Catherine Cortez Masto

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Mr. Chief Justice, I send a question to the desk.

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Mr. President, I come forward today to recognize the career and service of Ms. Dana Bennett, who will soon retire as president of the Nevada Mining Association. Ms. Bennett is the first woman to lead the Nevada Mining Association, serving as the State industry's educational and advocacy leader, as well as its chief representative in national and international outreach. As we commemorate her retirement, her countless contributions to the great State of Nevada are worthy of recognition. Ms. Bennett began her career of service to Nevada as a principal research analyst with the Nevada Legislative Counsel Bureau, LCB, where she worked with both parties and committee staff in the State senate and assembly for over 9 years. One of her more notable achievements during her time at the LCB was identifying an error in the 1929 bill that established the design of the Nevada State flag. Ms. Bennett's sleuthing resulted in a design change to the Nevada State flag, ensuring that it fully complied with the law and producing the flag that we still proudly fly today. In 1998, Ms. Bennett left the LCB to start her own legislative and policy research services company. She went on to represent such clients as the Nevada Broadcasters Association, the Nevada State Medical Association, the Associated General Contractors of Las Vegas, and many more. Ms. Bennett successfully ran this company, Research by Design, from 1998 to 2004, before being offered the position of director of government affairs at R&R Partners--one of Nevada's premiere public relations and government affairs firms. In 2006, Ms. Bennett left R&R to pursue a graduate degree at Arizona State University, ASU. During her time in graduate school, Ms. Bennett served as a policy analyst at the Morrison Institute for Public Policy; a research assistant at the ASU School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies; and a research historian at the Arizona State Archives. In January 2011, Ms. Bennett returned to Nevada to once again serve, this time as senior researcher for Governor Sandoval, eventually becoming the Northern Nevada regional director for the Governor's Office of Economic Development. As regional director, Ms. Bennett was a catalyst in the overhaul and redevelopment of that State agency, where she created the new State plan for excellence in economic development and worked to improve collaboration between the State and its regional development authorities to better facilitate economic growth in Nevada. In December 2014, Ms. Bennett was named president of the Nevada Mining Association. Through this role, Ms. Bennett has worked tirelessly to advocate for the mining industry in Nevada and educate people about the importance of mining and its impact on both the State and global economies. From her time at LCB, to becoming the first woman President of the Nevada Mining Association, Ms. Bennett has been a trailblazer for women in Nevada, helping break the glass ceiling in industries often dominated by men. Through all of Ms. Bennett's incredible work and public service, she has gained an intimate understanding of the policy and initiatives that aim to improve the lives of all Nevadans. It is my sincere hope that Ms. Bennett will continue to be an advocate for the people of Nevada and their interests. Today, I celebrate the many contributions of Ms. Dana Bennett. Nevadans are fortunate to have had her leadership, knowledge, and voice during her service to both the State and the country.

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Mr. President, I come forward today to recognize the 25th anniversary of the Veterans Guest House. The Veterans Guest House has long been one of Reno's best kept secrets. This ``home away from home'' is one of the only facilities of its kind in the country serving U.S. military veterans and their families, providing temporary overnight accommodations for veterans receiving treatment at a medical facility in the Reno-Sparks area. In the early 1990s, veterans visiting the Veterans Administration Medical Center of the Sierra, VAMC, in Reno noticed that the family members of veterans were sleeping in their cars because they couldn't afford lodging while their loved one was in the hospital. Even some veterans were sleeping in their cars so they could arrive for appointments and other treatments. It was clear that this was not acceptable, and so our generous Northern Nevada community went to work to do better for our veterans. In 1994, Reno's Spouse House opened its doors in an old bungalow- style home right near the VAMC in Reno. It had a handful of beds, and in those early years, the House provided lodging to about 800 guests each year. In the 25 years since that time, the Veterans Guest House has evolved and expanded to better meet the needs of our veterans and their families. In 2002, the nonprofit took the name ``Veterans Guest House'' to reflect its broader mission of assisting both veterans and their families, and in 2004, a new 12-bed home was built. By 2012, the nonprofit had acquired another property and expanded the bed total to 17, allowing them to provide more than 5,000 guest nights that year. Recently, construction concluded on the latest expansion bringing total capacity to 33 beds. The Veterans Guest House is key to connecting our community to our veterans, providing a variety of ways to show our support for our veterans and their families and the sacrifices made by both. Volunteers are welcome at the Veterans Guest House to help provide the organization ongoing support doing everything from cleaning rooms, to assisting in small repairs, to helping with fundraisers. Community groups, families, and businesses also are encouraged to provide a home- cooked meal for the guests or help fill the needs of the agency's ``Wish List.'' Most guests reside more than 30 miles away from the hospital, and so having that support for them and their families is crucial. Guests are asked to make a donation to support the work of the House, but no one is turned away because they can't pay. The organization relies completely on donations and receives no Federal or State funding. I am so pleased to recognize the 25th anniversary of the Veterans Guest House and the critical services and support it provides to our veterans and their families.

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Madam President, I rise today because of my firm opposition to Lawrence VanDyke's nomination to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, which has jurisdiction over my home State of Nevada. Mr. VanDyke lacks the support of both his home State Senators, Jacky Rosen and I. His qualifications are inadequate and his ties to Nevada are minimal. His nomination sets a dangerous precedent for the Senate and would allow future administrations to nominate virtual outsiders to communities across the country over Senators' objections. The President could have chosen a better nominee. Senator Rosen and I tried to work with the administration to identify well-respected attorneys from Nevada as potential appeals court judges. Instead, the President decided to nominate someone with no current ties to our State, someone whom the American Bar Association has rated as ``not qualified'' for the Federal bench, someone who holds extreme beliefs about reproductive rights, LGBTQ rights, gun violence prevention, and environmental protection. The American Bar Association interviewed 60 of Mr. VanDyke's former colleagues, and those colleagues characterized him as arrogant, lazy, an ideologue, and lacking in knowledge of the day-to-day practice, including procedural rules. Mr. VanDyke's nomination is unprecedented for all of these reasons. If confirmed to the Ninth Circuit, Lawrence VanDyke would be the first judicial nominee appointed to the bench without the support of his home State Senators, with a ``not qualified'' rating from the American Bar Association, and without ties to the community whose appeals court seat he would occupy. I would like to ask my colleagues: What kind of message are we sending when we confirm individuals who don't have the support of their local communities? We need judges with the knowledge, the maturity, and experience to understand the impact their decisions will have on the States over which they preside. How will my colleagues feel when a future administration attempts to do the same thing to their State, when a Democratic President, perhaps, nominates a Californian to sit on a district court in Kentucky or a lifelong DC resident is sent to a court in Texas? Mr. VanDyke's qualifications and connections to Nevada are just one part of my objection to his confirmation. I also believe Mr. VanDyke's views are just too extreme to promote to the Federal bench. He signed the State of Montana on to a brief in an Arizona case that argued that Roe v. Wade ``should . . . be revisited.'' On LGBTQ protections, Mr. VanDyke at his confirmation hearings broke down in tears of frustration at the very idea that he might be unfair to LGBTQ litigants. He insisted that he believes in treating ``all people . . . with dignity and respect,'' but he didn't treat LGBTQ people with dignity and respect when he wrote in a 2004 article that same-sex marriage hurts families, children, and society. It certainly doesn't reflect an attitude of dignity and respect to support extreme groups like the Family Research Council and the Alliance Defending Freedom, both of which have been designated as anti-LGBTQ hate groups by the Southern Poverty Law Center. The people who can legitimately shed tears about Lawrence VanDyke's record on LGBTQ rights are those who are still shunned because of whom they love. On the issue of preventing gun violence, Mr. VanDyke made his stance clear in a questionnaire the NRA sent to him when he was running for the Supreme Court of Montana. In his answers to the NRA's questions, Mr. VanDyke said he believed that ``all gun control laws are misdirected.'' In Nevada, we believe in Second Amendment rights, but we also agree--as almost all Americans do--that commonsense measures like background checks keep us safer. Finally, Mr. VanDyke has done his best to erode environmental standards and protections. As solicitor general of Nevada, he signed on to a lawsuit that threatened the critical sage grouse protections. Governor Sandoval, the Republican Governor at the time, said that lawsuit ``did not represent the State of Nevada, the governor, or any state agencies.'' The Western United States has some of the most fragile and iconic public lands in the Nation. I object to letting Mr. VanDyke oversee them when he seems to care so little for their values. Mr. VanDyke's record shows that he is not a neutral arbiter of the law. Because of his poor qualifications and because of his extreme activist approach to the law, I will vote against his confirmation, and I urge my colleagues to do the same. I yield the floor.

