May '10 Nevada Government—U.S. Congresswoman Shelley Berkley Column

Berkley Backs New Job Creation, Tax Relief Package

Legislation Will Help Put Americans Back to Work, Return More Money to the Pockets of Nevada Families

May 20, 2010 – Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Shelley Berkley today expressed her support for new legislation that will spur job creation and extend key tax savings for Nevada families and businesses. In addition, The American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act (H.R. 4213) blocks a scheduled cut in reimbursements to Nevada doctors who treat Medicare patients and military families and restores royalty payments for geothermal energy produced on federal lands in the Silver State.

“This is a jobs package that also cuts taxes for Nevadans and protects Medicare for seniors in Las Vegas and across the nation. We want to put workers back on the job and put money back in the pockets of Nevada families through tax relief, and this package does both,” said Berkley, who helped to author provisions in the bill as a member of the House Ways and Means Committee.

The American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act makes significant investments in American jobs and cuts taxes to help America’s economic recovery.

“Our legislation provides tax relief and extends loan programs to restore the flow of credit so small businesses can expand and hire new workers,” said Berkley. “We are also extending the ability for Nevadans to save through deductions on the amount in sales and property taxes families pay each year. America’s teachers will also see their deduction for books and other classroom supplies extended and students and parents will be able to continue deducting a portion of expenses related to college tuition.”

The legislation also extends the ability for restaurants and retailers to deduct a portion of expenses for business improvements, and a credit for the Las Vegas Motor Speedway and other racing venues to upgrade their facilities.

“Our legislation will also allow restaurant operators, retailers and others to save on improvements to their businesses. The Las Vegas Motor Speedway, which attracts race fans of all ages, will also see a continuation of the credit for enhancing its facilities in southern Nevada,” Berkley said.

In addition, geothermal energy payments to Nevada and local counties would be restored as a result of a provision included in the new jobs and tax relief legislation.

“Nevada’s federal lands are a rich source for clean geothermal energy. As a result of this fix, 25% of royalties from energy production on federal lands in Nevada will go to local counties and 50% will go directly to the Silver State. These dollars will help Nevada communities struggling to balance their budgets, while also providing additional funding to fill state coffers,” said Berkley.

At a time when Nevada continues to face double digit unemployment, the package extends eligibility for unemployment insurance benefits, COBRA health care tax credits and other family support programs through the end of 2010.

“This package extends a helping hand to Nevadans who remain in search of employment. For local families, these checks provide money to pay the bills, buy groceries and fill the gas tank so they can continue the job search. We are also extending assistance that will help cover the cost of COBRA payments so that more Nevadans do not lose their insurance coverage even if they have lost their jobs,” said Berkley.

Finally, The American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act blocks a mandatory cut in the reimbursements paid to doctors who treat Medicare patients and military families covered under TRICARE in Nevada and across the nation. The new package prevents scheduled cuts from taking effect and instead guarantees a 1.3% increase for the rest of 2010, followed by an additional 1% increase in 2011.

“Nevadans covered under Medicare and military families in TRICARE could find themselves unable to see the doctor if we do not put a stop to these drastic cuts. Our package protects seniors and members of the armed forces in Las Vegas and nationwide by making sure that physicians are fairly paid for the vital healthcare services they provide,” said Berkley. “Allowing these cuts to take effect would force many doctors to stop seeing Medicare and TRICARE patients, creating a crisis in access to care for millions of Americans, so we must act now” said Berkley.

Berkley Urges Swift U.N. Action On New Iran Sanctions

** Raises Concerns Over Iranian Nuclear Enrichment Agreement with Turkey and Brazil **

May 18, 2010 – Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Shelley Berkley today called for adoption by the U.N. of new sanctions targeting Iran, while also expressing concern over a reported agreement that would allow the Iranian regime to continue enriching and stockpiling uranium.

