Press Releases
Cortez Masto Fights to Extend Pandemic Unemployment Benefits
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) cosponsored the American Workforce Rescue Act to enhance unemployment insurance programs established in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act based on states' unemployment levels. "Nevadans out of work through no fault of their own during this public health crisis need every resource and support available. Extending the increased unemployment benefits is vital for so many. Families rely on the unemployment … Continue Reading
July 28, 2020
Cortez Masto Cosponsors Legislation to Waive Federal Provision Preventing Nevada from Accessing Necessary Financial Support for Community Services
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) in introducing legislation that would address the "maximum allotment" provision that is significantly limiting the amount of Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act relief funds that can be awarded to smaller states through the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) program. The legislation waives the provision for the purposes of the CARES Act … Continue Reading
July 28, 2020
Cortez Masto, Blunt, Klobuchar, and Cramer Introduce Legislation to Support Tourism Industry, Protect Travelers and Workers
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) today led Senators Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), and Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) in introducing bipartisan legislation to provide economic support for organizations involved in promoting and hosting tourism, travel, or other special events. The Sustaining Tourism Enterprises During the COVID-19 Pandemic (STEP) Act would modify existing Economic Development Administration (EDA) grant programs to provide direct support to … Continue Reading
July 28, 2020
Cortez Masto Cosponsors Legislation to Support Nevada’s Small and Mid-Sized Businesses
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined U.S. Senators Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) in cosponsoring the Reviving the Economy Sustainably Towards a Recovery in Twenty-twenty (RESTART) Act. The Senators, along with 32 of their colleagues are working to ensure it is included in the next phase of coronavirus relief to help provide a lifeline for the hardest-hit small and mid-sized businesses. "The need for additional federal aid to help small and … Continue Reading
July 27, 2020
Cortez Masto, Colleagues Call on Trump to Grant TPS for Venezuelans
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) today joined Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), and 23 of her colleagues in again calling on President Trump to support granting Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to Venezuelans fleeing the political, economic, and humanitarian crisis caused by the Maduro regime. "As the people of Venezuela continue to suffer political … Continue Reading
July 27, 2020
Cortez Masto, Rosen Introduce Legislation to Bring State Unemployment Insurance Technology Into 21st Century
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) joined Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) in introducing legislation to incentivize states to upgrade their outdated unemployment insurance IT infrastructure. The Unemployment Insurance Technology and Accessibility Act would create a $500 million Department of Labor grant program to provide states with funds to upgrade their technology. States that do not meet accessibility criteria within two years would be … Continue Reading
July 27, 2020
Cortez Masto Cosponsors Bill to Promote Transparency with Federal Law Enforcement
Washington, D.C. - In response to the recent actions of federal law enforcement at protests in Portland, Oregon, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) in cosponsoring the Preventing Authoritarian Tactics in America's Streets Act, which would block the executive branch from deploying unidentified, unmarked federal forces against Americans. Specifically, this bill would hold officers from the U.S. Marshals Service Special … Continue Reading
July 27, 2020
Cortez Masto Fights to Provide Nevada’s Restaurants with Federal Aid
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) cosponsored the bipartisan Real Economic Support That Acknowledges Unique Restaurant Assistance Needed To Survive (RESTAURANTS) Act, which would establish a temporary Restaurant Revitalization Fund in the Department of Treasury (Treasury) to make grants available for eligible food and beverage purveyors to cover specified costs. "Restaurants have been facing massive revenue losses caused by social distancing efforts to stem the … Continue Reading
July 27, 2020
Cortez Masto Applauds $3.3 Million for Rural Nevada’s Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) celebrated the awarding of a $3.3 million CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to the Rural Nevada Development Corporation, Ely, Nevada, from the Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration (EDA). This funding is to capitalize and administer a Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) that will provide critical gap financing to small businesses and entrepreneurs in rural Nevada adversely affected by the coronavirus pandemic. … Continue Reading
July 24, 2020
Cortez Masto Applauds $2.8 Million for Improvements for Reno-Stead Airport
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) applauded the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for awarding $2,819,094 in grant funding for renovations and updates at the Reno-Stead Airport. "The Reno-Stead Airport is a growing economic hub for Northern Nevada, home of the National Championship Air Races and Northern Nevada's state of the art firefighting air-tankers. These grant funds will help the airport make important infrastructure improvements. I'll continue … Continue Reading
July 24, 2020
Cortez Masto Announces $2 Million HHS Grant Funding to Help Combat HIV Epidemic
