It was far from a quiet week in Congress with members wrapping up their final business ahead of the holiday recess, including, most notably, the passage of the Republican-backed tax reform bill.

Passing the tax bill allows Republicans to return home for the holidays with a political win in a year that otherwise has been marked by few major legislative accomplishments. For instance, Senate Republicans tried and failed multiple times to bring forward a proposal to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act — though the final tax bill does repeal one of the main portions of the 2010 federal health-care law.

Despite the flurry of last-minute activity in Washington, it was actually a slower than usual week for the press teams for the six members of Nevada’s congressional delegation. The group collectively put out 24 press releases this week, fewer than the 35 or so they typically send out on a weekly basis.

Almost all of the releases focused on the tax bill — with Republicans touting its passage and Democrats decrying it — though Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto touched on a federal winter storm grant and the U.S. Forest Service’s review of the greater sage-grouse, Democratic Rep. Jacky Rosen touted the federal dollars she had helped her constituents secure and Republican Sen. Dean Heller highlighted a survey of the nation’s natural resources. Several Democratic members of the delegation also criticized the continuing resolution that continues to fund the federal government for not including a plan to protect DREAMers or fund the Children’s Health Insurance Program in the long term.

For specifics of what releases the congressional delegation sent out this week, read on. As always, we’ve kept the actual capitalization and punctuation used in the press releases.

DEAN HELLER

Number of press releases issued this week: 7

The details: Five of Sen. Dean Heller’s seven press releases this week focused on the tax bill, which the Republican senator touted on the Senate floor on Tuesday as “a prime opportunity to provide real tax relief.”

Heller joined President Donald Trump, administration officials and members of the House and Senate at the White House on Wednesday to applaud the passage of the bill. He promised that the bill would “give hardworking families in Nevada the tax cuts that they’ve been waiting for” (though some have estimated that the bottom 60 percent of taxpayers will see a small tax increase by 2027) and pointed to meetings with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Ivanka Trump to show how he had ensured Nevada’s voices were heard by the administration.

“This bill lowers rates for middle-class families and eliminates Obamacare’s onerous individual mandate tax penalty to provide tax relief to tens of thousands of Nevadans who otherwise would be forced to pay a fine that they likely cannot afford,” Heller said. “Nevadans win and Americans around this country win when the President signs these critical tax cuts into law.”

He also joined Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke on Thursday as he signed a secretarial order directing the first nationwide geological and topological survey of the United States in modern history.

“I applaud Secretary Zinke for initiating a review of the outdated, job-crushing policies that inhibit our ability to utilize our own mineral resources,” Heller said. “Nevada is one of the most mineral rich locations on earth, and hard rock mining contributes to thousands of jobs in our state.”

Press release subject lines:

• 12/19:  “A Prime Opportunity to Provide Real Tax Relief”
• 12/20: VIDEO: Heller Joins Colleagues on Tax-Writing Committee Following Passage of Historic Tax Relief Bill
• 12/20: Heller Applauds U.S. Senate’s Passage of Tax Cuts for Nevada’s Middle-Class Families
• 12/20: Heller Joins President Trump, Colleagues at White House After Congress Passes Historic Tax Relief Bill
• 12/21: Heller Joins Secretary Zinke As He Initiates First-Ever National Survey of Critical Minerals
• 12/22: HELLER NEWS: Heller-Backed Bill to Fight Nationwide Rape Kit Backlog Heads to President’s Desk
• 12/22:  HELLER NEWS: Heller on President’s Move to Sign Tax Relief Bill Into Law: “Today is a Good Day for Nevadans and Americans Everywhere”

CATHERINE CORTEZ MASTO

Number of press releases issued this week: 7

The details: Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto called the Republican tax bill a “GOP corporate giveaway” in a statement after the Senate passed the bill early Wednesday morning. She noted that the legislation will expand the deficit by $1.5 trillion and pointed to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office’s estimate that 13 million fewer people will have health insurance in the next 10 years due to the repeal of Obamacare’s individual mandate contained in the tax legislation.

“To give a giant tax cut to corporations and the top 1%, Republicans ignored decades of their own fiscal responsibility gospel,” Cortez Masto said. “Their reckless vote will harm generations to come and could make Social Security and Medicare the next potential target of Republican fiscal mismanagement.”

She also applauded the Department of Homeland Security for awarding more than $1.5 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency grant funds to the state to manage the impact of winter storms, highlighted her vote against Scott Garrett’s nomination to head the Export-Import Bank of the United States and sent a letter to the U.S. Forest Service chief to request information about the Trump Administration’s review of plans to protect the greater sage-grouse.

Press release subject lines:

• 12/18: Cortez Masto Applauds DHS for FEMA Winter Storm Grant
• 12/19: Cortez Masto Rejects Scott Garrett’s Nomination to Head Ex-Im Bank
• 12/20: Cortez Masto: Nevadans Deserve Better than GOP Corporate Giveaway
• 12/20: Cortez Masto Presses U.S. Forest Service on Greater Sage-Grouse Review
• 12/21: Cortez Masto: Christmas Can Wait, No Deal Without Nevada’s Priorities
• 12/22: Cortez Masto Calls on Trump Administration to Develop Bipartisan Plan to Rebuild America’s Infrastructure
• 12/22: Cortez Masto, Senators Urge Federal Agencies and Mortgage Lenders to Assist Hurricane Victims in Puerto Rico Ahead of Looming Foreclosure Crisis

JACKY ROSEN

Number of press releases issued this week: 5

The details: Like her Democratic colleague in the Senate, Democratic Rep. Jacky Rosen criticized the tax bill as “reckless,” saying that congressional Republicans voted to give a “massive tax cut” to billionaires and corporations at the expense of working families in Nevada.

