Catherine Cortez Masto

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. That is right. And I thank my colleague from Michigan because it is true. I mean, I can tell you, in February, I spoke with Madison from Nevada. She has stiff-person syndrome. This is the disease that impacts all her muscles and her breathing, and she has had to be on a ventilator seven times. She wouldn't be here today without Medicaid, which provides her with home healthcare. Madison's sister Trisha was with her that day when she had to deal with such--and this is trauma. Healthcare is trauma in somebody's life. If Madison's Medicaid coverage ends, she would have to go live with her sister and depend on her for care. She would be forced to move away from her community and her whole life. Madison needs, really, Medicaid to live her life to the fullest. Like my colleague from Michigan says, these are real people that will be impacted. And I know she is seeing the same. I do want to pose for her this thought, though, that it is not just the individuals. We know there is real-life impact, and we see it. We hear it in our offices. We are getting those calls. We are meeting with individuals. We know them. We know them. They are our neighbors. They are our friends. We know them when we are home. Here is what people forget, though. I know in Nevada we already don't have enough providers in Medicaid. We don't have enough providers in the program to begin with. Expanding the number of healthcare providers in Nevada really has been a priority of mine. That is why I am leading legislation-- bipartisan legislation--with my colleague Senator Cassidy from Louisiana to support graduate medical education programs. But here is the deal: If Medicaid funding in Nevada is cut, not only will those rural health clinics close that I talked about, but here is the thing people forget: We would have fewer providers because they would not be incentivized to come to my State and treat patients. They are going to figure out where they can go and still survive. Remember, our providers have still to survive and make a living, and they want to treat patients. So we are going to have a provider issue in my State. I don't know if that is an issue for Michigan, but it is something that goes hand in hand with Medicaid cuts because I hear from my providers as well.

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Thank you, the great Senator from Michigan. Let me say, I am so pleased that she brought this up because it is a gimmick. It is a gimmick that they are playing right now that somehow the $7 trillion in tax cuts that they want to give to billionaires is not going to add to our deficit or debt. Remember, these are the Republicans, the party of fiscal responsibility, and it is not going to add to our deficit or our debt. This is the perfect example. I have read this in the papers--a perfect example of what this means. This is like you are a parent, and you have put your daughter through college for 4 years. She comes home, and she says: Oh, well, you are already paying for it. So it is not really an additional cost for you. So I am just going to stay home and not work, and you just continue to pay the same amount that you were paying for college, and I will just live off of that. That was a great example one of our papers put out--a journalist put out--because that is exactly what the Republicans are trying to do here. This is it. And, remember, they are next going to come and try to lift the debt ceiling--more debt--to pay for this. This is the party of fiscal responsibility--think about this--at a time when our economy is already in a free fall because of these crazy tariffs. And, by the way, if you care about your retirement and your 401(k), you are watching that stock market because that is in free fall. That is what this administration, that is what these Republicans are bringing you. But, remember, when they started, they got handed an economy from the previous administration that was going strong. They had just come out of a pandemic and were trying to turn everything around. Was it perfect? No. But we were working on addressing the challenges facing this country. I know. I know my colleague from Michigan knows this. Our family's prices are too high. Costs are high. We have got to focus on them. We have to lower those costs. These tax cuts should be about them, more money in their pocket. We started doing that around healthcare, capping the cost of insulin, making sure that those Big Pharma companies would negotiate with us, and we can keep those prescription drugs down. We started that process. We have more to do. I know that. But when President Trump came into office, the first thing he said was he was going to lower those costs for our families. That is not his priority, and that is not what he is doing. And that is why we have to shine a light on this. That is why I am so proud of my colleagues for standing up and making sure the American public knows that they are coming after your healthcare, and they are coming after your retirement, and they are coming after you so that they can pay for these tax cuts for billionaires. With that, I yield the floor.

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Mr. President, I am joining my colleagues today because Nevada's healthcare and America's healthcare is really not up for negotiation. On Wednesday--and I want to recognize this--Senate Republicans released their budget plan to pay for President Trump's billionaire tax cuts. You have heard everybody talking about that. We have been on the floor. This is so important for the American public to understand what is at stake because, really, we can't let them fool you with some bureaucratic language to make them seem less devastating than these impacts really are or to use some sort of math gimmick. Here are the facts--and let me say, on April 3, 2025, we just received from the Joint Committee on Taxation that which shows that President Trump and his Republican followers in the Senate really want to add almost $7 trillion to our national debt. The Republican plan to extend the 2017 Trump tax law will cost $5.5 trillion, including interest, and the budget resolution Senate Republicans introduced this week allocates an additional $1.5 trillion for tax breaks to be crafted by the Finance Committee, Republicans, and the Trump administration. This brings a total cost for over 10 years of the Republican tax plan to about $7 trillion--$7 trillion in deficit and debt. They are doing this to give tax cuts to billionaires. In order to pay for it, one of the things--and you are hearing us talk about this--is they want to slash Medicaid in this country by almost $1 trillion. You have heard this term ``$880 billion'' because that is what the House has sent to their committee to say we need to find some way to pay for these $7 trillion in tax cuts that we want to give to billionaires. Now, Nevadans and so many across the country are being told these cuts are going to come from cracking down on waste, fraud, and abuse in Medicaid. Well, that would be great if it were true. Let me just put the fine print on this. I am all for getting rid of waste, fraud, and abuse within government programs, and I know that many States-- actually, all States--including the Attorney General's Office in the State of Nevada, actually have a Medicaid fraud unit that goes after that fraud and waste that we see across the country. Every State has one. But here is the simple truth: We are not going to find $880 billion in pay-fors by only cutting waste, fraud, and abuse in Medicaid. To shrink this essential program down by nearly $1 trillion, President Trump and his Republican allies in Congress actually have to gut Medicaid. There is no other way around it. That is what they have to do. And that is not just a talking point from the Democrats. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office--their analysis--confirmed that Republicans would have to make the largest cuts in Medicaid history to meet their budget's $880 billion target. Now, here is what I know--and you are hearing from all of our colleagues tonight, and you will hear this as we go into the votes that the Republicans want to take on this. I don't care whether you are from a red State, a blue State, or if you live in an urban area or in a rural area. Medicaid cuts to pay for billionaire tax cuts would hit everyone hard. It would be devastating. Nearly 800,000 people in Nevada would be devastated by this because they depend on Medicaid to keep themselves and their families healthy. This includes one in six adults, three in eight children, four in seven nursing home residents, and one-third of people with a disability. I also know that 66 percent of adults in Nevada who benefit from Medicaid work for a living and that 43 percent of our births are covered by Medicaid. In Nevada, 17,600 Medicaid enrollees use home- and community-based services and long-term services to support them--these are seniors; these are people with disabilities-- and nearly 40 percent of all children in Nevada are covered by Medicaid and CHIP. You heard my colleague from Rhode Island say this, and I also want to dispel this notion that people on Medicaid are somehow lazy, and they don't want to work, and they are just somehow milking the system. Let me be very clear: Nearly half of all Nevada Medicaid enrollees--that is 380,000 people--are people with jobs and their dependents. Now, I want to put a fine point on this because I have to just call this out. This is just a crazy notion because I have met these families. I met a woman. She and her husband are working. They are both working full time. Their daughter has a rare disease. Without Medicaid, they would not be able to afford the medication and access to healthcare that she needs. I have visited, in my State, clinics--FQHCs, clinics--federally qualified health centers--in the north and the south. I was in the Northern Nevada one just 3 weeks ago. I was looking at the individuals who were coming in for care, and I asked them: How would you be impacted by Medicaid? Not only would it devastate this health center, but I said: Who are these people who are coming to you? Do you know who they are? They are people who are working at Amazon. They are people who are working at Amazon and Walmart who have to get Medicaid because the billionaire owners of these organizations don't care enough to provide them healthcare. This is outrageous, but these are the people whom we are talking about. Let me just say, last month, I met with a group of obstetricians from Northern Nevada. Medicaid is the largest payer for maternity services in my State. In 2023, there were 13,206 babies and their mothers who had access to essential healthcare. Nevada Medicaid does postpartum coverage up to 12 months, thanks to the American Rescue Plan, and now the Republicans and Donald Trump want to take it all away. I know I am not the only State that is dealing with this, and I will tell you--and some of my colleagues I know, and I have talked to them. Whether you are Republican or Democrat, we have talked about this. It is devastating for our urban areas, and it would devastate my rural communities and every rural community across this country. If you live in a rural community in my State, you have very little access to healthcare so you want to keep those clinics open because, if you don't, then you are driving 4 hours just to get your healthcare somewhere if--if--you have the ability to get there and to drive there. So I know it is not unique, and my hope is that my colleagues and my Republican colleagues who care like I do--and I know they do about their constituents--are going to address this issue, and we are going to work together so we can protect Medicaid. But I would like the opportunity to engage in a colloquy with one of my colleagues who is here today, the Senator from Michigan.

