Press Releases
Cortez Masto Hosts Roundtable on Threats to the Affordable Care Act
Las Vegas, Nev. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) hosted a roundtable today in Las Vegas on the current threats to the Affordable Care Act, including increasing premium costs and the short-term "junk plans" proposed by the Trump Administration. Senator Cortez Masto spoke with local patients and advocates about their concerns with the current state of healthcare in America and discussed Congress's responsibility to ensure patients have access to quality, affordable … Continue Reading
May 24, 2018
Cortez Masto, Grijalva, Langevin Lead Bicameral Letter Urging Secretary DeVos to Preserve Educational Equity for English Learners
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Representatives Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and James R. Langevin (D-R.I.) led a bicameral group of Members of Congress in sending a letter to Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, opposing the consolidation of the Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA) and integration into the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE). Twenty-five Members of Congress joined Cortez Masto, Grijalva and Langevin, urging the … Continue Reading
May 24, 2018
Volume 1, Issue 2 - Senator Cortez Masto Unveils "Innovation State" Initiative
May 23, 2018
Cortez Masto, Colleagues Call on Sessions to Uphold Protections for LGBTQ Asylum Seekers Fleeing Persecution
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez (D-Nev) Masto joined Senators Kamala D. Harris (D-Calif) and Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif) and other Senate Democrats in sending a letter to Attorney General Jeff Sessions urging that the Justice Department uphold a ruling by the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) that provides protections for LGBTQ asylum seekers who are fleeing persecution. In the letter, the senators highlight the increasing threat of violence LGBTQ individuals face in … Continue Reading
May 23, 2018
Cortez Masto, Colleagues Urge Action on Key FERC Renewable Energy Rule
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), and fourteen other senators in urging the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to finalize a rule that paves the way for Americans to connect their rooftop solar, wind, and energy storage devices to the electrical grid. Allowing these distributed energy resources (DER) better access to America's power distribution system would help to grow a more flexible and … Continue Reading
May 23, 2018
Cortez Masto Cosponsors Bicameral POWER Act to Protect Immigrant Workers Filing Labor Violation Claims
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) cosponsored the Protecting Our Workers from Exploitation and Retaliation (POWER) Act, a bicameral bill led by Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Representative Judy Chu (D-Calif.). The legislation will provide protections for immigrant workers who report unsafe or unlawful labor practices. "President Trump's anti-immigrant rhetoric has emboldened unethical employers to threaten immigrants, causing immigrant workers to endure … Continue Reading
May 23, 2018
Cortez Masto Applauds HHS Grant to Support Lyon and Storey Counties
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) released the following statement applauding the Department of Health and Human Services for awarding a $200,000 Rural Health Care Services Outreach Program grant to the Healthy Communities Coalition of Lyon and Storey Counties. This grant will help enhance health care quality in Lyon and Storey counties by improving access to essential services and providing local residents with educational health forums and programs. "The … Continue Reading
May 23, 2018
Cortez Masto: Casino Workers Deserve to Have Their Rights Upheld
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) released the following statement after Las Vegas union members voted in favor of better pay, enhanced workplace safety and stronger anti-harassment policies. There are ongoing negotiations to renew contracts, which will expire on June 1st, between Las Vegas hotel and casino properties, Culinary Workers Union Local 226 and Bartenders Union Local 165. "Hotel and casino workers work behind the scenes and in the front of the house to … Continue Reading
May 22, 2018
Cortez Masto, Menendez Call on NCAA to Permanently Change Policy on Championship Site Selection
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) sent a letter to National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) President, Dr. Mark Emmert, urging the NCAA to reevaluate its policy on championship site selection in light of the recent U.S. Supreme Court's ruling that the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) is unconstitutional. The senators urge the NCAA Board of Governors to consider sites with well-regulated sports betting ahead … Continue Reading
May 22, 2018
Cortez Masto Introduces Legislation to Support Nevada’s RPA Community
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) introduced legislation today to require the Air Force to take steps to reduce physical and mental stress on members of Nevada's remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) community and their families. "I am proud to introduce legislation that prioritizes the concerns of many of Nevada's service members," said Cortez Masto. "I have continually called on the Air Force to ensure that Nevada's RPA pilots are provided with the appropriate level … Continue Reading
May 22, 2018
Cortez Masto, Cornyn Introduce Legislation to Improve the Quality of Military Housing
