HARRY REID: A POWERFUL VOICE FOR NEVADA’S BUSINESS COMMUNITY
Harry Reid knows that one of his most important responsibilities as a Senator is to stand up for the business community that provides jobs to his constituents. Nevada’s business community can always count on Harry Reid to stand with them, and in these tough economic times no one can do more – no one has done more – than Harry Reid to make sure businesses in Nevada can weather the storm and recover and even bring new businesses to the state. Senator Reid has passed tens of billions of dollars in tax relief for struggling businesses in the last two years, tax credits that have protected jobs and are even allowing new businesses development in the state, particularly in clean energy. Senator Reid has also been a tireless champion for the industries that have consistently served as the backbone of Nevada’s economy – gaming, tourism, real estate and mining. Senator Reid knows how important it is for struggling Nevadans to find jobs, and is doing everything he can each day to make it easier for business leaders to provide them.
Los Angeles Times: “During 16 Years In The Senate, Reid Has Worked Tirelessly To Help His State.” In June 2003, the Los Angeles Times reported, “During 16 years in the Senate, Reid has worked tirelessly to help his state. The University of Nevada at Reno named a building after him as a thank-you for securing ‘tens of millions of dollars in federal funds for scientific research at the university,’ including $8.25 million for earthquake studies, the school said. The Nevada Mining Assn. gave Reid a lifetime achievement award. Throughout his career, the senator has fought tenaciously against hard-rock-mining reforms opposed by the industry. And the American Gaming Assn. honored Reid as one of ‘America's Gaming Greats.’ Again, Reid has consistently represented the industry's positions, including opposition to a nationwide ban on college-sports betting. ‘I've been proud to help educate America about the contributions gaming entertainment makes to Nevada and across the country,’ Reid said upon receiving the award.” [Los Angeles Times, 6/23/03]
REID HAS CONSISTENTY GONE TO BAT FOR NEVADA INDUSTRIES AND WORKED TO BRING NEW INDUSTRIES TO THE STATE
Reid Personally Called CEOs Asking Their Financial Institutions To Consider Loans For CityCenter. In March 2009, the Sun reported, “Nevada’s two senators personally called the CEOs and other top representatives of financial institutions asking them to consider loans to MGM’s troubled CityCenter project -- the nation’s largest private building project that employs 20,000 workers in Las Vegas. Both Democratic Sen. Harry Reid, the majority leader, and Republican Sen. John Ensign, the fourth ranking leader in his party, reached out as the company seeks $1 billion from wary credit markets to keep the project on track.” [Las Vegas Sun, 3/23/09]
Jim Murren, CEO, MGM Mirage: “My darkest days in my professional career were this year. And it was all about CityCenter … That man called every CEO of every bank that I know and said ‘Look, this is important for my state. Get it done.’ Now we are going to open up CityCenter in December. We’re going to employ over 20,000 people. They would not have jobs today if not for Senator Reid … There’s no one else that could have done that.” [Reid Campaign Ad, 10/15/09]
Thanks To Reid, A US-Chinese Partnership Is Bringing Their Wind Turbine Plant To The Las Vegas Valley, Which Will Create 1,000 Jobs Once Complete. In March 2010, the Sun reported, “A consortium of companies announced plans today to develop a plant in the Las Vegas area that would employ about 1,000 people for manufacturing wind turbines. Once up and running, the 320,000-square-foot plant would be one of the largest manufacturing employers in Southern Nevada and would build upon an already fast-growing local renewable energy industry that so far has focused on solar power … In today’s announcement, the partners credited Sen. Harry Reid for their decision to locate the plant in Nevada. They also cited affordable real estate in Nevada, the state’s skilled workforce and Nevada’s business-friendly climate. Reid is a leader in developing renewable energy and his commitment to renewable energy and to promoting investment in Nevada was instrumental in the decision, the companies said in their statement.” [Las Vegas Sun, 3/11/10]
Sun Editor Brian Greenspun: “None Of This … Would Have Happened Without Harry Reid.” In a March 2010 column, Las Vegas Sun Editor Brian Greenspun wrote, “A-Power’s commitment to build an assembly plant in our valley, which will encourage others to follow suit, means not only energy production throughout the United States, but also significant job production here at home. It is in this context that I have been thinking a great deal about Nevada’s senior U.S. senator and the majority leader, Harry Reid … On a professional note, it is incumbent upon me to say that none of this — the wind turbine plant, the hundreds and thousands of high-paying and sustainable jobs (and construction jobs, too), the entrance of Southern Nevada in a major way into the energy business, the clasping of hands between China and the United States — would have happened without Harry Reid.” [Las Vegas Sun, Brian Greenspun Column, 3/14/10]
Reid Brought Competing Energy Companies Together Along With Recovery Act Funding, To Build Job-Creating Energy Transmission Lines To Nevada. In January 2010, the Review-Journal reported, “At a press conference Monday morning at Harry Allen, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and executives with NV Energy and LS Power announced an agreement to give NV Energy co-ownership of the 500-kilovolt line and full access to its distribution capacity. The intertie will allow NV Energy to transmit renewable power from the state's rural areas to its cities, and it will link the utility's northern and southern operations for efficiency's sake.” [Review-Journal, 1/12/20]
Construction Of The Transmission Lines Will Create Around 400 Jobs And “Thousands Of Indirect Jobs” When Completed. In January 2010, the Review-Journal reported, “The building process would yield about 400 jobs. Upon completion, the intertie would create thousands of indirect jobs, Segal said, because it would create transmission capabilities for green-energy projects statewide. With the ability to distribute power, developers would at last have the incentive to build far-flung desert projects deploying solar, wind and geothermal power, he said.” [Review-Journal, 1/12/20]
