Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

John Ensign leads debate on tourism bill

WASHINGTON -- Republican Sen. John Ensign returned to the capital today after time spent rehabilitating his image back home to throw himself into work on a tourism bill important to Nevada.

Ensign was leading the floor debate in the Senate this evening on a travel promotion act, a bill he co-sponsored with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, that would establish a national agency to advertise U.S. tourism to foreign travelers.

The bill comes to the floor as a do-over after it failed to receive enough votes to advance in summer. At that time, several Democrats were absent from the vote, but supporters also grumbled that Ensign failed to round up Republican support.

Ensign missed that June vote, which came shortly after he disclosed his affair with a former staffer whose husband had been one of the senator’s best friend and top aides.

Reid has since expressed confidence the bill would pass this time around. Ensign seems poised to benefit if he can take credit for having helped to shepherd the bill to victory.

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