Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) released the following statement after she opposed legislation that would have undermined critical workplace protections in Indian country:
“The Senate missed an opportunity to tackle critical challenges facing Indian country in a bipartisan way. Native American communities have been waiting on this Republican Congress to work across the aisle to expand access to health care in Indian country, work on real tax reform that includes commonsense tax parity for tribal governments, improve tribal childcare and nutrition services, and crack down on violence against Native women. Last year, Senate Republicans voted for a tax bill that didn’t include a single tribal tax provision. Last night, Senate Republicans focused their efforts on partisan legislation that would have stripped hundreds of thousands of workers at tribal-owned and operated enterprises of the right to collectively bargain under the National Labor Relations Act. We must work together on legislation that actually supports our Native American communities in Nevada, and throughout the country. We need a bill that improves the quality of life in Indian country and doesn’t undermine critical workplace protections.”