Congress is back for another week of session following the August district work period. While I was home last month, I had the opportunity to visit every county in CD-2, making stops in: West Wendover, Lovelock, Elko, Silver Springs, Wells, Dayton, Winnemucca, Fallon, Minden, Incline Village, Fernley, Sparks, Lake Tahoe, Las Vegas, Genoa, Reno, and back home to Carson.
Being home in CD-2 for an entire month gave me time to check a number of items off my to-do list while meeting with folks across Nevada. This August, I conducted multiple facility tours, met with federal agencies, and provided legislative updates to county commissions, city councils, and local news organizations about the work I’m doing in Washington. I also met with constituents, sheriffs, fire chiefs, health care providers, utility employees, federal land managers, wildland firefighters, agri-business folks, highway builders, miners, wildlife officials, veterans, educators, and women’s organizations.
Overall, the extended district work period allows my staff and I to touch base with constituents and community leaders on the ground in Nevada to ensure we’re staying up to speed on important projects, updates, and developments. For example, some of the local issues we’re currently focused on include: wildfires, habitat restoration, public lands bills, mining regulation, energy issues, wild horses, endangered species, and drought. On the national level, we remain focused on: healthcare, immigration, trade, jobs, the economy, and the budget.
In case you missed it, below are some highlights from the August district work period so you can see what I was up to this summer:
WEEKS 1 & 2
I kicked off the district work period in Lovelock where I had the opportunity to meet with County Commissioner Carol Shank and Sheriff Jerry Allen to discuss rangeland health, public lands bills, and infrastructure projects within Pershing County. Next, I headed out to West Wendover for a meeting with councilmembers and City Manager Chris Mellville to discuss land conveyances, transportation issues, and increasing access to care for individuals living in rural communities. I then spent time in Wells where I spoke with members of Wells Rural Electric about some of the recent projects they’ve been working on. While in Wells, I also met with the City Manager and the Mayor to discuss some of the economic development opportunities the city has been actively pursuing to spur job growth in the area.
Wells Rural Electric
I then made a stop in Elko where I met with Elko County Sheriff Aitor Narvaizak to discuss several important issues including: immigration, funding for our local law enforcement officials, measures to address the opioid epidemic, and funding for school safety. While in Elko, I met with Elko Mayor Reece Keener and County Commissioner Rex Steninger before stopping by the local BLM office to discuss specific land conveyances in the area, the Elko Area Chamber of Commerce for an economic update, and the National Weather Service.
National Weather Service
Congressman Amodei Launches a Weather Balloon
at the National Weather Service in Elko, Nev.
I’d like to give a shout out to the wonderful staff at the National Weather Service for showing me around, explaining the important work their employees do each day, and showing me how to launch a weather balloon. Thanks for having me!
I concluded my trip to the rurals with a stop in Winnemucca to discuss grazing reforms and rangeland fire management issues with city officials and a local rancher.
I then headed West where I rounded out week one of the district work period by speaking at a Rotary Club meeting in Incline Village about Lake Tahoe and important water infrastructure projects. While I was there, I also met with the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) and the Tahoe Basin Fire Chiefs to discuss important issues related to fire management, Fiscal Year 2019 and 2020 appropriations funding, invasive species, public lands bills, and the Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act (SNPLMA).
Rotary Club of Incline Village
Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) &
Tahoe Basin Fire Chiefs Meeting
During the second week of the work period, I took time to visit the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) to discuss important issues related to fire and aviation management. The NIFC supports several forms of emergency responses, including: floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, volcano eruptions, riots, and terrorist attacks. However, their primary focus is on wildland firefighting.
National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC)
National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC)
During my visit, I had the opportunity to go on a jump base tour to learn more about the training smokejumpers go through to prepare for wildland disasters. You might be interested to know, when a smokejumper leaves an airplane, they are usually carrying around 85 pounds of equipment which can include: safety gear, parachutes, and fire suppression gear.
Jump Base Tour
Next, I headed back to Carson for a meeting with City Manager Nancy Paulson to discuss public lands issues.
WEEKS 3 & 4
I kicked off week three of the district work period by hosting a roundtable discussion in Reno between the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and local tribal leaders to discuss the BIA’s administration of title and realty issues and issues related to criminal justice and detention facilities.
BIA Roundtable Discussion
I also stopped by the American Legion Post 1 in Reno to accept a Certificate of Appreciation for teaming up with the Nevada Chapter of Associated General Contractors (AGC) to improve Reno’s Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) Cemetery. In case you missed it, my office recently partnered with the Nevada AGC to host a ribbon cutting ceremony in celebration of the Cemetery’s newly constructed entrance. Click here to learn more about our efforts.
Nevada Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame Event
I’m honored to have recently been awarded the 2019 President’s Award by the Nevada Broadcaster’s Association for working to improve and preserve a regulatory environment that allows our public broadcasters to continue delivering quality programming to communities in Nevada and across the country. Without federal support for public broadcasting, many localities would struggle to survive, particularly those in rural areas like we have here in CD-2. I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues on the Public Broadcasting Caucus and in Congress to ensure Americans maintain access to these important services.
Congressman Amodei with Nevada Broadcasters Association President Mitch Fox
I also stopped by a few local media outlets to provide legislative updates on several issues important to Nevadans right now. Click through the links below to learn more about what we discussed:
Interview with KTVN’s Paul Nelson
Click here or on the video above to view my full interview with Channel 2
The Dan Mason Show
Click here or on the image above for my full interview with KOH’s Dan Mason
Interview with Steve Sebelius on Channel 8’s Politics Now
Click here or on the video above for my full interview with KLAS's Steve Sebelius
Nevada Newsmakers
Click here or on the video above for my full
interview with Nevada Newsmakers’ Sam Shad
Other highlights from weeks 3 and 4 include:
- A meeting with Washoe County to discuss federal lands issues;
- A meeting with the BLM State Office to discuss sage grouse, wild horses, grazing, and wildfire issues;
- A follow-up with the National Weather Service to continue discussing the impacts staffing shortages are having on National Weather Service locations here in Nevada and throughout the country;
- A meeting with the Nevada System of Higher Education to discuss higher education reauthorization and immigration reform; and
- A meeting with Craig Madole, CEO of the Nevada Chapter of Associated General Contractors (AGC), to discuss federal funding for transportation projects.
WEEKS 5 & 6
Some of the highlights from the tail end of the district work period include a meeting in Reno with the acting chairman for the National Endowment for the Arts to discuss the work the Arts Endowment is doing in our district. While in Reno, I also had the opportunity to tour the Amazon Fulfillment Center. I'd like to extend a huge thanks to the incredible team at the Fulfillment Center for taking the time to show me around and explain the logistics of their operation.
Amazon Fulfillment Center
Before heading back to Washington, I attended a change of command ceremony at the Nevada National Guard following the retirement of Nevada National Guard Brig. General William R. Burks after 42 years of service in the U.S. Military. I commend General Burks for dedicating his career to protecting and serving his fellow Americans and wish him all the best in retirement and in the years to come.
Change of Command Ceremony
Thank you to everyone who took the time to meet with me last month. As Congress gets back into the swing of things following August, I look forward to continuing to keep you up to date on the issues you care about most. Stay tuned for this week's legislative update. For additional information, please visit my website at amodei.house.gov or call my Washington office: (202) 225-6155, Reno office: (775) 686-5760, or Elko office: (775) 777-7705. To receive updates on what I am doing in Washington and in Nevada’s 2nd District follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
