Lisa Mascaro

Washington Coorespondent

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House poised for historic vote: After six months of angry debate, one final bill ready for roll call; Friday, Nov. 6, 2009; The long, national health care debate is about to come to an end, at least in one chamber of Congress. But it is not drawing to a close quietly. The House is preparing for a weekend vote that cannot come quickly enough for Nevada’s Democratic lawmakers.
What East Coast results might hold for Titus, Reid: Should Nevada’s two vulnerable Democrats worry about the parallels between their party’s mixed results in this year’s races, and their own in 2010?; Thursday, Nov. 5, 2009; Even before the polls closed in far-flung New York, New Jersey and Virginia, the spin was under way deciphering what Tuesday’s results could mean for Nevada’s political landscape in 2010. The 2009 contests are the first significant measure of the electoral mood in the Obama era, and both Democrats and Republicans saw advantages they did not want to go unnoticed.
Dina Titus backing House health care plan after changes: Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009; WASHINGTON -- Democratic Rep. Dina Titus dropped her opposition today to the House health care bills, saying changes have been made since she voted against it in committee in July and it has now won her support.
Their stories heard on the Hill: Small-business owners go to D.C. to testify for reform; Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009; Michael MacQuarrie never cared for politics. Never had much faith in politicians. But here he was Tuesday in the Capitol and, later, at the White House — part of the lobby machine on health care reform. MacQuarrie and other small-business owners had been summoned to share their stories and press for health care reform.
Noting stimulus gains — cautiously: Administration does a little PR on the number of jobs saved in Nevada, elsewhere; Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009; Those green shoots that economists optimistically saw poking through the economy’s parched soil in the summer have not much sprouted in Nevada. If anything, Las Vegas’ tourist-dependent economy continued to nose-dive, taking the service-based economy down with it.
Stimulus credited with 5,600-plus jobs in Nevada: Friday, Oct. 30, 2009; WASHINGTON -- More than 5,000 jobs have been saved or created in Nevada from the economic recovery act, according to data released today at recovery.gov. Nevada saved or created 6 percent more jobs per capita than the nation as a whole, according to the White House Recovery Office.
Harry Reid campaign launches third TV ad: Friday, Oct. 30, 2009; WASHINGTON -- Another day, another TV ad in Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s 2010 re-election campaign.
State OSHA lambasted by House committee: Agency faces greater federal oversight if improvements aren’t made; Friday, Oct. 30, 2009; Nevada OSHA must stop letting companies off easy for safety violations and eliminate political influence on its decisions or face greater federal oversight, elected officials said at a House hearing on regulators’ response to Strip construction deaths.
OSHA plans new Vegas office to monitor workplace safety: Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009; WASHINGTON -- Federal Occupational Health and Safety Administration officials plan to return to Nevada and ultimately set up an office in the state to monitor Nevada OSHA's efforts to improve its lax oversight of workplace safety.
John Ensign mum on possible contact with feds: Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009; WASHINGTON -- The question was asked, but Republican Sen. John Ensign is declining to say whether he has been contacted by federal authorities in a possible investigation into the lobbying activities of his former aide, Doug Hampton.
House approves bill to remember nuclear defense workers: Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009; WASHINGTON -- It may be a simple gesture, but the House today overwhelmingly approved a resolution that establishes Friday as a day of remembrance for Nevada Test Site workers and other employees of the nation’s nuclear defense industry.
Reid, Lowden spar over car bomb story, Gibbons joins mix: Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009; WASHINGTON -- So was Harry Reid’s car rigged with a bomb during his days as a Nevada gaming commissioner? Republican Sue Lowden, one of the candidates trying to oust Reid in next year’s Senate election, had a good chuckle over the veracity of the bomb scare story.
Harry Reid's next health care test: Securing 60 votes: Reid’s now a hero of the left for backing the public option, but his work isn’t done; Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009; In the 10 minutes it took for Harry Reid to outline his proposal for including a public option in the health care bill, the Nevadan went from being the political left’s punching bag for failing to lead to its celebrated champion.
Strip billboard's 'real death panels' message headed to D.C.: Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009; WASHINGTON -- It's not often that Vegas goes to the capital, but a sign of the times on the Strip -- a provocative billboard promoting the public option in health care reform -- is making its way to Washington.
How Harry Reid reached the public option compromise: Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009; Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid did not look especially tired, although his shaggy hair, usually neatly trimmed but now in need of a cut, suggested a man who has been working for days, through the weekend even, preoccupied. As he stepped up to the podium Monday afternoon, alone, he announced a decision that would be pivotal in the history of health care reform.
Harry Reid to back health care bill with public option: Monday, Oct. 26, 2009; WASHINGTON -- Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid made one of the more pivotal moves of his career this afternoon -- announcing that he would bring to the floor a health care bill that includes a public option, with a provision that allows states that decline to offer the government-run insurance plan the chance to opt out.