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. To the Senator from Michigan, Senator Slotkin, I know, like my State, they call it a swing State. It is a swing State. We have voters we represent who are Republicans, Democrats, Independents. It really isn't about your party; it is about healthcare and access to healthcare in this country. So, to my colleague from Michigan, I am curious what she is seeing and the impact that the Medicaid cuts that we are talking about would have to your constituents, the people you represent in Michigan.

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. So will the good Senator from New Jersey yield for a question?

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Well, first of all, Senator Booker, I have to say, we in Nevada are so proud of you. We are proud you are Nevada Strong. You are one of us. You are definitely New Jersey-Nevada Strong. And I am so proud of what you have accomplished so far and being willing to stay here as long as it takes to help you get your message across. And I think that is the important moment here. We are all here right now. So I want to pose a question to you, actually a couple questions, but I want to start off and set the stage here because you have been here, now, what, for over 24 hours. You are missing some of the national news, things that are happening out there. But one of the things I want to point to that has happened that you may not be aware of, and you touched on it a little earlier today, is this notion that we have now a President who is actually focused on billionaires and tax cuts for billionaires at the expense of the American public. And one of the things we have watched him do is cut funding for medical research. Now, what you may not know is just today, just today, I found out that HHS laid off the entire Healthy Aging Branch of the CDC, just today. This office administers Alzheimer's disease programs, and it oversees the funding from the BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer's Act, and it is a piece of legislation that I was so proud to partner with Susan Collins on, and she has fought for, and we have fought for funding for it, to support caregivers and their families. And Congress just reauthorized this funding. And now we have a President that has stopped the critical work that scientists are doing to try and cure Alzheimer's. And I bring this to your attention, Senator, because like you, and I think like all of us, there are personal moments in the work that we do. My personal moment is my grandmother, whom I am named after, died from Alzheimer's. And she died at a time in Las Vegas when there was not enough research, when there was not enough healthcare, when there was really not enough providers to understand what was going on. And so for many of us this fight, not only is it personal, but we recognize the impact that it has outside the beltway in so many families and lives across the country, and that is what this is about. In Nevada, as of 2023, there are 49,000 people, 65 and older, living with Alzheimer's, and that is projected to reach 65,000 this year. Not only did we hear that HHS laid off the entire Healthy Aging Branch of the CDC, but Donald Trump also recently terminated a $14,000 NIH research grant that had been supporting Alzheimer's research at the University of Nevada--Las Vegas. He has continued, continued to cut the grant for essential research for so many reasons. We have seen these funding cuts; we have seen mass layoffs; and the impoundment of grants that have already been approved by Congress. This is a violation of the rule of law, and you have been talking about that for the last couple of hours. President Trump is forgetting that this is personal. It is happening to so many families. So my question, Senator Booker, to you is what you think families and caregivers of those impacted by Alzheimer's, how they are feeling about what is happening right now?

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Madam President, today I rise to recognize Governor Robert ``Bob'' Joseph Miller and his lifetime of public service and dedication to the State of Nevada. Governor Miller has demonstrated inspired service to the people of Las Vegas, Clark County, and the State of Nevada. From police officer to the longest serving Governor in the State of Nevada, Governor Miller has a diverse and honorable public service career and an equally spirited sense of community. Governor Miller started his career in public service in the U.S. Army Reserve from 1967 to 1973, and then while studying law at Loyola Marymount University, he continued his service as a police officer for the Los Angeles and then Las Vegas Sheriffs' Offices. He then went on to join the Clark County's District Attorney's Office and was eventually elected the 19th District Attorney of Clark County. In 1986, Governor Miller was elected as the 29th Lieutenant Governor of Nevada, and on January 3, 1989, he was sworn in as the 26th Governor of Nevada. He served as Governor of Nevada from 1989 to 1999 and is Nevada's longest serving Governor. The son of a gaming pioneer in Las Vegas in the 50s and 60s, Governor Miller grew up in a period of immense transformation for the city. As Las Vegas was taking off into a new era, so did Governor Miller's career. His rise from gambler's son to Governor parallels the rise of Las Vegas from the tiny desert town to the Entertainment Capital of the World. President Bill Clinton wrote that Governor Miller's ``journey could only have happened in Nevada. He is a man of integrity who cares deeply about the issues facing his state and nation, and who has always been willing to put aside differences to solve problems.'' At the time Governor Miller entered Nevada's capital, southern Nevada was entering a new era of development and rapid population growth. Governor Miller was quickly introduced to the high-stakes world of Nevada tourism promotion, transportation infrastructure, and economic diversity. As Lieutenant Governor and Governor, he was a key supporter of Nevada's growing economy, paving the way for necessary infrastructure improvements, encouraging foreign air carriers to offer nonstop service into Las Vegas' Harry Reid International Airport, and helping Nevada hotels and casinos to embrace business travelers. Notably, during his time as Governor, Nevada convention capacity grew from just under 1 million to over 7 million square feet. While Governor Miller no longer works in public service, he continues to support the growth of Las Vegas and Nevada's tourism economy. The great work he did has inspired me in my own public service career, including elevating the rights of people victimized by crime and protecting our children from exploitation. As district attorney of Clark County, he created a unit dedicated specifically to ministering to the needs of crime victims and those who lost a loved one due to a criminal act. Governor Miller was also asked by President Ronald Reagan to accept an appointment to his President's Task Force on Victims of Crime, one of nine delegates selected from across the United States. During his time as Governor, I had the honor of working with Governor Miller from 1994 to 1998. As I stand here today as a Member of the Senate, proud to represent my home State of Nevada, Governor Miller was a public servant and leader from whom I gained experience, knowledge, and an introduction to my husband Paul. I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Governor Bob Miller and his remarkable achievements on behalf of the State of Nevada.

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Madam President, I come forward today to recognize the 60th anniversary of Community Services Agency Reno. Serving as a beacon of hope for Washoe County and surrounding rural communities, this nonprofit community action agency seeks to provide services to thousands of individuals across Nevada. From programs intended to support children and families, to programs for workforce development and assistance with utility costs, CSA Reno empowers individuals to become self-sufficient through the help of community partners and wraparound services. Founded in 1965, CSA Reno prides itself in tackling on-the-ground needs of everyday Nevadans in search of a helping hand. Using a solution-driven model and a strategic plan that is re-evaluated every 5 years, this agency is committed to ensuring they take a modern and tailored approach to serving each of their clients. With a common goal of advocating for their clients and setting meaningful benchmarks to achieve genuine results, CSA Reno above all seeks to impact lives today for a better community tomorrow. As the agency expanded its outreach and support services across the State, so came new programs to help uplift underserved communities. As one of Nevada's providers of Head Start and Early Head Start programming, CSA Reno helps fulfill a critical childcare need at no cost to low-income families, giving children the opportunity to grow and learn in a safe environment. Specifically designated for toddlers and children ages 0-5 living in poverty or struggling with a disability, CSA Reno is a vital resource to Nevada families. CSA Reno also provides programs targeted at affordable housing, workforce development, home weatherization services, and more--all in an effort to help those most in need overcome barriers. With a mission to drive positive change and a team of outstanding staff, CSA Reno helps equip Nevada families with the tools they need to thrive in an ever-changing environment. I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing CSA Reno for their 60 years of dedication to Washoe County and the Northern Nevada community at-large. I am grateful to CSA Reno for their work to uplift and support our most vulnerable populations and know they will continue this impressive legacy over the next 60 years.

