In The News
Cortez Masto Cosponsors Legislation to Strengthen Rights of Public Sector Workers to Join Unions, Bargain Collectively
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined Senator Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) and Democratic colleagues in introducing bicameral legislation that will guarantee the right of public employees to organize, act concertedly and bargain collectively in states that currently do not afford these basic protections. The Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act is a response to the absence of a federal law protecting the freedom of public sector workers to join a union and … Continue Reading
June 26, 2019
Cortez Masto Cosponsors Bicameral Legislation to Promote Title IX, Gender Equity in Education
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) and Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-Calif.) to introduce bicameral legislation to provide more resources, training, and technical assistance to address discrimination in education throughout the United States. The Patsy T. Mink and Louise M. Slaughter Gender Equity in Education Act (GEEA) would provide these resources through the Patsy Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act, more commonly … Continue Reading
June 25, 2019
Cortez Masto Applauds Almost $4 Million in HHS Grants for Children in Nevada
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) applauded the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for awarding $3,984,933 to the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services, to be spent on immunization and vaccines for children. "Our children's health will always be one of my highest priorities. These grants will go towards protecting Nevada's children from life-threatening diseases while preventing outbreaks of illnesses that can threaten newborns, seniors and … Continue Reading
June 25, 2019
Cortez Masto Applauds Over $10 Million in Airport Infrastructure Grants for Nevada
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) applauded the Department of Transportation for awarding $11,626,361 in grants under the Airport Improvement Program to five Nevada airports. The funds will go toward infrastructure improvements. "Nevada depends on its airports to connect people to our world-class tourist sites and drive commerce with our innovative businesses. Major hubs like McCarran International Airport and smaller rural airports alike run more smoothly when … Continue Reading
June 24, 2019
Cortez Masto Cosponsors Bill to Expand Affordable Health Coverage for Families
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined Senators Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) in introducing the Family Coverage Act, which would fix a glitch in the health care system and ensure all spouses and children are able to get covered. Due to a glitch in current law, if a mother or father has health insurance through their employer, but their employer does not offer affordable coverage for the spouse and/or kids, these family … Continue Reading
June 21, 2019
Cortez Masto, Colleagues Warn That ACA and Medicaid Attacks Will Undermine Efforts to Lower Drug Costs
Washington, D.C. -U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined Senators Bob Casey (D-Penn.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) and 14 Senate colleagues in a letter calling on President Trump to cease efforts to slash, sabotage and undermine the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid if he is serious about addressing the price of prescription drugs to individuals and families. "The actions by your Administration to sabotage, slash and undermine Medicaid and the Affordable Care … Continue Reading
June 21, 2019
Cortez Masto Cosponsors Bill to Make Bankruptcy Relief Available for Student Loan Borrowers
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) today cosponsored a bicameral bill that would give Americans overwhelmed by student loan debt the option of obtaining meaningful bankruptcy relief. Introduced by Senators Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), the Student Borrower Bankruptcy Relief Act of 2019 would eliminate the section of the bankruptcy code that makes private and federal student loans nondischargeable, allowing these loans to be treated like … Continue Reading
June 20, 2019
Cortez Masto, Wyden Introduce Geothermal Energy Opportunities (GEO) Act
At today's Energy and Natural Resources hearing, Senator Cortez Masto hailed the use of geothermal energy and discussed the benefits of the GEO Act. Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) today introduced the Geothermal Energy Opportunities (GEO) Act with Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.). The GEO Act promotes the growth of geothermal energy by developing stronger public-private partnerships, reducing barriers to leasing public land for geothermal energy use where certain … Continue Reading
June 20, 2019
Cortez Masto Introduces Bill to Guarantee Dreamers Access to Home Loans
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined Senator Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) and Senate colleagues in introducing the Homeownership for Dreamers Act, which clarifies that Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients - also known as Dreamers - cannot be denied mortgage loans backed by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac or the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) solely because of their immigration status. "For many young … Continue Reading
June 20, 2019
Cortez Masto, Burr, Sinema, Gardner & Rep. DeSaulnier Introduce Moving FIRST Act to Promote Innovation in America’s Transportation Systems
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.) and Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) today introduced the Moving and Fostering Innovation to Revolutionize Smarter Transportation (Moving FIRST) Act. The Moving FIRST Act creates a competitive grant program for large and medium-sized cities as well as rural communities to seek federal grants for the creation of efficient, creative and innovative transportation projects. A companion bill is … Continue Reading
