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Dispatches from Washington: A look at news releases from Nevada delegates this week

Riley Snyder
Riley Snyder
Jackie Valley
Jackie Valley
GovernmentImmigrationYucca Mountain
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The six members of Nevada’s congressional delegation had a lot of things to get off their chest last week.

Communications staff for the state’s two senators and three of the four House members sent out 36 press releases to members of the media between Monday and Friday. Republican-led efforts to roll back the Affordable Care Act and a renewed attempt to store nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain dominated much of the conversation, with the politicians iterating and reiterating their stances on those two hot-button issues.

But the elected officials also wanted Nevadans (and beloved members of the media) to know about Juneteenth, artwork, drones and homeland-security grants, among other topics.

Get up to speed below. And, yes, we kept the actual punctuation — capitalizations included — found within the press release subject lines.

SEN. CATHERINE CORTEZ MASTO

Number of press releases issued this week: 12

U.S. Senator Catherine Corte Masto, D-Nev. arrives for an immigration forum hosted by Nevadans for Common Good on Monday, April 17, 2017 at All Saints Episcopal Church. (Photo by (Jeff Scheid/The Nevada Independent)

The details: Cortez Masto’s communications team churned out more press releases than any other delegate’s this past week. Her dozen memos ranged from commemorating Juneteenth — the emancipation of the last enslaved African Americans on U.S. soil — to panning the Senate’s version of a health-care bill that would repeal the Affordable Care Act. The senator also announced her participation in a bipartisan group that introduced the Safe Drone Act of 2017, which aims to ensure the United States harnesses the economic benefits of the unmanned aircraft technology.

Press release subject lines:

  • 6/19: Cortez Masto Commemorates Juneteenth
  • 6/19: Cortez Masto Joins Democratic Colleagues on Senate Floor Calling Out Republicans for Secretive, Undemocratic Health care Process.
  • 6/20: Cortez Masto, Colleagues Urge Administration to Press Egyptian President on Human Rights, Anti-NGO Law
  • 6/20: Cortez Masto on Sec. Perry's latest comments on Yucca Mountain
  • 6/21: ***MEDIA ADVISORY*** TODAY, JUNE 21 at 3:30 PM ET / 12:30 PM PT - Cortez Masto, Senate Democrats to Hold Hearing on Ways the Republican Health Care Bill Would Devastate Rural America
  • 6/21: Cortez Masto and Senate Dems Hear Testimony Regarding Impact of Trumpcare on Rural Nevada
  • 6/22: Cortez Masto Co-sponsors Legislation to Strengthen Consumer Protections for Active Duty Servicemembers, Their Families
  • 6/22: Cortez Masto Statement on Senate Republican Bill to Repeal the Affordable Care Act
  • 6/22: Cortez Masto Introduces Bipartisan Bill To Advance Development of Unmanned Aircraft Systems
  • 6/22: Cortez Masto Rips Energy Secretary Rick Perry for Breaking Promise to Nevada
  • 6/23: Cortez Masto Seeks to Expand Important Tax Credit to Put Money Back in Pockets of Workers
  • 6/23: Cortez Masto Applauds Federal Grant for LVMPD to Counter Terrorist Recruitment and Radicalization

SEN. DEAN HELLER

Number of press releases issued this week: 8

Nevada Sen. Dean Heller during the Latin Chamber of Commerce luncheon Friday, May 12, 2017, at the Suncoast hotel/casino. Photo by Jeff Scheid.

The details: Heller made big news Friday when he announced — standing alongside Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval — that he does not support the Senate’s health care bill in its current form. But the press releases he issued this week touch on a variety of other topics, including Nevada’s doctor shortage, Yucca Mountain and grants to homeless veterans and Las Vegas police. For the record: He still opposes storing nuclear waste at Yucca.

Press release subject lines:

  • 6/19: In Case You Missed It: Heller Leading Effort to Address Nevada Doctor Shortage
  • 6/19: HELLER NEWS: Heller Announces $236,900 Grant for Las Vegas Veterans Organization to Help Homeless Veterans
  • 6/20: HELLER NEWS: Heller Statement on Secretary Perry’s Pursuit to Store Nuclear Waste at Nevada National Security Site, Yucca Mountain
  • 6/21: HELLER NEWS: Heller Reiterates Strong Opposition to Yucca Ahead of Hearing with Secretary Perry
  • 6/22: HELLER NEWS: Heller Secures Significant Wins for Nevada in FAA Reauthorization Bill
  • 6/22: HELLER NEWS: Heller Highlights His Fight Against Yucca Mountain Ahead of Perry’s Testimony to Senate Energy Committee
  • 6/23: HELLER NEWS: Heller Announces $500,000 Grant for Las Vegas Police Department
  • 6/23: HELLER NEWS: President Signs Heller-Backed Legislation to Hold VA Accountable

CONGRESSMAN RUBEN KIHUEN

Number of press releases issued this week: 4

Nevada Rep. Ruben Kihuen speaks during the Know Your Rights Forum hosted by the Nevada Hispanic Legislative Caucus at the East Las Vegas Community Center on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2016. The forum aimed to educate the community about immigration rights. Photo by Daniel Clark.