Reid Championed The Provision That Gave Power Companies Access To The Recovery Act Funds Needed To Build These Transmission Lines. In March 2009, the Sun reported, “Tucked into the economic stimulus bill is a $3.2 billion provision championed by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid that gives power companies in Nevada and elsewhere access to low-cost government loans to build transmission lines to carry renewable energy. The lines are necessary to connect new power sources in desert solar fields and atop remote hilltop wind farms to the nation’s electric grid, a problem that has long vexed renewable energy developers.” [Las Vegas Sun, 3/8/09]
Reid Worked With Residents And Local Officials To Bring A Power Plant That Used Natural Gas And Solar Instead Of Coal To Mesquite. In March 2010, the Review-Journal reported, “The last of three planned coal-fired power plants in Nevada is off the table, replaced with a proposal that will incorporate natural gas and solar power. Sithe Global Power of Houston said Monday that new plans for its Toquop Energy Project electricity plant near Mesquite will feature 700 megawatts of natural gas-fired generating capacity and 100 megawatts of sun-powered electricity output … James announced the company's new plans for the $1.45 billion Toquop project in a press conference with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and Mesquite Mayor Susan Holecheck. Holecheck praised Reid for ‘working tirelessly’ as an advocate for the coal-fired plant's opponents. She also thanked Sithe's ‘willingness to compromise.’ ‘I know this must have been a costly consideration, but looking to the future wellness of our people and the environment carries larger benefits for all,’ she said.” [Review-Journal, 3/22/10]
Reid Intervened With The Defense Department To Keep Nye County Solar Project On Track. In January 2010, the Sun reported, “After a sometimes contentious 16-month negotiation with SolarReserve, intervention from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, extensive analysis by the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board and a visit to the Nellis Solar Photovoltaic array by President Barack Obama, the military has broadened its linguistics skills to include a new language: energy geek speak. SolarReserve’s planned 100-megawatt solar thermal plant is slated for land farther west, near Tonopah, and is undergoing a BLM environmental impact review with the Air Force’s blessing.” [Las Vegas Sun, 1/8/10]
Sun: “Military Interests Have Run Smack Into Those Of The Nation’s Most Powerful Politicians” When They Opposed A Solar Project In Nye County. In January 2010, the Sun reported, “Military interests have run smack into those of the nation’s most powerful politicians and the industry touted as Nevada’s potential financial savior. Renewable energy companies want to fill the state’s desert with solar arrays and dot its peaks with wind turbines. They would create hundreds of short-term construction jobs, lease income for cities and the federal government, and emission-free energy. This would all be well and good if the towers associated with solar thermal and wind power plants didn’t cause problems for systems central to the training and tests taking place on Nevada’s military bases.” [Las Vegas Sun, 1/8/10]
REID PASSED JOB-CREATING BUSINESS TAX CUTS IN THE 2008 ECONOMIC STABILIZATION PACKAGE
The 2008 Economic Stabilization Package Contained $150 Billion In Tax Relief, Including Job-Creating Tax Breaks For Renewable Energy Production, Research And Development, Disaster Victims. In October 2008, the New York Times reported that the Senate had added legislation to the Wall Street Bailout that would “extend and expand many individual and business tax breaks, including tax credits for the production and use of renewable energy sources, like solar energy and wind power. The bill would also extend the business tax credit for research and development, expand the child tax credit, protect millions of families from the alternative minimum tax and provide tax relief to victims of recent floods, tornadoes and severe storms.” The US Conference of Mayors also reported that the $150 billion tax relief package in the bailout also included provisions of interest to local governments, including clean energy bonds, energy conservation bonds and an extension of the new market tax credit. [New York Times, 10/30/08; US Conference of Mayors, 10/13/08]
Solar Energy Industries Association: Bailout Contained Tax Credits That Will Create As Many As 41,000 Jobs In Nevada Alone. In October 2008, the Solar Energy Industries Association praised the final vote in the House to pass “historic legislation that extends the 30-percent federal investment tax credit for both residential and commercial solar installations for 8 years. This landmark legislation is part of H.R. 1424, the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, designed to address the U.S. financial crisis. It is the most significant federal policy ever enacted for the solar industry.” According to a September 2008 report from the SEIA, “More than 1.2 million employment opportunities, including 440,000 permanent jobs, and $232 billion in investment would be supported in the U.S. by the solar energy sector alone through 2016 if Congress extends the solar investment tax credit (ITC) for 8 years.” The report said that extending the tax credits would create 41,000 jobs in Nevada, 9,000 of them permanent. [Solar Energy Industries Association, Press Release, 9/15/08; Solar Energy Industries Association, Press Release, 10/3/08]
REID PASSED THE RECOVERY ACT, WHICH INCLUDED BILLIONS OF JOB-CREATING TAX RELIEF
The Recovery Act Provided Job-Creating Tax Relief To Homebuyers By Extending And Expanding The Homebuyer Tax Credit. According to the Democratic Policy Committee, “The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act extends and increases the tax credit for homebuyers.” [Democratic Policy Committee, 2/11/09]
The Recovery Act Also Provided $5 Billion In Tax Relief For Businesses Who Took Operating Losses In 2008. According to the White House, “The ARRA allowed small businesses to use the 2008 operating losses to get a refund of taxes paid in prior years … [Much] of the revenue would be recouped in future years. The ARRA provision was projected to provide $5 billion in tax relief for small businesses in 2009 at a ten-year cost of only $1 billion.” [White House, 11/6/09]
Nevada Has Already Seen Significant Benefits From The Recovery Act’s Tax Provisions
