Press Releases
Cortez Masto Secures Status Quo Extensions for NTTR and NAS Fallon in FY2021 NDAA
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) announced the inclusion of 25 year status quo extensions for both the Nevada Test and Training Range and the Naval Air Station (NAS) Fallon in final conference version of the Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Senator Cortez Masto worked over the past year with key Nevada stakeholders, the Air Force and the Navy, and her colleagues in the Senate to secure this extension. This decision will allow Nevada's … Continue Reading
December 03, 2020
Cortez Masto Introduces Bills to Increase Affordable Housing and Promote Fair Housing
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) introduced two bills to address the affordable housing crisis in Nevada by reauthorizing existing affordable housing programs and doing more to fight housing discrimination. Both the HOME Investment Partnership Reauthorization Act and the Housing Fairness Act of 2020 would authorize an increase in the amount of federal funds available for affordable housing and strengthen fair housing enforcement. "Housing is a fundamental need … Continue Reading
December 03, 2020
Cortez Masto Delivers Remarks at Summit on Adapting to Wildfires
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) today delivered remarks at the Nevada Network of Fire Adapted Communities Summit. The summit, which was presented via Zoom by the University of Nevada, Reno and the Nevada Division of Forestry, was designed to give community leaders, agency professionals, and the public more guidance on how to increase communities' resilience to the destructive wildfires that are increasingly common in Nevada and the … Continue Reading
December 03, 2020
Cortez Masto Cosponsors Bipartisan Bill to Establish Confidential Hotline for Incarcerated Survivors of Sexual Abuse
Washington, D.C. -Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai'i) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) in cosponsoring the Sexual Abuse Services in Detention Act, bipartisan legislation to establish a national hotline offering free confidential support services to incarcerated survivors of sexual abuse and harassment. A confidential national hotline would offer survivors in prisons across the country access to important emotional support resources they need. … Continue Reading
December 03, 2020
Cortez Masto Delivers Floor Speech on Urgent Need for an Additional Comprehensive COVID Relief Package
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) spoke on the Senate floor today about the urgent need for a bipartisan, comprehensive COVID-19 relief package in order to protect Nevadans and all Americans who are suffering because of the coronavirus pandemic. She called for additional federal funds for unemployment assistance, state, local, and tribal governments, housing assistance, vaccine funding, COVID-19 testing and tracing, and more. Senator Cortez Masto's remarks are … Continue Reading
December 02, 2020
Cortez Masto Cosponsors Legislation to Combat Discrimination in Financial Services Industry
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined legislation led by Senator Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), the Fair Access to Financial Services Act, to prohibit banks and other financial institutions from discrimination in providing goods or services on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, or sexual orientation. While the Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlawed discrimination in certain places of public accommodations, it does not cover banks and … Continue Reading
December 02, 2020
Senators Cortez Masto, Daines, and Rep. Stewart Introduce Legislative Package for Greater Federal Investment in America’s Rural Communities
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Steve Daines (R-Mont.), and U.S. Representative Chris Stewart (R-UT) led their House and Senate colleagues in rolling out a bipartisan, bicameral legislative package to help level the playing field for rural communities in areas with large amounts of federal land. The federal government manages roughly 28 percent of the 2.27 billion acres of land in the United States, the majority of which is found in western states … Continue Reading
December 02, 2020
Cortez Masto Supports Bipartisan Reform to Ensure Coverage for Children Born with Congenital Anomalies or Birth Defects
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) in cosponsoring bipartisan legislation to ensure health insurance coverage for treatment and procedures for individuals born with congenital anomalies or birth defects. The Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act would close a coverage gap to ensure that health plans cover medically necessary services related to a patient's … Continue Reading
December 01, 2020
Cortez Masto Calls on Secretary Mnuchin and Chairman Powell to Provide Aid to the Hospitality and Leisure Industry, State and Local Governments
Washington, D.C. - During today's Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee hearing, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) questioned Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin and Federal Reserve (Fed) Chairman Jerome Powell about the urgent need for relief for Nevada's state and local governments and the hospitality and leisure industry. She asked both officials what steps the administration is taking to help address the financial devastation caused by the pandemic. Senator … Continue Reading
December 01, 2020
Cortez Masto, Hirono, Blumenthal Call for Transparency and Accountability for President Trump’s Use of Pardon Power
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) introduced the Abuse of the Pardon Prevention Act of 2020 to provide transparency and accountability for presidential exercise of the pardon power. The legislation allows Congress and the Inspector General of the Department of Justice to assess whether a conflict of interest or any other impropriety surrounds a pardon that directly involves the President or the … Continue Reading