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Mr. President, I am joining my Democratic colleagues on the Senate floor today because we have pledged to Americans that we will always stand up and fight for affordable, quality healthcare. Right now, Donald Trump and his Republican allies in Congress are trying to dismantle healthcare access for Nevadans and Americans across the country. As we speak, Republicans are working out a way to pass their budget through Congress and slash Medicaid to pay for tax cuts for Trump's ultrawealthy friends. Their budget for these billionaire tax cuts was just released this morning, and they want to give away trillions of dollars to the richest Americans and add about $3 trillion to our national debt in exchange for nearly $1 trillion in healthcare cuts for working families. You can bet Medicaid will be one of their biggest targets. It is absolutely outrageous, and it is important that we shine a light for the American public so they know what is going on. Right now, the Senate is considering the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., to lead the Department of Health and Human Services--who has made it clear that he will be a rubberstamp for Donald Trump even if it hurts Nevadans. This isn't fearmongering or speaking in hypotheticals. Donald Trump has been coming after critical healthcare since his first term in office. Every annual budget proposal Trump had in his first term, from 2017 through 2020, included huge cuts to Medicaid. And when Republicans in Congress tried to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, President Trump was on board with every plan they came up with that slashed Medicaid in the process. I will tell you what: Democrats stood up to him every time. But even after multiple failed attempts, it doesn't seem like President Trump has learned that Americans don't want him to roll back Medicaid. His Project 2025 manifesto calls for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to impose lifetime caps on Medicaid. What does that mean? That means a person can only receive Medicaid benefits for a limited period of time no matter their income or their healthcare needs. That would leave about 92,800 Nevadans who are low-income and depend on Medicaid for healthcare at risk of losing their coverage. We know RFK, Jr., will just let this happen if he becomes the Secretary of Health and Human Services. HHS oversees the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which means Mr. Kennedy would have control over what happens with these essential healthcare programs. What is ironic is that Mr. Kennedy doesn't seem to even know the difference between Medicare and Medicaid. He confused the two multiple times during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Finance Committee. Also during that hearing, he made it very clear to me and he made it very clear to the general public who was watching that he would refuse to even tell me he wouldn't be a rubberstamp for this administration, that he could have an independent thought and fight any harm that would occur to Nevadans or across this country; he would stand up with them. He made it very clear that he would not, that he would stand with Donald Trump. I cannot support someone who would let Donald Trump give his billionaire friends tax cuts at the expense of Nevadans' healthcare. I know some of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have argued that their plan to cut Medicaid is about getting rid of waste and fraud. Listen, I am all for reducing government waste and fraud and streamlining our bureaucracy. I will tell you, I served for 8 years as the attorney general in the State of Nevada, and during that period of time, the Medicaid Fraud Unit was in my office. We prosecuted and we went after individuals, and we held people accountable for that waste and fraud in the Medicaid Program. So I am all about addressing waste and fraud. In fact, I know that my Democratic colleagues and I have offered to work in a bipartisan way to cut wasteful spending. Instead, however, Trump and Republican leadership want to gut Medicaid, which millions of Americans depend on to access healthcare. It is just wrong. But let me talk about why. Let me tell you a little bit about the history of this. Medicaid was created in 1965 as a way for the Federal and State governments to provide healthcare coverage to low-income people who need it. That includes children, pregnant women, seniors, people with disabilities, and adults across the United States. It helps veterans, new moms and their babies, rural hospitals, primary care providers, mental health care workers, and more. As of June 2024, 788,481 Nevadans were enrolled in Medicaid and its initiatives, like the Children's Health Insurance Program, or CHIP. Nearly 800,000 people in Nevada--and that is just Nevada--depend on Medicaid to keep themselves and their families healthy. This includes one in six adults, three out of eight children, four in seven nursing home residents, and one-third of people with disabilities. Forty-three percent of our births are covered by Medicaid. But here is the deal: Sixty-six percent of adults in Nevada who benefit from Medicaid work for a living. I cannot say enough about this program and its impact in my State and how important it is. People over the age of 65 and disabled rely on Medicaid for their long-term care, and people with disabilities rely on Medicaid for their long-term care. Let me say that there are seniors who helped build this country and make America what it is today. They worked hard, they raised their families, and they contributed to our economy. Some are veterans of our Armed Forces. Now in their senior years, they have chronic illnesses, and they aren't able to move around the house like they used to. They cannot take care of themselves alone. That is what Medicaid is for. In Nevada, 17,600 Medicaid enrollees used home- and community-based services and long-term services to support themselves. That means nursing facility care, adult daycare programs, home health aide services, personal care services, transportation, and supported employment. It is a common misconception that Medicare and private insurance covers long-term nursing facility care or home care. They just don't. That is Medicaid. That is what Donald Trump and Republican leadership and RFK, Jr., want to cut to thank our seniors for everything they have done for our country. They want to roll back the healthcare benefits that are giving them the dignity they deserve in their retirement. But that is not all. Medicaid also supports low-income children and working families, including pregnant women and children with disabilities. Nearly 40 percent of all children in Nevada are covered by Medicaid and CHIP. This is a crucial program for Nevada's kids in making sure that they get their annual checkups, vaccines, hospital emergency care, dental and vision care, and the medications they need. All of this--all of this--is key to ensuring that our kids grow and that they develop at a healthy rate. Medicaid also covers more than 40 percent of all births in Nevada. In 2023, that was 13,206 babies and their mothers who had access to essential healthcare that they wouldn't have been able to afford otherwise. These are the children, babies, mothers who are now being targeted by Donald Trump so he can pay for tax cuts for the ultrarich. Another key component of Medicaid coverage includes people with mental health challenges and substance use disorders. Nevada Medicaid provides screening and early intervention, outpatient and community services, crisis and emergency response, and residential and inpatient treatment to children and adults. I know we have a mental health crisis and a drug epidemic in this country. I see it. I hear about it from Nevadans every single day. I think both Democrats and Republicans agree that we are just not dedicating enough resources towards Americans' mental health. When there is a shooting at a school or place of worship or a music festival, the first thing I hear is that we need to invest more in mental health. And families in both red and blue States are being torn apart by fentanyl and other dangerous drugs. So why do my Republican colleagues want to do Donald Trump's bidding and slash Medicaid, making this crisis even worse? They are working right now to pass a budget through Congress that guts these critical programs. And they want to confirm Mr. Kennedy, who we know is going to go along with every one of Trump's plans. If they succeed, what is going to happen to Nevada's working families, our seniors, our veterans, and our children? What will happen to them if Medicaid is slashed? Well, let me just tell you what is going to happen. In Nevada, we rely on Federal funding for the vast majority of our Medicaid Program. Without it, policymakers in my State will be forced to cut coverage and leave hundreds of thousands of Nevadans uninsured, without access to affordable, quality healthcare. I said it before. Nearly 800,000 Nevadans who have Medicaid now will be in danger of being kicked off their health insurance, and 17,600 seniors and disabled people in Nevada will be at risk of losing their coverage, leaving even more families with nowhere to turn to take care of their elderly loved ones. When Nevadans lose their coverage, the already-expensive cost of healthcare shoots up. Nevada Health Link has a list of costs for people without health insurance. Let me tell you what that looks like now if they were no longer to have the benefit of Medicaid. Mammograms will cost $212 now. Brain MRIs have a copay of $20 to $100 with insurance, but it will become $1,000 to $5,000 without insurance. A visit to the emergency room will cost Nevadans who are insured a $50 to a $150 copay, but Nevadans who don't have insurance could pay as much as $3,000. A baby's visit to the doctor for a wellness checkup costs $10 to $30 if they have insurance, but without insurance, it costs about $95 per visit. These are the kinds of costs the average Nevada family cannot afford to pay, but Donald Trump is threatening to make this a reality. If Donald Trump cuts health insurance in Nevada, even more healthcare providers may be forced to close up shop because their patients can't pay for their care. Let me just stress this even more: Nevada's rural hospitals rely heavily on Medicaid. If Medicaid is cut, these hospitals that are already understaffed and overwhelmed would have to reduce their services, if not shut down entirely. Now, that is not unique to Nevada. Every rural community that relies on Medicaid is going to have the same problem. If you know our rural communities, you know that very rarely is there access to healthcare in a rural community, and when those providers are there, that is the place for our rural Americans to go. Sometimes they have to drive, in my State, 2 to 3 to 4 hours just to get access to healthcare. If we take away those areas and the locations for healthcare in our rural communities, that will devastate rural Americans. The reality is, in Nevada, we just don't have enough providers in our Medicaid Program. It is one thing to have a clinic open that door; it is another to have a hospital be able to open those doors to communities. But if you don't have the providers, that is essentially shutting down healthcare for individuals and people across this country. I will say my State is working to build out networks and encourage providers to come to Nevada, but we can't do it without critical funding from Medicaid. If Donald Trump cuts Medicaid, one of the first things my State will have to do is cut payment rates for healthcare providers, which will make our shortage of providers even worse, and it will disincentivize providers coming to live and work in Nevada. The ripple effect it will have on my State's economy will be disastrous. We just can't let this happen. This is going to affect Americans in every State across the country. We have to come together as a Congress and protect our working families from Donald Trump's billionaire tax cuts, and that includes voting no on RFK, Jr., whom Trump handpicked to lead HHS because he knew Mr. Kennedy wouldn't do a thing to stop him. With RFK running our Department of Health and Human Services, it is not just Medicaid that is in danger; Trump also wants to dismantle the Affordable Care Act. As we all may remember, he has concepts of a plan to do just that, but let's talk about what that means. Before the ACA, if you were an adult with no dependents, even if you were low-income, you had no access to Medicaid. Unless your employer provided health insurance, you had none. Now, thanks to the ACA, more people than ever before can get the healthcare they need. Over the last 11 years, that has amounted to 20 million low-income adults enrolling in affordable, quality healthcare coverage through Medicaid. This has been a huge gift to our economy. Think of it this way: If you were an adult who had a chronic illness that kept you from working, you didn't used to have access to health insurance, but because of the ACA, you can now get the care and treatment you need and get back into the workforce. The ACA has helped Medicaid support our workers to boost our healthcare workforce, and it has made us a stronger and healthier nation. But, once again, Donald Trump wants to roll this expansion of Medicaid back and strip healthcare from thousands of Nevadans so he can pay for tax cuts for his elite, billionaire friends. Well, I don't know about my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, but I have no interest in cutting taxes for the ultrawealthy when we should be cutting taxes for working families. Here is how we can do that: Part of the Affordable Care Act provided tax credits for low-income Nevadans to make their healthcare premiums cheaper and help them afford their insurance. When we passed the bipartisan American Rescue Plan and the Inflation Reduction Act, we made those tax credits available to even more people, especially to those who had been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. But now those tax credits for hard- working families are set to expire at the end of this year. This would be devastating to Nevada families and small businesses, as 11,000 Nevadans would lose their healthcare coverage. Nevadans who have benefited from these tax credits would see their healthcare premiums go up by $2,000 a year, on average, and 250,606 small businesses and self- employed workers in Nevada who qualified for these tax credits will see their premiums increase. I will tell you what: My Republican colleagues in the majority now have a decision to make. Instead of letting these tax credits for working families and small businesses expire and throwing thousands of lives into chaos, they could renew them. It should be simple. Let's come together and prioritize hard-working families and small businesses over billionaires. That is what we were elected to do, and it is what the American people expect of us. We cannot give our country over to the elite--to the wealthiest people like Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.--who will do whatever President Trump wants him to do to our healthcare system. My Democratic colleagues and I stand here today and every day ready to continue pushing back against Donald Trump's attacks on Americans' healthcare. Trump can say whatever he wants about not touching Medicaid and making America healthy, but the truth is that he will do whatever it takes to lift up his elite, billionaire friends and then tell you it is for your own good. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., will be just a rubberstamp for that agenda. Because of that, I will be voting no on his confirmation. I yield the floor.

