February '10 Nevada Government—U.S. Congresswoman Dina Titus Column

Titus Supports PAYGO Legislation
to Restore Fiscal Responsibility

February 4, 2010 – Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Dina Titus of Nevada’s Third District released the following statement today after the House passed legislation to reinstitute statuary pay-as-you-go (PAYGO) rules.

“After numerous attempts to reinstate PAYGO legislation, the House took a critical step today to restore fiscal responsibility and address our nation’s deficit. The current fiscal path is unsustainable, and PAYGO will help prevent our current hole from getting deeper by requiring Congress to save a dollar in order to spend a dollar.

“PAYGO rules, which were instituted during the 1990s, helped bring down the deficit and create a $5.6 trillion surplus until they were abandoned by Republicans. This Congress inherited a fiscal and economic mess after eight years of economic policies that left our nation awash in red ink. After taking unprecedented action to prevent a financial meltdown, now is the time to tighten our belt and reign in the deficit. Returning to PAYGO rules is an important start.”

Titus: Billions in Bonuses Prove
Big Wall Street Banks Still Don’t Get It

February 3, 2010 – Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Dina Titus of Nevada’s Third District released the following statement today on reports that Bank of America and AIG, which received a taxpayer funded bailout, approved $4 billion and $100 million respectively in bonuses.

“The latest news that Wall Street banks plan to hand out large bonuses a year after they were rescued by a taxpayer bailout once again shows that they have learned nothing in the past year. To add insult to injury, AIG plans to pay out $100 million in bonuses to employees in its financial products division, the same unit whose risky bets put the company on the verge of collapse.

“I continue to hear stories from small business owners in my district who are struggling to get the credit they need to keep their doors open from banks that are refusing to lend. And too often, families that are fighting to avoid foreclosure have complained about banks that lose their paperwork, fail to return phone calls, and ignore their good-faith efforts to keep up with their mortgage payments. Yet despite having their companies saved by the American people, big Wall Street banks seem determined not to help Main Street, restricting lending while still paying out lavish bonuses.

“It’s time to hold Wall Street banks accountable for their actions that brought our financial system to the brink of disaster. The House acted last year on important legislation to reign in Wall Street banks and increase oversight so that government regulators cannot fall asleep at the wheel. I urge the Senate to act quickly on financial reform, because with Wall Street banks set to pay out large bonuses again, it is clear they have not learned the lessons of the worst economic recession in a generation.”

Titus Statement on President’s
Comments Regarding Las Vegas

February 2, 2010 – Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Dina Titus of Nevada’s Third District released the following statement today on President Obama’s recent comments on travel to Las Vegas and will send a letter to the President on this issue.

“It is unbelievable that President Obama again singled out Las Vegas for ridicule when the fact is that our city is one of the premier destinations for work or pleasure. This pattern of bashing Las Vegas to make a point must stop.

“Hundreds of thousands of hard-working Las Vegas men and woman make a living in the travel and tourism sector, and the President’s comment disparaging travel to Las Vegas is a blow to all of them. From affordable accommodations to world-class entertainment, Las Vegas is a top travel and convention destination for a reason.

“I hope that when President Obama visits later this month, he will see what a wonderful city Las Vegas is and will encourage people from around the world to visit.”

Titus Applauds Elimination of
Yucca Funding in President’s Budget

February 1, 2010 – Henderson, NV – Congresswoman Dina Titus of Nevada’s Third District released the following statement today on the release of the President’s Fiscal Year 2011 budget, which eliminates funding for Yucca Mountain.

“I have worked with my colleagues to impress upon President Obama the importance of ending Yucca Mountain once and for all so that Nevada does not become a nuclear waste dumping ground. Since taking office, the President has worked to uphold his commitment to put an end to Yucca Mountain, and I applaud his latest effort, which eliminates funding for this disastrous project.”

Titus Statement on Additional HUD Staff in Las Vegas

February 1, 2010 – Henderson, NV – Congresswoman Dina Titus of Nevada’s Third District released the following statement today on HUD Secretary Donovan’s announcement that additional HUD staff will be added in Las Vegas.

“I am pleased that Secretary Donovan has listened to our calls for more assistance with the foreclosure crisis, but increasing HUD staff must be the first of many more steps so we can keep people in their homes. Southern Nevada is ground zero as we continue to have the highest foreclosure rate in the country. Unfortunately, the programs implemented by the Obama Administration have not gone far enough to fully address this crisis in the hardest hit communities. And when there have been opportunities to compete for vital funding, local agencies have failed to step up to the plate and prove their ability to use the money quickly and effectively.

“I have held a number of housing workshops, talked to people at risk of losing their home, and devoted numerous staff to helping homeowners on an individual basis. I have heard the frustration of homeowners who can’t even get a call back from their lender or whose paper work continually goes missing. It is clear that unless we put pressure on big banks and lenders, they will continue to be part of the problem instead of part of the solution.

“I welcome Secretary Donovan’s announcement and will continue to work with him and the Administration to ensure they understand the depth of our housing problems and are prepared to take additional steps that bring an end to the foreclosure crisis.”

Titus Applauds Latest Step to Stop Yucca Mountain

January 29, 2010 – Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Dina Titus of Nevada’s Third District released the following statement today on Energy Secretary Steven Chu’s announcement of members to serve on a panel that will recommend alternatives to storing nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain.

“The announcement of members to serve on this important panel is another critical step forward in the effort to put a stop to Yucca Mountain once and for all. This panel of experts will look at viable options for storing nuclear waste that do not include the misguided attempt to turn Nevada in to a dumping ground. The science points to the fact that it is the wrong place to store nuclear waste. We know that it is not only safer to store nuclear waste on-site, but it is also cheaper for the American taxpayer.

“I have been opposed to Yucca Mountain since day one and I have long worked with my colleagues to block it. Today we are closer than ever to ensuring that Yucca Mountain never becomes a reality.”

Titus Statement on 4th Quarter GDP Increase

January 29, 2010 – Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Dina Titus of Nevada’s Third District released the following statement today on the news that the economy grew 5.7 percent in the fourth quarter of 2009, the fastest pace since 2003.

“Growing our national economy is a critical component of an economic recovery for Southern Nevada. With a local economy that is closely tied to the tourism and gaming industry, we need people around the country to have money in their pocket so they can come to Las Vegas. The Recovery Act, which included the largest package of tax cuts in history, and the first-time homebuyer tax credit were just some of the steps we took to lay the foundation for this growth.

“Today’s news is a welcome sign, but our work is far from over. I am working every day to create jobs in Southern Nevada and stem the tide of foreclosures so as our national economy recovers, the people of Southern Nevada will not be left behind.”