Recovery Act Tax Credits Are Allowing Amonix Inc. To Build A Solar Manufacturing Plant In Southern Nevada – Creating Close To 300 Nevadans Back To Work. According to a May 2010 release, “At the ‘flipping the switch’ ceremony today in Henderson, Nevada Senator Harry Reid announced that 278 permanent green jobs will be coming to the Las Vegas valley at a new solar manufacturing plant, and construction will begin this year … This project will put nearly 300 Nevadans back to work in permanent green manufacturing jobs as soon as this year,’ Reid said. ‘Amonix is taking full advantage of a tax credit from the Recovery Act and is helping Nevada lead the way in producing clean energy’ … Using a $5.9 million investment tax credit from the Recovery Act, Amonix’s new manufacturing facility will produce 150 MW of solar capacity annually and employ 278 people in management, technical and production jobs. The permanent manufacturing jobs will be well-paying positions that require minimal training for someone who previously worked in a construction industry that has been hard-hit by the economic recession.” [Reid Press Release, 5/15/10]
Harrah’s Senior Vice President Jan Jones: Reid’s Debt-Cancellation Provision “Allowed Us To Protect 31,000 Jobs In Nevada Alone.” In October 2009, the Sun reported, “Harrah’s Entertainment Senior Vice President Jan Jones said today’s teleconference wasn’t just a response to Wynn and Murren, but a reaction to those who question the need for the federal stimulus and its role in protecting jobs … Aside from the money Nevada received from the stimulus, the cancellation of indebtedness provision and Travel Promotion Act were important additions that helped the gaming industry, Jones said. She credited Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid with both. The cancellation of indebtedness provision allows companies to restructure their debt and delays tax payments tied to capital gains. ‘For Harrah’s Entertainment, that allowed us to protect 31,000 jobs in Nevada alone. This piece of legislation allowed Harrah’s to work to restructure to make sure we kept our employees employed,’ said Jones.” [Las Vegas Sun, 10/23/09]
Review-Journal Blog: “Reid Delivered For McCarran.” In January 2010, the Review-Journal’s “Political Eye” reported, “When much of the political class was buzzing over his awkward racial remark, Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., was having a look at how his work in Washington translates into action on the ground. Reid on Tuesday toured the construction project that is Terminal 3 at McCarran International Airport. The $2.4 billion project saved more than $70 million in large part to a provision in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, also called the stimulus law, that Reid as Senate majority leader helped to pass. ‘It’s fitting that Sen. Reid tour this project given the role he’s played in its ongoing development,’ said Rosemary Vassiliadis, deputy director of the Clark County Department of Aviation. ‘His efforts to include Alternative Minimum Tax relief in last year’s stimulus package helped keep this project on track, and will ultimately save our department millions of dollars in debt service costs in the years to come.’ Vassiliadis said AMT relief is projected to save the department $72.4 million in reduced debt service costs over the 30-year life of the applicable bonds issued to pay for the project.” [Review-Journal, The Political Eye, 1/13/10]
Reid’s Effort Helped Keep Almost 2,000 Workers On The Job. In a January 2010 release, Reid’s office wrote, “In addition to helping accommodate the millions of people who travel to and from Las Vegas each year, Terminal 3 is being constructed with the most modern, built-in security features to help ensure the safety of all who pass through the airport. Reid included an exception for refinancing bonds in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act that allowed McCarran to take advantage of a tax exemption, allowing work at the airport to continue and saving as many as 2,000 jobs.” In January 2010, the Associated Press reported, “Reid touted the role the project is playing employing more than 1,700 construction workers. Vassiliadis says last year's federal stimulus package helped keep the project alive. She says a tax provision will let the county save more than $72 million in interest on construction bonds.” [Reid Press Release, 1/12/10; Associated Press, 1/12/10]
REID PASSED A JOB-CREATING EXTENSION AND EXPANSION OF THE HOMEBUYER TAX CREDIT AND RELIEF FOR BUSINESSES WHO TOOK OPERATING LOSSES IN 2008 AND 2009
Reid Led Passage Of Legislation To Extend The Homebuyer Tax Credit, Extend Unemployment Benefits And Help Relieve The Tax Burden Of Struggling Businesses. In November 2009, the Washington Post reported, “The Senate on Wednesday approved a bill that extends several measures designed to spur the economy and help people who have lost their jobs, including a provision that will extend unemployment benefits for up to 20 weeks in states with high unemployment rates … The measure would also extend through April 30 a $8,000 first-time homebuyer tax credit and create a new $6,500 credit for homebuyers who have been in their current residence for the last five years or more. Another provision allows businesses that had operating losses in 2008 and 2009 to seek refunds for taxes paid on profits over the past five years.” [Washington Post, “Capitol Briefing,” 11/4/09]
Reid-Led Bill To Extend Homebuyer Tax Credit Also Expanded It To Give Tax Credits To Families Who Qualified As “Move-Up Homebuyers. In November 2009, In Business Las Vegas reported, “Homebuilders and Realtors are counting an extension and expansion of a homebuyer tax credit to boost to the housing market through mid-2010. Last week, Congress extended the $8,000 credit for first-time buyers and expanded the program to include move-up buyers in the amount of $6,500. The credit for first-time buyer was set to expire Nov. 30. Buyers must qualify by signing a purchase agreement by April 30 and closing by June 30.” [In Business Las Vegas, 11/13/09]
Reid-Led Bill To Extend The Homebuyer Tax Credit Also Made More Families Eligible For The Credit And Included Protections For Members Of The Armed Forces. According to a November 2009 press release, the bill Senator Reid led the Senate in passing that extended and expanded the homebuyer tax credit also “Increases the dollar limits for eligibility for both credits from $75,000 for singles and $150,000 for married couples to $125,000 for singles and $225,000 for married couples … Waives repayment of the credit for Members of the Armed Forces and others on sent away from home on extended duty” and “Extends the credit for an additional year for Members of the Armed Forces and others away from home on extended duty.” [Reid Press Release, 11/4/09]
