As the House adjourns for the August district work period, I'm eager to get to work in Nevada, planning to visit all 11 counties over the next seven weeks. I'll be hosting a quarterly veterans’ town hall, meeting with constituents and local businesses, conducting facility tours, and visiting with federal agencies.
District work periods are an opportunity for me to hear directly from the Nevadans I serve and answer questions about the work I’m doing in Washington. This extended work period allows me to check a number of items off my to-do list such as, meeting with local BLM district offices and State Director John Ruhs to conduct oversight, receive updates, and discuss meaningful solutions to the challenges facing the West. I’ll also meet with various newspaper editorial boards, the Reno City Council, the Carson Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Pershing County Commissioners. I remain committed to being as accessible and transparent as possible to Nevadans, because in order for us to make progress on the issues that affect us all, we must work closely together.
Over the past several months, my colleagues and I on the House Appropriations Committee have set an example for all of Congress by passing out of Committee all 12 appropriations bills which provide funding to the critical programs and agencies Americans rely on. Included in these bills are several provisions of importance to Nevada, such as:
- Supporting our Native American communities by assisting victims of crime and increasing access to proper medical care and facilities;
- Providing funding for programs to combat devastating wildfires, improve forest health, and promote clean air and water;
- Serving Nevada's Hispanic community by providing smaller ports of entry with the tools they need to support up to five additional Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) officers, bringing economic development to Nevada and better serving our Hispanic population by streamlining travel from Nevada to Mexico;
- Promoting habitat restoration and preservation by addressing concerns with the Department of the Interior’s (DOI) implementation of sage-hen conservation plans;
- Holding federal agencies accountable by targeting agencies with a proven track record of misconduct, like the IRS, and forcing them to streamline and focus on core duties.
Learn more here.
Washington Wrap-Up
Summer Interns
A special thank you to our summer interns Kirsten and Jenny, and a big congratulations to Austin, who also interned for Team Amodei this summer, on recently being hired by my good friend Joe Heck. Thank you all for your hard work!
Amodei Introduces win-win Measure for Nevada
This week, I introduced the Pershing County Economic Development and Conservation Act, a public lands bill and bipartisan initiative to jump-start economic development throughout Pershing County while promoting conservation. This legislation is supported by the entire Nevada Congressional Delegation and was developed through an exhaustive public process that included input from local stakeholders, industries, and support from Pershing County officials and residents.
Learn more here.
House Passes Interior Funding Bill
Proud to see my colleagues take action to pass an Interior Funding Bill for the first time since 2009. This bill is important for Nevada because it provides funding to the agencies we need to combat devastating wildfires, improve forest health, and promote clean air and water. This bill also includes an amendment I introduced to address concerns with the Department of the Interior’s (DOI) implementation of sage-hen conservation plans. Specifically, this amendment would prohibit implementation of federal land management policies that differ from Governor Sandoval’s sage-grouse management plan, and other state approved management plans, and also prevents funding for mineral withdrawals within the Sagebrush Focal Areas for Fiscal Year 2017.
Learn more here.
Committee Work:
Appropriations Committee Leads by Example
For those who think lawmakers are just sitting on their hands in Washington, Congressional oversight on the Appropriations Committee is alive and well. Before heading back to our states, we have led by advancing all 12 bills out of Committee. Whether you agree where the spending priorities are or not, at least we’re working to put our priorities out there so the American people know where we stand. I anticipate the remaining appropriations bills, yet to pass the House, will receive a vote on the Floor before the September 30 deadline.
Rural Update:
Tuscarora Pottery School Recognized for Remarkable Achievement
Recently, my rural representative Martin Paris attended the Elko City Council meeting to present Dennis and Julie Parks, co-owners of the Tuscarora Pottery School, with a certificate of recognition for the school's 50th anniversary. I commend Tuscarora Pottery on their many years of success and thank them for bringing meaningful and engaging activities to students in Nevada and all over the world.
News in Nevada
Remembering Carson High's Tom Andreasen
As a teacher, coach, athletic director, mentor, and life-long Nevadan, Tom Andreasen positively affected the lives of everyone who knew him. His unwavering commitment to coaching and education has, without a doubt, made a notable and lasting impact on the Carson City community. In February, I sent correspondence to the Carson City School District, requesting to name the athletic court at Carson High School, in honor of Tom. As a coach and educator, Tom is a special part of the “fabric” of the Home of the Senators, and I'm pleased to now see him honored in the exact location where he taught me the importance of teamwork, loyalty and how to overcome life's challenges through perseverance. I'm profoundly grateful for his wisdom.
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.