“I am pleased the U.S., China and Russia have now reached an agreement on U.N. sanctions targeting Iran. I firmly believe tough economic sanctions are the best way to stop Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. We must not let Iran continue to employ stalling tactics as a means to avoid the consequences of their illegal and dangerous behavior. That is why I am again calling for the U.S. to enact its own sanction package at the same time as we press for adoption of similar measures through the U.N.,” said Berkley.

In addition to calling for enactment of U.N. and U.S. sanctions, Berkley also expressed alarm at a new deal between Iran, Turkey and Brazil that will allow the stockpiling and continued enrichment of uranium.

“I am deeply skeptical of the nuclear agreement that has been reached between Iran, Turkey and Brazil. Any arrangement that allows Iran to continue enriching uranium, while keeping half its supply of low-enriched uranium, violates previous U.N. Security Council resolutions and calls into question the legitimacy of the negotiations. Furthermore, Iran has shown repeatedly that it will not abide by agreements to swap nuclear fuel and has reneged on other, similar offers by the United States and other international leaders. Given its record of deceit, the world community should have absolutely no realistic expectation that Iran will honor this agreement,” said Berkley.

Berkley is a cosponsor of The Iran Refined Petroleum Sanctions Act (H.R. 2194). The bill was approved overwhelmingly by the House with bipartisan support in December of last year. The legislation includes further sanctions on Iran’s banking sector and gives the President the power to impose sanctions against companies that supply Iran with -- or support its domestic production of -- gasoline and other refined petroleum products. Berkley has consistently warned that the U.S. cannot ignore the threat posed by Iran’s drive to develop nuclear weapons and supports economic and trade sanctions as a means of pressure.

“The effective use of sanctions is the best way to avoid utilizing the military option, but when the Iranian regime is unwilling to negotiate, no response can be taken off the table,” Berkley said. “We must demonstrate to the Iranians that America and its global allies will use every tool necessary to stop them from obtaining a nuclear weapon,” said Berkley.

Berkley Highlights Osteo Awareness Month

Congresswoman Receives Annual Screening in Las Vegas as Part of Effort to Promote Importance of Healthy Bones

May 17, 2010 – Las Vegas, NV – Congresswoman Shelley Berkley today highlighted the importance of maintaining healthy bones as part of her effort to raise awareness in Nevada about osteoporosis prevention and treatment. In honor of May being National Osteo Awareness Month, the Congresswoman invited members of the media in Las Vegas to accompany her during her annual screening for bone density, a key measurement used to evaluate bone health.

"As someone who has been diagnosed and treated for osteoporosis, I want to alert everyone about the importance of maintaining healthy bones and remind Nevadans about the need to get screened," said Berkley, who was diagnosed with osteoporosis while running for Congress in 1998.

Osteoporosis affects more than 10 million Americans, while an estimated 34 million women and men have low bone mass, placing them at increased risk of developing the disease in the future.

“I urge my fellow Nevadans to schedule their own osteoporosis screenings and to learn about the steps necessary to keep bones strong and healthy. Screenings take only a few minutes and are absolutely painless. Prevention, diagnosis and treatment are the three most important steps in addressing osteoporosis. By providing the right tools and information about osteoporosis, more Americans can take the necessary preventive measures to slow or stop bone loss, to increase their own bone density, and to reduce the risk of serious fractures,” said Berkley.

Osteoporosis causes bones to thin and become brittle, increasing the risk of an injury. This is especially true for women -- who represent 80% of cases -- and for those over the age of 65. The statistics paint a chilling picture. Hip fractures account for approximately 300,000 hospitalizations each year, and among those age 50 and older, one in four will die within a year from such an injury.

Annual osteoporosis screenings allow physicians to evaluate the bone health of their patients and are a tool for diagnosing osteoporosis and a way to evaluate the progress of patients undergoing treatment for the disease. Throughout her time in Congress, Berkley has worked to draw attention to osteoporosis, which is often called the "silent disease" because it goes undetected in many Americans. More details and tips on this important topic can be found at the National Osteoporosis Foundation website (www.nof.org).