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Mr. President, almost 3 years ago, President Vladimir Putin launched a massive, illegal ground invasion of Ukraine, which has become the largest and deadliest conflict in Europe since World War II. Now, I have stood up, again and again, with my fellow Senators-- leaders of both parties--and our allies across the world to condemn Putin's war, which has killed thousands of civilians, including hundreds of children, and left millions of Ukrainians displaced. It is not a hard position to take. But Tulsi Gabbard has repeatedly justified Putin's expansionist war. She chose to blame the United States, our NATO allies, and even Ukraine itself for Putin's war. Now, Mr. Trump--excuse me; President Trump--wants Ms. Gabbard to be the Director of National Intelligence. The day the war started, she echoed Russian state media and said: The war could have been avoided if the U.S. and NATO had acknowledged Russia's ``legitimate'' security concerns. She made baseless claims that Russia was justified in invading Ukraine because the United States had secret biolabs there. Where did she find that claim? It came directly from a Kremlin propaganda website. The Director of National Intelligence position was created after the September 11 terrorist attacks to act as the principal adviser to the President, the National Security Council, and the Homeland Security Council on intelligence matters related to our national security. It seems obvious to anyone who holds this position that they should have extensive national security experience, something Ms. Gabbard doesn't have. And somebody who holds this position should not be parroting Russian talking points. Now, I have worked with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to make sure that Putin is held accountable for the atrocities that have been committed in Ukraine. It is shocking to me that we are on the cusp of confirming a Director of National Intelligence who was so quick to defend one of the United States' biggest adversaries. Now, cozying up to Putin would be bad enough, but, unfortunately, he is not the only autocrat that Ms. Gabbard has ties to. She also has an alarming connection to the ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Assad was a ruthless dictator who engaged in human right abuses, and that is a documented fact. But, inexplicably, Ms. Gabbard disputed credible accusations that Assad used chemical weapons against his citizens, and, worst of all, she actually chose to travel in her personal capacity to Syria to meet with this dictator in person. All the while, she repeatedly cast doubts on our intelligence community's assessment of the extent of the horrors of Assad's regime. Now, I understand the desire to seek out multiple points of view. But, again and again, Ms. Gabbard has taken healthy skepticism too far, suggesting to the American people that they can't trust our intelligence while, instead, echoing Russian and Syrian disinformation. That is just unacceptable. President Trump claims that he wants to make America safe. He says he wants to maintain American's standing in the world. He says he wants to forge stronger ties with our allies. Well, confirming Ms. Gabbard to be Director of National of Intelligence is in opposition to those goals. The Director of National Intelligence oversees 18 Agencies in the U.S. intelligence community, including the CIA and the NSA. The Director has the legal authority to direct intelligence gathering and choose which intelligence to share with foreign Agencies. As Director of National Intelligence, Ms. Gabbard would have access to our most closely guarded secrets. She would know the identities of the brave men and women who gather intelligence from our foreign adversaries. There should be absolutely no question about the trustworthiness or the judgment of our Director of National Intelligence. The Director of National Intelligence should not sympathize with autocrats, blame our allies for wars of aggression, or parrot Kremlin talking points. This is a low bar to clear. I am here in the Senate to represent the people of Nevada. They are relying on me to work to keep them and our community safe. And I tell you what: I pledge to help keep Nevada safe by opposing Ms. Gabbard's confirmation, and I hope my colleagues follow suit. I yield the floor.