“This tax plan will also explode our deficit by more than $1 trillion, mortgaging our children’s future and triggering deep cuts to services to Medicare,” Rosen said. “As Republicans ram this bill through Congress, it’s becoming crystal clear that this plan is designed to provide tax relief to wealthy donors and corporate special interests while everyday people get crumbs or eventually face a tax hike.”

Rosen also urged Congress to immediately pass a clean bill to reauthorize the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) long term and extend funding for the Community Health Centers program. Last month, she voted in favor of a Republican-backed version of the bill that contained several provisions making changes to the Affordable Care Act in addition to extending the health insurance program funding.

“Unfortunately, instead of working with Democrats to fix the failure to renew these critical health care programs, Congressional Republicans have decided to prioritize passing their reckless tax bill that's designed to benefit billionaires and corporations,” Rosen said.

She said in a press release that she voted against the continuing resolution to continue to fund the government on Thursday because it “fails to address the urgent situation facing thousands of DREAMers in Nevada.” She also criticized the bill for not continuing to fund CHIP.

The congresswoman said in two press releases that her office helped return $720,000 from federal agencies to her constituents in the 3rd Congressional District.

Press release subject lines:

• 12/18: ROSEN URGES CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS TO IMMEDIATELY PASS A CLEAN CHIP REAUTHORIZATION
• 12/19: ROSEN VOTES AGAINST RECKLESS REPUBLICAN TAX BILL
• 12/20: REP. ROSEN HELPS RETURN MORE THAN $720,000 IN FEDERAL MONEY TO NEVADA CONSTITUENTS THIS YEAR
• 12/21: ROSEN STATEMENT ON VOTE AGAINST CONTINUING RESOLUTION
• 12/22: ICYMI - REP. ROSEN HELPS RETURN MORE THAN $720,000 IN FEDERAL MONEY TO NEVADA CONSTITUENTS THIS YEAR

DINA TITUS

Number of press releases issued this week: 2

The details: One of Democratic Rep. Dina Titus’s two press releases this week criticized the Republican tax bill, calling it the “Job Cuts and Tax Scam” legislation. She paraphrased the 1976 movie “The Outlaw Josey Wales,” saying the legislation is “pissing on our boots and calling it rain.”

“So where is the long-term relief for the hospitality workers, firefighters, cab drivers, teachers, and thousands of others in Las Vegas who will soon be paying more in taxes? It is going to President Trump, who said he would not benefit, his rich cronies, GOP donors, and other Republicans in Congress,” Titus said.

She said the legislation would encourage companies to keep money overseas and “emboldens” companies to shift money to other tax havens not back to the U.S. The bill is “a Reverse Robin Hood, a Trojan horse, or, put simply, a slap in the face of the American People,” she said.

Her other press release criticized Congress continuing resolution to fund the government, which she voted against. She said the measure “shortchanges CHIP, ignores DACA, and snubs the VA’s need for 45,000 doctors, nurses, and health care providers.”

Press release subject lines:

• 12/19: Titus Statement on House Passage of Tax Scam
• 12/21: TITUS STATEMENT ON CR THAT FAILS TO ADDRESS DACA

RUBEN KIHUEN

Number of press releases issued this week: 2

The details: Rep. Ruben Kihuen had equally harsh words for the Republican tax bill this week as his two Democratic colleagues in the House. He called the legislation a “giant holiday tax break” for corporations and wealthy Americans.

“Our country desperately needs tax reform that benefits middle and lower income Americans, not reform that shifts the tax burden away from corporations and the rich and onto working families,” Kihuen said. “While Republicans may be proud of themselves for finally passing a piece of legislation, the American people see through the ruse.”

Like his Democratic colleagues in the House, Kihuen also voted against the continuing resolution, which he criticized for failing to protect DREAMers and fund the Children’s Health Insurance Program in the long term.

“It’s disappointing that Republicans chose to end 2017 playing legislative games rather than addressing the very real needs of millions of American families,” Kihuen said. “Today, I was proud to stand with DREAMers, Nevada’s children and their families, and vote against the reckless Republican funding bill.”

He did not comment further on any of the allegations of sexual misconduct against him, now the subject of a House Ethics probe, in any press releases or other public statements this week.

Press release subject lines:

• 12/19: REP. KIHUEN STATEMENT ON REPUBLICAN TAX SCAM
• 12/21: ROSEN STATEMENT ON VOTE AGAINST CONTINUING RESOLUTION

MARK AMODEI

Number of press releases issued this week: 1

The details: Republican Rep. Mark Amodei touted the passage of the tax legislation in his only press release this week. Though Amodei wasn’t in favor of including the repeal of the Affordable Care Act’s individual mandate, he did not believe in sacrificing the whole bill only to oppose the repeal of the mandate.

Overall, Amodei said that the conference committee process to review the differences between the House and Senate versions of the tax bills “resulted in the overall improvement” of the legislation. He said that the data he has analyzed lead him to believe that the bill will result in widespread tax relief for Nevadans while also simplifying the filing process.

“Finally, for the newborn deficit hawks, you either believe that more money circulating in the private sector increases tax collections – or you don’t,” Amodei said. “Based on my research, and the history lessons we’ve learned from the Kennedy and Reagan Administrations, I believe it. While only time will tell, I’ve never been a fan of anyone’s predictions regarding the state of our economy a decade from now.”

Press release subject lines:

• 12/20: Amodei Statement on House Passage of Comprehensive Tax Reform Bill