The details: Good news for constituents needing help in Kihuen’s district: The congressman announced he’s launching mobile office hours at locations in Sun City Summerlin, Mesquite and Centennial Hills. Staff will be on hand during select hours to offer assistance related to federal agencies, including the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Department of Veterans Affairs, Social Security Administration, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services and Bureau of Land Management. His bulletins from Washington also addressed Yucca, the Senate health care bill and — wait for it — artwork delivered to the U.S. Capitol.

Press release subject lines:

  • 6/20: REP. KIHUEN LAUNCHES MOBILE OFFICE HOURS IN NEVADA’S FOURTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT
  • 6/20: REP. KIHUEN: SECRETARY PERRY’S COMMENTS ARE THE HEIGHT OF IRRESPONSIBILITY
  • 6/21: NEVADA’S 4th CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT ARTWORK ARRIVES AT U.S. CAPITOL
  • 6/22: REP. KIHUEN: SENATE REPUBLICANS RUSHING HEALTH CARE BILL JUST TO SKIP TOWN EARLY

CONGRESSWOMAN JACKY ROSEN

Number of press releases issued this week: 7

Congresswoman Jacky Rosen. Photo courtesy of Frederick Schilling, U.S. House, under Creative Commons.

The details: The freshman Democrat and political newcomer announced her intentions to challenge Heller for his Senate seat in 2018, and certainly didn’t shy away from the spotlight this week in blasting out 7 press releases. Those blasts were on topics from targeting Russia to slamming the Senate Republican health care bill, commemorating the Juneteenth holiday, applauding a grant awarded to Las Vegas police and noting several of the bills that she’s signed on as a co-sponsor.

Press release subject lines:

  • 6/19: ROSEN STATEMENT COMMEMORATING JUNETEENTH
  • 6/20: ROSEN CO-SPONSORED BILL TO SAVE NEVADA TAXPAYER MONEY PASSES HOUSE
  • 6/20: ROSEN: THE ONLY ‘MORAL OBLIGATION’ WE HAVE IS TO KEEP NEVADANS SAFE
  • 6/22: REP. ROSEN AND 22 ARMED SERVICES DEMOCRATS INTRODUCE BILL TO BOOST UNITY AND DETERRENCE AGAINST RUSSIAN AGGRESSION
  • 6/22: ROSEN: SENATE GOP'S REPEAL BILL IS AN ASSAULT ON NEVADANS’ HEALTH CARE
  • 6/23: ROSEN APPLAUDS LVMPD GRANT TO COUNTER VIOLENT EXTREMISM
  • 6/23: ON INTERNATIONAL WIDOWS DAY, ROSEN REAFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO OUR NATION’S MILITARY WIDOWS AS A CO-SPONSOR OF MILITARY SURVIVING SPOUSES EQUITY ACT

CONGRESSWOMAN DINA TITUS

Number of press releases issued this week: 6

Congresswoman Dina Titus. Photo courtesy of U.S. House Office of Photography via Wikimedia Commons.

The details: Titus didn’t just condemn the Senate’s health care legislation as being “just as callous and shameless” as the House GOP version. She went a step further and issued a press release blasting Senate Republicans for provisions in the bill that she views as an attack against immigrant families. In addition, the Las Vegas congresswoman released two memos about Yucca Mountain, one about her fight for FAA reauthorization in Nevada and a third about a $500,000 homeland security grant.

Press release subject lines:

  • 6/20: Titus Statement on Rick Perry’s Comments on Yucca Mountain and Interim Storage
  • 6/21: TITUS STATEMENT ON PERRY CLARIFICATION
  • 6/22: Titus Statement on Senate Trumpcare Bill
  • 6/22: Titus Fighting for Nevada in FAA Reauthorization
  • 6/23: Titus Announces $500,000 Homeland Security Grant
  • 6/23: Titus Condemns Senate Health care Bill’s Attack on Immigrants

CONGRESSMAN MARK AMODEI

Press releases issued this week: 0

Republican Rep. Mark Amodei speaks at a town hall event in Carson City on Feb. 22, 2017. Photo by David Calvert.

The details: Nevada’s lone House Republican had a relatively quiet week in terms of press releases, but did make a Fox Business appearance on Friday to talk about health care.

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