internet … Continue Reading
July 30, 2020
Cortez Masto Leads Nevada Democratic Delegation Ask for the DOL’s Assistance in Combatting Unemployment Fraud to Reduce Claims Backlog
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) led fellow Nevada Senator Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) and Representatives Dina Titus (D-Nev.-01), Steven Horsford (D-Nev.-04) and Susie Lee (D-Nev.-03) in a letter to Secretary Scalia asking the Department of Labor (DOL) to acknowledge and take action to assist states in combatting coordinated and intentional organized unemployment insurance fraud, which is spreading thin state resources that could otherwise be used to more quickly … Continue Reading
July 29, 2020
Cortez Masto, Blackburn Introduce Legislation to Spur 21st Century Entrepreneurship
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) introduced legislation to connect students from underprivileged backgrounds with mentors in entrepreneurship and innovation. The 21st Century Entrepreneurship Act would connect students enrolled in 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC) with mentors from the Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) to introduce students to entrepreneurship and help them develop professional skills. … Continue Reading
July 29, 2020
Cortez Masto Shines Spotlight on Predatory Lenders
Washington, D.C. - During today's Banking Committee hearing, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) questioned Director Kathleen Kraninger of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) about predatory lending practices. Senator Cortez Masto noted, "I've noticed a number of these cases resulted in suspended judgments. Meaning that-and particularly as I look at the debt collection companies, along with auto title companies and travel companies-they paid much … Continue Reading
July 29, 2020
Cortez Masto Announces Over $5 Million in Airport Infrastructure Improvement Grants for Five Nevada Airports
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) applauded the Department of Transportation for releasing $5,685,703 in grant funding under the Airport Improvement Program to five Nevada airports. The funds will go towards infrastructure improvement projects. "Nevada's airports are vital hubs for our communities that support good paying jobs and drive our local economies. The release of these funds will help further ensure Nevada's transportation hubs have the infrastructure … Continue Reading
July 28, 2020
Cortez Masto Fights to Extend Pandemic Unemployment Benefits
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) cosponsored the American Workforce Rescue Act to enhance unemployment insurance programs established in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act based on states' unemployment levels. "Nevadans out of work through no fault of their own during this public health crisis need every resource and support available. Extending the increased unemployment benefits is vital for so many. Families rely on the unemployment … Continue Reading
July 28, 2020
Cortez Masto Cosponsors Legislation to Waive Federal Provision Preventing Nevada from Accessing Necessary Financial Support for Community Services
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) in introducing legislation that would address the "maximum allotment" provision that is significantly limiting the amount of Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act relief funds that can be awarded to smaller states through the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) program. The legislation waives the provision for the purposes of the CARES Act … Continue Reading
July 28, 2020
Cortez Masto, Blunt, Klobuchar, and Cramer Introduce Legislation to Support Tourism Industry, Protect Travelers and Workers
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) today led Senators Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), and Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) in introducing bipartisan legislation to provide economic support for organizations involved in promoting and hosting tourism, travel, or other special events. The Sustaining Tourism Enterprises During the COVID-19 Pandemic (STEP) Act would modify existing Economic Development Administration (EDA) grant programs to provide direct support to … Continue Reading
July 28, 2020
Cortez Masto Cosponsors Legislation to Support Nevada’s Small and Mid-Sized Businesses
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined U.S. Senators Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) in cosponsoring the Reviving the Economy Sustainably Towards a Recovery in Twenty-twenty (RESTART) Act. The Senators, along with 32 of their colleagues are working to ensure it is included in the next phase of coronavirus relief to help provide a lifeline for the hardest-hit small and mid-sized businesses. "The need for additional federal aid to help small and … Continue Reading
July 27, 2020
Cortez Masto, Colleagues Call on Trump to Grant TPS for Venezuelans
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) today joined Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), and 23 of her colleagues in again calling on President Trump to support granting Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to Venezuelans fleeing the political, economic, and humanitarian crisis caused by the Maduro regime. "As the people of Venezuela continue to suffer political … Continue Reading
July 27, 2020
Cortez Masto, Rosen Introduce Legislation to Bring State Unemployment Insurance Technology Into 21st Century
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) joined Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) in introducing legislation to incentivize states to upgrade their outdated unemployment insurance IT infrastructure. The Unemployment Insurance Technology and Accessibility Act would create a $500 million Department of Labor grant program to provide states with funds to upgrade their technology. States that do not meet accessibility criteria within two years would be … Continue Reading
July 27, 2020
Cortez Masto Cosponsors Bill to Promote Transparency with Federal Law Enforcement
Washington, D.C. - In response to the recent actions of federal law enforcement at protests in Portland, Oregon, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) in cosponsoring the Preventing Authoritarian Tactics in America's Streets Act, which would block the executive branch from deploying unidentified, unmarked federal forces against Americans. Specifically, this bill would hold officers from the U.S. Marshals Service Special … Continue Reading
July 27, 2020
Cortez Masto Fights to Provide Nevada’s Restaurants with Federal Aid
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) cosponsored the bipartisan Real Economic Support That Acknowledges Unique Restaurant Assistance Needed To Survive (RESTAURANTS) Act, which would establish a temporary Restaurant Revitalization Fund in the Department of Treasury (Treasury) to make grants available for eligible food and beverage purveyors to cover specified costs. "Restaurants have been facing massive revenue losses caused by social distancing efforts to stem the … Continue Reading
July 27, 2020
Cortez Masto Applauds $3.3 Million for Rural Nevada’s Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) celebrated the awarding of a $3.3 million CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to the Rural Nevada Development Corporation, Ely, Nevada, from the Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration (EDA). This funding is to capitalize and administer a Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) that will provide critical gap financing to small businesses and entrepreneurs in rural Nevada adversely affected by the coronavirus pandemic. … Continue Reading