February 4, 2010

Nevada Senator Harry Reid today highlighted this week's major accomplishments for the state. "This has been a very important week for the state of Nevada. Nevadans from every corner of the state will benefit from the announcements made and the actions taken this week," said Reid.

February 4, 2010

Washington, DC—Nevada Senator Harry Reid, Senators Debbie Stabenow and Roland Burris and  Representatives John Conyers, Carolyn Kilpatrick and Jesse Jackson, Jr. joined Elaine Steele, Co-Founder of the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute, at a press conference this morning to recognize the anniversary of the birthday of Rosa Parks, whose courage inspired the Civil Rights movement over five decades ago. The Instituterecognized members of the United States Congress for their work to help honor her life and legacy.  Each Member of Congress received a “Freedom Rose" named in honor of Rosa Parks.

“Rosa Parks personified an entire generation of African-Americans who, like her, decided they simply had had enough,” said Nevada Senator Harry Reid.  “Her courage put a human face on the effect of Jim Crow laws in the South and her principled protest is as important an act to the cause of civil rights as any single act that we’ve ever known.  Her impact on American history can never be overstated, and it should never be overlooked.”  

Senator Stabenow said: “Rosa Parks is a civil rights icon.  Her contributions to the progress of our nation will not be forgotten.  I am proud that she called Michigan home, and it was my privilege to led the charge with Congresswoman Kilpatrick to name the Detroit Homeland Security building in honor of Rosa Parks. I will continue to honor her place in our nation’s history and to push for a statue of Rosa Parks in our nation’s Capitol.”

“Black History Month is a time in which we celebrate the often extraordinary contributions and sacrifices African-Americans have made to our shared American experience,” said Senator Burris. “As we come together to honor Rosa Parks on the 97th anniversary of her birth, we remember her quiet dignity, uncommon grace, and defiant courage. More than half a century later we have seen how Rosa Parks’ simple, yet powerful assertion of her equality has rippled through history, and led to remarkable strides for civil rights as we continue our long journey toward what our nation’s founders called a more perfect union.”

Congressman Conyers said: “Rosa Parks was a humble, resolute, near saint-like woman who believed strongly in the constitutional principles of equality and freedom.  Those qualities and beliefs moved her to take a stand on December 1, 1955, marking the beginning of the modern Civil Rights Movement.  It is an honor and a privilege to commemorate Rosa Parks – the Mother of the Civil Rights Movement – and her life’s work on what would have been her 97th birthday.”
 
“Mrs. Rosa Parks transformed the country with her quiet strength and determination,” said Congresswoman Kilpatrick. “Her contributions to the Civil Rights Movement, her commitment to change, and her compassion for young people should always be remembered. I am humbled to be recognized for my efforts to remember her life and legacy. This is truly an honor I will always cherish. She will always be my role model.”
 
Congressman Jackson said: “I'm honored to join with my colleagues to celebrate the life of Rosa Parks.  Her quiet courage helped America renew its founding promise and principle -- of liberty and justice for all.  On this her 97th Birthday, may we keep her memory and legacy alive -- to struggle for freedom, to strive for justice and to perfect our Union.”

February 4, 2010

Washington, DC – While some people may have been distracted by President Obama’s comments, Nevada Senator Harry Reid said this first week of February proved to be a very good one for the state of Nevada.

“Yucca Mountain is dead, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has sent a Foreclosure SWAT Team to Las Vegas and bulked up its staff, and we’ve taken steps to help the state as it struggles with a major budget deficit.  This has been a very important week for the state of Nevada. Nevadans from every corner of the state will benefit from the announcements made and the actions taken this week,” Reid said.

Yucca Mountain is dead:

• Last Friday: Secretary of Energy Steven Chu announced the members of his Blue Ribbon Commission to find alternatives to Yucca Mountain for the safe management of nuclear waste.
• Monday: In President Obama’s 2011 budget, he calls for the elimination of all funding for Yucca Mountain and the withdrawal of the license application submitted by the Bush Administration to build the dump.
• Monday: The Department of Energy took the first step toward withdrawing the license application.
• Tuesday: Reid sent a letter to the Government Accountability Office asking them to consider the Yucca site for uses other than storing nuclear waste that will hopefully create jobs for Nevadans.
  

HUD sends eight new staffers to its Las Vegas office:

• Monday: HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan sends letter informing Reid of his decision to send eight additional staffers to HUD’s Las Vegas office in response to their meeting about HUD needing to do more to help struggling Nevada homeowners.
• Monday: The new three-person foreclosure rapid response team arrived in Nevada, beginning their work to help Nevadans keep their homes.
  

President Obama’s budget benefits Nevada:

• Monday: President Obama submitted the outline for his 2011 budget.  In addition to the good news regarding Yucca Mountain, there are good things for Nevada.  Here are a few examples:
• Tax cuts for 1 million Nevada families.
• Two-year extension of the deduction for state and local sales taxes.
• $313.6 million for schools, students, and teachers.
• $506.4 million to fix and expand the state’s network of roads and highways, modernize airports, and expand water and sewer infrastructure.
• $98.7 million in new funding for Pell Grants to help families pay for college.
• $167.2 million for housing assistance.
• $19.8 million for the BLM to support environmentally sound development of renewable energy on public lands in the west.
• $45 million increase for the Nevada Test Site to work on nuclear nonproliferation and verification of weapons activities
  

Medicaid funding extension:

• Wednesday: Reid announced that he is working with Senator Jay Rockefeller on legislation to extend by six months the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) funding provided through ARRA.
• This bill would ensure coverage for the more than 160,000 children, parents, seniors and people with disabilities who rely on Medicaid for access to affordable, quality medical care, while helping cash-strapped states like Nevada that are struggling with their budgets.