Press Releases
Cortez Masto Introduces Comprehensive Legislation to Prevent and Detect Wildfires, Support Fire Recovery Efforts
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) today introduced sweeping legislation to help prevent wildfires, fund state-of-the-art firefighting equipment and programs, and support recovery efforts for communities impacted by fires. The comprehensive Western Wildfire Support Act will allow communities in Nevada and across the western U.S. acquire the training, equipment, and funding they need to combat the increasing dangers posed by wild and rangeland fires. In 2020, over … Continue Reading
July 20, 2021
Cortez Masto & Rosen Help Secure Bipartisan Legislation to Support Crime Victims
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) released the following statements after passing the bipartisan VOCA Fix to Sustain the Crime Victims Fund Act of 2021 ("VOCA Fix Act"). When signed by the president, the VOCA Fix Act will make more money available to support crime victims, at no cost to taxpayers. "Survivors and crime victims need to know that we have their backs, and I am committed to getting them the resources and support they need to … Continue Reading
July 20, 2021
With Nevada’s Vaccination Rate for Nursing Home Residents the Lowest in the Country, Cortez Masto & Rosen Urge HHS to Help Boost Vaccinations for Nevada Seniors
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) are calling on Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra to help boost COVID-19 vaccinations for Nevada seniors. Nevada has the lowest vaccination rate for nursing home residents in the country, at 61%. Cortez Masto and Rosen are urging HHS to focus federal resources on addressing vaccine hesitancy among this group of Nevadans, which has been especially hard hit by the virus. "Across the … Continue Reading
July 16, 2021
Cortez Masto Statement on Ruling Against DACA Program
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) today issued the following statement after a Texas judge ruled against the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and blocked the Department of Homeland Security from approving new DACA applications. "This ruling is wrong and will threaten the safety of tens of thousands of new DACA applicants who will no longer be able to pursue protected status. It must be overturned. The U.S. is the only home that Dreamers have … Continue Reading
July 16, 2021
Cortez Masto, Rosen Reaffirm Support for Cuba’s Pro-Democracy Movement With Bipartisan Resolution
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) joined U.S. Senators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and U.S. Representatives Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.-23), Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.-25), and 26 additional congressional members in unveiling a bicameral, bipartisan resolution condemning the Cuban government's violent response to the thousands of Cuban citizens who have taken to the streets to peacefully call for basic human rights and … Continue Reading
July 15, 2021
Cortez Masto: “634,000 Nevada Children Will Benefit From the Child Tax Credit Starting Today”
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) released the following statement reminding Nevada families that hundreds of dollars per month will flow to their bank accounts starting today, thanks to the expanded Child Tax Credit she helped secure in the American Rescue Plan. She again called on Congress to permanently increase this vital tax relief for working families and their children. Beginning July 15, over 39 million households across the country will get up to $300 … Continue Reading
July 14, 2021
Cortez Masto Passes Legislation out of Committee to Combat Drought and Wildfire, Bring Investments to Nevada
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) secured passage of several Nevada priorities through the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, including her legislation to address drought, reduce wildfires in Nevada, and create jobs across the state by investing in renewable energy projects. These provisions have cleared a key committee hurdle and will be included in the Energy and Natural Resources Committee's infrastructure package, which will now go before … Continue Reading
July 13, 2021
Cortez Masto Introduces Bill to Combat Drought in Nevada and Across the Western U.S.