‘Have you read it?’ isn’t a complete test for lawmakers: Reading health care bills is one thing, understanding them is another entirely; Sunday, Oct. 25, 2009; Almost everyone loves the gotcha question in this town: “Did you read the bill?” It’s a great way to corner lawmakers. If they say yes, then they should be able to account for the most minuscule detail. If they say no, well, that’s a whole other problem.
Penciling out an insurance coverage mandate: Congress proposes fines for scofflaws, aid for buyers; Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009; Economists figured out long ago that if only people who need insurance buy it, then coverage becomes prohibitively expensive. What economists have had more difficulty figuring out is how to get everyone — especially the healthy and young — to buy insurance and thus lower the costs for all.
Rep. Shelley Berkley's health care forum planned Saturday: Friday, Oct. 23, 2009; WASHINGTON -- The lively health care debates of August have long passed, but the town hall meetings on health care continue this weekend.
Fraud could undermine housing tax credit: As Congress considers extending benefit for first-time buyers, troubling report emerges; Friday, Oct. 23, 2009; Nevadans have responded to the government’s offer of up to $8,000 in first-time homebuyer tax credits with gusto, filing more claims and receiving more in tax breaks per capita than anywhere else in the nation. Nevadans have claimed $146 million in tax breaks from the credit. But according to new federal reports released Thursday, the program nationwide is littered with potential fraud, threatening its future.
Harry Reid out to topple Sen. Patrick McCarran’s statute: Friday, Oct. 23, 2009; For decades the big, bronze statue of Nevada Sen. Patrick McCarran stood in the same place in the Capitol, just off the second-floor Statuary Hall, near the House speaker’s office.
Vote on health bill a surprise to Harry Reid: Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009; WASHINGTON -- Say what you will about Sen. Harry Reid’s abilities as majority leader (and people do), he is nothing if not a vote counter.
Committee postpones vote on Obama's OSHA nominee: Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009; WASHINGTON -- A Senate panel today postponed voting on President Barack Obama’s nominee to head the Occupational Health and Safety Administration, needing more time to review paperwork.
Senior Obama aide to discuss health care in LV address: Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009; WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama may be mum these days on the health care debate, but his top adviser, Valerie Jarrett, will be in Las Vegas on Thursday to discuss health care reform at AARP's annual member event the Vegas@50+ National Event & Expo.
Feds’ appraisal of Nevada OSHA practices damning: Probe of agency’s response to worker deaths turns up serious problems; Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009; The U.S. Labor Department issued a scathing indictment of Nevada’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration on Tuesday, painting the state agency charged with keeping workers safe on the job as incompetent.
With a year-plus to go, rethinking Harry Reid’s race: What has been the conventional wisdom isn’t holding up, some analysts say; Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009; The authors of the conventional wisdom in politics thought they knew a few things about Harry Reid’s reelection campaign. No sooner was the conventional political wisdom established than a second-take has unearthed evidence to the contrary.
Debate in D.C. turns to shape of public option: So far: Lots of ideas, little agreement on government plan; Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009; As congressional leaders work behind closed doors to craft the final health care bills for House and Senate votes, one of the key undecided questions remains the fate of the public option.
Time for health care, not much else: Negotiations have reached the stage where Harry Reid, administration top guns are deeply involved; Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009; To understand just how all-consuming the health care debate is on Capitol Hill, consider this: Every day the House was in session last week, Democrats scheduled party-wide caucus meetings with all 256 members to discuss the issue.
Small space no problem for anti-Yucca Mountain stand: In Capitol elevator, with a nuclear waste dump supporter onboard, Berkley sums up plan’s demise; Friday, Oct. 16, 2009; About an hour before the Senate gave final approval Thursday to the latest funding cuts to the Yucca Mountain project, the project’s end was neatly summed up during an elevator ride on the other side of the Capitol.
Harry Reid to launch TV ads Friday in re-election campaign: Thursday, Oct. 15, 2009; WASHINGTON -- If you needed any further evidence that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s re-election campaign has launched, Friday comes the first TV ads of the 2010 Nevada Senate race.
Tax on ‘Cadillac’ insurance plans could snare hotel maids: Highly paid executives aren’t only ones with costly coverage; Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009; Several years ago, when the powerful Culinary Union was negotiating new contracts on the Strip, its workers decided to forgo an initial pay increase to preserve their health care benefits. The union offers its workers, who clean hotel rooms and work in casino restaurants, a great benefits package by many measures — workers pay no premium from their paychecks for a policy that covers themselves and their families.
Reid taking punches from the left, too: Some liberals don’t think he’s been strong enough on health care reform; Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009; Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has not been getting much love from the left lately. Some of his liberal friends have been so unenthused over his performance on health care reform one anonymous group was toying with supporting a Republican against him in his reelection campaign next year.