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Mr. President, I have spent 3 years in the U.S. Senate. During this time, I can tell you the No. 1 issue when I am home--and I suspect it is in your State, as well, and across this country--is the cost of healthcare in this country and to be sure that everybody in this country, no matter your party, your religion, where you live, urban or rural area, has access to affordable healthcare not only when it is needed but also for preventative purposes to give you peace of mind. Unfortunately, what we have seen is high cost; inability to get access to it, oftentimes when you are in a rural community; and a fight here in Congress. Instead of working together to solve this problem, we are too far apart in presenting a solution--in coming together for a solution. It is open enrollment season for healthcare right now, which means Americans have an opportunity to get new healthcare coverage or change the coverage they have. In Nevada, the State is running a new exchange website and working hard to make sure every Nevadan gets covered at NevadaHealthLink.com. I thank our fantastic exchange director, Heather Korbulic, and her team for all they are doing. I want to encourage all Nevadans to get coverage. I don't think people realize how much help there is for individuals to get coverage at Nevada Health Link. If you want healthcare, please, please reach out by the December 15 deadline to learn more about the opportunities that are available to you to be able to afford it. Open enrollment is a good time for us to reflect on how far we have come, thanks to the Affordable Care Act, and to take stock--to take stock--of the threats to that coverage. Unfortunately, I have watched in Congress as Members of the Republican Party, particularly this administration, try to sabotage the Affordable Care Act at every turn. At the end of October, the Senate held a vote on Senator Warner's resolution to overturn this administration's damaging and dangerous rule expanding so-called junk plans. My Democratic colleagues voted in favor of the resolution because they know how important healthcare is to our constituents. Yet, unfortunately, nearly all of the Senate Republicans voted against it. They voted to allow Americans to buy skimpy, low-benefit plans that send us back to the dark days of health coverage in America by allowing insurers to sidestep the patient protections in the Affordable Care Act. These junk plans don't cover essential services like prescription drugs, emergency room visits, mental healthcare, and maternity care. They don't prevent insurers from discriminating against people with preexisting conditions. There are about 1.2 billion of them in Nevada alone. My colleagues on the other of the aisle argue that these junk plans are low cost. Well, they cost less than some plans, but that doesn't mean they are cheap. They may have high deductibles or exclude coverage of costly services, and, by law, more of the money they collect in premiums can go toward the insurers' profits. But when you realize that these plans provide barely any benefits, you can see, for most people, the plans are no savings at all. What is more, because insurers often use deceptive marketing practices, people who purchase these plans don't always know just how skimpy their coverage is. Sometimes patients don't realize that their plans leave out much needed procedures until after they have racked up huge bills. Paving the way for junk plans is just one way Republicans are undermining the Affordable Care Act. The Trump administration and 18 Republican State attorneys general are trying to get the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals to overturn the entire Affordable Care Act in a case called Texas v. United States. This is just the latest and one of the most dangerous of over 100 Republican attempts to get rid of the Affordable Care Act in Congress and the courts. If the Fifth Circuit overturns the Affordable Care Act, Americans will lose the peace of mind and protections they have told us so many times that they want. The last thing Americans need is for us to turn back the clock to a time when they couldn't get healthcare for preexisting conditions or they couldn't get insurance to cover essential health needs. This summer, I met with Ashby Bellows and Charlie Bell, two Nevadans with juvenile diabetes. Both girls are doing well now, but their parents worry that when the girls are no longer on their parents' plan, they might opt to ration their insulin. Think about that--ration their insulin. Unfortunately, it is a common practice among people who cannot afford the often sky-high cost of insulin, and it can be deadly. In fact, one out of seven Americans knows someone who passed away in the last 5 years because they couldn't afford treatment for a medical condition. Senate Republicans have told their constituents that they will protect Americans' healthcare, and President Trump has said he has a plan to provide Americans with healthcare. Well, where is it? I mean, the only plan we have seen is an attempt to sabotage the Affordable Care Act and rip away coverage from hundreds of thousands in Nevada and millions across America. My Democratic colleagues and I are fighting to ensure that everyone in this country has access to affordable healthcare. Unfortunately, what I have seen on the other side of the aisle and in this administration is that they are fighting to take it away. There is a clear distinction between the two, and I think the American public is tired of it. We all should be working in a bipartisan way to make sure that everyone in this country has access to affordable healthcare. I will continue to vote for comprehensive and affordable healthcare in this country, and I will continue pushing to strengthen the Affordable Care Act and reduce prescription drug costs for Nevadans. I will keep fighting to ensure that Americans stay safe and healthy, and I will assure you that I will keep talking to my colleagues so that, hopefully, one day we will be fighting for the same thing, which is to ensure that everyone in this country, no matter your background or where you live, has access to affordable healthcare when you need it-- when you need that coverage and you want to protect a loved one. I yield the floor.