Builders And Realtors Agreed The Tax Credit’s Extension Was Necessary To Help The Struggling Housing Market. In November 2009, In Business Las Vegas reported, “Builders had argued that the credit needed to be extended and expanded to help their struggling industry. Realtors say the tax credit kept sales strong — they increased 5.3 percent in October in part because of first-time buyers taking advantage of the credit. ‘The credit has definitely impacted positively our home sales in Southern Nevada,’ said Monica Caruso, Southern Nevada Home Builders Association spokeswoman … But she added that expanding the tax credit to include a new group of buyers should help sales … Rick Shelton, president-elect of the Greater Las Vegas Association of Realtors, said the tax credit has already boosted sales by as much as 300,000 nationwide and its extension and expansion should boost that total.” [In Business Las Vegas, 11/13/09]
Business Groups Praised Net Operating Loss Provisions, Said They Would Save Jobs Around The Country. According to a November 2009 press release, “The National Retail Federation welcomed today's passage of legislation that will bring recession-plagued retailers and other businesses more than $10 billion in badly needed cash by lengthening the period during which they can ‘carry back’ current losses to claim a tax refund from previous years when they made a profit … ‘This legislation will provide retailers with an important source of capital to finance their operations and keep employees on the payroll,’ NRF Vice President and Tax Counsel Rachelle Bernstein said.” According to Business Roundtable, “We also commend the Senate for expanding the five-year net operating loss 'carryback' period for all companies. This is critical tax relief that will allow companies to generate immediate cash by carrying back current-year losses to profitable years. In light of the current credit crunch, access to cash is critical to sustaining the current economy recovery. Companies will be able to use this money to invest in new plants and equipment, sustain research and development and maintain and create U.S. jobs.” Both groups specifically noted Reid’s leadership in passing the measure. [National Retail Federation Press Release, 11/22/09; Business Roundtable Press Release, 11/21/09]
Sun: “New Stimulus Bill Should Bring A Boost To Nevadans On Many Fronts.” In a November 2009 editorial, the Sun wrote, “A $24 billion economic stimulus bill signed Friday by President Barack Obama should bring much-needed relief to Nevadans who are out of work or interested in purchasing a new residence. Struggling businesses also stand to benefit … Southern Nevada’s ailing housing market also should get a boost with the extension of $8,000 tax credits for first-time homebuyers through June, along with a $6,500 credit for certain homeowners who buy a new residence. Businesses may also be able to rebound sooner, thanks to bigger tax refund checks, because they will be able to deduct a greater amount of losses from profits.” [Las Vegas Sun, Editorial, 11/8/09]
REID PASSED BILLIONS IN JOB-CREATING TAX CREDITS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES AND OTHER EMPLOYERS IN THE 2009 JOBS BILL AND PASSED TAX CREDITS TO HELP MORE THEN 30,000 NEVADA SMALL BUSINESSES AFFORD HEATH INSURANCE
Reid Passed A Jobs Bill That Included Billions In Tax Credits For Small Businesses. In February 2010, the Review-Journal reported, “The Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act offers $15 billion in tax credits, payroll-tax relief and bond-interest payments for schools and energy projects, and $20 billion for highway and mass-transit projects. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., pushed hard for the bill, returning to Las Vegas earlier this month to promote the legislation … The bill would cut payroll taxes for companies that hire anyone who was out of work for 60 days or more, and it would provide a $1,000 tax credit for every new worker retained for at least a year. Businesses also could write off up to $500,000 in capital purchases.” [Review-Journal, 2/24/10]
Las Vegas Chamber Of Commerce Praised The Jobs Bill; Said It Would Create Jobs. In a February 2010 statement, the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce said, “The Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce is pleased that the United States Senate passed the ‘Jobs Bill’ today. Businesses are struggling, and this bill will help encourage job growth by giving tax breaks to businesses that hire the unemployed. This legislation also adds $20 billion into highway and mass transit programs that will both create jobs and invest in the infrastructure we need. The Chamber appreciates the leadership of Senator Harry Reid and Republican and Democrat lawmakers working together in a bi-partisan manner to enact this bill that will help businesses put people back to work, as well as invest in our nation’s infrastructure.” [Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce, Press Release, 2/24/10]
Expedia Is Creating 130 Jobs In Las Vegas Thanks To The HIRE Act. In June 2010, KLAS reported, “The world's largest online travel company is adding 130 new jobs in Las Vegas. The city is home to a number of operational functions serving a number of Expedia, Inc.'s travel brands, including Expedia.com, Hotels.com, and Egencia. The company, which is in Summerlin, plans to host an open house later this month to celebrate the expansion. The additional jobs will bring the Las Vegas office total to 500 employees … The company says it will benefit from incentives provided by the federal ‘Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act’ which was designed to create or restore employment to previously unemployed individuals.” [KLAS, 6/17/10]
More Than 4.5 Million Hires Qualified For The Tax Break – Roughly $8.5 Billion In Tax Relief For Businesses Around The Country. In July 2010, the Associated Press reported, “President Barack Obama signed a law in March that exempts businesses hiring people who have been unemployed for at least 60 days from paying the 6.2 percent Social Security payroll tax through December. Employers get an additional $1,000 credit if new workers stay on the job a full year. Treasury released a report Monday estimating that from February to May, businesses added 4.5 million workers who qualify for the tax breaks. Those businesses are projected to save $8.5 billion in taxes. ‘Targeted, temporary incentives like the HIRE Act are helping to fuel a private-sector-led recovery,’ said Alan Krueger, assistant Treasury secretary. ‘After a period of extraordinary difficulty, the economy is continuing to grow and private sector companies have added jobs for six straight months.’” [Associated Press, 7/12/10]