June 20, 2019
Cortez Masto Applauds Over $27 Million in 2019 PILT Payments for Nevada’s Rural Counties
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) released the following statement today highlighting the Department of the Interior's announcement that 17 counties in Nevada will receive $27,250,038 in Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) payments. These funds - an increase of $250,000 from 2018 - will be used by local governments to manage the federal lands in their jurisdictions and invest in economic and community development projects. "The Department of the Interior's PILT … Continue Reading
June 20, 2019
Cortez Masto, Gillibrand, Markey, Blumenthal Introduce Legislation to Require Alternatives to Immigrant Detention
Washington, D.C. - In response to unprecedented levels of immigrants being detained around the country and startling reports of neglect and mistreatment at immigrant detention centers, U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) today introduced legislation to create a presumption in favor of the use of alternatives to detention for asylum seekers, migrant children and families, and other vulnerable groups. … Continue Reading
June 19, 2019
Cortez Masto Urges Senate Leaders to Prioritize Clean Energy Tax Credits to Boost U.S. Solar Industry
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) led a letter with nineteen Democratic senators to Senate Leaders Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Senate Finance leaders Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) requesting continued investments in the Investment Tax Credit and residential renewable energy tax credit, specifically citing its importance to the growth of the U.S. solar industry. In their letter, the senators urged Senate leaders to … Continue Reading
June 19, 2019
Cortez Masto to McConnell: Pass the Background Check Expansion Act Now
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) delivered remarks on the Senate floor urging her colleagues to support the Background Check Expansion Act. This bill would require a background check for every firearm sale, closing the existing loophole that allows private sellers to sell guns without such a check. Below are her remarks as prepared for delivery. Senator Cortez Masto's remarks are available in both AUDIO AND VIDEO FORMAT. You may download video of the speech HERE … Continue Reading
June 19, 2019
Cortez Masto Applauds Grant to Preserve Nevada’s Wetlands
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) applauded the Department of the Interior for awarding Ducks Unlimited and its partners in the Lahontan Valley $868,863 in North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) grant funding to preserve western Nevada's wetlands. The grant funding will be matched by over $1 million in private partner funds and will be used to help improve the management of 3,975 acres of marsh that are home to dozens of species of migratory … Continue Reading
June 19, 2019
Cortez Masto Honors Juneteenth 2019
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) released the following statement commemorating Juneteenth. Senator Cortez Masto is a cosponsor of a resolution designating June 19th, 2019 as Juneteenth Independence Day in recognition of June 19, 1865, the date on which news of the end of slavery reached the last enslaved African and African descendant people in the Southwestern States. "In recognition of this important anniversary, we must remember the sanctity of the hard-won … Continue Reading
June 18, 2019
Cortez Masto and Rep. Loebsack Introduce Renew America’s Schools Act
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Congressman Dave Loebsack (D-Iowa) introduced the Renew America's Schools Act, legislation to provide crucial support to America's schools to make critical infrastructure upgrades that improve energy efficiency and reduce costs. "There is no greater investment we can make than providing more funding to our schools in Nevada, and throughout the country," said Senator Cortez Masto. "Nevada is a leader in the use of … Continue Reading
June 18, 2019
Cortez Masto Cosponsors Legislation to Combat Surging Premiums, Expand Access to Health Care
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) cosponsored legislation that would make health care more affordable and expand access to critical medical services. Introduced by Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), the Improving Health Insurance Affordability Act increases the value of tax credits for families who are currently eligible for federal assistance, which helps offset the costs of monthly insurance premiums and expands eligibility for premium tax credits to … Continue Reading
June 17, 2019
Cortez Masto, Senators Demand HUD Continue to Protect Housing Rights for Transgender Individuals
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined Senators Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) in demanding that the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) rescind its proposal that would weaken discrimination protections in HUD-funded emergency and temporary homeless shelters based on sex, including sexual orientation and gender identity. "Transgender individuals in the United States face … Continue Reading
June 17, 2019
Cortez Masto Attends Immigrant Resource Fair to Highlight Services Available in Northern Nevada
Reno, Nev. - On Saturday, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) attended an immigrant resource fair at Little Flower Catholic Church in Reno. She met with community partners, church officials and congregation members to discuss her new Immigrant Resource Guide, which helps Nevadans navigate the immigration system, learn their rights, and access immigration, medical and crisis services in Nevada. "Every day I'm reminded of the sacrifices made by my grandfather who crossed the Rio Grande … Continue Reading
