Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) issued the following statement on U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) refusal to allow an up-or-down vote on a clean bill providing $2,000 in direct payments to working Nevadans impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.
“Nevada has the second-highest unemployment rate in the country, at 12%. The week before Christmas, almost 20,000 Nevadans, including gig and self-employed workers, filed for benefits for the first time. And Nevadans are struggling with more than just lost wages. Over 11% of Nevada households are going hungry and thousands of families are facing eviction if they don’t get much needed relief. A $2,000 check for these families could mean they don’t have to choose between paying for medications or putting food on the table. It could provide rental assistance for someone or help parents struggling to pay for child care. These checks would be lifelines for Nevadans.
“Yet, despite the fact that legislation to provide hardworking Americans with $2,000 in direct economic relief is supported by almost 80% of Americans, a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers, and President Trump, Leader McConnell has refused to bring this bill to the floor of the Senate for a vote. This Congressional session doesn’t officially end for two more days, but McConnell has closed up shop early, and in doing so has failed struggling Nevadans and Americans across the country. Ending this Congress without providing more relief to struggling families rests squarely on Leader McConnell’s shoulders, and when we reconvene on January 6th, I’ll be fighting harder than ever to get Nevadans the robust relief they deserve.”
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