Health Insurance Reform Will Provide Tax Credits To Make Providing Health Insurance More Affordable For More Than 30,000 Nevada Small Businesses. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, “While small businesses make up 70 percent of Nevada’s businesses, only 49 percent of them offered health coverage benefits in 2008. 30,300 small businesses in Nevada could be helped by a small businesses tax credit proposal that makes premiums more affordable. And these small businesses would be exempt from any employer responsibility provisions.” [HealthReform.gov]
REID UNDERSTANDS THE NEED FOR ADEQUATE LAND FOR DEVELOPMENT IN NEVADA AND HAS WON PRAISE FOR HIS EFFORTS TO OPEN UP MORE PUBLIC LAND FOR PRIVATE USE
The Review-Journal Praised Reid’s Work To Open Up More Public Land For Private Development When They Endorsed Him In 2004. In their October 2004 editorial endorsing Reid’s re-election, the Review-Journal wrote, “On a handful of issues, the senator has successfully used his position to move legislation important to the state. For instance, he spearheaded the effort to protect the petroglyphs at Sloan Canyon south of Las Vegas. He, along with other members of the delegation, recently pushed through a measure that will facilitate economic development in rural Lincoln County through the sale of federally controlled land. And in the inevitable future disputes about the allocation of water resources in the West, Sen. Reid's clout will help ensure Nevada gets a fair shake.” [Review-Journal, Editorial, 10/24/04]
Review-Journal Publisher Praised Reid’s Work On Coyote Springs; “To The Extent That Reid Helped A Developer Legally Convert Public Land To Private Land, I Say That's Good. Real Good.” In a September 2006 column, Review-Journal Publisher Sherman Frederick wrote, “I believe we'll run out of developable private land long before we run out of water. That's why I give Sen. Harry Reid big kudos for helping developers get the appropriate clearances to start developing Coyote Springs. Not everyone agrees with me, apparently … Southern Nevada needs all of the developable private land it can get. The only place it can get it from is the government's outrageous 90 percent share. So, to the extent that Reid helped a developer legally convert public land to private land, I say that's good. Real good.” [Review-Journal, Sherman Frederick Column, 9/3/06]
REID WORKED WITH THE WHITE HOUSE AND ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS TO END BUSH-ERA POLICIES THAT DISCRIMINATE AGAINST CITIES LIKE LAS VEGAS AND RENO
When Nevada Businesses Saw A Decline In Government Business, Reid Acted. In July 2009, the Gazette-Journal reported, “At the urging of Nevada businesses who noticed a spike in government agencies either canceling or refusing to book in Nevada, U.S. Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., wrote a letter last month to Obama’s chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, asking for him to rescind the government’s ‘informal policy’ for discouraging travel to Nevada. Emanuel responded with a letter saying he agreed that ‘federal policy should not dictate the location where such government events are held.’ It noted that with tough economic times, government agencies should base that decision on whether the ‘cost to the government is reasonable.’” [Gazette-Journal, 7/23/09]
LVCVA Vice President “Said Reid's Efforts Will Help Bring Clarity To Federal Directives Regarding Travel To Leisure Destinations.” In September 2009, the Review-Journal reported, “Vince Alberta, vice president of public affairs at the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, said Reid's efforts will help bring clarity to federal directives regarding travel to leisure destinations. ‘There is no destination that provides the value and experience of Las Vegas,’ Alberta said. ‘As we host more than 20,000 meetings and conventions annually, it is well-understood that Las Vegas is a place where serious business can take place.’” [Review-Journal, 9/15/09]
White House Chief Of Staff Confirmed That Cost, Not The “Reputation” Of The Destination, Should Determine Where Administration Officials Travel. In July 2009, the Review-Journal reported, “Reid recently received a letter from White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel noting the Obama administration's view that travel decisions should revolve around cost-benefit analysis rather than a location's reputation. So Reid seized on Emanuel's letter, sending missives to all Cabinet secretaries and the heads of all federal agencies asking them to make sure their rules don't prohibit travel to any cities.” [Review-Journal, 7/28/09]
Reid Called On Cabinet Officials To Rescind Bush-Era Policies That Discriminated Against Cities Like Las Vegas And Reno. In July 2009, the Sun reported, “Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid today asked cabinet secretaries and the heads of every federal agency to reject or reverse any agency policy that discriminates against official government travel to Las Vegas and Reno. Reid’s letter is the latest missive in the state’s ongoing campaign to mend Nevada’s bruised image as a place too glitzy for government travel on the taxpayer dime. Last week it came to light that certain federal agencies were recommending against travel to tourist-like destinations for official business. Nevada Republican Gov. Jim Gibbons likened the policy to a ‘blacklist.’ But Reid unveiled last week that such policies had been in place since the Bush administration.” [Las Vegas Sun, 7/27/09]
