Press Releases
Cortez Masto Applauds Implementation of Her Legislation to Support School Infrastructure and Sustainability Improvements
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) applauded the implementation of bipartisan legislation from her Innovation State Initiative that she secured as part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to help America's schools make energy-efficiency infrastructure upgrades and purchase electric school buses. Today, the Biden administration announced that it would be rolling out over $500 million in grant funding from Senator Cortez Masto's Renew America's Schools Act … Continue Reading
April 01, 2022
Cortez Masto Cosponsors Bill to Extend Flexibility in School Nutrition Programs
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), and 49 other Senate colleagues in introducing the Support Kids Not Red Tape Act to extend USDA school meal flexibilities from June 30, 2022 to September 30, 2023. These flexibilities have been crucial to feeding children throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Almost 90% of our schools are still facing funding and other ongoing challenges, and these flexibilities … Continue Reading
March 31, 2022
Cortez Masto Calls on Administration to Address Census Undercount of Communities of Color
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined Senators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) and 17 other Senate colleagues in urging the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Census Bureau to provide answers on what the Bureau is doing to address the decades-long problem of undercounting minority communities across the country - a problem the previous administration intentionally made worse while … Continue Reading
March 31, 2022
Cortez Masto Announces Support for Supreme Court Nominee Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) met with Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, President Biden's nominee to the Supreme Court of the United States. Following the meeting, Senator Cortez Masto announced she intends to support Judge Jackson's confirmation. "Judge Jackson is incredibly well-qualified and accomplished, and her background and experiences will bring an important perspective to the Supreme Court. I reviewed Judge Jackson's record ahead of our meeting, … Continue Reading
March 31, 2022
Cortez Masto Leads Colleagues in Introducing Bicameral Legislation on Brain Injuries in Survivors of Domestic Violence
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and U.S. Representatives Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-N.J.) and Don Bacon (R-Neb.) today introduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation to require the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to collect data on the connection between domestic violence and traumatic brain injuries. The Protecting Survivors from Traumatic Brain Injury Act of 2022 would help assess how prevalent these injuries are and inform … Continue Reading
March 29, 2022
Cortez Masto Joins Bipartisan Group of Western Senators in Letter Urging Secretary of Interior to Fund Sagebrush Ecosystem Restoration and Conservation Efforts
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined Senators Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and a bipartisan group of Western senators in letter to Interior Secretary Deb Haaland urging her to allocate a significant portion of the Department's recent funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law toward sagebrush ecosystem restoration in the American West, which would boost wildfire mitigation efforts, create jobs, and support the regional economy. "As … Continue Reading
March 29, 2022
Cortez Masto Celebrates Naming of New Veterans Cemetery in Elko
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) announced that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has named the new veterans cemetery in Elko, Nevada the Elko National Cemetery. Senator Cortez Masto was instrumental in the approval of this rural national cemetery, which will for the first time provide burial benefits in the Elko region to approximately 3,700 veterans and their eligible family members. "This cemetery has been a long time in the making, and I've … Continue Reading
March 29, 2022
Cortez Masto Announces Grant Funding to Combat Drought in Nevada
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) announced that the University of Nevada, Reno will receive a $149,923 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to combat drought by creating a "Nevada Water" partnership to develop solutions to water needs in the state. The partnership will include public, private, tribal, nonprofit, and other groups that will work together on sustainable water projects. "Nevada has endured two decades of drought, and we must … Continue Reading
March 25, 2022
Cortez Masto Announces Administration Will Heed Her Calls to Expand Mental Health Services for Students
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) announced that the U.S. Education Department (ED) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) are beginning a coordinated effort to expand school-based mental health services. Over the past year, Cortez Masto has repeatedly called on the HHS and ED to launch this all-of-government response to help address the student mental health crisis. "Supporting the mental health of our kids takes all of us, which is why I'm … Continue Reading
March 25, 2022
Cortez Masto Leads Call on IRS to Adjust Mileage Deduction Rate to Reflect High Gas Prices, Lower Costs for Nevadans
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) called on Commissioner Charles P. Rettig of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to help lower costs for Nevadans who use their cars for business and medical purposes by increasing the standard mileage rate used to deduct their costs for operating a vehicle. Many Nevadans are able to claim mileage reimbursement from the IRS if they use their personal vehicles for work, medical, charitable, or … Continue Reading
March 24, 2022
Cortez Masto Calls on Administration to Complete Map of Broadband Infrastructure Projects
