Washington memo: Cresent Hardy gets feet wet, while Harry Reid rests his eye

By Amber Phillips

Published Friday, Jan. 9, 2015 | 2 a.m.

Updated Friday, Jan. 9, 2015 | 8:20 a.m.

Amber Phillips, the Sun's Washington correspondent, wraps up the week in politics with Nevada's congressional delegation.

The first week of Congress is a little bit like the first week of school: Nervous excitement, getting lost in the hallways and a pause before the real work begins.

Nevada's federal lawmakers balanced first-week hob-knobbing with setting their agenda for the next two years: a focus on veterans, tax reform, Nevada lands issues and the federal budget.

They welcomed the delegation's newest member, Republican Rep. Cresent Hardy, and ushered in a new Republican majority for President Barack Obama's last two years in office. Here's what else happened to Nevada's six Washington lawmakers this week:

A bruised Reid fights on

On doctor's orders (and presumably against his wishes), Sen. Harry Reid worked from his one-bedroom condo in the Ritz-Carlton in Washington as he recovered from broken bones and a busted eye from a New Year's Day exercise accident.

The reportedly "lucid" Nevada Democrat and Senate minority leader was clearly still pulling strings from his armchair. Politico reported his fiery chief of staff, David Krone, is leaving and will be replaced by longtime Reid aide and parliamentarian expert Drew Willison. Reid also came out fighting, via a statement delivered by Senate Democrats' No. 2, on his role in the new Republican Senate.

"I can't just roll over," he said.

Heller tries to force Congress to pass a budget

Sen. Dean Heller wasted no time this week introducing one of his hallmark bills. The No Budget, No Pay Act proposes that members of Congress shouldn't get paid if they can't pass a budget on time — something that hasn't happened in regular order for several years. Heller has introduced the bill every year in the Senate since his official first term began, in 2013.

He also introduced legislation that aims to let Nevadans deduct their state and local sales tax on their federal taxes. Congress retroactively extended such a deal for tax year 2014, and Heller and co-sponsor Sen. Maria Cantwell of Washington want to make it permanent for states like Nevada that don't have a state income tax.

He also celebrated the first bill to pass both chambers of the new Congress: A federal program that supports insurance companies in case of a terrorist attack on commercial businesses. The program makes terrorism risk insurance, which is a requirement for large commercial businesses such as Las Vegas casinos, more affordable. Heller and Reid led efforts in the Senate to get it passed this week.

"If a terrorist attack were to occur, our entire state economy would be devastated without [it]," Heller said before the Senate passed the bill 93-4.

Titus cheers terrorism insurance bill and historic number of women in Congress

The Las Vegas Democrat was also pleased to see Congress act so quickly on the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act, which she pushed for in the House of Representatives. The program will be extended for six years, but Titus would like to see it extended permanently so casinos and shopping centers have one less thing to worry about when they want to expand.

On a chilly morning back in Washington, D.C., she joined her fellow female House Democrats for a photo op to celebrate the historic 100 women in Congress. (It's a start, but Titus has said she'd like to see at least another hundred more.)

Amodei takes a leadership role in the West

The Northern Nevada Republican started this new Congress with a vote of confidence from his fellow Western lawmakers: He'll be in a leadership position for the Western Caucus, which focuses on legislation that specifically affects Western states.

In that position, Amodei is expected to continue his fight with the Obama administration to delay a decision on whether the sage grouse should be listed as an endangered species by the end of this year.

Amodei also said he's reminding House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, every chance he gets to go big on major legislation such as immigration and tax reform. Republicans have got to show they can govern if they want to keep Congress and win the White House in 2016, he said.

"That's my job as a rank-and-file member," Amodei said.

Heck calls for defense spending reform

Heck, a Republican representing Boulder City and Henderson, spent his first week preparing for a potential battle with the Obama administration on pay and benefits for members of the military.

The Iraq War veteran and brigadier general in the Army Reserves now chairs a House panel dedicated to military personnel issues. Next month, an independent committee is expected to release a wide-ranging report that will carry suggestions on how to pay troops as their involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan winds down.

In interviews with military publications this week, Heck demanded the military try to find other places for budget cuts than on service members' pay and benefits.

"I’m not one for asking somebody to make a co-pay when we’re still pissing away money in a health care system that is not finely tuned," Heck told the military publication Stars & Stripes.

Hardy gets acquainted with his new job

Nevada's newest member of Congress spent his first few days in a whirlwind of tours, meetings, hand-shaking and purposefully wandering around the Capitol's marble hallways.

"Everywhere I go, I'm lost," the Republican representing central Nevada said as he was whisked by an aide from taking a ceremonial photo with Speaker Boehner to the House floor for a vote.

His wife, Peri, four children and two grandchildren were in tow for much of the day. Hardy said the best part of his first week was having his family around.

But it apparently wasn't all roses for Hardy in his first week. He told the Reno-Gazette Journal his new job working for "the people" makes him feel like "a second-class citizen."

Hardy meant to communicate a good change in his social status, his spokesperson Scott Knuteson told The Huffington Post.

"His comment reflects his firm belief that he works for the people," Knuteson said. "And is on the Hill at their behest."