Press Releases
Cortez Masto: Today’s Ruling Another Example of Administration, GOP Leaders Ripping Away Healthcare Coverage from Millions of Americans
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) released the following statement in response to a federal judge's ruling that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is unconstitutional. "Today's ruling is yet another example of this Administration and Republican leaders continuing down the path of ripping away health care coverage from millions of hardworking American families. The Affordable Care Act has helped provide health care coverage to thousands of hardworking Nevadans and put … Continue Reading
December 13, 2018
Cortez Masto Announces Appointment to Senate Finance Committee
Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) announced her appointment to the United States Senate Finance Committee for the 116th Congress. "I'm honored to have the opportunity to serve Nevadans on these crucial committees and advocate for their interests. As we enter the 116th Congress, I will continue working on the issues that matter most to Nevadans - like defending their health care, expanding affordable housing in our rural and urban communities, ensuring … Continue Reading
December 13, 2018
Cortez Masto Bids Farewell to Senator Heller
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) honored her friend and colleague Senator Dean Heller (R-Nev.) on the floor of the United States Senate. Below are her remarks as prepared for delivery. Senator Cortez Masto's remarks are available in both AUDIO AND VIDEO FORMAT. You may download video of the speech HERE and audio HERE. M. President, I come to the floor today to honor and express my gratitude for my friend and colleague, Senator Dean Heller. Dean has spent 30 … Continue Reading
December 13, 2018
Cortez Masto Applauds Passage of the BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Act
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) released the following statement on the unanimous passage of the Building Our Largest Dementia (BOLD) Infrastructure for Alzheimer's Act, bipartisan legislation that she introduced with Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine), Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) to create a public health infrastructure to combat Alzheimer's disease and preserve brain health. "The BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer's will fund and promote … Continue Reading
December 12, 2018
Cortez Masto: Americans Deserve Transparency in Elections
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) released the following statement after she voted in support of a resolution to reverse a Trump administration rule limiting donor disclosure requirements for political nonprofits. "American voters deserve to know the source of dark money in our election system. Transparency and accountability are key to protecting our democracy and ensuring that Americans know when special interests may be involved in influencing their decisions … Continue Reading
December 12, 2018
Cortez Masto, Colleagues Call for FERC Commissioner McNamee’s Recusal from Future Business Involving Potential Subsidization of Coal and Nuclear Plants
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) led a letter with her Senate Democratic colleagues calling for Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Commissioner Bernard McNamee to recuse himself from any future business at FERC involving the potential subsidization of coal and nuclear plants. In the letter, the senators expressed concerns regarding Mr. McNamee's actions in his previous role at the Department of Energy (DOE) in developing and filing a rule to subsidize … Continue Reading
December 12, 2018
Cortez Masto, Colleagues Introduce Legislation to Help Protect People’s Personal Data Online
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) cosponsored legislation led by Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), the top Democrat on the Senate Communications, Technology, Innovation, and the Internet Subcommittee, to protect people's personal data online. The Data Care Act would require websites, apps, and other online providers to take responsible steps to safeguard personal information and stop the misuse of users' data. "Everyone who uses the internet is vulnerable to the … Continue Reading
December 11, 2018
Cortez Masto Applauds Final Senate Passage of Farm Bill, Touts Victories for Nevada
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) released the following statement applauding the Senate's final approval of the Farm Bill, which includes provisions that strengthen conservation efforts across the country. In addition, the Farm Bill includes two bipartisan provisions introduced by Cortez Masto, which will create a permanent interagency rural council and a rural broadband integration working group. "I'm pleased that this critical bipartisan legislation to … Continue Reading
December 11, 2018
Cortez Masto, Moran Lead Senators Urging FAA to Implement and Improve Airport Contract Tower Program
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) led a bipartisan letter of 36 Senators urging the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to implement a provision in this year's FAA spending bill allowing airports that utilize the contract tower program to become eligible for Airport Improvement Program (AIP) grants from the small airport fund. This provision, which was introduced and included in the recent FAA Reauthorization law by Senators Cortez … Continue Reading
December 11, 2018
Cortez Masto Cosponsors Pregnant Workers Fairness Act
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) cosponsored the bipartisan Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, legislation that would prevent employers from forcing pregnant women out of the workplace by placing them on unpaid leave, firing them, or forcing them to quit when they are denied the reasonable accommodations that they need to continue working safely during their pregnancies. The bill ensures that, where an employer can provide a reasonable accommodation such as a minor … Continue Reading
