In the News
A compromise $740 billion defense bill that includes a pay hike for military personnel and programs at Nevada installations was passed by the House on Tuesday following bipartisan negotiations to push the legislation to President Joe Biden's desk before year's end.
The legislation had been held up in the Senate, but appeared to be headed for passage there after negotiations over changes that include how the armed services prosecutes and oversees cases of sexual harassment, assault and rape.
Every month since July, Las Vegas resident Lori Muñoz receives around $300 for her daughter as part of the federal child tax credit. She spends it on school clothes, school lunches and other expenses that may come up.
"It's just been a huge help in that area," Muñoz said. "You always think, ‘oh it's some extra money.' It's never extra money. … Kids always need, there's always something that needs to be bought."
Nevada scored a victory this week when the U.S. Department of Energy announced it was embracing a policy of requiring state and local approval for development of any nuclear waste storage site. That move, combined with staunch opposition among Nevada's leaders to the Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Repository, amounted to a reprieve from any immediate prospect of reviving the atrocious facility.
Para Frankie Perez, un veterano de la Fuerza Aérea y padre adoptivo temporal de cinco de sus sobrinas y sobrinos, la reciente expansión del crédito fiscal federal por hijos no solo le permitió sacar adelante a su casa durante la pandemia, sino también "mejorar la calidad de vida" de los niños al poder pagar uniformes escolares, deportes y paseos familiares.
Nevada families have received more than $750 million from expanded child tax credit direct payments since the program began in July.
More than 595,000 children in Nevada benefited from the credits in November, according to data released by the U.S. Treasury and Internal Revenue Service.
On the eve of the White House announcing it would do so, Nevada Democratic Rep. Steven Horsford on Monday joined calls urging President Joe Biden to make use of emergency petroleum reserves in an effort to lower gas prices.
Tuesday morning, the White House announced the Department of Energy will release of 50 million barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve over the next several months "to lower prices for Americans and address the mismatch between demand exiting the pandemic and supply."
When the Nevada high school football championship games kick off at Allegiant Stadium on Thursday, Nov. 18, a friendly wager will be on between Clark County Commission Chairman Marilyn Kirkpatrick and U.S. Rep. Steven Horsford.
Kirkpatrick and Horsford have placed a wager on the football game between Moapa Valley and Virgin Valley high schools in the 3A State Championship game.
This month, I helped President Joe Biden and House Democrats negotiate a historic deal to pass the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. For Nevada, this law means major federal investments to create good-paying union jobs and improve the lives of families across our state.
The big winners in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act are Nevada workers. For years, the state's clean energy sector has boomed, thanks to our abundant sunlight and open space. Before the pandemic, employment in clean energy was growing nearly twice as fast as overall state job growth.
Southern Nevada's entire congressional delegation — all Democrats — voted for President Joe Biden's infrastructure plan, which passed in bipartisan fashion earlier this month. The president signed the bill into law in a White House ceremony on Monday.
The president hopes to use the infrastructure law to build back his popularity, which has taken a hit amid rising inflation and the inability to fully shake the public health and economic risks from COVID-19.
Federal funding is now available to Nevada families struggling to pay their power bills.
The aid is available through the Division of Welfare and Supportive Services. It's available to low-income families, according to Congressman Steven Horsford's office.
Applicants will have to submit proof of income for their entire household, as well as a copy of their lease or mortgage and their most recent utility bill, among other documents.