Reid Received Confirmation From 12 Agencies That They Wouldn’t Discriminate Against Las Vegas Or Reno. In September 2009, the Review-Journal reported, “Reid on Monday released letters from officials at 12 federal bureaus. The statements all provided variations on the same theme: Our department doesn't maintain any rule classifying Las Vegas or Reno as inappropriate meeting destinations. The Federal Reserve, the Central Intelligence Agency, the Department of Health and Human Services, the National Transportation Safety Board, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Federal Trade Commission -- all said they don't discriminate against Nevada. The Department of Justice told Reid that neither it nor its law-enforcement agencies prohibit official travel to any location. Sheila Bair, chairwoman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., said her agency doesn't discriminate against Las Vegas mostly because its employees don't travel much. The federally sponsored corporation has a large conference facility in suburban Washington, D.C., that houses most of its meetings. Steven Walther, chairman of the Federal Election Commission, said his bureau doesn't intentionally avoid Las Vegas, either … A letter from Eric Shinseki, secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, noted that Shinseki spent July 21 in Las Vegas as a keynote speaker at the Annual Champions of Veterans Enterprise awards ceremony. Veterans Affairs held the ceremony in conjunction with the National Veterans Small Business Conference and Expo.” [Review-Journal, 9/15/09]
REID HAS GONE A STEP FURTHER, INTRODUCING LEGISLATION THAT WOULD MAKE IT ILLEGAL FOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS TO DISCRIMINATE AGAINST LAS VEGAS OR RENO SIMPLY THEY ARE POPULAR TOURISM DESTINATIONS
KVVU: “Reid Introduces Bill To End Travel ‘Blacklist.’” In July 2009 KVVU reported, “U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has introduced a bill to prevent federal agencies from ruling out tourist destinations, like Las Vegas, as places to hold official meetings. The Democrat from Nevada introduced the bill on Wednesday, called the Protecting Resort Cities from Discrimination Act of 2009 … Earlier this week, Reid told cabinet secretaries and the heads of all federal agencies to get in line with White House views articulated in an earlier letter to Reid from Rahm Emanuel, President Barack Obama's chief of staff.” [KVVU, 7/29/09]
Review-Journal: “Boxer-Turned-Senator Dukes It Out Over Policies Discouraging Travel To Resort Cities.” In July 2009, the Review-Journal reported, “A bill by Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., would make it against the law for government bureaucrats to implement travel policies that prohibit official travel to specific destinations ‘perceived to be a resort or vacation destination’ … the bill does show Reid and other politicians are taking debate over federal travel decisions to a new level by putting it in front of Congress. Reid's bill, called the Protecting Resort Cities from Discrimination Act of 2009, is a response to reports of bureaucrats in myriad federal offices banning travel to resort destinations in favor of more staid locations.” [Las Vegas Sun, 7/30/09]
REID JUST PASSED JOB-CREATING LEGISLATION TO BUILD A NATIONAL TOURISM PROMOTION AGENCY MODELED AFTER THE LVCVA
Reid Passed The Travel Promotion Act. In March 2010, the Sun reported, “President Barack Obama today signed a long-pushed bill to establish a national tourism promotion agency that would market the United States to visitors from abroad. Obama said there is no better country to visit than the United States as he signed the bill in the Oval Office, flanked by lawmakers from Nevada and other tourism states … Obama thanked Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid by name for ushering the bill to passage.” Fox 5 called the bill “a landmark law that aims to boost U.S. tourism using the same strategies of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.” [Las Vegas Sun, 3/4/10; KVVU, 3/4/10]
Travel Promotion Act Could Create As Many As 6,000 Nevada Jobs. In February 2010, the Review-Journal reported, “Congress is just weeks away from passing a tourism bill that state and tourism leaders say will create thousands of jobs for Nevada … Rossi Ralenkotter, president and chief executive officer of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, said the city's visitor volume is 15 percent international, and those global visitors keep about 30,000 Southern Nevadans employed. Boosting Las Vegas' international market share to 20 percent over five years would equate to roughly 5,000 to 6,000 new jobs, he said. Nationally, the bill would create 40,000 jobs in the first year, the U.S. Travel Association said. ‘It is truly a jobs bill across the board,’ Ralenkotter said.” [Review-Journal, 2/24/10]
LVCVA President Rossi Ralenkotter Called Travel Promotion Act “A New Law We All Can Support.” In a March 2010 column, LVCVA President Rossi Ralenkotter wrote, “As the public’s attention on Congress remains focused on the health care debate, an important piece of legislation has become law. On Thursday, President Barack Obama signed the Travel Promotion Act. The legislation is significant because it will create thousands of jobs, stimulate the national economy and help reduce the federal deficit. Further, there is no cost to the American taxpayer.” [Las Vegas Sun, Rossi Ralenkotter Column, 3/14/10]
Ralenkotter: Travel Promotion Will Help Southern Nevada Make International Visitors 20% Of Overall Visitation. In a March 2010 column, LVCVA Rossi Rlankotter wrote, “As Las Vegas is viewed as a premier, world-class destination, Southern Nevada will benefit from the Travel Promotion Act. Las Vegas hosts approximately 5 million international visitors a year, or 15 percent of our overall visitation. The legislation will help us achieve our goal of increasing international visitation to 20 percent. It has the potential to attract as many as 1.8 million new visitors and create up to 12,000 jobs here.” [Las Vegas Sun, Rossi Ralenkotter Column, 3/14/10]
National Restaurant Association: “The restaurant industry commends the Senate for passing this important legislation … Restaurateurs are especially grateful to the bipartisan leaders who achieved passage of this critical initiative, including Sens. Harry Reid, Richard Durbin, and John Ensign. We urge leaders in the House of Representatives to move quickly to pass the legislation so the U.S. hospitality industry will have the same strong support provided by other leading nations.” [National Restaurant Association, Press Release, 9/10/09]
REID HAS WORKED WITH INDUSTRY LEADERS TO HELP STOP A HOMELAND SECURITY DEPARTMENT DRILL THAT COULD NEGATIVELY IMPACT TOURISM IN LAS VEGAS
Reid Called On Obama Administration To Halt Disaster Drill In Clark County. In November 2009, the Review-Journal reported, “No nukes, real or otherwise, would be great news to Sen. Harry Reid and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. Reid and the LVCVA are both urging the Department of Homeland Security to ditch plans to stage a mock nuclear explosion in Clark County in May. On Thursday, the Senate majority leader objected to the exercise in a letter to DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano. ‘I am deeply sympathetic to the need of our first responders to conduct preparedness training, and I look forward to revisiting this issue when Nevada's economy has improved,’ Reid wrote. ‘However, at this time, economic recovery efforts would be stymied, or reversed entirely, by artificially creating anxiety surrounding tourism and investment in Las Vegas.’” [Review-Journal, 11/20/09]
