A Message for Nevada

Hello, Nevada! Thank you so much for subscribing to my quarterly newsletter. I want to make sure you are updated on everything that’s happening in the United States Senate and give you the latest on how I’m bringing your voices with me to Washington.

We were met with many challenges at the beginning of the 116th Congress due to President Trump’s government shutdown. I’ve worked alongside my colleagues here in the Senate to introduce legislation that would bring much-needed relief for these workers who were subjected to undue hardship because of the president’s incessant demands for an ineffective and costly border wall. I’ve also worked in a bipartisan way for smart border security that both addresses the challenges with drug trafficking and secures our border, and I’ll continue to do so in the Senate.

Despite the challenges we face, I look forward to the many opportunities that this new Congress will bring. I'm focused on protecting and expanding your access to quality, affordable health care; addressing the affordable housing crisis; fighting for Nevada’s public lands; and creating good-paying jobs for Nevadans.

I’m determined to bring your voices with me here in Washington, whether that’s making it clear to this administration that we will fight against any efforts to revive Yucca Mountain; that we want their secret plutonium shipments out of our state; and that we oppose any and all attempts to take away our health care.

I’m so proud to represent you in the United States Senate. If my office can be of any assistance to you, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I look forward to continue working together to make our state an even better place for Nevadans to live, work and thrive. 

Sincerely,

Cortez Masto Condemns Department of Energy's Secret Plutonium Shipment to Nevada

Upon hearing the news that the Department of Energy (DOE) secretly shipped weapons-grade plutonium to the state, Senator Cortez Masto demanded answers from both the DOE and the the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) on why the plutonium was shipped without the state's consent. 

Senator Cortez Masto placed holds on Department of Energy nominees until Secretary Perry offers a written commitment to stop any further shipment and to set a date for the removal of plutonium from the state.  

Cortez Masto Meets with Federal Workers Impacted by Shutdown

Senator Cortez Masto Hosts Roundtable with Federal Workers

Senator Cortez Masto hosted a roundtable with 25 furloughed federal workers in Reno and heard how their lives and finances were thrown into chaos because of President Trump’s shutdown. She spoke with employees of the United States Coast Guard, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Forest Service, and private business owners who rely on government contracts. The senator donated her salary to a Nevada charity for the duration of the shutdown.

Senator Cortez Masto Joins Senate Democrats in Support of Federal Workers

Senator Cortez Masto also supported efforts and cosponsored several pieces of legislation to help federal workers and contractors, and invited a federal worker as her guest to the president’s State of the Union address.

Cortez Masto and Nevada Delegation Introduce Bill to Stop Attempts to Revive Yucca Mountain

“Yucca Mountain is unsafe, scientifically unsound, and a total waste of taxpayer dollars, to the tune of $19 billion so far. That’s why I’ve introduced this legislation, which will ensure the voices of Nevadans are finally heard and which requires the consent of local communities in any discussion on our country’s nuclear waste storage future. I want to be clear: I will oppose Yucca Mountain with every procedural and legislative tool available to me in the Senate, and I’ve secured the commitment of Senate Democratic Leader Schumer to work alongside me in this fight.” --Senator Cortez Masto

The Nuclear Waste Informed Consent Act would ensure Nevadans have a voice in any plan to store nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain. The legislation would require the consent of the governor, affected local governments and impacted local tribes in order to spend money from the Nuclear Waste Fund for the construction of a nuclear waste repository.

Cortez Masto Introduces Several Key Pieces of Legislation

In the first three months of the 116th Congress, Senator Cortez Masto introduced the following key pieces of legislation:

Senator Cortez Masto Signs Her Latest Drug Pricing Transparency Legislation

The senator’s drug pricing transparency legislation would ensure patient-centered pricing by requiring prescription drug manufacturers and other private health companies to provide Congressional advisory agencies with data on how they set their prices and manage their contracts. Sharing this information will provide critical data to address exorbitant out of pocket costs on seniors and taxpayers, while holding prescription drug companies accountable. Senators John Cornyn (R-Tex.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), and Bill Cassidy (R-La.) cosponsored the legislation.

The Digital Accountability and Transparency to Advance (DATA) Privacy Act or DATA Privacy Act strengthens data privacy protections for American consumers while also ensuring corporations are focusing on implementing new data security standards and essential privacy protections.

The Inaugural Committee Transparency Act of 2019 would increase oversight and public disclosure of how presidential inaugural committees spend the millions of dollars they raise and to help prevent the misuse of committee funds.

Senator Cortez Masto Introduces the Home Loan Transparency Act

The Home Loan Quality Transparency Act would restore the requirement that loan quality criteria is made publicly available by any lender issuing a significant number of mortgages and home equity lines of credit each year.

The bipartisan Interdiction for the Protection of Child Victims of Exploitation and Human Trafficking Act would require the U.S. Attorney General to establish a pilot program to train federal, state, tribal and local law enforcement officers to recognize and rescue at-risk and exploited children. It is cosponsored by Senator John Cornyn (R-Tex.).

Senator Cortez Masto reintroduced former Senator Heidi Heitkamp’s bipartisan Savanna’s Act with Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), legislation that would give local and Tribal law enforcement the federal resources they need to finally seek justice for the thousands of missing and murdered Native American women and their grieving families.

The senator introduced legislation to prohibit oil and gas leasing on the Ruby Mountains. The Ruby Mountains Protection Act would withdraw approximately 450,000 acres of National Forest System district land comprising the Ruby Mountain Ranger District of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest from any eligibility for oil and gas leasing under the Mineral Leasing Act. The senator applauded the U.S. Forest Service's recent decision to prohibit oil and gas leasing within the Ruby Mountains and for heeding her and thousands of Nevadans' calls to protect the Rubies. 

Senator Cortez Masto Introduces Three Immigration Bills

In addition, Senator Cortez Masto joined Senators Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) in introducing the Child Trafficking Victims Protection and Welfare Act, which expands protections for vulnerable children in the custody of Customs and Border Protection (CBP); the Fair Day in Court for Kids Act, which would require the government to provide legal counsel to unaccompanied children; and the Immigration Court Improvement Act, which would insulate immigration judges from improper interference or manipulation.