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Mr. President, now we know this, and this is a conversation I have quite often with individuals to talk about what is happening in my State when they ask me: What is going on in Washington? What is happening with the Executive orders and the change of the administration? And one thing that we talk about, and I think it is important because sometimes it gets lost in this conversation is that when our system of government was created, about 250 years ago, it was created because the American people at the time decided they wanted a democracy. They didn't want a king. You know, the United States of America is born out of a revolution against a monarch, a king who sat on a throne and had really no checks on his power. And our Founding Fathers built this Nation on a foundation of democratic principles, supporting the idea that government is for the people. That is what the American people wanted. And as part of that creation, they established three coequal branches of government. We all know the executive, the legislative, the judicial. And along with that, they created a system of checks and balances to ensure that no branch had too much control over the other. Now, as we all know--we work here in Congress--that legislative branch is important. It is the first branch of government, coequal to all the others. But it writes and passes laws, approves Presidential nominations, but also, importantly, the branch of government that we all work in is about passing a budget and controlling the purse. What does that mean? The money. We are the ones that decide how we spend this money, the budget for the Federal Government; where it is going to go, the appropriations for it. And that really is the power of Congress that our Founding Fathers gave to us. Now, the executive branch, we all know, the Founders gave the President the authority to veto, to implement, to enforce laws, along with the power to manage and direct government Agencies. That is what the Founding Fathers envision to ensure that our government puts the American people first and that no branch of government could become too powerful. Those are checks and balances that have been tested throughout our Nation's history. Let me just give you an example. In 1974, President Richard Nixon refused to release funds approved by Congress for certain programs that he opposed. In response to his unconstitutional abuse of power, Congress passed bipartisan legislation called the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Act of 1974. This legislation reaffirms that, once Congress passes bills that deliver funding to the American people, the President can't delay or cancel those funds. Unfortunately today, we have a nominee for the Office of Management and Budget--we call it OMB--who thinks this critical check on the President's power shouldn't exist. Now, you have heard this. My Democratic colleagues have been on the Senate floor since 2 p.m. yesterday to oppose Russ Vought. Why? Because Russ Vought is a coauthor of President Trump's Project 2025 manifesto, and he is the chief architect of Trump's strategy to seize the power of the legislative branch. How? How are they doing that? Well, let's just talk about that. On January 27, the OMB issued a memo to effectively suspend Congress's power of the purse by announcing a pause on all Federal grants and loans. He shut down funding for practically every State and local program that receives money from the Federal government. Now, like all of my colleagues, I have heard from Nevadans worried about accessing Medicaid or their VA benefits or funding for law enforcement or housing and energy payments that keep the lights on for low-income Nevadans. I have heard concerns about childcare initiatives like Head Start that have no longer any funding, and programs to support seniors like Meals on Wheels are concerned. I have heard from Tribes in Nevada. I just got out of my office meeting with one of our Tribes who are still having trouble accessing housing funds and similar funds. Groups that support Nevada's domestic violence survivors don't know if they will have the money to get critical resources to people in need. Nevada literacy programs that are helping children learn to read have been threatened with a loss of funding. Rural communities in Nevada receiving Federal grants, ranging from community development grants to wastewater treatment--several of those grants and that funding have been delayed or cut. Trump's funding freeze shut down support for safety and security for kids and families in the historic Westside of Las Vegas. President Trump shut down $156 million in funding for solar energy in Nevada. We were going to install solar power on hundreds of buildings, helping to bring down energy costs for 20,000 hard-working Nevada families. But President Trump illegally stopped these solar grants to Nevada. That has jeopardized thousands of good-paying jobs for laborers and construction crews in my State. And while the Trump administration claims that Medicaid wasn't affected by the Federal funding freeze, the fact is the Medicaid payment system did go offline in all 50 States. Now, intentional or not, the OMB order was reckless, causing confusion and chaos for many across the country, including doctors and healthcare staff who didn't know if they were going to get paid for the work they do. Like my colleagues, my office is being flooded with these calls, including from Nevadans concerned about their future benefits from Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security. These are real Americans who are being squeezed by this unconstitutional funding freeze, even though Donald Trump promised to make their lives better. Americans right now are being hung out to dry by Donald Trump and Russ Vought, whose Project 2025 was clearly--clearly--the inspiration for this dangerous funding freeze. Russ Vought is unfit to serve at the head of the Agency that oversees our Federal budget. During his confirmation hearing, he said the Impoundment Control Act of 1974 is unconstitutional. One man decides the laws in this State. Wow, that is a lot of power. He is basically saying he thinks the President should be able to withhold any funding that they don't like, even though that goes against the separation of powers our Founding Fathers wrote into the Constitution. Think about this: Under the last administration, we passed the Inflation Reduction Act that created incredible jobs--union jobs--and grew our economy in Nevada and across this country. Now President Trump and Russ Vought are saying the President doesn't have to deliver all that funding to communities in Nevada and across the country. Many of those communities have already broken ground on projects that they were promised funding for. Instead of focusing on the working families that Donald Trump said he was fighting for, he is clearly only interested in becoming as powerful as possible, no matter how many laws he breaks. Listen, you know something is wrong when firefighters who went to Los Angeles to help contain the devastating wildfires received emails from the Trump administration encouraging them to resign. It wasn't an email to say: Thank you. You risked your lives. We couldn't do this without you. They actually sent a letter to these firefighters saying: Well, it is time to resign. What kind of President thanks our firefighters by telling them to leave their jobs and leave our communities defenseless? He doesn't care about our safety and security. He only cares about his own. My question for my colleagues on the other side of the aisle is, What is next? What will be the next congressional power we cede to Donald Trump and his billionaire friends? What will be the next crisis we have to clean up when we could be focusing on delivering for Americans? We are supposed to be representing the people of our States and fighting for them. When I speak to Nevadans every single day, they expect me to get them the Federal support they need. That means working across the aisle. I will work with anyone to get things done on behalf of my State and across the country. But it also means standing up to anyone who would prefer to sow chaos and ignore the Constitution, violate our laws, usurp our power; anyone who would rather do that and not tackle the real issues that Americans are dealing with right now. Let me say, I don't know anybody, any one of my colleagues or anyone else, who doesn't support streamlining our Federal Government. I am here because I was so frustrated with the bureaucracy of the Federal Government and support streamlining it and think we should do that, absolutely, every day, work towards how we make it work for Americans. I support it. But what we need is a thoughtful business strategy to do just that. That is welcome. But burning the Federal Government to the ground, that is not a business strategy; that is just total destruction. And that is not what the American people deserve. I yield the floor.

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. In support of firefighters fighting wildfires, I vote no.