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Madam President, I come forward today to recognize the chief executive officer of the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada, Tina Quigley, who, after over 14 years of dedicated service, announced her retirement this year. Tina Quigley has been a visionary during her tenure at the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada. Her forward thinking and planning for the future has led the RTC to be named one of the most efficient transit providers in the Nation. Her leadership has helped Southern Nevada reap the benefits of an advanced transportation system that has helped attract tourists, residents, and new businesses. Ms. Quigley has over 25 years of experience in transportation management. She has consistently been on the leading edge of improving how residents, workers, and visitors travel the Las Vegas Valley. With a rapidly growing population of 2.1 million residents and more than 42 million annual visitors, that is no small task. Her determination in pushing for technological advancements, forging partnerships, and strategizing for the future have positioned the region for ongoing and sustained economic growth. Ms. Quigley is also a licensed pilot and earned her bachelor of science degree in aviation business and planning from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. She is a former manager of one of the Nation's busiest airports, McCarran International Airport, and has amassed an impressive number of professional achievements throughout her career. The incredible work that Ms. Quigley has done for Southern Nevada has not gone unrecognized. She has earned numerous awards for her leadership, innovation, and vision. These awards include but are not limited to the Woman of Distinction Award for Government Services by the National Association of Women Business Owners, the Carolyn M. Sparks Founders Award from the Nevada International Women's Forum, and the 2012 Women in Transportation award from Metro Magazine. Ms. Quigley has also remembered to give back to her community and has directed her energy, passion, and commitment into bettering the Las Vegas Valley. She serves on a multitude of boards and committees in Southern Nevada, including as chairperson of the Desert Research Institute Foundation, which supports the nonprofit environmental science research branch of the Nevada System of Higher Education. Today, I celebrate the many contributions of Tina Quigley to the city of Las Vegas and to the Southern Nevada community. Her service is as an example to all of us who wish to innovate, serve, and better our communities.

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Mr. President, I come forward today to recognize the executive director of the Regional Transportation Commission of Washoe County, Lee Gibson, who after over 10 years of dedicated service, announced his retirement this year. Since his appointment to chief director of the RTC in 2009, Mr. Gibson has worked tirelessly to improve customer service and promote collaboration with the local community. During his tenure at the RTC, he has reduced agency operating costs by over 30 percent while delivering the largest multimodal construction program in the agency's history. His dedication and pragmatism has helped guide the RTC of Washoe County through tumultuous economic times as well as the exponential growth of the Reno-Sparks area. The RTC, under the management of Mr. Gibson, adopted a sustainability policy that has led to a multitude of successful projects, including earning national recognition for the SouthEast Connector. The RTC has also been recognized for achieving LEED certification for two recently opened transit centers and obtained recognition for the development of Complete Streets and sustainable highway design throughout the Truckee Meadows. The region was even designated as a bicycle-friendly community by the American League of Bicyclists. Mr. Gibson did not just focus on restructuring the transit system during his time as the Director of the RTC; his emphasis on customer service and time performance led to improved customer satisfaction with the transportation services. This is due to the RTC's implementation of innovative services, such as the RTC RAPID bus rapid transit project. Mr. Gibson also succeeded in delivering a broader community outreach program and successfully collaborated with other agencies to plan and deliver efficient and effective transportation services. Mr. Gibson made sure to give back to his community beyond his impressive service in the RTC. He is a founding member of Northern Nevada Transportation Collaborative, NNTC, a coalition of business and government leaders, academic researchers, transportation professionals, and citizens committed to promoting transportation as a key tool for economic revitalization, quality of life, and sustainability. In 2012 he became the chairman of the Nevada Executive Committee for Transportation Safety. There, he works with State and local agencies to promote safety policies for all modes of transportation. He is also a member of the TRB Planning Applications Committee and the APTA Planning and Policy Committee. Today, I celebrate the many contributions of Lee Gibson to the Reno- Sparks metropolitan area and Washoe County as well as to the Northern Nevada community. We owe Mr. Gibson a debt of gratitude for his service and his leadership will be missed.

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Madam President, I come forward today to recognize the 100th anniversary of the Nevada Farm Bureau Federation. Founded in 1919, the Nevada Farm Bureau Federation has been a strong voice for Nevada's farmers and ranchers. Unbeknownst to many, Nevada is home to some of the largest agricultural operations in the Nation, and over the past 100 years, the Nevada Farm Bureau Federation has provided a reliable and steady source of advocacy for the agricultural community in the Silver State. On February 25, 1919, Assemblyman Care C. Tidd of Smith, NV, introduced Nevada Assembly Bill 110 in the Nevada Legislature. The purpose of the bill was to provide for cooperative agricultural and home economics extension work in several counties in accordance with the Smith-Lever Act and provide for the organization of county farm bureaus. Following formation of an authorized county farm bureau, the bill directed that bureau as the official body within county for carrying on extension work in agriculture and home economics in cooperation with the Cooperative Services Program and the Land-Grant University System. The first Nevada Farm Bureau office was founded in Lyon County. Over the course of the past century, the Nevada Farm Bureau Federation has evolved from its original form into a private nonprofit organization and strong advocate for the State's farmers and ranchers, voicing the concerns of its membership to policymakers on the local, State and federal levels. Additionally, the Nevada Farm Bureau Federation continues its century-old partnership with Cooperative Extension in the Silver State. The Nevada Farm Bureau Federation is currently made up of 11 county farm bureau organizations representing nearly 18,000 family members. I am pleased to recognize the Nevada Farm Bureau's 100 years of service to Nevadans and our great State and wish the group well in continuing its work on behalf of farmers and ranchers for many years to come.