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) announced that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded $2,144,080 to the Southern Nevada Health District to support the development and implementation of programs tailored to ending the HIV epidemic. "We have made great progress in our efforts to address the HIV epidemic, but we still have a long way to go towards ending the epidemic. With Clark County having the highest rate of HIV cases in the state, … Continue Reading
July 24, 2020
Cortez Masto Urges Congress to Ensure 2020 Elections are Safe, Secure and Accessible to All Citizens
Washington, D.C. - During this week's Senate Rules Committee hearing on preparations for the 2020 general election, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) spoke about the importance of ensuring all citizens can exercise their right to vote and urged Congress to include emergency election funding in the upcoming coronavirus relief legislation. "I'd like to emphasize how important it will be for my home state of Nevada for us here in Congress to include the $3.6 billion for emergency … Continue Reading
July 24, 2020
Cortez Masto Cosponsors Bill to Support Children and Caseworkers in Foster Care System
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) supported legislation to strengthen America's child welfare system, which has been particularly impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. Introduced by Senator Tim Kaine (D-Va.), the Child Welfare Workforce Support Act would increase recruitment and retention rates for child welfare workers to stabilize the welfare workforce and ensure consistent support for vulnerable children. "As the coronavirus pandemic creates added layers of … Continue Reading
July 24, 2020
Cortez Masto Calls on Trump Administration to Help Secure Access to PPE to Conduct November Election Safely During Pandemic
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined U.S. Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) in a letter to Vice President Mike Pence and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Peter Gaynor, urging them to take immediate action to provide Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and sanitizing supplies for election and poll workers-and voters-ahead of the November 2020 election. "We write to strongly urge you to take immediate action … Continue Reading
July 24, 2020
Cortez Masto Introduces Bicameral Resolution to Designate July as BIPOC Mental Health Awareness Month
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Representatives Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-Texas-30), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-N.J.-12) and Luis Correa (D-Calif.-46) introduced a resolution to designate the month of July as BIPOC Mental Health Awareness Month. This bicameral resolution brings awareness to the disparities in the incidence of mental health-related challenges faced by black, indigenous and people of color and encourages Congress to act to address the systemic … Continue Reading
July 23, 2020
Cortez Masto Celebrates Senate Passage of 2021 NDAA
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) released the following statement on the Senate passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2021, which includes legislation she drafted to provide for the continued training activities of the Air Force at the Nevada Test and Training Range and the Navy at Naval Air Station Fallon, while also protecting the Interior Department's administration of the Desert National Wildlife Refuge (DNWR). The Senator … Continue Reading
July 23, 2020
Cortez Masto Announces Nearly $4 Million in Federal Funding for Nevadans
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) announced that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded $3,790,206 to the Sunrise Children's Foundation in Las Vegas to support their Early Head Start program and that the Department of Transportation (DOT) has awarded $102,884 to the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe to operate transit services during the COVID-19 pandemic. "From reliable transportation in our tribal communities to quality child care, families in … Continue Reading
July 23, 2020
Cortez Masto Supports Bill to Boost Affordable Housing for Foster Youth, Prevent Homelessness During COVID-19 Pandemic
Washington, D.C. - In light of recent reports that foster youth aging out of system during the coronavirus pandemic are at an increased risk for homelessness, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) cosponsored legislation to help provide stable housing options for foster care youth transitioning to adulthood. Introduced by U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), the Fostering Stable Housing Opportunities Act of 2019 would provide Family Unification Program … Continue Reading
July 23, 2020
Cortez Masto Fights for Women’s Reproductive Health Care
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined 34 colleagues in cosponsoring the Protect Access to Birth Control Act, which would make rules to ensure employers or schools cannot deny health care coverage, including birth control, to employees due to a religious or moral reasoning. "It's outrageous that women's access to reproductive health care has been under constant fire by the Trump administration since day one. The recent Supreme Court decision is yet another … Continue Reading
July 22, 2020
Cortez Masto Cosponsors Bill to Extend Census Bureau Deadlines and Provide Resources to Ensure Accuracy of 2020 Census
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined U.S. Senator Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) in legislation to address the significant challenges facing the Census Bureau as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Fair and Accurate Census Act would provide requested extensions of statutory deadlines and appropriate $400 million for the Census Bureau to address the impacts of the coronavirus on the 2020 Census. "It is vital for local, state and tribal governments that the Census … Continue Reading