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Mr. President, I am so appreciative of my colleagues coming down here to talk about not only the January 6 pardons that President Trump has done but to stand with the men and women in law enforcement. When I am home, quite often I will hear at times: Well, Democrats don't support law enforcement. They don't support the men and women who keep our communities safe. That is just not true, as you can see today. But here is what I know, and this is why this is devastating, I think, to so many men and women who not only are Capitol Police officers right here who defended this Capitol on January 6, who stand guard to protect us, but, honestly, for all of the men and women in law enforcement across this country who are paying attention and watching what this President does. Will he have their backs when the time comes? Will he be there to truly support them in their time of need when they are doing their job like he says he will? We have spent the last decade hearing Donald Trump talk about law and order and cracking down on crime. Last fall, on a national podcast, he called for giving our law enforcement back their dignity. He said we need to give them their ``dignity back.'' Just last week at the White House, at a press conference, he claimed to be a friend of the police. Well, now, Donald Trump has been in office for just 1 week--although, I will be truthful, it seems like longer, but it has just been 1 week-- and already, his actions have made it crystal clear that he does not mean what he says. In fact, from his actions that we have seen so far, he is actively working against the men and women in law enforcement, not only those here who work in this Capitol but across this country. Let me put this in starker terms that I think my Republican colleagues will understand. Nevada families across my State have been torn apart by dangerous drugs like methamphetamine and opioids. That is true for so many families across the country, including, Mr. President, in your own State. It doesn't matter if they are Democrats or Republicans or libertarians or Independents, illicit drug trafficking is impacting everyone in this country. But last week--just last week--Donald Trump pardoned the founder of Silk Road. What is Silk Road? It is an underground internet site that oversaw the trafficking of $200 million in illegal drugs and other illicit trade. The founder of Silk Road was convicted by a jury of his peers and sentenced to life in prison for participating in a criminal organization and distributing narcotics on the internet. In fact, we know after that trial that some Americans died after purchasing those illicit drugs on that website--a website that was specifically designed to skirt the law and support criminal activity. But now this founder, the founder of that website who was sentenced to life in prison, is walking free because Donald Trump pardoned him. Donald Trump giving a full, unconditional pardon to this drug dealer and criminal profiteer is a slap in the face to the victims of this crisis and to law enforcement who work to promote our communities and to keep our communities safe. What Donald Trump has done is not law and order; it is chaos. And it is not just with one pardon. Donald Trump has pardoned more than 130 individuals--130--who were convicted of assaulting police officers and some of them right here at the Capitol. Like my colleagues you have heard, I was here that day. I will never forget it. I remember, in the Capitol, running into one of those police officers who had been pepper-sprayed by a rioter in Donald Trump's mob. At the same time while he was washing out his eyes, he was reassuring us Senators that, don't worry, I have your back, and I am standing guard. And he ran back out to the front of the Capitol. He was doing his job that day. But do you know what else happened that day? As we all saw--we saw it on TV, and those of us who were here either saw it personally or later found out--those rioters and those insurrectionists actually came to the Capitol with weapons and zip ties. Now, if nobody knows what is a zip tie is, that is a handcuff. What were these rioters doing with weapons and zip ties coming into our Capitol? They used WD-40 and bear spray on our officers--a perfect example, the officer I saw that morning--and they assaulted our officers with American flags--American flags. They were beating them with these poles of these American flags. This is not some political conspiracy that Donald Trump would like to rewrite; these were insurrectionists. We all know. They posted online. You saw those videos. If you didn't watch it real time on TV, you saw those videos. We saw them shoving, punching, and attacking our law enforcement. Now, instead of serving their time and facing the consequences for the dangerous actions that they committed against our officers, Donald Trump is telling them that not only were they wrongfully punished but, in fact, their behavior on that day is encouraged by him as long as-- listen. Think about this. It is encouraged by him as long as they are doing his bidding. As long as they are doing his bidding, he does not have the backs of our law enforcement officers. Criminals convicted of attacking law enforcement are now giving TV interviews. You have heard from some of my colleagues that they are giving interviews saying that President Trump's pardons have vindicated their actions. This is an endorsement of political violence. These actions--what President Trump has done is an endorsement of political violence. Quite honestly, it is an insult to the men and women who risk their lives every day to keep our families safe. Why do I know that? You don't have to trust what I am saying. Let me just ask you this: I cannot imagine anyone here in this room--when you have a problem, you have a concern about the safety of your family or friends at home or wherever you are, what is the first call you make? To 911 to get a law enforcement officer to come and stand and protect you. I happen to know many law enforcement officers personally because I have spent a good part of my career as a prosecutor--not only here in this U.S. Capitol but as the attorney general of the State of Nevada. I have spent most of my life working with some great men and women in law enforcement. Oh, by the way, I am married to one. My husband worked in Federal law enforcement his entire career. Like the men and women in law enforcement, his priority in doing his job was to keep people safe because that is what our law enforcement does. That is what they are trained to do--to put their lives on the line every single time--every single time--to keep our communities safe. Let me just say it is not just the law enforcement officers--it is not a slap in the face to just those officers; it is to their families because when you are the spouse or the loved one of an officer who gets that call, sometimes in the middle of the night, and they are going out to address some sort of crime or activity that is happening in their community to keep our communities safe, you don't know if they are coming back. There are two calls--the worst kinds you can get as a spouse of a law enforcement officer. The first one is from your spouse saying: I am in the hospital, but don't worry; everything is OK. The second one is not from your spouse, but it is from another law enforcement officer telling you that your husband or wife went out on a call and didn't come back. The sacrifices not only of our officers but their loved ones need to be considered. If we truly believe in law and order and we truly believe that we should support them because they put their lives on the line every single day, then we should stand to have their backs. No matter how difficult it is, no matter your politics, no matter what is happening, we should always be there to support them. You can imagine from what I am saying and my personal background that I will always stand up for law enforcement. I have passed legislation to support public safety under both administrations, Democratic and Republican. I will always speak out when our leaders act against law enforcement, whether they are a Democrat or a Republican. Listen, I have heard some of my colleagues call out President Biden's pardons as an excuse not to call out Donald Trump's pardons, but let me just say I disagreed publicly with President Biden. I disagreed publicly with granting pardons to his family. I disagreed publicly when he gave clemency to Leonard Peltier, who was convicted of murdering two FBI agents. I disagreed with President Biden in commuting the sentence of Adrian Peeler, who was convicted of drug trafficking and murder. I will tell you what, I also spoke out when President Biden nominated Adeel Mangi to be a Federal judge. I did not support him because of his affiliation with a group that wanted to let cop killers out of prison. Now, that was me standing up for law enforcement. Believe me when I say this is not partisan. This is about standing up for the men and women who put their lives on the line every day despite the fact that you may be in the same party of the ongoing President. It shouldn't be hard. Listen, everybody knows. Everyone knows in our communities that if you commit a violent crime in our communities, you should face the consequences. But you know what, don't take my word for it. There are many police organizations out there--one of which is the largest organization of sworn law enforcement officers in the world, the Fraternal Order of Police--and they have condemned Trump's pardoning of those who assaulted Capitol Police officers on January 6. But I will tell you what--I will tell you what--there are too many Members of this body who had the benefit of those Capitol Police officers on January 6 protecting their lives, too many who have been oddly silent to what Donald Trump has done in pardoning individuals who committed violent crimes against our police officers. And you have heard that, earlier today, my Democratic colleagues and I, we cosponsored a resolution to condemn these pardons. You would think that it is very simple. Everybody should get on board. Everybody should have the back of a police officer. Even my Republican colleagues, who claim to be pro-law enforcement, should have signed this resolution and stood with it. But you heard what happened today: It was opposed. The only thing I can tell you, Mr. President, in this day and age, is that if we truly believe in law and order and we want to work together to keep our communities safe, we have to not only talk about it, but we have to act, because the American people deserve better. The American people deserve a President who isn't going to release violent criminals back into our communities. The American people, they deserve safety, and our law enforcement, who maintain that safety, they need to know we have their backs. With that, I yield the floor.

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Mr. President, today I rise to recognize the 40-year anniversary of the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering. ``The Gathering'' is a weeklong coming-together of people rooted in the poetry, music, and arts of cowboy country that takes place every year in the high-desert cowboy town of Elko, NV. The week of January 27 to February 1, 2025, marks the 40th anniversary of this celebration. Cowboys are often seen as a symbol of the American West. Though popular media has influenced the perception of this symbol as a grizzled figure on the range, cowboys represent the modern resilience of the West. They continue to adapt to their current circumstances, and since the 19th century, cowboy poetry has played an important role in sharing, remembering, and expressing the social, environmental, and political changes the West has experienced. The Gathering was first produced in 1985 by a small group of folklorists and poets, and after 40 years, it has grown into a national and international weeklong celebration of the cultural expression of the rangeland West. Cowboy poetry is one of the most popular forms of occupational poetry, and in 2000, Congress designated this event as the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering. Today, the Gathering brings together thousands of people, ranging from cowboys and saddlemakers to insurance salespersons and plumbers, all of whom share a mutual admiration, respect, and dedication to what the West was, is, and will be. The celebration features more than 40 artists and dozens of events to forge connections and grow knowledge through food, gear, film, discussions, dance, music, verse, and more. The Gathering is held every year in Elko, which is the largest town in northeastern Nevada and abuts the scenic Ruby Mountains. Elko was founded in 1869 with the Transcontinental Railroad and has a storied tradition of ranching and mining. As the heart of northeast Nevada, Elko is a fitting place to honor the traditions of cowboy poetry. The event takes place at venues throughout Elko, but the heart of the Gathering is at the Western Folklife Center, headquartered in the historic Pioneer Hotel. The Western Folklife Center was founded in 1980 and provides a platform for rural and urban communities to communicate and exchange new ideas and avenues of expression. They produced the first Cowboy Poetry Gathering in 1985, and it remains their signature event, with programming changing to reflect contemporary realities and issues of the American West. As a representative of Nevada and the West, I know how important our rural communities are to our State's and country's economy and culture. The National Cowboy Poetry Gathering is so special because it brings together a broad community of different identities, all of whom are deeply connected to the Western life. Charles Greenhaw, a member of the steering committee of the first Gathering, wrote, ``If the Gathering can be characterized in a word it's warmth. Why? Who knows. Maybe because when we aren't hemmed-in, we are all cowboys and poets.'' I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering's 40 years of celebrating, remembering, and passing down the creative richness of the West.

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Mr. President, I come forward today to recognize the 40th anniversary of the Nevada Northern Railway Museum. Following the closure of the Nevada Northern Railway in 1983, a group of concerned citizens in Ely, NV, sought to acquire the railroad and open the former site as a tourist operation to offset the economic impact of losing the railway. It was through the power of passionate individuals and generous donations that the Nevada Northern Railway Museum was formed in conjunction with the city of Ely in 1984. Previously owned by the Nevada Consolidated Copper Company, the Nevada Northern Railway was constructed in 1905-06 to support the growing copper mining industry after massive copper deposits were discovered in White Pine County in the early 1900s. The railway then quickly became a necessity for transporting copper to processing and shipping sites and eventually out for market sale. Creating jobs and promoting growth of critical infrastructure, the Nevada Northern Railway played a significant role in the economic development of the State of Nevada at the time. The decline of the copper mining industry ultimately led to the closure of the Nevada Northern Railway in 1983, leaving the citizens of Ely with a desire to find a new purpose for the historic buildings. It was then, thanks to local efforts, that the Kennecott Copper Company agreed to transfer the entire line, as well as the railroad's yard and shop facilities, to the White Pine Historical Railroad Foundation. Today, that organization is known as the Nevada Northern Railway Museum and operates as a family friendly tourist destination in the heart of this picturesque rural community. As a heritage railroad, the Nevada Northern Railway Museum offers an immersive experience filled with historical artifacts and the opportunity to experience Nevada's high deserts and some of the darkest skies in the lower 48 States. Visitors are able to experience passenger excursions pulled by historic steam and diesel locomotives, while listening to exhilarating tales about what life was like during the boom of the mining industry. Perhaps their most famous excursion is the Star Train experience, which allows visitors the opportunity to view the Great Basin night sky free of light pollution, using telescopes for stargazing. I have had the pleasure of joining Nevada Northern Railway for an evening of viewing the desert skies and can say from personal experience that it is a ride unlike any other. With approval from the National Park Service and the support of my predecessor Senator Harry Reid, the Nevada Northern Railway Museum was able to officially designate the East Ely Yard as a National Historic Landmark in 2006. However, many came to know the Nevada Northern Railway Museum when a friendly stray named Dirt the Cat rose to viral fame as the ``Boss Shop Cat,'' keeping watch over daily operations at the railway. Dirt attracted visitors from all over the world who hoped to meet the local celebrity, and he captured the hearts of many Nevadans in his time. His legacy lives on in a number of shop cats that now call the museum home. Largely considered the best-preserved short line rail in the country, the Nevada Northern Railway Museum has put forth tremendous efforts to preserve the history of Ely and provide family fun to visitors of all ages. It is my honor to recognize their 40th anniversary of official service to our State. As a true pillar of heritage, education, and cultural preservation, I wish them well in continuing their work for many years to come.