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Madam President, I rise today in opposition to the nomination of Lawrence VanDyke to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Mr. VanDyke fits neatly into this administration's pattern of picking Federal judges for our circuit courts of appeal without meaningful input from home State Senators. The President continues to select ideologically extreme nominees like Mr. VanDyke, and the White House is putting forward people without enough experience for the momentous roles they have been chosen to serve. Mr. VanDyke has been nominated to fill a Nevada seat on the Ninth Circuit even though he is not a Nevadan. He didn't grow up in my State. He doesn't appear to own property there. He doesn't seem to have family ties. And he was an active member of the Nevada State bar for only 2 years. Senator Rosen and I engaged with the White House to put forward highly respected Nevadans with bipartisan support, but our suggestions were summarily ignored because the White House was laser-focused on Mr. VanDyke. I want to be clear. The administration did not meaningfully consult about this nomination with Nevada Senators, and the result is a poor nominee. First and foremost, I am extremely concerned about the effect that Lawrence VanDyke's lifetime appointment would have on women's reproductive rights in America. As Montana's solicitor general, Mr. VanDyke supported an Arizona abortion ban. In an amicus brief in Horne v. Isaacson, he contended that the constitutional right to choose should be revisited. He also defended a Montana law that made it harder for young women in that State to seek an abortion, and he advocated for letting corporations sidestep their obligations to provide insurance coverage for contraception. Based on this record, I fear that, as a Federal judge, Mr. VanDyke would limit women's health choices in Nevada and throughout the country, including their access to birth control. His record on LGBTQ rights is also dismal. Mr. VanDyke has ties to two ideologically extreme, anti-LGBTQ groups that the Southern Poverty Law Center has designated as hate groups. Those are the Alliance Defending Freedom and the Family Research Council. These ties are hardly surprising given that Mr. VanDyke has opposed gay rights since law school, when he wrote an article for the Harvard Law Record. This is that article: ``One student's response to `A Response to Glendon.' '' It is dated March 11, 2004, by Lawrence VanDyke. In this article, he promotes the truth that same-sex marriage would hurt families, children, and society. This is that article, and this is his quote-- clearly not only his writing but his intent and thoughts behind what we have fought for in this country for LGBTQ rights in America for the last 10 years. What he says is, ``What is quite settled, however, is that children on average fare best in stable, two parent families. This, combined with the correlative evidence of the decline in the family unit in Scandinavia, where de facto same-sex marriage has been around for about a decade, does provide ample reason for concern that same-sex marriage will hurt families and consequentially children and society.'' Those are his own words. As solicitor general of Montana, he also strongly criticized LGBTQ anti-discrimination laws and worked to carve out religious exemptions to them. When signing Montana on to an amicus brief arguing that a photography company could refuse to photograph a same-sex wedding, Mr. VanDyke described the case, which is Elaine Photography v. Willock, as important because it would establish that ``gay rights cannot always trump religious liberty.'' What you have here is an email, while he was a solicitor general in Montana, talking about why this case was important and why it was important that they sign on to the amicus brief. These are his arguments, his statements in an email. He said: ``This is an important case because there is a fairly obvious collision course between religious freedom and gay rights, and this case (because it is an extreme case) could be very important in establishing that gay rights cannot always trump religious liberty.'' These are his own words in an email from Montana when he was solicitor general. Throughout his career, he has weakened environmental protections and standards, as well. Mr. VanDyke has argued in favor of fossil fuel drilling and supported reviving the Keystone Pipeline, ignoring the voices of conservationists and Native communities. His actions do not protect our air and water, nor do they recognize the impacts of climate change or safeguard endangered species, including the iconic sage-grouse. In fact, as solicitor general of Nevada, Mr. VanDyke challenged the Republican Governor he served. He actively worked against Governor Brian Sandoval's bipartisan agreement to protect my State's native species. Mr. VanDyke's opposition to land use restrictions to protect sage-grouse was so extreme that Governor Sandoval said publicly that Mr. VanDyke's position ``did not represent the State of Nevada, the governor, or any state agencies.'' With that background, clearly he should not sit on a court with jurisdiction over the West--home to nearly 75 percent of public lands in the Nation. In the areas of reproductive rights, LGBTQ protections, and the environment, Mr. VanDyke's nomination is so troubling because it is clear that he puts his ideology above the law. This vacancy should be filled with a judge who will apply the law to the facts in an unbiased way--something Mr. VanDyke has proved unwilling to do. Finally, Mr. VanDyke's professional qualifications are simply insufficient. He has very little trial and litigation experience. When he served as Montana solicitor general, his colleagues raised serious concerns about his work ethic and legal skills. When he ran for the Montana Supreme Court, six retired judges of that court described him as ``unqualified.'' As you heard at the confirmation hearings yesterday, the American Bar Association, which provides ratings for judicial nominees, gave him a rating of ``not qualified.'' That is worth repeating. The ABA--the American Bar Association--spoke with 60 lawyers and judges across 4 States and concluded that he wasn't suitable for a position as a judge on the court of appeals. The people with the objections are his former colleagues. As far as records show, not a single Federal judicial nominee has been appointed to the Federal bench who was lacking both a ``qualified'' or ``well qualified'' ABA rating and the approval of the nominee's home state Senators. If confirmed, Mr. VanDyke would be the very first Federal judge who was judged not qualified and whose blue slips were not returned by their home State Senators. I don't think that is a precedent this Chamber should be proud of. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals is the last stop for cases that affect Nevada before they reach the Supreme Court. It is vital that Ninth Circuit nominees know the State of Nevada and its issues. This nominee lived in the Silver State for a total of 4 years before moving to Washington to work at the Department of Justice, where he is currently. In Nevada, we welcome newcomers, but usually they stay in our communities. Mr. VanDyke didn't. Rather than continue to serve Nevadans, he left for a plum job in Washington and is now lobbying for a lifetime appointment on the Federal bench. This isn't someone who serves the needs of Nevadans. This isn't someone who knows Nevada or its issues. This is a career political operative who is looking for a guaranteed paycheck. For all of these reasons, I do not believe Lawrence VanDyke deserves a lifetime appointment to one of the highest courts in the land, which handles 70,000 critical cases each year. He is not the right person in whose hands to leave Americans' reproductive freedom, their fundamental civil rights, and their claim to a free and healthy environment. I yield the floor.

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Mr. President, I rise to support this amendment, which is an amendment that supports our Native-American communities who face food insecurity. The Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations, commonly known as FDPIR, provides food assistance for 90,000 people in 276 Tribes across this country. Often, on Tribal lands--and certainly in the rural parts of my home State of Nevada--people live miles from a SNAP office or a grocery store. So FDPIR provides a crucial source of nutrition. But many enrollees in the program still have to pick up the FDPIR benefits in person, and for elderly or disabled Tribal members, it is too difficult to make that trip. So I urge my colleagues to vote for this important amendment to study ways to improve access to the program for the homebound and the elderly. I thank my colleague and fellow member of the Indian Affairs Committee, Senator Lankford, for his support on this important effort. We want to ensure that no one is going hungry when there is food waiting for them just a few miles away. I thank the Senate leadership for allowing open debate and discussion of the issue facing Indian Country on the floor of this Chamber. I look forward to continued conversations on how to help members of Tribes to thrive and to grow their communities and to chart a more vibrant future. Thank you.

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Mr. President, I call up amendment No. 961, as provided for under the previous order, and I ask that it be reported by number.