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) today sent letters to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and other relevant agencies requesting an update on progress in coordinating the creation of the Deployment Locations Map. Last year, the Senators secured the inclusion of an amendment in the bipartisan infrastructure bill that required the FCC to consult with relevant federal agencies to develop the Deployment Locations Map, a publicly … Continue Reading
March 23, 2022
Cortez Masto, Rosen Applaud Confirmation of Nominees for Nevada’s U.S. District Court
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Catherine Cortes Masto (D-Nev.) and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) issued the following statements on the confirmation of Judge Cristina Silva and Professor Anne Traum to the bench of the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada. "Judge Silva and Professor Traum are both incredibly qualified women with track records of fairness, integrity, and knowledge of the law. I'm glad that both nominees have been confirmed to the federal bench in Nevada, and I know … Continue Reading
March 23, 2022
Cortez Masto, Cornyn Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Help Airports and Other Transit Hubs Crack Down on Human Trafficking
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and John Cornyn (R-Texas) introduced legislation to help airports and other transit centers combat human trafficking. Labor and sex trafficking survivors are commonly trafficked on airplanes and public transportation, and this legislation would provide popular transportation hubs with dedicated funding to spend on human trafficking prevention and awareness. "As Nevada's Attorney General, I spoke to trafficking survivors about … Continue Reading
March 22, 2022
Cortez Masto, Moran Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Combat Human Trafficking Activity on Social Media
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) introduced bipartisan legislation to help combat human trafficking activity on social media platforms, including Facebook, Whatsapp, and Instagram. Since 2000, over 30% of all sex trafficking victims have been recruited online. This legislation would instruct the Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF) to research the role social media plays in contributing to human trafficking crimes. "Far too … Continue Reading
March 22, 2022
Cortez Masto Calls for Confirmation of Nominees for Nevada's U.S. District Court
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) spoke on the Senate floor to urge confirmation of Judge Cristina Silva and Professor Anne Traum, President Biden's nominees for the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada. Both nominees advanced through the Senate Judiciary Committee with bipartisan support. Below are her remarks as prepared for delivery: This week the Senate considers two outstanding nominees to the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada. … Continue Reading
March 22, 2022
Cortez Masto’s Bipartisan Legislation to Improve Broadband Access and Bolster Workforce by Establishing a National 6G Strategy Passes Commerce Committee
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) announced that her bipartisan bill to establish a national strategy to implement future generations of telecom services, including 6G and other wireless communications, advanced through the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation with strong bipartisan support. This bill will help the United States lead the way in deploying high-speed internet technologies, including 6G. "This legislation is a key part of … Continue Reading
March 21, 2022
Cortez Masto Applauds Grant for Trucker Training Program at Western Nevada College
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) announced that the Nevada Governor's Office of Economic Development Board approved a $400,000 grant to grow a Commercial Driver's License (CDL) Training Program at Western Nevada College. Earlier this month, Senator Cortez Masto secured $700,000 for this program as part of the as part of the bipartisan Fiscal Year 2022 omnibus appropriations package. "I'm working in the Senate to lower prices, address supply-chain issues, … Continue Reading
March 18, 2022
Cortez Masto, Rosen Urge President Biden to Prioritize Nevada’s Rural Veterans, Reject Proposed Closures of VA Health Facilities that Could Threaten Their Access to Care
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) sent a letter to President Joe Biden voicing their concerns that the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) proposed closure of facilities in the state could impact Nevada veterans. The Senators urged the President to refrain from implementing recommendations that could undermine rural veterans' access to VA health care and provide concrete plans to ensure that their care won't be interrupted by any … Continue Reading
March 18, 2022
Cortez Masto Applauds Administration’s Appointments to Key USDA Positions in Nevada
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) applauded the Biden administration's appointment of two Nevadans to key positions at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The White House recently announced that Lucas Ingvoldstad will be USDA State Director of Rural Development for Nevada. Last month, the USDA also announced that Janice Kolvet will serve as the Farm Service Agency (FSA) State Executive Director for Nevada. Senator Cortez Masto worked with the … Continue Reading
March 18, 2022
Cortez Masto Calls on Administration to Do More to Address Energy Costs for Nevadan Families
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined a bipartisan, bicameral letter calling on Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra to take additional steps to reduce energy costs in the wake of Vladimir Putin's illegal war in Ukraine. While the Biden administration has taken action to lower energy costs for families, Americans are feeling the financial impact of Russia's unprovoked invasion. Oil prices have surged to their highest level … Continue Reading
