December '07 Nevada Government—Shelley Berkley Column

Yucca Mountain Budget Slashed

Berkley Hopeful $105 Million Cut Will Slow Bush Efforts to Open Nuke Dump

Congresswoman Shelley Berkley hopes that a $105 million cut to the Yucca Mountain project will slow efforts to bury nuclear waste in Nevada. An omnibus end-of-the-year spending package now before Congress slashes President Bush’s Yucca Mountain budget request from $495 million to $390 million, leaving the failed project in danger of falling even further behind schedule.

“This $105 million cut strikes a blow against President Bush’s plan to turn Nevada into the nation’s nuclear waste dump. The White House is in a mad rush to move forward on the license for Yucca Mountain by next summer, regardless of the danger, and I hope this cut will slow their reckless drive to bury nuclear waste 90 minutes from the Las Vegas Valley,” said Berkley.

“When it comes to Yucca Mountain the price tag only grows larger and the delays only grow longer – two reasons we ought to pull the plug on this colossal failure,” said Berkley. “On-site storage of nuclear waste is safe for the next 100 years and will cost a small fraction of Yucca Mountain’s nearly $80 billion price tag. Keeping this toxic garbage at reactor sites also avoids the danger of an accident or terrorist incident involving shipments of high-level radioactive waste. While I am pleased that more than $100 million for Yucca Mountain has been eliminated in this funding package, at the end of the day I would still like to see every single penny for the proposed dump axed from this bill.”

Berkley Again Votes to Protect Nevada Families from the AMT

Package Eliminates Tax Liability for 23 Million Americans

Congresswoman Shelley Berkley today (December 19, 2007) voted to protect 23 million Americans nationwide from the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT). Crafted with Berkley’s input by the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, the legislative package passed by Congress will prevent more than 115,000 taxpayers in Nevada alone from being hit with the AMT. The bill, which passed on a vote of 352 to 64, now goes to the President for signature.

“More than 115,000 taxpayers in Nevada alone will be protected from the AMT under this bill, including many who would have faced this tax for the first time if we had failed to act,” said Congresswoman Berkley. “The AMT was never meant to ensnare millions of middle class families and that is why we need permanent reform of this tax -- something I will continue working to pass through my seat on the House Ways and Means Committee.”

Originally designed to prevent extremely wealthy individuals from avoiding the payment of any taxes, the AMT over time has grown to include millions of middle class families. Berkley noted that if the AMT reform legislation passed by Congress this afternoon fails to become law, large numbers of Nevada taxpayers will be hit with the AMT, the majority for the first time.

“The President should waste no time in signing this bipartisan bill so that millions of families in Nevada and across the nation can celebrate the holiday season knowing they will not have to pay the Alternative Minimum Tax,” said Berkley.

Berkley Backs Schip Extension

Preserves Healthcare Coverage for 30,000 Nevada Kids

Vows to Continue Fight to Give 70,000 Additional NV Children Medical Insurance

Citing the need to protect healthcare coverage for more than 30,000 children enrolled in Nevada Check Up, Congresswoman Shelley Berkley today voted to extend the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) through March 2009. The legislative package also blocks a 10% cut in the reimbursement rate paid to doctors who care for Medicare patients in Nevada and nationwide.

“More than 30,000 Nevada kids will continue to have healthcare coverage as a result of this agreement and that is good news for parents who will not have to worry that a child can see the doctor or have their teeth checked,” said Berkley.

While the legislation passed by Congress protects SCHIP funding for 18 months, Berkley is vowing to continue fighting to extend coverage to 70,000 children in the Silver State who are eligible under existing law, but are not currently participating in the program.

“The sad fact remains that even though 30,000 children are covered under Nevada Check Up, twice as many are eligible for the program, but are not enrolled. That is why I will keep fighting to provide access to medical care to the other 70,000 children in Nevada who are eligible for this healthcare coverage, but are not insured under SCHIP. Keeping America’s children healthy must be a top priority for our nation and that means providing medical coverage to youngsters from working families so that these kids have regular check ups, access to dental care and the ability to see a doctor when they’re sick,” said Berkley.

The bill also delays a scheduled 10% cut to Medicare physician payments for six months. Through her seat on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, Congresswoman Berkley is working to permanently prevent cuts in payments to physicians treating seniors and others covered under Medicare.

“The good news is that we are preventing a harmful 10% cut in payments to doctors who treat Medicare patients; the bad news is we will be back in six months to tackle this issue all over again. The bottom line is that we should not be asking America’s physicians to lose money every time they treat a Medicare patient and this bill will stop a devastating 10% cut in reimbursement rates for our doctors. No amount of improvements to Medicare will matter if doctors are unable to serve their patients. Unless we act, Nevada seniors will be at risk of losing access to their doctor if Medicare payments do not keep pace with the rising cost of healthcare services.”

Extends SCHIP funding through March 31, 2009. The bill extends the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) through March 31, 2009. It also provides additional funding for the states for the purpose of ensuring that no children currently enrolled are dropped from coverage.

Blocks scheduled cut in Medicare physician payments. The bill ensures that seniors and people with disabilities can continue to see the doctors of their choice by blocking a scheduled 10.1% payment cut to doctors on January 1, 2008 and replacing it with a 0.5% increase through June 30, 2008.