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Mr. President, I rise today to commemorate a terrible tragedy. Today is a solemn day and a chance to reflect. Two years ago, in my hometown of Las Vegas, thousands of people gathered on a warm evening at the Route 91 music festival. They were there with friends, partners, family. They came to listen to country music, relax, and just celebrate. Two years ago on that evening, they heard the pop of what sounded like fireworks. After seconds for some, minutes for others, they understood what was happening: an attack that would become the worst mass shooting in modern American history. In the space of 11 minutes, Las Vegas was transformed. In that narrow window of time, 58 people were mortally wounded and hundreds of others were injured, many of them grievously. I still think about the stories of those who ran into the crowd to help others, those people who made a commitment that night to our community to protect others from harm. Police, firefighters, and other first responders who ran toward the festival grounds to rescue others made that commitment that October evening. The people who piled the wounded into their cars, vans, and pickups also offered a hand to help strangers. So did the doctors and nurses who rushed to the hospitals and the hundreds of Las Vegas and Reno residents who stood in line to donate blood. They all felt viscerally the desire to help those who were suffering in whatever way they could. We made a commitment to all those caught up in the devastating attack at the Route 91 festival, a promise that I honor today. I vowed to do all I could to help my community heal, to remember those who died, and to support those who bear scars of the body or of the spirit. During that dark time 2 years ago, my city came together to help and sustain the wounded and their families--people from all over the world, neighbors and strangers alike. I have never been prouder of Las Vegas. So many different groups worked in tandem that evening. There were the brave actions of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, the Clark County School District Police Department, the Las Vegas Fire Department, and the Clark County Fire Department, who unhesitatingly risked their lives to stop the attack and rescue survivors. Health institutions across the State joined the effort, like American Medical Response, Medic West Ambulance, Community Ambulance, the University Medical Center, Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center, the Valley Health System, and Dignity Health. So many doctors and nurses, including Nellis Air Force Base medical professionals, worked then and in the weeks and months that followed to restore people to health. The Red Cross and the Department of Veterans Affairs supported the hospitals with their mobile units. There was the staff at United Blood Services, who worked doggedly to process donations from thousands of people in Las Vegas, Reno, and elsewhere in Nevada. There were many people and organizations in Nevada and nationwide that provided food, blankets, reduced airline tickets, and other ways to support the victims and their families. The FBI and the Nevada Victims of Crime Program helped families struggling with funeral and travel expenses. Airlines like Allegiant and Southwest also helped to cover costs. Donations poured in from Las Vegas and around the world. The donations are still coming in to support the Children of the 58 Fund, which Neysa Tonks' family set up in remembrance of her to provide scholarships to children of victims. Donations are coming in to the Kern Community Foundation Day of Remembrance Fund, which also provides scholarships to victims and survivors. All of these people put aside their own needs--sometimes for moments and sometimes for months--to help others. They made a commitment to the victims. Part of that commitment simply has to be working to prevent other families in America from going through what families went through on that October 1 night as they waited in the Family Reunification Center, crying out for information about their loved ones but terrified at what they would hear. Here is the frightening part, the part that keeps me and so many of us across this Nation up at night: The shootings haven't stopped since October 1, 2017. Unimaginably, people who survived the Route 91 shooting have found themselves terrorized by gun violence again since that tragic night. Some of them were at the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, CA, just over a year after October 1 when a gunman opened fire and killed or wounded two dozen people. Others were in Gilroy, CA, just this July, where a man killed or wounded over a dozen people at an annual festival. Can you imagine going to enjoy yourself one afternoon or evening and having that place of community and celebration turn into a war zone? And then having that happen not once, in some horrible nightmare come to life, but multiple times. We cannot let this waking nightmare continue in America. We have to make a commitment to each other, a promise that we will not leave each other and those we love to be victims of this senseless violence, not when we can do something to stop it. Americans know this. They know that we are needlessly endangering our children and each other. They know that commonsense gun reform could both respect responsible gun ownership and fight the public health crisis that mass shootings and senseless gun violence represent. That is why people in both parties support gun violence reform by huge margins. They know that we simply cannot sidestep our responsibility to each other. We have to reduce these senseless mass shootings and save lives, and we can do that while also respecting the rights of responsible gun owners. We owe that to our communities. The families of those wounded on 1 October haven't given up on their responsibilities. They are still there for their loved ones day after day, as the visible and invisible wounds have continued to heal and as people have learned to walk, talk, and work again. The doctors and nurses who have cared for the injured have not given up. They don't say: Well, it has been 2 years; so we will not care for patients anymore. We haven't taken down the many moving memorials to 1 October, like the mural at the corner of Westcliff and Antelope Way, the 58 wooden crosses near the Las Vegas welcome sign on the Strip, or the Community Healing Garden on Casino Center Boulevard. Just the opposite, Clark County Museum has been carefully photographing and cataloging over 17,000 items, from Las Vegas Strong T-shirts and bumper stickers to stuffed animals, from artificial flowers to rosaries that people left at memorials to the Route 91 victims and survivors. That care and that attention--that is what a commitment is. When you make one, you have to be there for the long haul, to see the thing you promised to the end. I will always remember the 1 October victims and their loved ones and always commemorate their loss. I know it is a loss that can never be fully repaired but only eased by time. I will always honor the bravery of those who sacrificed their own safety to help others, and I will never stop fighting to make America safer, to save families across the country from what I watched families in Las Vegas go through that night and from what my own family went through as we waited to hear back about whether my niece was safe or not as she attended that concert that night. This is our commitment. We have to continue to remember, but we have to do something about it. Our time is now. Thank you. I yield the floor.

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Madam President, I come forward today to recognize the 100th anniversary of the Reno + Sparks Chamber of Commerce. In 1890, the Reno Commercial Club and Reno Business League were born out of a need to enhance the city of Reno as a commercial center. In 1919, the two merged to form the Reno Chamber of Commerce, and in 1970, the chamber expanded to include the city of Sparks. In 2018, the Latino Chamber of Commerce merged with the Reno + Sparks Chamber of Commerce to provide wider representation for the community's diversity of businesses and people. Today, the Reno + Sparks Chamber of Commerce is the largest business organization in northern Nevada with over 1,800 registered businesses that employ over 85,000 individuals in Washoe County. The Chamber has 42 ambassadors, as well as volunteers from a wide variety of industries who meet monthly to celebrate success stories and aid in event planning. The chamber also delivers more than 4 million annual leads and referrals through its online directory and offers free educational programs, training events, and countless opportunities for member connectivity. Through the Reno + Sparks Leadership Program, now in its 34th year with 1,100 alumni, the chamber cultivates leaders by providing opportunities to volunteer and support the community while immersing participants in the issues and challenges of the region. It also hosts elected officials and issues its public policy platform each State legislative session to advocate on behalf of free enterprise and a robust economy. Since 1919, the Reno + Sparks Chamber of Commerce has advocated on behalf of all businesses, provided resources and support to its members, and connected its members with new customers and partners. The northern Nevada economic landscape is stronger and more diverse because of the Reno + Sparks Chamber of Commerce's many efforts to support local leaders and small businesses throughout the region. Through booms and busts, the Reno + Sparks Chamber of Commerce has been a steadfast force in our community. From ribbon-cutting ceremonies to its long-running leadership program, the Reno + Sparks Chamber of Commerce has been a reliable and valuable resource for northern Nevadans. Its dedication to economic prosperity and communal inclusivity for northern Nevada has stood for a century, and I am excited to see what they have in store for the next 100 years.

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Mr. President, I had expected to be able to vote on the confirmations of Mr. Clifton Corker to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee, Ms. Lynda Blanchard to be Ambassador to the Republic of Slovenia, and Mr. Donald R. Tapia to be Ambassador to Jamaica. Instead, I am in Nevada for a funeral. On the question of the confirmation of Mr. Clifton Corker to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee, I would have voted no. On the question of the confirmation of Ms. Lynda Blanchard to be Ambassador to the Republic of Slovenia, I would have voted no. On the question of the confirmation of Mr. Donald R. Tapia to be Ambassador to Jamaica, I would have voted yes. Thank you.