November 24, 2020
Cortez Masto Takes Part in Food Distribution, Thanks Volunteers
Las Vegas, Nev. - Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) visited a Three Square Food Bank mobile distribution site to assist in handing out food to Nevada families who are experiencing food insecurity. She also discussed the need for greater federal support and funding for Three Square and other non-profits that are serving at-risk of hunger Nevadans. "Three Square has always provided a vital service to Southern Nevadans by helping individuals and families in need, and this … Continue Reading
November 23, 2020
Cortez Masto Calls for Universal Analysis of How Federal Proposals Impact Health Outcomes
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.) in cosponsoring legislation that would inform how Congress could address social, economic, and environmental factors that have significant or direct influences on health care outcomes. The Assimilating Health and Equity Assessments into Decision-making (AHEAD) Act (S. 4919) would require a scientific study analyzing how Congress might utilize Health Impact Assessments (HIAs) or similar … Continue Reading
November 20, 2020
Cortez Masto, Rosen, Call On GSA Administrator to End Unprecedented Delay & Provide Critical Transition Resources to President-Elect Biden
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) joined U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D-Mich.) in calling on General Services Administration (GSA) Administrator Emily Murphy to end her unprecedented delay, immediately ascertain Vice President Joe Biden as President-elect and Senator Kamala Harris as Vice President-elect, and make available the transition resources that are provided by law. This delay creates unacceptable risks to national security and … Continue Reading
November 18, 2020
Cortez Masto Calls for the Passage of Critical Northern Nevada Lands Bills
Washington, D.C. - During this week's Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests and Mining hearing, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) delivered opening remarks in support of two Northern Nevada lands bills - the Pershing County Economic Development and Conservation Act and the Elko National Cemetery Act. The Senator previously introduced both of these bills as standalone legislation, and asked for the Committee's approval for further … Continue Reading
November 18, 2020
Cortez Masto, Portman Introduce Legislation to Study Chinese Government’s Influence on Technology Standards Setting
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Rob Portman (R-Ohio) introduced the bipartisan Ensuring American Leadership over International Standards Act to study the impact of the Chinese government's influence in setting global standards for emerging technologies. "Nevada is a hub for technology development, and ensuring the United States leads the setting of international standards for emerging technologies will help keep the Silver State on the cutting edge of … Continue Reading
November 17, 2020
Cortez Masto Calls for the Creation of Women’s History and Latino Museums
Washington, D.C. - During this week's Senate Rules Committee hearing on the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum Act and the National Museum of the American Latino Act, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) delivered opening remarks in support of both bills in which she underscored the importance of the creation of both museums to America's interests. "One of the things that I think is so important to emphasize when we're discussing these future museums is that they're not … Continue Reading
November 17, 2020
Cortez Masto, Toomey Introduce Bill to Ensure Fair Compensation Benefits for Survivors of Sexual Assault
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) introduced the Fairness for Rape Kit Backlog Survivors Act of 2020 to ensure that survivors of sexual assault have fair access to benefits for crime victims. As a result of rape kit backlogs across the country, many survivors of sexual assault lose eligibility to apply for state victim compensation programs due to state time limits that are shorter than the amount of time the survivors have to wait … Continue Reading
November 17, 2020
Cortez Masto, Daines Lead Letter Urging Fix to Seaman to Admiral Program
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Steve Daines (R-Mont.) sent a letter to the Senate Armed Services Committee urging them to restore full pay and benefits to 515 Navy officers who have participated in the Seaman to Admiral-21(STA-21) program through legislation in this year's National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). "STA-21 sends a select group of enlisted sailors to college to earn their baccalaureate degree and officer commission, in exchange for a … Continue Reading
November 17, 2020
Cortez Masto Cosponsors Bill to Create an American Women’s History Museum
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined U.S. Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) in cosponsoring the Smithsonian American Women's History Museum Act, a bipartisan bill to establish an American women's history museum in our nation's capital. "Our country's success depends on our understanding of its history. Yet, too often, the contributions, accomplishments, challenges and influence of women across generations have been … Continue Reading
November 16, 2020
Cortez Masto, Hirono, Klobuchar Lead Colleagues in Urging DHS to Increase Air Travel Safety and Support Tourism Industry and Workforce During COVID-19 Pandemic
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) led seven of their Senate colleagues in writing a letter to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Acting Secretary Chad Wolf asking for DHS to increase the safety of air travel and support the recovery of our nation's travel and tourism industry. The letter highlights the dramatic job losses across the travel and tourism industry, including jobs related to air travel … Continue Reading