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Madam President, I am joining my colleagues on the Senate floor today for the same reasons--and I so appreciate my friend and colleague from the great State of Nevada because she is absolutely right, and my colleagues as well--drawing attention to what really is happening here in Washington that has an impact on our individuals and families back home. Quite often, I see so many decisions being made here in this bubble in Washington without any true regard or understanding of the impact on Main Street, where we all live and we come from. And what we are talking about today is what incoming President Donald Trump had passed previously when he was President, which is this massive tax giveaway to billionaires. What the American people don't know, which we know and we are talking about--and that is why we are here--is that tax cut for billionaires is about to expire, and many of my colleagues, Republican colleagues, want to extend the entire bill at the expense of middle-class families across the country. Now, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office says that reauthorizing the Trump tax bill as-is would add $4.6 trillion to our national debt. That would raise interest rates and make it more expensive for families to buy a home, to send their kids to college, or to start a business. Based on how much time my colleagues across the aisle have spent the last 4 years--as I have sat in the Presiding Officer's seat listening to my colleagues, I have heard them say that we should be talking about the deficit and doing something about it. I would hope that they would want to avoid adding trillions of dollars to it, regardless of who is in the White House, even now. Unfortunately, that doesn't appear to be the case. Instead, my colleagues now--my Republican colleagues--have come up with two options for selling this legislation to the American people-- again, this legislation that will mainly benefit the very wealthy in this country, the billionaires--legislation that is going to add $4 trillion to the deficit. This is how they plan to do it. One option is Republican leadership in the Senate has suggested that because they want to extend policy that currently exists, we should just ignore the cost of extending it; there shouldn't be a pay-for; we don't have to worry about it; that all of a sudden, that $4 trillion increase in deficit just doesn't exist. Now, I know we all wish we could forget about an actual debt sometimes, but that is not what the American people sent us here to do, and that is not what American people do. I can tell you that every family across this country has to live within their means and manage their budget--my family, my grandparents, my parents, everybody, every individual. So we should be working together to address this issue. The other option that I have heard from some of my colleagues across the aisle to reauthorize this Trump tax bill is they have suggested a pay-for which is to gut Medicaid in order to pay for tax breaks, again, for the wealthiest people. I can't stress this enough: again, tax breaks for the very, very wealthy--the top 1 percent--on the backs of working families, on the backs of individuals, our middle class. To me, that is just outrageous. Padding the pockets of the top 1 percent at the expense of hard-working families is unacceptable, and nobody should stand for that. I urge my Republican colleagues and leadership in this body to work in a bipartisan manner on this and find solutions that will benefit all Americans, not just CEOs and their board members. There is a way we can come together to make sure our middle class benefits, that our small businesses and companies--by the way, that are essential for that middle class and our labor force, because you need both--work together to benefit, and really work and identify a pay-for and how we are not going to add to the deficit. I can't stress this enough: We need to come together and build on spending reductions from the bipartisan Fiscal Responsibility Act instead of targeting Americans' healthcare. And let's ensure that the wealthiest pay their fair share to protect the middle class and their children from the exorbitant trillion-dollar bill the Republicans are currently going to send to them. The two options just do not work, but there is an option that works, and I will stress it one more time. We need to work together in a bipartisan way. This should not be a partisan issue. This should not be done just through reconciliation without any input from the Democrats because, at the end of the day, our families are no different, our communities are no different. My firefighters in Nevada are no different than firefighters in your State. My hard-working laborers in my State, whether they come from the service industry and it is somebody who is washing dishes in a restaurant in Nevada, are no different than that person washing dishes in some of my colleagues' States. Everybody benefits if we come together in a bipartisan way, and that is how this should work. And I am hopeful my colleagues are willing to do so. I yield the floor.

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Mr. President, I absolutely respect my colleague from Massachusetts and look forward to working with him. Let me just put on the record here the concern in why this legislation is so necessary. Time is of the essence here. We are talking about saving lives. Never, ever would we want to undermine the process to move forward, but unfortunately, in this case, the process of moving forward is going to take, one, time that we know is very bureaucratic; two, the process moving forward, if we are to wait for it, does not take into consideration our veterinarians, farmers, and ranchers. If we wait for the proposal to come forward from the DEA, that proposal will not carve out and still allow this particular drug, xylazine, to be utilized by our veterinarians and farmers. It will absolutely make it a schedule III and take it off completely. That is why this legislation was essential. That is why, working with our veterinarians and working with the DEA and the entire executive branch, we wanted to bring them into this process, without undermining that process, to make sure we were doing everything possible to address this in a timely manner. It is also why, earlier this year, the executive branch issued several legislative proposals in its ``Detect and Defeat'' Counter- Fentanyl Proposal, which was shared with Congress. Those proposals made a provision to make xylazine a schedule III drug. That legislation proposed to place xylazine in schedule III by the executive branch is supported by the entire executive branch, including specifically the Department of Health and Human Services and the Food and Drug Administration. They have been brought into the process. Those are the health experts. That is what this is about. The goal was to bring everybody together now, to bring all the key stakeholders so we can make this timely legislation and move it because time is of the essence if we are to save lives. That is why, honestly, many of the veterinarian associations across the country, including in Massachusetts, support this process. They do not want to be left out. If we are to wait for the DEA process to go forward, there is not going to be a carve-out for veterinarians to access this drug. This was my attempt and Senator Grassley's and so many of us working with all the key stakeholders on good legislation that makes sense, that is common sense to move forward here. Nobody was left out of the process, including the health experts. I am disappointed we can't move this today, but I am hopeful, working with my colleague from Massachusetts, that we can provide him with the necessary information that he is seeking to move this legislation in a timely manner. I know he cares about this issue, about saving lives, as well.

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Madam President, I rise today to thank Senator Barrasso and my colleagues on Energy and Natural Resources. Today, we were able to pass H.R. 5443, which is the Accelerating Appraisals and Conservation Efforts Act. I am so appreciative of my colleagues for that support today. This is going to make a real difference for working families in this country. We know that every parcel of land the Federal Government transfers or sells has to be appraised. Right now, we have a backlog of transfers waiting on approval because of a shortage of appraisals. That is delaying affordable housing construction, conservation efforts, and critical infrastructure projects that we really need in Nevada. I thank my colleagues in joining me in cutting through this government redtape. This act was authored by me here in the Senate but also my colleague Congresswoman Susie Lee in the House. It will speed up land transfers at no additional cost to the American taxpayer by giving private appraisers the same flexibility as the government to be part of this process. In my home State of Nevada, where over 80 percent of the land is owned by the Federal Government, that is a big deal. This is a commonsense bipartisan solution. I am so grateful we were able to pass it today. I yield the floor.

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Madam President, notwithstanding rule XXII, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of the following bills en bloc: Calendar No. 299, S. 2042; Calendar No. 280, S. 1760; Calendar No. 584, S. 2151; and Calendar No. 639, S. 5000.

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. I ask unanimous consent that the committee-reported substitute amendments, where applicable, be agreed to; that the bills, as amended, if amended, be considered read a third time and passed; that the committee-reported title amendment to S. 5000 be considered and agreed to; that the title of S. 5000, as amended, be agreed to; and that the motions to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table, all en bloc.

