Press Releases
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
July 22, 2020
Cortez Masto Announces $1.5 Million for Health Centers in Nevada
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) announced that the Department of Health and Human Services has awarded $1,510,708 to health centers to support vulnerable Nevadans. "I'm pleased to see these funds go to health centers in Las Vegas that are working hard to deliver care to underserved communities, reducing health disparities among communities of color, protecting vulnerable Nevadans, and providing comprehensive care. Health centers are vital in providing … Continue Reading
July 22, 2020
Cortez Masto Cosponsors Legislation to Address COVID-19 Health Disparities in Communities of Color
Washington, DC. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined Senators Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Ben Cardin (D-MD) in introducing the COVID-19 Health Disparities Action Act of 2020, legislation that would require the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to develop an action plan to address the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 among communities of color. The bill would also provide grants to ensure that contact tracing efforts are culturally competent and support the … Continue Reading
July 22, 2020
Cortez Masto Cosponsors Legislation to Improve State Unemployment Insurance Systems
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) cosponsored the Worker First Act, introduced by Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) to help states improve their unemployment insurance systems. The Worker First Act would authorize $10 billion to be distributed among states that take steps to ensure worker safety, as well as expand and modernize their unemployment insurance systems. "Nevada has suffered the highest unemployment rate in the country as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, … Continue Reading
July 22, 2020
Cortez Masto Calls on Administration for Answers on Discriminatory Mortgage Lending
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Senator Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) led 16 other Senate colleagues in sending a letter to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), pressing the agency for information on how it pursues violations of civil rights laws by financial institutions. The senators cited press reports that show the OCC undermined its examiners' efforts to investigate and pursue violations of fair housing and fair lending laws. The report … Continue Reading
July 21, 2020
Cortez Masto: Judy Shelton’s Nomination to the Federal Reserve Board Threatens Our Economy
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) today released the following statement after voting 'no' on the nomination of Dr. Judy Shelton to the Federal Reserve Board at an Executive Session of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs. "During one of the most profound economic crises in our history, we need a steady, independent nominee for the Federal Reserve Board. Judy Shelton holds views far outside the economic … Continue Reading
July 21, 2020
Cortez Masto Cosponsors Child Care Stabilization Fund Legislation
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined the Child Care is Essential Act, legislation led by Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.), to create a $50 billion Child Care Stabilization Fund within the existing Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) program. As businesses continue to adjust to a new normal and working families need child care, many providers across the country remain shut down or are operating with significantly reduced capacity. Child care providers … Continue Reading
July 21, 2020
Cortez Masto Announces More Than $2 Million for Head Start Programs in Nevada
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) applauded the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which has awarded $2,743,118 to the University of Nevada, Reno for Early Head Start programs. "I'm so glad to see these awards go to help pregnant women and families with small children in Nevada. They need extra care and resources at this difficult time. I'll continue to work to make sure that the youngest Nevadans get a strong and healthy start … Continue Reading
July 21, 2020
Cortez Masto Urges Administration to Enforce Federal Housing Eviction Bans During Coronavirus Pandemic
Washington, DC. - As the coronavirus pandemic continues to put many Americans in danger of falling behind on monthly rent payments, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined Senators Jon Tester (D-Mont.) and Doug Jones (D-Ala.) in a letter urging the Trump Administration to enforce bans on housing evictions for the duration of the crisis. In a letter to U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, and … Continue Reading
July 20, 2020
Cortez Masto Applauds $3 Million for Disease Prevention in Nevada
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) announced that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has awarded $3,164,658 to the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services for disease control and prevention programs. "The coronavirus pandemic shows exactly why it's so important for Nevada to have the ability to monitor for disease, investigate it when it occurs, and take steps to prevent it in the future. These federal funds … Continue Reading
July 20, 2020
Cortez Masto Supports Legislation to Aid Nevada’s Libraries During the Coronavirus Pandemic
Washington D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) cosponsored the Library Stabilization Fund Act introduced by U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-R.I.), in an effort to help libraries nationwide respond to and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and continue providing communities with needed services, resources, technology, and broadband access. This legislation would provide $2 billion in federal funding for public libraries nationwide through the Institute of Museum and Library Services … Continue Reading
