January '09 Nevada Government—Senator Harry Reid Column

As the 111th Congress begins, I am working hard to address the most serious economic problems Nevada and the nation have faced in decades. I am working with President-elect Obama, as well as Congressional Republicans and Democrats on solutions that will improve the lives our state’s working families.

We have already started working on ways to create jobs, cut taxes for the middle class, protect homeowners and consumers, and make America delete: more energy independent. But we don’t stop there. Take a look at our top ten priorities, which were created with Nevada’s needs in mind.

After you read about these priorities contact me with your questions or comments. Together we can put our country back on the right track.

ECONOMIC RECOVERY AND REINVESTMENT

We must create jobs, put the middle class first and strengthen our economy. We need a plan that will create jobs and improve our economy now, while strengthening our nation over the long term. The plan should focus on the most important priorities – creating good-paying jobs, helping the middle class and making targeted, responsible investments in our future. And it must demand transparency and accountability to guarantee all taxpayer money is used properly.

MIDDLE-CLASS OPPORTUNITY

Our proposals will strengthen the middle class so families can reap the benefits of their hard work. By providing tax relief and ensuring equal pay for equal work, we will help families who have been squeezed for years by declining incomes and rising prices. We will make college, child care, elder care and retirement more affordable and strengthen the rights of workers to secure fair wages and benefits.

A CLEANER AND GREENER AMERICA

Our plan will make Nevada the leader in a clean energy revolution, while making America more energy independent, strengthening our economy and national security, and protecting the environment. We will invest in clean and renewable energy and energy efficiency – and provide incentives for businesses to invest in the same. We will break our addiction to oil and reinvigorate our manufacturing industry by creating green jobs that cannot be outsourced. We will also protect consumers from volatile energy prices and make our infrastructure and transportation sectors more sustainable. And we will continue to protect Nevada from becoming the nation’s nuclear waste dumping ground.

AFFORDABLE AND ACCESSIBLE HEALTH CARE

Congress and the White House will work together to ensure all Americans have access to quality health care. We will protect existing coverage when it is good, improve it when it is not, and guarantee health care for the 46 million Americans, including 9 million children, who have none.

HOMEOWNER PROTECTION AND WALL STREET ACCOUNTABILITY

Our plan will restore confidence in our economy by protecting consumers from Wall Street abuses and protecting homeowners from foreclosure. We will stabilize the housing market to help families keep their homes. We will reform the way Wall Street operates by increasing transparency and accountability. We will also protect consumers by preventing predatory lending and stabilizing credit markets so small businesses can keep their doors open and create jobs.

PREPARING OUR CHILDREN FOR THE FUTURE

We will expand educational opportunities for all Americans to make our country more competitive in the global economy. We will increase access to early childhood education, strengthen math and science instruction, and help make college more affordable. We will make sure teachers have the resources they need to do their jobs, improve the curriculum, and make schools accountable.

RESTORING AMERICA’S POWER

Our proposals enhance our national security by strengthening the military, rebuilding America’s standing in the world and reducing threats. We will provide our troops the equipment and training they need in battle and our veterans the support they deserve when they come home. And we will more effectively fight terrorism by transitioning our strategy in Iraq and refocusing our resources on Al Qaeda, Afghanistan, Pakistan and other emerging threats.

RETURNING GOVERNMENT TO THE PEOPLE

Our proposals will restore accountability and oversight to the Executive branch and make government more transparent. We will start by reviewing the Bush Administration’s controversial “midnight regulations” that hurt American workers, their families, their health care and the environment.

STRONG BORDERS, STRONG ECONOMY

We will strengthen our economy and national security by enforcing tough and fair immigration laws. We will reform our immigration policy to safeguard the rights and wages of American workers, while requiring everyone who lives in America to follow our laws and pay their share of taxes.

RESTORING FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY

We will reinforce our commitment to fiscal discipline and work on a bipartisan basis to address our long-term fiscal challenges. We will call for a top-to-bottom review of the government’s budget, enforce pay-as-you-go rules and eliminate wasteful spending that would increase the deficit.

Affordable Housing for Seniors and Disabled

to be Built with Help from Reid

Senator backs effort that nets more than $10 million for Nevadans in need

Senior and disabled Nevadans will get a major boost from more than $10 million in grant funding supported by Senator Harry Reid to build affordable housing in southern Nevada.