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) today introduced the Large Scale Water Recycling and Drought Resiliency Investment Act to combat drought and protect the water supply of millions of Americans living in Nevada and other western states, including California and Arizona. The bill would create a grant program for large-scale water recycling projects in Nevada and the other sixteen western states and would allow federal funding to be used for an increased range of … Continue Reading
July 08, 2021
Cortez Masto Calls for More Than $500 Million in Funding to Address Student Mental Health Crisis
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) led 17 of her colleagues in a letter calling for an increase of $500 million in federal funding to address the shortage of school-based mental health professionals like psychologists, counselors, and social workers. "There is currently a shortage of school-based mental health professionals in our country," wrote the senators. "National mental health organizations recommend a ratio of one school counselor and one school social … Continue Reading
July 07, 2021
Cortez Masto Urges Education Department to Expand Debt Relief for Student Loan Borrowers
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.), and 21 colleagues in urging Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona to expand student debt relief as soon as possible. In a letter to Secretary Cardona, Cortez Masto and her colleagues called for polices that improve and expand our existing student loan repayment and forgiveness programs to ensure borrowers can access the relief they are owed. Specifically, the Senators urged Secretary … Continue Reading
July 01, 2021
Cortez Masto Statement on Supreme Court Voting Rights Case
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) today issued the following statement after the Supreme Court weakened key provisions of the Voting Rights Act in Brnovich v. Democratic National Committee. "The right to vote is under attack all across the country. The Supreme Court, which had already gutted major provisions of the Voting Rights Act, today weakened it even further. This must serve as a wake-up call, and I urge my colleagues to stand with me and pass the John … Continue Reading
June 30, 2021
Cortez Masto Se Une A Sus Colegas Para Reconocer Los Aportes Que Han Hecho Los Inmigrantes A Los Estados Unidos
Washington, D.C. - La Senadora Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), la primera y única latina en servir en el senado, se unió al Senador Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) y al Representante Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.-15) en la introducción de una resolución bicameral que reconocería el mes de junio como el "Mes de la Herencia Inmigrante," con el propósito de reflexionar y celebrar los logros y contribuciones que las comunidades inmigrantes han hecho a la historia, … Continue Reading
June 30, 2021
Cortez Masto Joins Colleagues in Recognizing the Accomplishments and Vast Contributions of Immigrants to the United States
Washington, D.C. - The first and only Latina in the U.S. Senate, Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.-15) in introducing a bicameral resolution recognizing June 2021 as "Immigrant Heritage Month," a time to reflect on and celebrate the accomplishments and vast contributions immigrant communities have made to America's history, economy, and culture. "For so many immigrants, America represents hope and opportunity. That … Continue Reading
June 25, 2021
Cortez Masto Announces $39.8 Million for Henderson City Boulder Highway Project
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) today announced $39,851,697 in federal grant funding she has pushed for will be awarded to the Reimagine Boulder Highway Project. Cortez Masto advocated for this funding with Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, detailing the importance of improving pedestrian safety and how it would improve the daily lives of many underserved Nevadans in the area. "I pushed for this federal funding because … Continue Reading
June 25, 2021
Cortez Masto, Rosen Urge Secretary Blinken to Help Americans Living Abroad Get Vaccinated Against COVID-19
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) sent a bipartisan letter with their colleagues calling on U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to support COVID-19 vaccination efforts for the nine million Americans living abroad. The senators urged the administration to donate supplemental doses to U.S. embassies and consulates in coordination with the Department of Defense, prioritizing the vaccination of Americans living in countries where they are … Continue Reading
June 24, 2021
Senators Cortez Masto, Lee Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Cut Wasteful Government Spending
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Mike Lee (R-Utah) introduced the REDUCE Government Waste Act to cut wasteful spending and save the federal government tens of millions of dollars each year. This legislation would target and eliminate specific examples of outrageous and wasteful spending in the federal government, so that taxpayer dollars can be concentrated on programs that help working families and small businesses get back on their feet. "Nevadans' … Continue Reading
June 24, 2021
Cortez Masto & Cassidy Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Expand Peer Counseling
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.) introduced the Promoting Effective and Empowering Recovery Services (PEERS) in Medicare Act of 2021, which would expand access to peer support services for mental health and substance use disorders. The legislation would allow more patients to access peer support treatment by ensuring primary care physicians can bill this service to Medicare. "Peer support specialists … Continue Reading
June 23, 2021
Cortez Masto Announces $6.4 Million for Clean Buses in Washoe County
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) today announced that $6,488,000 in federal grant funding she has pushed for to support clean transportation will go to the Washoe Country Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) to help buy and operate low-and no-emissions buses. In addition to leading a letter calling for appropriations for clean bus funding, Cortez Masto also sent a letter of support for the Washoe RTC grant application to the Department of Transportation in … Continue Reading
June 23, 2021
Cortez Masto Announces Nearly $2.5 Million for University of Nevada, Reno
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) announced the University of Reno, Nevada would receive $2,493,068 from the Department of Energy to conduct critical energy research as part of a grant program she has championed in the Senate. Cortez Masto has long advocated for to steer research funds to areas of the country that have historically received fewer federal resources. "I call Nevada the Innovation State because we continue to engage in cutting-edge research like … Continue Reading
June 22, 2021
Cortez Masto Announces $1.6 Million for Health Programs to Support Local Communities of Color
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) today announced the City of Las Vegas would receive $1.67 million from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to fund efforts to improve health outcomes in communities of color. Specifically, the funds will support health education and literacy programs to train providers to respond to the needs of Nevada's disenfranchised communities and help underserved Nevadans find, understand, and use health care information on … Continue Reading
