Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) released the following statement after the announcement of the Fiscal Year 2022 omnibus funding package. Senator Cortez Masto ensured the package includes full funding for the Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (Byrne JAG) program, which is the leading source of criminal justice funding for local police, as well as critical investments in additional law enforcement grant programs. In addition, the package includes her legislation to extend telehealth services for Nevada families and seniors. She also supported the inclusion of the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, critical aid for Ukraine, and continued support for Nevada businesses and workers.
“I worked across the aisle to deliver results for Nevadans in this bipartisan funding bill, including historic support for our country’s law enforcement who keep us safe every day,” said Senator Cortez Masto. “Throughout my career, I have done whatever it takes to protect women from sexual and domestic violence, and this bill will make an enormous difference by finally reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act. The support I’m delivering to Nevadans will help us keep our communities safe and healthy, support our workers, and strengthen our economy, all while combating Putin’s aggression and delivering critical aid to Ukraine.”
Senator Cortez Masto led the call for robust funding for the Byrne JAG grant program in the FY2022 omnibus. The program is the leading source of criminal justice funding for state, local, and tribal governments and provides support for a range of programs related to crime prevention, law enforcement, prosecution, corrections, and mental and behavioral health. As the former top law enforcement official in Nevada, Senator Cortez Masto has been a leading advocate in the Senate for our police officers. Her bipartisan bills to combat the crisis of law enforcement suicide and provide mental health resources to police officers were both signed into law.
She has cosponsored the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, which will help law enforcement crack down on violent predators and improve access to resources for survivors. Her bipartisan Fairness for Rape Kit Backlog Survivors Act, which requires state programs to allow sexual assault victims to file for compensation without being unfairly penalized for delays due to rape kit backlogs, will be included in the reauthorization.
The bipartisan omnibus funding bill also contains robust aid for Ukraine and funding to help businesses, hospitals, and workers continue to recover from the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic. It includes Senator Cortez Masto’s bipartisan bills to extend Medicare enrollees’ access to telehealth services and to expand access to telehealth services for Americans on high-deductible health plans. Other priorities Senator Cortez Masto secured in this package are funding for Brand USA to promote international tourism to Nevada and funding to address the student mental health crisis. The package contains no funding to restart the failed Yucca Mountain project.
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