Seventy-two housing units will be created through the grants from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Nevada H.A.N.D, Inc., will receive more than $7 million to build 50 units housing low-income elderly Nevadans, and Accessible Space, Inc., will receive more than $3 million to construct 22 units for very low-income disabled Nevadans. Reid supported both projects through the grant process.

“The housing situation in Nevada is dire, and the most vulnerable in our community are in desperate need for this type of affordable housing,” Reid said. “I was more than happy to provide my support for these great efforts to help seniors and disabled people who otherwise might not be able to afford to live independently.”

Project details follow:

Section 202 - Supportive Housing for the Elderly
Project Location: Las Vegas
Non-Profit Sponsor: Nevada H.A.N.D., Inc.
Number of units: 50
Project Description: This is a mixed-financed project with 50 HUD 202 units and 30 Low-Income Housing Tax Credit units. The building will be two-story and wood-framed. The existing zoning and land use approvals are appropriate for the proposed use. Silver Sky Limited Partnership is selling the land to Nevada H.A.N.D., Inc, the non-profit sponsor, for $10 for the specific purpose of developing affordable, low-income housing for seniors.

Section 811 - Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities
Project Location: Las Vegas
Non-Profit Sponsor: Accessible Space, Inc.
Number of units: 22
Project Description: Accessible Space, Inc.’s proposed 22-unit HUD Section 811 apartment for very low-income adults with physical disabilities will be located on one acre site situated in Bledsoe Lane, Las Vegas, Nevada. The proposed project will consist of one two-story slab on grade, wood frame building with one centrally located elevator. All living units will be designed to accommodate the special needs of individuals with physical disabilities and to maximize visitability of all residents and their visitors.

Vital Public Lands Legislation for Nevada Clears Key Senate Hurdle

Nevada Cancer Institute, Reno ReTRAC among statewide projects

A number of bills significant to managing Nevada’s public lands cleared a major Senate vote Sunday, allowing them to move forward to a final vote this week, Nevada Senator Harry Reid announced. The package of 160 public lands bills includes crucial legislation for Nevada, where nearly 90 percent of the land is managed by the federal government. Working with stakeholders throughout Nevada, this package has been developed over several years. Once passed, this legislation will benefit the Silver State by designating land and resources for projects important to both southern and northern Nevada.

Projects benefitting Southern Nevada:

The Nevada Cancer Institute Expansion Act will provide 80 acres of land to the Nevada Cancer Institute. The non-profit Nevada Cancer Institute will use the parcel to build a facility devoted to developing new treatments for Nevadans afflicted with cancer.

The Orchard Detention Basin Flood Control Act releases a small section of the Sunrise Mountain Instant Study Area to allow for construction of a flood control project vital to protecting nearby neighborhoods, schools and businesses. The bill also helps expedite the remediation of the Sunrise Landfill.

The Southern Nevada Limited Transition Area Act conveys land near the Henderson airport from the Bureau of Land Management to the City of Henderson for the development of a new economic hub and urban green space.

The Cold War Historical Sites Study Act requires the Department of the Interior to evaluate sites and resources for commemorating and interpreting the Cold War, including the Mt. Charleston Plane Crash Memorial.

Projects benefitting Northern Nevada:

The Reno ReTRAC Act removes restrictions on land owned by the City of Reno in and around the downtown railroad corridor. It will allow for additional commercial development in Reno’s urban core.

The Aging Water Infrastructure and Maintenance Act was introduced by Sen. Reid following the devastating Fernley flood. This bill would provide resources and direction to the Bureau of Reclamation to inspect and maintain aging water facilities owned by the federal government. Under this bill, extraordinary repairs can be paid for over 50 years instead of the current one year and emergency maintenance repairs are eligible for funding from Reclamation. Reclamation is authorized to develop inspection guidelines for aging water facilities to help ensure they do not fall into disrepair.

The Carson City Vital Community Act is a comprehensive land bill for Carson City which increases open space opportunities and helps the city pursue its smart growth plans. The bill includes a land exchange between the city and the Forest Service, giving each entity land that is more suited to its mission and management abilities. The bill also conveys the Silver Saddle Ranch and Prison Hill to Carson City for continued public use, with a conservation easement retained by the Bureau of Land Management.

The Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of Duck Valley Reservation Water Settlements Act would ratify a water rights settlement agreement between the tribal governments, the State of Nevada and individual rights holders along the East fork of the Owyhee River and settle the Tribes’ claims against the United States for failing to protect its water rights and natural resources.

Reid Draws the First “Lucky 7” in Nevada Inauguration Ticket Lottery

Nevada Senator Harry Reid kicked off the lottery to determine which Nevadans will receive tickets to the swearing-in ceremony of President-elect Barack Obama. Each request has been assigned a number that is drawn out of a cowboy hat. Reid started the selection process by drawing the first “Lucky 7” numbers out of the hat. Each recipient chosen will receive two tickets to the Obama’s Inauguration in Washington, D.C.

An Economic Recovery Package Has Never

Been More Important To Nevada

Unemployment numbers and gaming losses underscore need to help families

Nevada Senator Harry Reid made the following statement today in response to news that 524,000 Americans lost their jobs last month bringing the national unemployment rate to 7.2 percent and that gaming revenues have fallen for the 11th straight month, down nearly 15 percent from a year ago.

“If anyone needed more evidence of how urgently we must pass an economic recovery plan that creates jobs, invests in America and puts the middle class first, you don’t have to look any further than today’s staggering job-loss numbers. Our national unemployment rate is the highest in 15 years, and more Americans are out of work today than at any point in the last quarter-century, more Americans lost their jobs last year than in any year since 1945.

“The national unemployment picture is having a direct impact on Nevada’s economy, which is heavily dependent on tourism for tax revenue. It’s simple: when people don’t have a job or any money, they can’t afford to travel to Nevada. With the 11th straight month of decline in November, the state’s budget crisis is worsening at a time when Nevada’s unemployment is even higher than the national rate.

“Nevadans know that we need a smart, strong and swift plan. We need to support state services to keep health care providers and teachers on the job. We need to fund transportation projects that create jobs right in Nevada. We need to invest in renewable energy, especially in Nevada where we are poised to lead a clean energy revolution. And we need to deliver tax relief to middle-class families.

“Our nation’s economy is in a state of emergency. The costs of inaction are too steep. It is time to put the needs of the American people ahead of any partisan politics.”

Reid, Slaughter, Degette Introduce Prevention First Act

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, House Rules Committee Chairwoman Louise M. Slaughter (D-NY) and House Energy and Commerce Committee Vice Chair Diana DeGette (D-CO) introduced the Prevention First Act, legislation that will improve access to women’s health care, reduce the rate of unintended pregnancy and reduce abortions – all while saving scarce public health dollars.

“The United States has among the highest rates of unintended pregnancies of all industrialized nations. Half of all pregnancies in the United States are unintended, and nearly half of those end in abortion,” Reid said. “It is time to come together and enact effective policies that will help to prevent unintended pregnancies, reduce the number of abortions, and improve access to health care for women. We can find not only common ground, but also common sense in our Prevention First Act.”

Said Slaughter: “If we want to reduce the number of abortions in this country, the methodology is clear – empower women to prevent unintended pregnancies through education and access to contraception,” said Congresswoman Slaughter. “For every dollar spent on family planning services, it is estimated that almost four dollars is saved in public health spending. This comprehensive approach to protecting women’s reproductive health will not only decrease the spread of STDs and reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies, but save money.”

“It is imperative that we implement a comprehensive, medically accurate, science -based approach to reducing the need for abortion,” DeGette said. “The United States has a much higher rate of unintended pregnancy than other developed nations. The Prevention First Act is the key to changing that.”

A new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that the nation’s teen pregnancy rate has increased for the first time in 15 years.

This legislation would take a number of steps to reduce unintended pregnancies including:

Increase Funding for the National Family Planning Program (Title X)
Expand Medicaid Family Planning Services
End Insurance Discrimination Against Women
Improve Awareness about Emergency Contraception (EC)
Provide Compassionate Assistance for Rape Victims
Reduce Teen Pregnancy
Ensure that All Federal Programs Provide Medically Accurate Information

Research shows, and a majority of the public believes, that improving access to family planning services is the most effective way to reduce the number of unintended pregnancies and to reduce abortions.