REID WORKED TO BRING ADDITIONAL FLIGHTS TO RENO – AND TO KEEP THE AIRLINES FLYING TO RENO – AND IS WORKING TO STOP US AIRWAYS FROM REDUCING THEIR FLIGHTS INTO LAS VEGAS
Reid Called On US Airways To Reconsider A Reduction In Their Flights To Las Vegas. In January 2010, the Associated Press reported, “Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is calling on U.S. Airways to reconsider flight cuts to Las Vegas. He describes the cutbacks as shortsighted. The flight cuts could lead to a loss of 400 jobs. Reid says that would have a detrimental impact on a region already suffering from high unemployment. In a letter Thursday to the company's chairman and CEO, Doug Parker, Reid said passenger volume has started to increase again at McCarran International Airport, and as passenger traffic returns, the company will be well-positioned to benefit. The Nevada senator is calling for Parker to delay service cuts until he is briefed on alternatives available to the airline.” [Associated Press, 1/11/10
Reid Helped Push Airlines To Being More Flights To Reno. In November 2007, the Gazette-Journal reported, “Top executives at Reno-Tahoe International Airport said they are negotiating to bring nonstop flights into Reno from New York and Washington, D.C … The airport also is in negotiations to boost its daily flights to Atlanta and to bring in international flights from Canada and Mexico, said Krys T. Bart, executive director and CEO … Nevada's congressional delegation, including Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, also has helped in negotiations, Bart said. ‘No matter what he does on behalf of his (Democratic) party, Harry Reid takes care of Nevada, and that is in every aspect,’ Bart said. ‘They (congressional delegation) have helped by making calls to the airlines. We have asked them, for instance, if they would make a call to say, (CEO) David Neeleman at JetBlue, and they do.’” [Gazette-Journal, 11/23/07]
Gazette-Journal: Reid And Ensign “Deserve Credit” For Convincing Airlines Not To Cancel Flights Into Reno After 9/11. In an October 2001 editorial, the Gazette-Journal reported, “It's abundantly clear that the nation's airline industry has been hard hit by the Sept. 11 attacks, with airlines across the country announcing cutbacks, layoffs and warning of an uncertain future. Despite the grim outlook, Reno/ Tahoe International Airport officials have several reasons to be optimistic, primarily this week's arrival of Frontier Airlines and the addition of its two daily flights between Reno and Denver … Add to the mix the fact that Nevada's congressional delegation is flexing its collective muscle with the airlines. Less than 24 hours after announcing it would cancel its two Reno-Chicago flights on Nov. 1, American Airlines backed off. Apparently, Nevada Sen. Harry Reid and John Ensign deserve credit for reminding the airlines of their responsibility to communities and consumers in light of the Congress' $15 billion bailout bill.” [Gazette-Journal, Editorial, 10/3/01]
REID LED THE FINALLY-SUCCESSFUL FIGHT TO KILL THE YUCCA MOUNTAIN NUCLEAR WASTE DUMP, WHICH WOULD HAVE HAD A DISASTROUS IMPACT ON NEVADA’S TOURISM INDUSTRY
Sun: “Reid has spearheaded the effort to defeat the federal government’s dangerous plan to dump nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain.” In a May 2009 editorial, the Sun wrote, “Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is the most powerful official who has ever served Nevada in Washington, and he has consistently used his position to help Nevadans and improve the state. Most notably, Reid has spearheaded the effort to defeat the federal government’s dangerous plan to dump nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain, 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas.” [Las Vegas Sun, Editorial, 5/27/09]
Sun Editor Brian Geeenspun: Reid “Has Slowed The Yucca Train Long Enough To Finally Get A President In Office Who Promises To Kill It Once And For All. In a March 2009 column, Sun editor Brian Greenspun wrote of Review-Journal publisher Sherm Frederick, “Here’s the most blatant effort to hoodwink his readers. He continuously questions Reid’s efforts to keep the nation’s nuclear waste out of Nevada. Sherm knows full well that just one accident on Interstate 15 anywhere near the Strip or even on its way into the state, would close down Las Vegas for business in a way that would make this economic disaster we are experiencing seem like child’s play. And, yet, he continually questions the necessity of having a man in Reid’s position to enable Nevadans to breathe a sigh of relief one day when that monster is finally killed. The fact is that Harry Reid has only been able to do so much. But, he has done so much. By using the budgeting process to slowly strangle Yucca Mountain, he has slowed the Yucca train down long enough to finally get a president in office who promises to kill it once and for all. And now it looks as if the nuclear garbage dump is on its last legs or, at least, reeling.” [Las Vegas Sun, Brian Greenspun Column, 3/1/09]
Sun Editor Brian Greenspun: “Can You Imagine How Many Jobs Will Be Lost When The Tourists Refuse To Come To Las Vegas Because They Don’t Want To Visit The Deadly Nuclear Waste That Used To Be In Their Own Back Yards?” In a February 2009 column, Sun editor Brian Greenspun wrote, “If you think tourism is on its backside now — as a result of a recession — can you imagine how many jobs will be lost when the tourists refuse to come to Las Vegas because they don’t want to visit the deadly nuclear waste that used to be in their own back yards? With Sen. Reid poised to run that stake right through its ugly heart, here come Jim Gibbons and Sue Lowden to try to save the day for the people who would destroy our way of life.” [Las Vegas Sun, Brian Greenspun Column, 2/15/09]
REID HAS ALWAYS BEEN IN THE CORNER OF NEVADA’S GAMING AND TOURISM INDUSTRY
