February '10 Nevada Government—U.S. Senator John Ensign Column

Ensign Acts To Stop Presidential National Monument Designation In Nevada

February 25, 2010 – Washington, D.C. – Senator John Ensign today introduced legislation in the Senate that would require Congress to approve of monument designations after it was reported that the Administration would designate two sites in Nevada as possible national monuments. The two areas, described by the Department of Interior as the Heart of the Great Basin in Nye County and Owyhee Desert in Nevada and Oregon, were listed as possible designations. The move could take jobs away from the state and hurt the mining and ranching industries and the energy resources that Nevada is so dependent upon.

“The economy in Nevada is hurting worse than in most other parts of the country,” said Ensign. “At a time when the Administration is touting its goal of job creation, these monument designations will actually take jobs away from our state. Nevada is suffering enough when it comes to unemployment. Congress should have to approve of these monument designations so that the voice of the American people can be heard.”

Congressman Dean Heller has introduced a companion bill in the House of Representatives. Currently, due to a little-known and little-used law, the Administration can designate areas of public land as national monuments without public consultation or input. Senator Ensign’s believes this process should be more transparent so that designations like this cannot be made in the dead of night. Both Senator Ensign and Congressman Heller’s legislation would require that Congress vote to approve of these designations before states are forced to bear the brunt of public land and job loss. Currently, nearly 85% of land in Nevada is owned by the federal government.

Ensign Wins Highest Score In Delegation
From National Taxpayers Union

February 25, 2010 – Washington, D.C. – Senator John Ensign scored the highest rating in the delegation from the National Taxpayers Union with a 93% due to his outstanding efforts in the Senate to save taxpayer dollars and lower taxes. He also scored in the Top 5 out of 100 Senators for his efforts.

“I came to Washington to be an advocate for the Nevada taxpayers,” Ensign said. “For our children’s sake, we cannot afford to give anything less than our full commitment to reining in federal spending and to controlling the tax burden we place on working families.”

“While others talked a good game about fiscal responsibility in 2009, Senator Ensign proved through his voting record that he was a strong taxpayer ally,” said Pete Sepp, NTU’s Vice President for Policy and Communications. “John Ensign’s NTU Rating score, one of the highest in the entire Senate, puts him at the vanguard of lawmakers with the courage to fight against tax increases and stand up to big government each and every day.”

The National Taxpayers Union every year rates Senators and House members on their actual votes that significantly affect taxes, spending, debt and regulatory burdens on consumers and taxpayers. Senator Ensign has fought hard throughout his career to cut taxes, reduce Congressional spending and reduce the burden of government intrusion on Nevadans in order to create jobs and spur the economy.

The National Taxpayers Union is a non-partisan citizen organization that works toward lower taxes and smaller government.

Ensign, Reid Urge Senators To Support
Lake Tahoe Restoration Act

February 24, 2010 – Washington, D.C. – Senators John Ensign and Harry Reid today testified in front of the Energy and Public Works Committee strongly urging their colleagues to support the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act of 2009. Ensign and Reid, the lead sponsor, introduced the legislation last year that authorizes $415 million for eight years and provides for fuels reduction, Environmental Improvement Program projects, storm water management and watershed restoration.

“The Lake Tahoe Restoration Act is our continued commitment to protecting this Nevada treasure for future generations,” Ensign said in his testimony. “While continuing the federal commitment for watershed restoration, erosion control and storm water projects, research and hazardous fuels reduction, it also addresses a new critical threat to the Lake – aquatic invasive species. It is urgent and imperative that we address this rising threat.”

“Lake Tahoe is one of the most beautiful places on earth and it is important that we pass this bill to continue our efforts to protect it,” Reid said. “Our work to preserve Lake Tahoe has both an environmental and economic benefit for the state. This work will ensure Lake Tahoe remains one of the most sought after tourist destinations in all the world, and that will be enhanced by the Travel Promotion Act.”

Click here for the full text of Senator Ensign’s testimony.

Click here for the full text of Senator Reid’s testimony.

Ensign Seeks To Preserve
Sales Tax Deduction For Nevadans

February 24, 2010 – Washington, D.C. – Senator John Ensign offered an amendment to the HIRE Act for a one-year extension of the sales tax deduction which was blocked by Democrats last night. Ensign’s amendment would have saved millions of dollars in taxes for hard-working Nevadans. Nevada is one of seven states that would benefit from this legislation because current federal tax law allows the deduction of state income taxes but not sales taxes.

“More than 125,000 families in Nevada earning less than $50,000 a year benefit from the state sales tax deduction,” said Ensign. “By continuing this deduction for Nevadans for another year, we can help hard-pressed Nevadans muddle through a downturned economy.”

The law allowing deduction of state and local sales taxes expired at the end of last year, and despite efforts by Republicans to include it and other tax relief, the HIRE Act did not include this bipartisan provision. Without this extension, residents in Nevada, Florida, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming are barred from using their state sales tax as a federal tax deduction.

Senator Ensign argued that the absence of this provision is unreasonable because residents in every other state are allowed to deduct state income taxes. Ensign’s legislation would have extended the state and local sales tax deduction for all Americans. Ensign further argued that the sales tax deduction should become a part of permanent federal tax law.

Senate Democrats immediately objected to inclusion of his amendment, and the Ensign amendment was not included in the pending legislation.

Ensign, Feingold Bill Could Be A Boon
For Renewable Energy Businesses

New Bipartisan Legislation Will Help Expand the Forms of Energy That Qualify for Renewable Electricity Standard

February 24, 2010 – Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators John Ensign and Russ Feingold (D-WI) are introducing renewable energy legislation today that could be a boon for businesses that produce renewable energy technologies, lead to green job creation and help reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.

The Feingold-Ensign Support Renewable Energy Act, would ensure all forms of renewable energy meet a new federal requirement, called the renewable electricity standard (RES). Current RES proposals in Congress require utilities to use a certain amount of renewable energy, but limit the types of renewable energy that would qualify. The Feingold-Ensign bill will allow all forms of renewable energy to qualify, such as small-scale renewable technologies that directly use renewable energy like solar water heating, geothermal heating or alternative lighting technologies.

“Creating jobs for Nevadans is a priority in these troubled economic times, and so is lessening our dependence on foreign oil,” said Ensign. “Our bipartisan legislation will do both: create jobs for Nevadans, as well as promote our nation’s energy independence.”

“As Congress considers reforming our energy policies, instead of picking winners and losers, we should be encouraging all types of renewable energy,” Feingold said. “A host of Wisconsin businesses have been working to advance innovative technologies, such as solar water heating or solar light pipes that can help increase our use of renewable energy. Our bill would help these innovative businesses create jobs and boost Wisconsin’s economy, while helping reduce our dependence on fossil fuels like foreign oil.”

This fix to the renewable electricity standard could help stimulate local economies as utilities would likely partner with local businesses to supply the renewable energy. The bill would also spur more construction jobs, particularly in roofing and plumbing, to install new renewable energy systems across the country. And the bill would help to reduce stress on the electricity transmission grid by encouraging renewable energies that do not have to go through the grid.