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Madam President, I want to talk about two of the bills that we just passed unanimously today, and I want to thank my colleagues for passing them through UC. They are important pieces of legislation to Nevada. They are S. 1760, the Apex Area Technical Corrections Act, and S. 2042, the Sloan Canyon Conservation and Horizon Lateral Water Pipeline Act. The first one, the Apex Area Technical Corrections Act, will streamline the permitting process for new and existing businesses in the Apex Industrial Park in southern Nevada, creating new, good-paying jobs and supporting business growth in North Las Vegas. I have been to the Apex Industrial Park, and I have seen firsthand the incredible opportunities there. We need to cut redtape and make it easier for new businesses to open their doors and hire hard-working Nevadans. The passage of this legislation today in the Senate will help get us on that path. The second piece of legislation, which is the Sloan Canyon Conservation and Horizon Lateral Water Pipeline Act, will upgrade the outdated water infrastructure, protecting the water supply for more than 1 million people in southern Nevada. Right now, almost 40 percent of Las Vegas is served with one water pipeline. A new, updated pipeline will improve the reliability capacity of the existing water system without pulling any more water from Lake Mead. This bill also expands the Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area by more than 9,000 acres, growing this increasingly popular recreation site by almost 20 percent of its existing size. These necessary improvements will make Nevada's water infrastructure more sustainable and will protect the water supply for generations to come in southern Nevada. Again, I thank my colleagues for joining me in passing these two pieces of legislation by unanimous consent. I yield the floor.

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Mr. President, I rise today, along with my colleague from Nevada Senator Jacky Rosen to commemorate 7 years since the deadliest mass shooting in America's recent history. And as you can see from her previous comments, she is always, always fighting for Nevadans, working to protect our families in Nevada. And I am just so proud to be able to work alongside her representing the great State of Nevada. As you have heard, 7 years ago, people from across the country gathered in Las Vegas for the Route 91 Harvest music festival. These were 3 days of live performances and dancing and fun. My niece was there. And October 1, what was supposed to be a joyous conclusion to the festival turned into a complete nightmare. In just 10 minutes from the window of a nearby hotel, a gunman fired more than 1,000 shots into the festival crowd. Mr. President, 58 people were killed, and 2 more died later from their injuries. More than 800 were wounded, and thousands of families were forever changed. Now, I remember sitting with some of them at the reunification center, hoping and praying that their loved ones would return to them. I will tell you what, though, some prayers were never answered, and that was heartbreaking. But as the city of Las Vegas mourned, we also came together. Neighbors reached out to one another and helped each other heal. Programs were created to help our city cope and move forward. We were resilient because we are ``Vegas Strong.'' Out of tragedy and suffering, there was hope. Let me tell you about something that gives me hope: 3 weeks after the events of October 1, the Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada and Clark County set up the Vegas Strong Resiliency Center as a resource for the survivors of the Route 91 Harvest festival and their families. After a tragedy like a mass shooting, the families, the victims, and survivors alike have to adjust to a new normal. Imagine living through the horrors of that October night and learning to heal from those injuries or grieving the loss of a loved one whose life was taken so suddenly by a senseless act of violence. Then imagine, after you have been left with all of that trauma, that you are now faced with the complexity of paying medical bills or dealing with insurance companies. It is overwhelming. And where do you even begin? How are you going to navigate it all through your own emotional stress? The Vegas Strong Resiliency Center was designed to ensure that families didn't have to go through that process alone. The center brought community partners with different resources to the table to deliver anything that the survivors might need from support groups, to mental health services, to financial advice. And I have seen some of their great work myself. Their incredible executive director Tennille Pereira shared this story of a survivor of October 1, who, after recovering from being shot that night, could no longer make her way up the stairs to reach her apartment. In response to that, her landlord threatened to evict her. So she got in touch with Vegas Strong Resiliency Center. The center contacted her landlord, got the landlord to back down, and then helped her move to another apartment that was accessible to her. This is what happens when the community comes together to help each other. The Resiliency Center connected survivors with the resources they need right when they need them. It gave survivors hope, and it helped them find light in the darkness. In the 7 years since its establishment, the center not only helped survivors of the Route 91 Harvest Festival, but through the lessons learned from that crisis, it actually improved services for victims of violent crime throughout Southern Nevada, and that includes human trafficking survivors, domestic abuse survivors, and even first responders who have post-traumatic stress. And when Las Vegas was struck by another tragedy last year after a gunman killed three people at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, the staff at the Resiliency Center were able to immediately respond, providing resources and programs for students, families, faculty, and staff. In January of this year, the Vegas Strong Resiliency Center was renamed the Resiliency and Justice Center, and its mission expanded to serve all survivors of violent crime in Southern Nevada. They are continuing to grow their staff and their resources, and they are even getting ready to expand their offices. I am so proud to support the work of the Resiliency and Justice Center. At a time when our city was truly shaken to its core, they were there to help us get back on our feet, to help us remember that life goes on after loss, to help us find the strength to rebuild as a community. And now as we mark 7 years since that terrible evening at the Route 91 Harvest Festival, we also mark 7 years of hope and resilience in the city of Las Vegas. We hold the victims and their families in our hearts forever, and we remain Vegas Strong. I yield the floor.

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Mr. President, today I rise to recognize the 100-year anniversary of the Nevada Association of Counties, also known as NACO. NACO was established in Reno, NV, in 1924 under the name of Nevada County Commissioners' Association. NACO was established when Nevada had a total population of 84,000 residents. Today, NACO represents all 17 counties in Nevada, from Clark County with a population of over 2,000,000 residents, to Esmerelda with a population of less than 1,000 residents. Every year, I make a dedicated effort to visit all 17 Nevada counties because I know how important each community is to our State's economy and culture. Counties serve as a vital administrative arm of Nevada's State government. Their work is critical, as they play a key role in maintaining records, overseeing courts and law enforcement, supporting fire protection, administering health and welfare assistance, assessing property, collecting taxes, building roads, and conducting elections. Nevada counties perform these important functions and many others through their elected representatives who serve as general purpose government for both unincorporated and incorporated areas, thereby servicing all people within Nevada. Since 1924, Nevada counties have grown in population, experienced urbanization, and undergone economic evolutions. Over the past 100 years of Nevada's development, NACO has helped county governments to meet this change. NACO's initiative, leadership, and proactive problem solving have helped counties across Nevada act and usher in positive change. Today, Nevada counties face unique challenges and opportunities. Even though Nevada is one of the most urbanized States in the Nation, the State has a large rural population. NACO continues their legacy of ensuring Nevada county governments have the best opportunity to make positive change and can lead all Nevada communities into the future, no matter their size. As a representative of all 17 counties in Nevada, NACO plays a large role in ensuring all people within Nevada benefit from local, regional, State, and national decisions. This is accomplished through their continued nonpartisan efforts to provide county governments with educational and support services, advocacy at a State and Federal level and opportunities to make legislative change in the State. I know that our Nevada congressional delegation appreciates working directly with this hard-working organization and its members. I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing NACO's 100 years of dedicated service to all people within Nevada and NACO's efforts to meet the challenges and opportunities facing Nevada's counties. We look forward to continuing the legacy by working collaboratively for the next hundred years.

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Mr. President, I rise in recognition of today's guest Chaplain, Rajan Zed. Mr. Zed is not new to Congress. He was invited in 2007 by Majority Leader Harry Reid to read the first-ever Hindu opening prayer before the U.S. Senate. And he has read opening prayers in the U.S. House of Representatives, various State legislative bodies, county commissions, and city councils all across the United States. Mr. Zed is a religious leader of the Hindu community in Reno, and he has taken up causes from all over the world. He is president of the Universal Society of Hinduism, an active member of the Nevada Interfaith Association, and a spiritual advisor to the National Association of Interchurch & Interfaith Families. He has been invited to and participated in the World Economic Forum. He has met with the President of the European Parliament in Brussels to promote interfaith dialogue, and he has received several awards for his contributions to both local and global religious communities. Outside of his faith leadership, Mr. Zed has been active in the Reno community. He serves on the governing board of directors of the Northern Nevada International Center, the board of directors of the Nevada World Trade Council, the Citizens Advisory Committee of the Regional Transportation Commission, and on the Reno Police Chief Advisory Board. Mr. President, I am honored to have Mr. Zed back in the U.S. Senate to deliver opening prayers once again today. I welcome him to the U.S. Senate and his beautiful family. I yield the floor.

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the senior Senator from Ohio be authorized to sign duly enrolled bills or joint resolutions from July 25, 2024, through July 26, 2024.