December 10, 2018
Cortez Masto Demands Answers Over HHS Removal of Latino Outreach Guidance from Health Insurance Marketplace Website
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) sent a letter to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Seema Verma demanding answers about the agency's removal of a document entitled, "Marketplace Outreach: Best Practices for Outreach to Latino Communities" from its Health Insurance Marketplace website. Despite the Affordable Care Act's significant impact in lowering uninsured rates across the country, Cortez Masto notes that Latinos still have the … Continue Reading
December 07, 2018
Cortez Masto Announces Departure of Chief of Staff Scott Fairchild, Names Reynaldo Benitez as New Chief of Staff
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) announced the departure of her Chief of Staff of nearly two years, Scott Fairchild. Today, Cortez Masto named Reynaldo Benitez as her new Chief of Staff. "Scott has been a steadfast advisor on a host of critical issues, and his keen strategic sense has been crucial to me in my first years," said Cortez Masto. "He has been crucial to helping me establish my office and in fighting for the interests of the people of Nevada. I look … Continue Reading
December 07, 2018
Cortez Masto Statement on Barr Nomination
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) released the following statement on the nomination of former U.S. Attorney General William Barr to serve as the new Attorney General. "It is imperative that the next Attorney General respect our nation's legal system, recognize the rights and dignity of all those under his purview, and allow the Special Counsel to continue his investigation without any influence or interference. As a former state Attorney General and a former … Continue Reading
December 07, 2018
Cortez Masto, Senators Introduce Bill to Make Public Transit Cleaner, Healthier, More Affordable
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined Senators Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) in introducing a bill that would provide transit authorities with zero-interest loans to purchase electric buses, curbing emissions among the top source of greenhouse gas pollution in the United States and cutting fleet maintenance costs by tens of thousands of dollars. "Nevada is a leader in … Continue Reading
December 06, 2018
Cortez Masto Applauds Senate Passage of Savanna’s Act
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), a member of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, applauded the Senate's passage of Savanna's Act, bipartisan legislation to address the crisis of missing and murdered Native American and Alaska Native women. Senator Cortez Masto is a cosponsor of Savanna's Act and had called for it to be passed before the end of the 115th Congress. "By passing Savanna's Act, the Senate sent an important message of solidarity to Native American … Continue Reading
December 06, 2018
Cortez Masto Joins Call for FDA to Go Further in Combatting Youth Tobacco Use
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined Senators Patty Murray, Dick Durbin, and Ed Markey in urging the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to act quickly to implement agency plans to ban flavored cigars and menthol cigarettes and follow the FDA's recent efforts to address rising youth e-cigarette use with additional steps including ending marketing of all tobacco products to youth and removing from market all flavored tobacco products that have not undergone a … Continue Reading
December 06, 2018
Cortez Masto: New Sage Grouse Rules Ignore Decades of Local Collaboration
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) released the following statement in response to the Trump Administration's decision to roll back critical protections for sage grouse habitat across Western states. "The Administration's sage grouse plan ignores decades of collaborative negotiations between the federal government and western state stakeholders. The Department of the Interior has decided to put the interests of the oil and gas industry ahead of the best interests … Continue Reading
December 06, 2018
Cortez Masto Applauds $5.3 Million DOT BUILD Grant Award for Las Vegas and RTC of Southern Nevada
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) applauded the Department of Transportation's (DOT) decision to award $5,319,838 of the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant funding to the City of Las Vegas and the Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) of Southern Nevada. The grant will support Southern Nevada's advancements in autonomous vehicle (AV) utilization and fund the GoMed project, which will connect passengers from Downtown Las Vegas to … Continue Reading
December 06, 2018
Cortez Masto: Confirmation of Kraninger is the Wrong Choice for Nevadans
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) released the following statement after she voted against the confirmation of Kathy Kraninger to lead the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). "Kathy Kraninger has repeatedly demonstrated that she fails to understand the CPFB's core functions, and that she is eager to continue Mick Mulvaney's inside mission to cripple the Bureau's power in favor of Big Banks and predatory lenders. American consumers deserve better. The … Continue Reading
December 06, 2018
Cortez Masto, Flake Introduce Bill to Cut Wasteful Government Spending
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) introduced the REDUCE Government Waste Act to cut wasteful spending and save the federal government tens of millions of dollars each year. "With the national debt standing at more than $21 trillion dollars, we must begin to eliminate wasteful spending happening in the federal government," said Senator Cortez Masto. "The REDUCE Government Waste Act is a good starting point to help us eliminate unnecessary … Continue Reading
