Press Releases
Cortez Masto Statement on SCOTUS Ruling on Title VII Protections for LGBTQ Workers
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) issued the following statement after the Supreme Court ruled that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act applies to LGBTQ workers, thereby barring employment discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. "Today's ruling reaffirms what we know to be true: In America, no one should be denied dignity in the workplace because of who they are or who they love. While I'm pleased by the Court's decision to correct a … Continue Reading
June 15, 2020
Cortez Masto, Rosen, Call For Expanded Access To Affordable Health Care In Any Upcoming Covid-19 Relief Bill
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), joined U.S. Senators Mark R. Warner (D-Va.), Doug Jones (D-Ala.), Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and 33 of their Senate colleagues in urging House and Senate leaders to include strong provisions to expand access to quality and affordable health care coverage in any upcoming COVID-19 relief bill. In their letter, the Senators called for a bipartisan effort to increase the federal … Continue Reading
June 12, 2020
Cortez Masto Questions Officials on Wildfire Management Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic, Celebrates Release of Funding for UNR ALERTWildfire Program
Washington, D.C. - During the Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing on wildfire management amid the COVID-19 pandemic this week, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) questioned USDA Forest Service and U.S. Department of the Interior officials about how they plan to prioritize emergency wildfire responders when coronavirus vaccines become available. The senator also discussed Nevada's innovative use of fire camera networks to detect wildfires. During the hearing, the Senator … Continue Reading
June 12, 2020
Cortez Masto Discusses Support for Latino Small Businesses Across Nevada
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) spoke to members of the Latin Chamber of Commerce yesterday to highlight her efforts on behalf of Latino business owners across Nevada and highlighted a webinar she hosted today providing resources to minority owned small businesses to help them navigate their way through the coronavirus pandemic. The Senator hosted her Spanish-language Small Business Webinar with Small Business Administration Deputy District Director Saul Ramos … Continue Reading
June 12, 2020
Cortez Masto Applauds More Than $60 Million for Nevada Coronavirus Care
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) announced that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded $60,907,584 from the Provider Relief Fund (PRF) for hospitals in Nevada treating Medicaid patients that represent those most in need during the coronavirus pandemic, including low-income communities and communities of color. These funds will go to safety net hospitals that serve a disproportionate number of patients who receive Medicaid or that provide … Continue Reading
June 12, 2020
Cortez Masto, Rosen, Colleagues Reiterate Call for Investigation into Racially Discriminatory and Violent Policing at Minneapolis Police Department
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) and 21 Senate colleagues joined a letter sent by Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) to Attorney General Barr following up on their previous letter requesting that the Department of Justice open an investigation into patterns and practices of racially discriminatory and violent policing in the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD). The Senators asked for an explanation from Attorney General Barr on why he did not … Continue Reading
June 10, 2020
Cortez Masto Applauds $1.2 Million for Flu Preparedness
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) today announced that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded $1,279,710 to the state of Nevada to prepare for the coming influenza season. Flu and COVID-19 both strain the health care system, but because a vaccine is available for the flu, increasing preparations for flu season will help hospitals and providers cope with the coronavirus pandemic as well. "I'm glad to see these funds get to Nevada so we can … Continue Reading
June 10, 2020
Cortez Masto, Colleagues Call for Additional Funding for Public Health Education
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) led Senators Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) in a letter urging the Senate to include an additional $20 million in funding for the Regional Public Health Training Centers (PHTC) program in any forthcoming coronavirus legislation. The PHTC Programs support public health education in Nevada and across the country. "These critical (PHTC) programs … Continue Reading
June 09, 2020
Cortez Masto Calls on HUD to Do More for Americans Suffering From Economic Downturn
Washington, D.C. - In today's Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee hearing, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) pushed Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Ben Carson to outline what HUD is doing to help African American, Latino, and low-income Americans who are disproportionately suffering due to the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. Citing recent data on how the pandemic is increasing disparities in housing by race and income, Senator Cortez … Continue Reading
June 09, 2020
Cortez Masto Urges Administration to Improve Gig Workers’ Access to Unemployment Benefits
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) led a letter with Senator Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and eight fellow Senators to the Department of Labor (DOL), asking the Department to clarify how states can best ensure gig and other misclassified workers are getting the unemployment benefits they deserve as quickly as possible. In Nevada and across the country, millions of people employed in the "gig economy" have been improperly classified by their employers as independent … Continue Reading