American Gaming Association Head “Is A Longtime Friend Of Reid;” Says “Reid has been A Reliable Ally” To The Industry. In February 2005, Congressional Quarterly reported, “Frank J. Fahrenkopf Jr. is the only president and chief executive officer that the American Gaming Association has had and is a longtime friend of Reid. He headed the Nevada GOP when Reid was a state legislator. The point man for the casino industry in Washington for the past decade, Fahrenkopf said Reid has been a reliable ally of gambling enterprises that are vital to his state's economy. After chairing the Republican National Committee during most of Ronald Reagan's presidency, Fahrenkopf was the top trade lobbyist at Hogan and Hartson for six years before taking over the Gaming Association a decade ago. ” [Congressional Quarterly Weekly, 2/12/05]
Gaming Industry Head Listed Reid Among Members Of The New Industry-Friendly Leadership. In April 2007, Gannett News reported that American Gaming Association President Frank Fahrenkopf, Jr. “expects casinos will do even better this year because of a new cast of leaders in Congress who understand the industry. They include Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Nevada Democrat who has been a strong casino advocate.” [Gannett News Service, 4/2/07]
REID HAS BEEN A TIRELESS CHAMPION FOR NEVADA’S MINING INDUSTRY AND THE NEVADANS WHO RELY ON MINING
Nevada Mining Officials Praised Reid’s Commitment To Their Industry. In April 2010, the Associated Press reported, “Nevada Mining Association President Tim Crowley praised Reid's efforts on behalf of the industry. ‘We're grateful for the time, attention and appreciation that Sen. Reid has for our industry,’ he said. ‘Having him as the majority leader brings special attention to our often-misunderstood industry.’ Tom Kerr, senior vice president of Newmont Mining Corp.'s North American operations, said mining jobs depend on Reid, and he has worked hard for the industry and all of Nevada.” [Associated Press, 4/9/10]
2010: Reid Said Wants Mining Reform That Industry Can Live With, But It Won’t Happen This Year. In March 2010, the Elko Daily Free Press reported, “Congress won’t act on mining law reform this year, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said Wednesday, although he would like to see reform agreeable to the mining industry. ‘The mining companies want it, and I want it, but based on the schedule of the Senate, it won’t make it this year. We’re just overloaded. We won’t have time to get to this,’ he said. Reid said the mining law reform he is talking about is what can be worked out with the mining industry. ‘We’ve got to work out what they want, and I will take care of them,’ said the senator.” [Elko Daily Free Press, 3/11/10]
Reid Helped Protect 750 Jobs And Helped Create 50 More By Pushing For Approval Of Mining Expansion In Nye County. In a July 2010 release, “Senator Harry Reid this week applauded the decision of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to approve a planned expansion of the Kinross Gold mining operation at Round Mountain in Nye County. This expansion makes sure that 750 high-paying mining jobs will stay in Nevada. The project will also lead to more than 50 new jobs for contractors this year, some of whom are already working on the expansion. The Round Mountain expansion will increase the existing mine’s boundary by 3,122 acres to a total of 10,385 acres and add an additional 4,928 acres to accommodate the new facilities. Kinross’ operation at Round Mountain is the largest private employer and private tax payer in Nye County.” [Reid Press Release, 7/9/10]
Kinross Gold Corporation President And CEO Tye W. Burt: “This is great news for the 750 employees at our Round Mountain operation … This remarkable mine has been providing jobs and economic benefits to the people of Nye County since 1977, and we can now look forward to more years of responsible operation. It took a lot of work and consultation with many stakeholders to get here, and we are especially appreciative of the support of Senator Reid throughout the process.” [Reid Press Release, 7/9/10]
Nye County Commissioner Lorinda Wichman: “It’s a relief to know that our community is not going to be torn apart by the loss of jobs … action will help keep our community whole. Round Mountain Gold has been a fantastic neighbor for almost 30 years. I appreciate Senator Reid’s help in pushing this through and BLM Director Bob Abbey, as well as the local BLM office in Nye County who were very responsive and helpful.” [Reid Press Release, 7/9/10]
Reid Helped Create And Save Dozens Jobs At Esmeralda County’s Only Lithium Mine. In July 2010, the Review-Journal reported, “The only lithium mine in the nation is expanding in Esmeralda County. Twenty new jobs already have been created either by Chemetall Foote, the mine operator, or by contractors at the production plant at Silver Peak, the company said. During drilling of new wells in Clayton Valley to extract lithium that is suspended in underground springs, the project will employ another 50 people. The brine is evaporated in surface ponds, then the resulting concentrate is pumped to the factory three miles away. When the expansion is finished in 2013 the company will have doubled its capacity to produce lithium carbonate, the raw material for lithium compounds that have industrial and technology uses. The work force will consist of 50 people, double the number from 2009, according to North Carolina-based Chemetall Foote. The expansion was made possible partly through a $28.4 million federal stimulus grant from the Department of Energy, the company said. As part of a nurturing of industry to produce advanced transportation batteries, DOE is seeking to expand and upgrade lithium production. The federal money also will install a geothermal power plant that is expected to make the operation self-sufficient for electricity.” [Review-Journal, 7/14/10]
Esmeralda County Commissioner Nancy Boland: Senator Reid “Heard Of Our Distress And Proactively Supported Our County To Accomplish This Expansion.” According to the Review-Journal, “The mine expansion is a boost for sparsely populated Esmeralda County, County Commissioner Nancy Boland said in a prepared statement. ‘At Christmas last year, the people of the town of Silver Peak had experienced only bad news. Longtime friends and co-workers were forced to leave due to layoffs; the economy was horrible. They felt hopeless and doomed to extinction,’ Boland said. ‘The expansion of the lithium operation will restore jobs and health to our community.’ Boland and officials with Chemetall Foote said Reid, D-Nev., worked with the Energy Department to obtain the grant. ‘(Reid) heard of our distress and proactively supported our county to accomplish this expansion,’ Boland said.” [Review-Journal, 7/14/10]