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas) introduced legislation today to improve housing on military bases by calling on the Department of Defense to increase oversight of privatized military housing projects. "Service members and their families in Nevada, and across the country, all deserve have access to quality, affordable housing. This legislation would direct the Department of Defense to increase oversight on privately owned … Continue Reading
May 22, 2018
Cortez Masto Amendments to Protect American Companies, Military Bases and Democratic Institutions From Foreign Threats Advance Through Committee
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) announced today that three of her amendments to protect American companies, military bases and democratic institutions from foreign threats were included in the Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act of 2018, which was reported out of committee today. S.2098 would protect US businesses and military bases from undue foreign interference, through the Treasury Department's Committee on Foreign Investment in the United … Continue Reading
May 22, 2018
Cortez Masto Applauds HUD Grants for Native American Housing Developments
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) released the following statement applauding the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for providing a total of $17,020,640 in grant funding for the development and operation of affordable housing in Native American communities across Nevada. "I thank the Department of Housing and Urban Development for providing over $17 million in grant funding for the development and operation of low-income Native American … Continue Reading
May 22, 2018
Cortez Masto Applauds HUD Grants for Nevada Public Housing Developments
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) released the following statement applauding the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for awarding the Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority a grant of $4,845,435 and the City of Reno Housing Authority a grant of $1,446,328 from HUD's Public Housing Capital Fund program. This program provides funds to public housing agencies for the development, financing, management and modernization of public housing … Continue Reading
May 21, 2018
Cortez Masto Introduces Bill Requiring President Trump to Report U.S. Strategy in Syria
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) introduced a bill requiring the President to explain its strategy to combat threats facing the United States, Israel, and other allies from the conflict in Syria. The U.S. has spent $14 billion to defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), while lacking a plan to secure military gains against ISIS. The conflict in Syria has resulted in half a million deaths and the largest refugee crisis the world has seen since World War … Continue Reading
May 21, 2018
Cortez Masto Cosponsors Legislation to Create New Apprenticeship Opportunities for American Workers
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) cosponsored bipartisan legislation introduced by Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) to establish a tax credit for high-demand apprenticeship programs, enhancing America's ability to train and educate its workforce and increase the competitiveness of our businesses in the global marketplace. "A workforce with the right knowledge and training is a critical component of a productive economy, and many of the fastest … Continue Reading
May 18, 2018
Cortez Masto Cosponsors Legislation to Combat Sexual Harassment and Discrimination in Congress
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) cosponsored bipartisan legislation led by Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) to overhaul the processes for victims of harassment and discrimination in Congress. Resolutions were recently passed in both the House and the Senate to mandate harassment training, but more reforms are necessary in order to combat sexual harassment and ensure victims are treated fairly. "The Congressional process for dealing … Continue Reading
May 18, 2018
Cortez Masto Demands NRC to Release Information on Yucca Mountain Hearing Facility in Las Vegas
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) sent a letter to Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Chairman Kristine Svinicki, requesting detailed information on directives made by the NRC instructing staff to move forward with researching Nevada hearing venue sites. In light of the Trump administration's plan to store nuclear waste in Yucca Mountain, the NRC may need to reestablish a shuttered hearing facility in Las Vegas to restart the licensing process. Cortez Masto … Continue Reading
May 18, 2018
Cortez Masto, Colleagues Call on the CFPB to Protect Public Consumer Complaint Database
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Gary C. Peters (D-Mich.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and 31 of their colleagues sent a letter urging the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to preserve public access to the Bureau's Consumer Complaint Database. Last month, Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney stated he wanted to shut down the important consumer protection tool that allows consumers to file public complaints, … Continue Reading
May 17, 2018
Cortez Masto, Heller: Don’t Fund Yucca Mountain, Pursue a Consent-Based Approach
Senators Request Language in Support of Consent-Based Siting in Energy and Water Appropriations Bill Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Dean Heller (R-Nev.) today urged the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development to exclude federal funding to support licensing activities to restart a nuclear repository at Yucca Mountain in the Energy and Water Appropriations bill and instead pursue a consent-based siting approach. In a letter … Continue Reading