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Madam President, today I honor the memory of a distinguished Nevadan: retired Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Captain Larry Burns. For decades, Captain Burns served his community with distinction, earning the respect of Nevadans from all walks of life. Captain Burns was raised in Maine and went on to attend Brigham Young University in Utah. It was in college that he met his wife Elizabeth Annie Burns. After college, he served a 2-year mission in Ecuador for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This began his life's calling to serve others. In 1980, he moved to Las Vegas and worked in construction before becoming a police officer. Captain Burns' remarkable career included 27 years as a police officer, where he put his life on the line for Las Vegas. He became the longest serving SWAT commander in metro history, a criminal intelligence section supervisor and a nationally recognized tactical instructor. He also served as captain of the Bolden Area Command. Captain Burns was revered by his colleagues for his extraordinary work ethic, intellect, and devotion to community. Throughout his career, Captain Burns worked hard to build meaningful relationships with Las Vegans and develop positive ties between community members and law enforcement officers. In his spare time, he could often be found speaking to children at his church about life as a police officer and the proud work of serving our community. He was also committed to the idea that people can change and dedicated himself to helping those working to turn their lives around. He always offered everything he had to support the men and women of law enforcement in making our community a safer place to live and selflessly upheld his promise to protect Nevada's families like he protected his own. From his work to rehabilitate the communities he helped protect to his fierce commitment to the department, Captain Burns was a man with unwavering integrity. Captain Burns lived a life of many accomplishments, but I have no doubt that he will be remembered most for his commitment to family and lasting contributions to others. He adored his wife Annie and was most proud of their life together and their seven wonderful children, two grandchildren, and their extended family and friends. I know his family will continue his rich legacy of service to others. All who had the pleasure of knowing Captain Burns will remember him as a dedicated public servant who bravely and tirelessly worked to support our community. Nevada is a safer place because of his commitment. We are very grateful for all of Captain Burns' contributions, and he will be deeply missed.

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Madam President, I want to talk today about Kyle Bailey from Sparks, NV. Kyle is 27 years old, and he is an amazing success story. He was born with cystic fibrosis, a genetic condition that affects the lungs and digestive system, making it hard to breathe normally or absorb nutrients. Cystic fibrosis has no cure, so patients like Kyle spend hours every day on treatments to keep themselves as healthy as possible. With good medical care and lifesaving medications, he has been able to live a full life, creating music and artwork. He is engaged to be married. Yet Kyle lives in fear. He is afraid he will lose his health insurance and coverage for treatments that keep him alive. That could happen if the Republican Party succeeds in its latest attempt to use the courts to attack the Affordable Care Act and to end its protections for preexisting conditions. Just today, a Federal appeals court has heard more arguments about whether the ACA is constitutional. On one side are patients like Kyle; on the other side are the Trump administration and 18 Republican State attorneys general, who all want the court to strike down the Affordable Care Act. We have seen it before. The Republicans have tried to defeat the ACA in Congress and in the courts over 100 times, and each time they have failed because the American people have raised their voices and said: Stop. We want our healthcare coverage. But just because the ACA survived those attacks doesn't mean it is safe. It is especially scary for those who gained coverage and peace of mind thanks to the Affordable Care Act's strong safeguards for patients. One of the most important parts of the ACA is its guaranteed protections for people with preexisting conditions. Insurers used to be able to discriminate against people because of their medical history. They would weed out people who were born with genetic conditions, like Kyle, or people who had gotten seriously ill, like Ivy Batmale from Incline Village. At 5 years old, Ivy was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, one of the most common childhood cancers. Ivy beat leukemia, but the years of harsh therapy triggered a reaction that affected her legs. Ivy was told that she would never walk again. She spent years in wheelchairs undergoing surgery and other treatments. With costly therapies, Ivy got better. This spring, she and her family marched into breakfast with me right here on Capitol Hill to advocate for childhood cancer research. But Ivy, like other childhood cancer survivors, has had lingering health conditions over the course of her life and will need careful monitoring until she is 40 years old. That is why if Republicans give insurance companies the choice, insurers will either refuse to cover people like Ivy and Kyle or they will charge sky-high rates. The ACA keeps the insurance companies from doing that. If judges strike down the ACA, people like Ivy and Kyle will be endangered through absolutely no fault of their own. Some people may hear stories about Kyle and Ivy and think, well, that is very sad, but it can't affect that many people. That is wrong. In Nevada alone, in 2015, 1.2 million people under 65 had preexisting conditions. That is half of the nonelderly residents of the State. A preexisting condition could be as rare as childhood cancer or as common as pregnancy. That means every other Nevadan can face increased insurance rates if the ACA is struck down. I have met families at roundtables across the Silver State whose kids are some of the 44,000 Nevada children with asthma. Just last week in Las Vegas, I talked to 12-year-old Joey Douglas. Joey's asthma often keeps him from school and sometimes lands him in the hospital for days. He told me that even when he is struggling to breathe, his biggest concern is whether his mom will be able to pay his medical bills. These kinds of worries are the reason that when Kyle wrote to me, he asked me to speak out for people who don't have a voice in healthcare policy in this country--people who are afraid that losing the ACA could mean losing protections that have allowed them to grow up, start a family, follow their passions, and live their lives to the fullest. Today and every day I am here to fight for people like Kyle and Ivy and countless Nevadans like them. I have repeatedly urged the President and Department of Justice to come down on the side of patients in the Texas case. I have cosponsored legislation to get rid of junk healthcare plans that let insurance companies make an end run around ACA protections for people with preexisting conditions, and I am committed to protecting and strengthening the ACA for all Americans but especially for people like Kyle, Ivy, and Joey. So I am calling on this President and Republicans in Congress to do what we can to make sure that the Affordable Care Act is not repealed and that we are fighting for healthcare insurance for everyone. I yield the floor.

