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

Titus: HIRE Act an Important Step
to Getting Nevadans Back to Work

March 4, 2010 – Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Dina Titus of Nevada’s Third District voted today in support of bipartisan legislation that will create jobs and strengthen the economy. H.R. 2847, the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act, will provide tax incentives for businesses that hire unemployed workers while extending the Highway Trust Fund to allow for billions of dollars in infrastructure investments.

“While this bill is not the silver bullet to solve our unemployment problems, it is one of many important steps we must take to strengthen our economy and create jobs for Nevadans,” Congresswoman Titus said. “Investments in highway and transit projects will provide a boost to our ailing construction sector. This bill, which is fully paid for and fiscally responsible, will also provide critical tax cuts that create incentives for small businesses to grow.”

Specifically, H.R. 2847 includes a payroll tax holiday for businesses that hire workers and an income tax credit of $1,000 for businesses that retain these employees. The bill also provides tax cuts to spur new investments by small businesses. It transfers approximately $20 billion to the Highway Trust Fund to support existing federal highway and transit programs through the end of the year.

The bill, which makes modest changes to the measure passed by a bipartisan vote of 70 to 28 in the Senate last week, will now go back to the Senate for further action.

Titus Statement on President Obama
Signing the Travel Promotion Act

March 4, 2010 – Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Dina Titus of Nevada’s Third District released the following statement today after attending the signing of the Travel Promotion Act by President Obama.

“This important legislation will bring millions of additional travelers to the United States at no cost to the taxpayer and will promote our nation as a leading international travel destination. With its world-class amenities for work and pleasure, Las Vegas will benefit greatly from this effort to increase tourism from around the world. This bill comes at an important time for Nevada as we work to recover from the deepest recession in a generation and provide a boost to a tourism and travel sector that so many Southern Nevadans depend on to make a living.”

Titus Applauds Department of Energy’s
Move to Withdraw Yucca Mountain License

March 3, 2010 – Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Dina Titus of Nevada’s Third District released the following statement today after the Department of Energy filed a motion to withdraw the license application for Yucca Mountain.

“For decades, Nevadans have lived under the threat that one day the Silver State would become the nation’s dumping ground for nuclear waste. Thanks to the hard work of many, we are closer than ever to keeping Yucca Mountain from ever becoming a reality. I applaud the efforts of President Obama to follow through on his promise to put an end to an idea that was misguided from the very beginning. I have fought against Yucca Mountain since day one, and while those who have their own interests in mind, not those of Nevada, will undoubtedly seek to slow down this process, we are well on our way to killing Yucca Mountain.”

Titus Signs on as Original Cosponsor to Prescription Drug Price Negotiation Bill Introduced Today

March 3, 2010 – Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Dina Titus of Nevada’s Third District signed on as an original cosponsor to the Medicare Prescription Drug Price Negotiation Act, which was introduced in the House today. This legislation, the latest in an effort to make critical health reforms that bring down costs for the American people, would save taxpayers $156 billion over 10 years by requiring the negotiation of prices for prescription drugs through Medicare Part D.

“For too long Nevada’s seniors have seen the price of their prescription drugs rise, often leaving them with a difficult choice between paying for their life-saving drugs or for food and other necessities,” Congresswoman Titus said. “This commonsense piece of legislation would reform a system that has put the interests of the pharmaceutical industry ahead of seniors and would save them money at a time when family budgets are stretched thin. By negotiating the price for prescription drugs, we can use the combined power of the millions of seniors on Medicare to get lower prices for the prescription drugs they need.”

The legislation requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate prescription drug prices on behalf of Medicare Part D beneficiaries for the first time since the practice was barred in 2004. The Department of Veterans Affairs has reduced costs significantly through negotiating drug prices. A Families USA report found that the top five Medicare Part D insurers charged 58 percent more than the VA for 20 commonly prescribed drugs.

This legislation comes on the heels of the House-passed bill to put an end to the 65-year antitrust exemption for health insurance companies and to lower costs through increased competition and transparency.

Titus Applauds $4.7 Million to Increase Access
to Computer Centers in Southern Nevada

March 2, 2010 – Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Dina Titus of Nevada’s Third District applauded the announcement today that the Las Vegas-Clark County Urban League is receiving $4.7 million for Access to Computer Technology and Instruction in Online Networking (ACTION). The project will expand the capacity of existing computer centers and create 15 new computer centers in public housing developments and community and senior centers throughout the most economically disadvantaged communities in Southern Nevada.

“In an increasingly high tech society and economy, improving computer skills and increasing access are critical to enhancing employment opportunities for Nevadans,” Congresswoman Titus said. “This money will double the number of public computer centers and increase job training opportunities for Nevadans that will be vital to our efforts to put people back to work.”

Through the use of these funds, 29 centers will offer computer classes, job training and certification programs, and community health programs through local partner organizations. The project expects to replace about 100 workstations and add more than 90 new ones, allowing them to serve 4,600 people per week, up from 1,600.

Titus Expresses Disappointment
with Senate Republican Obstructionism

Unemployment Benefits, Small Business Loan Guarantees, and Transportation Funding Among the Initiatives Blocked

February 26, 2010 – Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Dina Titus of Nevada’s Third District released the following statement today on Republican Senator Jim Bunning’s obstructionism that is delaying passage of critical legislation that was approved unanimously by the House yesterday.

“Senator Bunning’s obstructionist delay tactics are a perfect example of why the American people think Washington is broken. One senator is delaying the passage of critical legislation that would extend unemployment benefits, help with health insurance for unemployed Americans, prevent cuts in Medicare physician payments, and provide small business loan guarantees.

“With people in District Three facing high unemployment, a foreclosure crisis, and skyrocketing health care costs, they want to see elected officials working together to bring real change. Unfortunately, one Republican in the Senate is standing in the way. The legislation that unanimously passed the House and has significant bipartisan support in the Senate would provide vital assistance to Nevada’s families who are fighting every day to make ends meet.

“Nevada’s families haven’t given up and neither will I. Despite these obstructionist efforts, I will continue to fight for Southern Nevadans who are struggling through this difficult economic time.”

Titus Applauds Senate Passage of Travel Promotion Act

February 25, 2010 – Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Dina Titus of Nevada’s Third District applauded the passage of the Travel Promotion Act today by the Senate. Titus, who supported the legislation when it passed the House in October, hailed the move as a critical step to encouraging greater travel and tourism to the United States and Las Vegas.

“The economic recession has hit Southern Nevada especially hard and unemployment in Nevada is second in the nation because travel and tourism revenue, the driver of our local economy, has declined dramatically,” Congresswoman Titus said. “The Travel Promotion Act will bring millions of additional travelers to the United States at no cost to the taxpayers by creating a public-private partnership to promote our nation as a leading international travel destination. And with its world-class amenities for work and pleasure, Las Vegas will benefit greatly from this effort to increase tourism from around the world.”

Nationally, the travel and tourism industry employs approximately 8 million Americans, and in Nevada, more than 450,000 jobs are created by travelers. In 2007, travelers pumped $34.5 billion into Nevada’s economy. The Travel Promotion Act is estimated to create 40,000 jobs in the first year.