June 09, 2020
Cortez Masto Introduces Legislation to Protect Consumers Holding Corporations Accountable in the Courts
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) introduced the End Double Taxation of Successful Consumer Claims Act to protect American consumers' right to sue corporations for fraud. The legislation will help ensure that consumers who win fraud causes are not liable for taxes on funds awarded to their attorney. "Consumer fraud, abusive debt collection and credit reporting errors are plaguing consumers as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. No consumer should be deterred from … Continue Reading
June 09, 2020
Cortez Masto Applauds $848,000 Contract for Nevada Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Test Site (UASTS)
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) applauded the $848,685 in funding awarded by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) toward an overall contract of $1.79 million to demonstrate and validate drone technology in coordination with Nevada's Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) test site. The contract awarded to Switch (NYSE: SWCH), who contracted with the Nevada Institute for Autonomous Systems (NIAS) will help fund the demonstration and validation of new drone … Continue Reading
June 08, 2020
Cortez Masto Urges Top Health Officials to Swiftly Distribute Emergency COVID-19 Funds to Hospitals Serving Low-Income, Vulnerable Populations
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and a group of 13 bipartisan colleagues in a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Seema Verma requesting that the Administration act swiftly to distribute emergency funding allocated in COVID-19 spending packages to hospitals that overwhelmingly serve Medicaid and … Continue Reading
June 05, 2020
Cortez Masto, Rosen Continue to Fight for Coronavirus Resources for Nevada
Washington, D.C. - This week, U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) sent a series of letters pushing for federal resources to support behavioral health care for children as they experience this unprecedented time, as well as calling for in Nevada's clean energy sector and its workforce. "As our state works to safely rebound from the coronavirus pandemic, we must do everything we can to protect our children and their mental health development so that they can … Continue Reading
June 05, 2020
Cortez Masto Cosponsors Legislation to Protect Communities of Color from Coronavirus
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) today joined Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.) in cosponsoring the Community Solutions for COVID-19 Act, which would provide funding to communities of color that have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. The bill would establish a $1.5 billion grant program over three years to help Community Based Organizations (CBOs) and other eligible organizations create and expand programs to improve health equity and reduce or eliminate … Continue Reading
June 05, 2020
Cortez Masto Applauds $3 Million in Grants to Support Native American Community Development Projects
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) celebrated the awarding of $3 million in grant funding to help the Moapa Band of Paiutes and the Winnemucca Tribe construct affordable housing and community development projects. The awards will be distributed through the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Indian Community Development Block Grant program. "This funding will help construct new affordable housing options and a community gathering place for two of … Continue Reading
June 04, 2020
Cortez Masto Applauds $1.7 Million in Funds to Fight Coronavirus
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) today announced that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded $1,767,879 to the state of Nevada for health care systems treating patients and responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. "As Nevada reopens, the state needs federal support like this to make sure that we continue to slow the spread of coronavirus, care for patients, and improve our ability to respond to emerging hot spots. I'm proud to have voted for … Continue Reading
June 04, 2020
Cortez Masto, Rosen, Colleagues Seek Answers on How FEMA Is Preparing to Protect Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands During Hurricane Season
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) joined a letter led by Senate Democratic Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-N.Y.) to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) ahead of the upcoming hurricane season in the Caribbean. In the letter, the lawmakers seek answers to how FEMA is preparing to respond to a storm that hits Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands amidst the numerous other ongoing disasters and … Continue Reading
June 03, 2020
Cortez Masto Cosponsors Bill to Prevent and Review Officer-Involved Deaths
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) today joined Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) and five other Senators in cosponsoring the Police Training and Independent Review Act to provide grants to states that require fair and impartial police training and the independent investigation and prosecution of the use of deadly force by law enforcement officers. "Time after time, Nevada and the nation have witnessed the unjustified and unjustifiable use of force against people … Continue Reading
June 03, 2020
Cortez Masto Cosponsors Bill to Help COVID-19 Workers With Education, Savings
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined Senator Bob Casey (D-Pa.) in cosponsoring the Pandemic Responder Service Award Act to establish an award program for front-line health care workers who responded to the COVID-19 pandemic. The total annual award, up to $10,000 adjusted for inflation, would be based on time served and would be available for up to four years. "Our frontline health workers put themselves at tremendous risk every day, and in doing that, … Continue Reading