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Mr. President, I come forward today to recognize the 100th anniversary of one of northern Nevada's most treasured traditions, the Reno Rodeo. A celebration of Western culture and daring, the rodeo has grown into a Nevada institution that draws visitors from across the country. Over the past 100 years, Northern Nevada has seen a constant state of change and evolution. Yet, throughout that time, the Reno Rodeo has been a reliable and steady source of entertainment and community. In 1919, the Commercial Club of Reno devised the first iteration of the Reno Rodeo, then the Nevada Round-Up, in order to celebrate the end of World War I. Cowboys such as Hippy Burmister and Curly Howe won events in the 1919 rodeo. The most notable winner of the first Reno Rodeo was Jesse Stahl, one of the first African-American professional bronc riders. Stahl was known for his ability to ride bucking horses while sitting backwards and ``winning first but placing third'' due to the color of his skin. Stahl went on to win four events over the first 3 years of the Reno Rodeo. Despite only 6 weeks of event planning, the inaugural rodeo was a wildly popular event, and there was immediate interest in establishing the rodeo as an annual celebration. Nearly 17,000 people attended the following year, and the rodeo proved it was not a fleeting success. In 1922, rodeo organizers plotted a publicity strategy around sending reigning rodeo queen, Mary Harrington, to invite President Warren G. Harding to the event. President Harding declined the invitation. To make matters worse, the campaign led to the organization's bankruptcy and a 10-year hiatus of the rodeo. In 1932, Charles Sadleir, now frequently referred to as the Father of the Reno Rodeo, led an effort to revive the event. To stabilize the rodeo's finances, Sadleir recruited local businesses to help underwrite the events' expenses, which is still a crucial mechanism today. Fortunately, Sadleir's revitalization efforts were successful, and the Reno Rodeo has withstood economic downturns, event growing pains, and a fire to the venue. Today, the Reno Rodeo is a Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association-sanctioned competition, billed as the ``Wildest, Richest Rodeo in the West!'' Each year, the rodeo generates roughly $42 million for the region and draws over 14,000 fans. Through its charitable foundation, the rodeo has provided hundreds of thousands of dollars in academic scholarships to Nevada students and grants to non- profit organizations. In 2008, the foundation built a horseback riding facility for children with special, physical, or mental needs, and later built an activities center for abused, neglected, and at-risk children under the care of Washoe County. One hundred years after the first event, Northern Nevada's support and appreciation for the Reno Rodeo has never been stronger. Nevadans are immensely proud of this homegrown tradition and excited to see its evolution over the next 100 years. Thank you to everyone who has been involved with the Reno Rodeo and allowed it to thrive today.

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Mr. President, I thank my colleague from Virginia for his eloquence and passion on this issue. I have never talked to him about this, but there is one thing we had in common across the country when I was the attorney general for the State of Nevada and when he was the Governor of Virginia. It was the Virginia Tech shooting. As the attorney general, after that horrific, horrific shooting, I wanted to make sure that we were passing commonsense laws so that nothing like that could ever happen again. So, in the State of Nevada, when I was the attorney general, I introduced legislation to ensure that when our courts would adjudicate an individual who was mentally ill, the information would get to our law enforcement by way of a background check. We passed that legislation. Yet I am here to tell you that more needs to be done. I agree with my colleague in that I would have hoped that the Virginia Tech shooting would have been the last that we would have ever seen in this country, but it was not. Almost 2 years ago, hundreds of people were wounded, and 58 were killed in my hometown of Las Vegas at the Route 91 Harvest music festival. It remains the deadliest mass shooting in modern American history. It is not something for which we would have ever imagined citing a statistic in the State of Nevada nor could anyone ever want that. Two weeks after that shooting, I delivered my first official address on this Senate floor. My maiden speech, I called it. I called for action to prevent the next mass shooting. Among other things, I asked for universal background checks on firearms. Americans support these virtually unanimously, and you have heard the statistics from my colleagues on the floor today--that 97 percent of them want sellers to look closely at who exactly is trying to buy a gun. Yet the Background Check Expansion Act, which is supposed to close loopholes on background checks, hasn't received a vote in this Chamber. Not only has it not received a vote, but we can't even debate it. We can't even come to the floor and debate the issues about which we know Americans across the country want us to do something. Not only have we not had a vote on the Background Check Expansion Act, but neither have we had a vote on dozens of other vital pieces of legislation that would make us safer. I have sat here for the last 2 years and watched as the Republican leadership has been perfectly happy to have stopped the Senate from voting on these laws. In fact, I have heard, unfortunately, Senator Mitch McConnell jokingly call himself the Grim Reaper, whose job it is to bury legislation. That is why we have this legislative graveyard. I will tell you that the American people don't think that it is funny. The mothers and fathers of children who have died as a result of gun violence aren't laughing, and neither is my hometown of Las Vegas--a community that is still healing from the pain of that night. It does not have to be this way. In the State of Nevada, we have closed the loophole that lets private sellers skip background checks before they hand over a gun. I am so proud of my State. Voters in Nevada approved this commonsense reform in 2016 for universal background checks. Thanks to our newly elected Governor Sisolak, Attorney General Aaron Ford, and other fierce leaders in the Nevada State Legislature, as well as the incredible people in the State of Nevada, we have finally made it law. This is just basic common sense. It is supported by Americans throughout the political spectrum and households with and without guns. Listen, I support the Second Amendment. We own guns in my family. My husband is former Federal law enforcement. I come from a family of sportsmen. Throughout Nevada, we have friends who are sportsmen. But I will tell you, those Nevadans who are gun owners and almost every American agree we need to keep guns out of the hands of terrorists, violent criminals, domestic abusers, and others who may pose a threat to themselves or their communities. Nevada, with a strong western history of self-reliance and a culture of safe, responsible gun ownership, has done this. It is long past time for the Senate to do what the House has done and what the American people demand and pass commonsense gun reform. The Senate majority leader must stop putting a roadblock in the way and let us act. At the very least, let us have a debate and move this issue forward--a debate the American people want us to address and an issue they want us to find a solution for. Listen, we can't take back what happened that day in Las Vegas or Orlando or Sandy Hook or Charleston or so many cities and towns all across this Nation that are scarred by mass shootings and daily gun violence. We can't heal the pain of those whose friends and family members were killed. We can't erase the trauma so many survivors continue to endure. But we can save lives in the future, and isn't one life saved worth it? Isn't one life saved worth it? So I ask all of my colleagues, let's stop the delays and denials and excuses, and let's pass this bill. Let's bring back to the floor of the Senate the time for debate on important policy issues that address the problems we see in this country. At the very least, let's save a life. I yield the floor.

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Mr. President, today I would like to congratulate Bob Coffin on his distinguished career and commend his 37 years of dedicated service to Nevada. Bob Coffin was first elected to the Nevada Assembly in 1982, where he served for two terms. He was then elected to the Nevada State Senate, where he served until 2010. After leaving the State Senate, Coffin continued his career as a public servant, and since 2011, he has worked to represent the city of Las Vegas Ward 3 as councilman, a position he will retire from this June. Councilman Coffin has deep roots in downtown Las Vegas, having been a resident in and around Ward 3 for more than 60 years. He has raised his family less than a mile from his childhood home. Growing up in Las Vegas, Councilman Coffin developed a passion for two things--his Mexican-American heritage and the sport of golf. His family emigrated to Southern California from Mexico, and he saw firsthand the discrimination his mother faced as a young woman. The councilman has spent much of his career fighting this type of injustice. He has traveled to Central America to help children and families and has been an active member in the Latin Chamber of Commerce. As a young man, Councilman Coffin attended Bishop Gorman High School and the University of Nevada Las Vegas, where he earned an accounting degree. While concentrating on his studies, he also continued to focus on his favorite pastime, golf, and was named the Nevada Amateur Golf Champion at the age of 27. He went on to serve his country in the U.S. Army and today owns a successful insurance business. Councilman Coffin has been repeatedly recognized for his community service, receiving dozens of awards during his career. Most recently, he was named Person of the Year by the Southern Nevada Chapter of the Professional Golfers Association and received the Charles Dick Medal of Honor Award from the U.S. National Guard. He has twice been honored by the Latin Chamber of Commerce, receiving the Hispanic Citizen Award and the Public Service Award. As a councilman for the city of Las Vegas Ward 3, Bob Coffin prioritized keeping our communities safe revitalizing older neighborhoods by building new parks and fostering economic opportunity and development in our great city. Today, Bob Coffin continues his commitment to the public by serving on a number of boards and commissions, including the Board of the Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame, Chief Local Elected Officials Consortium, Commission for the Las Vegas Centennial, Debt Management Commission, Southern Nevada Regional Planning Coalition, and the Southern Nevada Water Authority. Bob Coffin has left his mark on Nevada and his community and has impacted countless Nevadans through his public service and community engagement. I am grateful for all of the work he has done for our State and congratulate him on a well-deserved retirement.

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Mr. President, let me just say, on behalf of the State of Nevada, that I am so appreciative that I get to work with my colleagues from Wisconsin and Oregon. I thank them for their commitment because this is the No. 1 issue in the State of Nevada. I say to Senator Baldwin: What you are doing is really standing up for people and their right to have access to affordable healthcare in this country when they need it, access to medication when they need it, and the comfort in knowing that if they purchase a plan, if something, God forbid, should happen to them, then, they will have access to that medication and those doctors when they need it. Thank you for your hard work. I stand today because I want to tell you about one of these people in the State of Nevada. Her name is Carol Elewski. She is from Reno, NV. Carol has chronic asthma. She manages it with medications that cost up to $400 a month--$400 a month. In October of 2016, Carol had such a bad asthma attack that she was admitted to the hospital for 10 days as doctors struggled to get her breathing under control. Thankfully, today Carol's health is stable, but because of her preexisting condition and high prescription drug costs, she depends on the protections of the Affordable Care Act to keep her healthcare costs in check. This administration, as we have heard today from my colleagues, keeps chipping away at those protections. Literally, we have heard from the President that he is proud of sabotaging the Affordable Care Act. He has weakened the ACA by expanding access to these junk plans. These short-term, limited-duration plans don't cover essential services, like prescription drugs, emergency rooms visits, and maternity care. Today, I am joining my colleagues to, once again, urge that we do away with these scam insurance policies. These plans appeal to consumers because they are low cost, but they are also low benefit, as we have heard. Many people who purchase them don't realize just how limited the coverage is. All those details are in the fine print of the policies in dense legal jargon, and it is nearly impossible to understand. I am an attorney, and I will tell you that even attorneys have difficulty understanding that dense legal jargon in some of these policies. Consumers don't know that the plans they are signing up for-- because of the dense legal jargon and because they are not given specifics, and there is not enough transparency--don't even cover their preexisting conditions. Consumers may not realize that their coverage has annual or lifetime spending caps. Take Carol, for instance. Let's say she had signed up for a junk plan instead of an ACA-compliant plan--an easy mistake to make, since companies hide the differences between the two. With the junk plan, Carol's insurance could have refused to cover her healthcare costs because of her asthma. They could have denied payment for the emergency treatment she needed when she literally could not breathe, and they could have declined coverage for the essential medications she needs to keep the asthma in check. Under these junk plans, women who get pregnant don't get coverage for prenatal care or for delivering their babies. People with lifelong genetic conditions, like cystic fibrosis, can be denied coverage, as can those facing mental health issues. What is more, even if you don't buy a junk healthcare plan, these plans' very existence drives up our healthcare costs in this country. That is because younger, healthier people are more likely to risk choosing a limited junk plan because those plans are cheaper. That leaves the rest of the population, including many women and children, in a much more expensive insurance pool. Estimates say that junk plans could cost a family of four with an ACA plan over $3,000 in increased insurance premiums every year. The No Junk Plans Act that Senator Baldwin has introduced undoes the administration's order that allowed insurance companies to offer consumers up to 3 years of deceptive, skimpy coverage. Under the No Junk Plans Act, customers can only use these short-term plans for 90 days. The plans would work the way they were intended--as a bridge between coverage at one job and the next. I hear this all the time in Nevada. Americans have told us time and again what they want their healthcare to do: to cover preexisting conditions, keep down prescription drug costs, include women's health, cover mental health, and pay for emergency rooms visits. I am going to continue to fight for what the American people want, and that is the comprehensive coverage of the Affordable Care Act. We cannot let the administration succeed in doing an end-run around the ACA. The House has already passed legislation to do away with these flimsy and deceptive junk plans. Now it is time for the Senate to step up and do the same. Thank you. I yield the floor.

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. Mr. President, today I rise to recognize a true Nevada public servant, State Senator Joyce Woodhouse. For over 50 years, Senator Woodhouse has been an education champion who has dedicated her life to ensuring that every child in Nevada has an opportunity to succeed. Senator Woodhouse will complete her final session of the Nevada Legislature on June 3, 2019, and her last term as senator at the end of next year. Senator Joyce Woodhouse came to Las Vegas in 1966 for her first teaching position after graduating from Carroll College in her home State of Montana. She has dedicated her life and career to serving the children of Nevada since then. She was an elementary school teacher and principal at JM Ullom Elementary School before joining and eventually leading the Clark County School District's School Community Partnership Program. During her tenure, she sought to bring local businesses together in strategic partnerships to support Nevada's schools. Senator Woodhouse was first elected to the Nevada Legislature in 2006. She has served the State in that capacity for nearly 12 years. She has led critical deliberations regarding the funding needs of the State as past chair of the Senate Education Committee and as current chair of the Senate Finance Committee. Her experience as a teacher and school administrator has given her a deep understanding of the needs of students, teachers, and parents, and that connection has inspired her throughout her career in public service. Senator Woodhouse has been a fierce advocate for hard-working Nevadans in the State Senate. She helped broker compromises to secure as many resources as possible on behalf of students. She has fought for the health and well-being of our senior citizens, as well as the dignity and respect of our working families. Most recently, she was the lead advocate for ensuring all Nevadans have access to paid leave. In addition to her commitment to our students, our schools, and all Nevadans as State senator, Senator Woodhouse has been a dedicated volunteer in our community. Before serving as a public servant, she was a vocal advocate for educators and the children they teach as president of the Nevada State Education Association. She continued to lend her voice in many roles throughout the years, including treasurer and board member for Kids Voting Southern Nevada, and cochair of the Southern Nevada Science Education Consortium. While Senator Woodhouse closes this chapter of her career in public service, I have no doubt that she will continue to serve the people of Nevada for years to come. I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing and thanking Senator Woodhouse's lifelong commitment to public education. Thank you, Senator Woodhouse, for all that you have done for our children, our schools, and the future of the great State of Nevada.

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO

Ms. CORTEZ MASTO. I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.