Joe Biden to attend Nevada fundraiser for Harry Reid: Thursday, Oct. 8, 2009; WASHINGTON -- Vice President Joe Biden is coming to Reno next week to hold an event in town as well as attend a breakfast fundraiser for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.
If history is any indicator, John Ensign unlikely to be expelled: Thursday, Oct. 8, 2009; The last time the Senate voted to expel one of its own was during the Civil War — the Club of 100 prefers instead to let voters decide whether lawmakers should stay or go.
Tourism bill advances with support of Nevada lawmakers: Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2009; WASHINGTON -- Legislation to promote Las Vegas and other U.S. tourism destinations abroad moved closer to passage this afternoon after the House approved a measure that has been championed by Nevada’s lawmakers. Both Democratic Reps. Shelley Berkley and Dina Titus spoke on the House floor today to help pass the legislation in the face of a political assault by the conservative Club for Growth.
Outwardly, John Ensign is taking extra ethics scrutiny in stride: Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2009; Behind the closed doors of the Republicans’ exclusive weekly luncheon Tuesday, Sen. John Ensign inserted himself into the policy debate with force, without any of the expected inhibitions of a lawmaker fighting for his political life.
Ethics group amends John Ensign complaints: Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009; WASHINGTON -- An ethics group today filed supplemental complaints over Sen. John Ensign’s actions in securing employment for the husband of the former staffer with whom he was having an affair, and also asked that fellow Republican Sen. Tom Coburn be investigated for his role.
Dems blast Heck for switching to congressional race: Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009; WASHINGTON -- Former Republican state Sen. Joe Heck had barely announced his intention to drop out of the governor's race and instead for run Congress, and he's already getting blasted for the flip by Democrats in Washington.
Talk show host calls for John Ensign's resignation: Monday, Oct. 5, 2009; WASHINGTON -- The host of a Las Vegas talk radio show called today for Republican Sen. John Ensign to resign because of the continued fallout from the senator's his affair.
TV ad released today targets John Ensign on public option: Monday, Oct. 5, 2009; WASHINGTON -- Republican Sen. John Ensign is unlikely to vote for the health care reform legislation making its way through Congress, but he is being hit with TV ads this week that target his opposition to a possible public plan option.
What cuts in Medicare would mean for seniors: AARP says they’d be felt by insurers and providers, not patients; Sunday, Oct. 4, 2009; For seniors, the nearly $500 billion in Medicare cuts proposed in the health reform bills moving through Congress can be a frightening proposition — less money for the popular program they rely on to help pay their medical bills. If costs aren’t reduced, Medicare is expected to go insolvent in 2017 as health care costs soar and more money is spent than is paid into the fund in taxes.
Is Harry Reid moderate on health care, or keeping powder dry for final fight?: Sunday, Oct. 4, 2009; Toward the end of summer, word leaked that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid was working on his own health care bill. True or not, it was a startling development for a majority leader who has taken great care in deferring to his committee chairmen.
After new disclosures, word of John Ensign investigations emerges: Hampton could also face serious legal jeopardy after his revelations about Ensign's actions; Saturday, Oct. 3, 2009; Sen. John Ensign faces the threat of expulsion from the U.S. Senate and possible criminal penalties, according to several legal and ethics experts. The New York Times reported Friday that he faces a preliminary FBI investigation into his actions.
Late attempt to revive Yucca Mountain plan falls short: Thursday, Oct. 1, 2009; WASHINGTON -- A last-minute attempt to keep the Yucca Mountain project alive suffered a blow today when the House approved a greatly reduced budget appropriation that excludes a provision to continue studying the site for a possible nuclear waste dump.
John Ensign scores win with health care amendment: Thursday, Oct. 1, 2009; WASHINGTON -- Republican Sen. John Ensign scored a victory in his pursuit of healthy lifestyle rewards with passage of his amendment to health care reform legislation that would offer deep discounts to those who quit smoking, lose weight or otherwise meet healthy milestones.
Attacks on Harry Reid have mixed messages: Reactions to senator’s Medicaid funding deal illustrate contrasts in GOP’s 2010 election strategy; Thursday, Oct. 1, 2009; As Republicans ramp up their campaign against Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, the party’s Nevada and Washington operations can’t seem to get their stories straight on a line of attack. He is criticized for not doing enough and doing too much.
Harry Reid: 'I make no apologies' on Medicaid deal: John McCain, other Republicans critical of Reid on Senate floor; Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009; WASHINGTON -- Facing backlash from Senate Republicans over the Medicaid deal Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid struck for Nevada, Reid said today he makes no apologies for getting better treatment for his state. “I make no apologies, none, for helping people in my state and our nation who are hurting the most,” Reid said this afternoon on the Senate floor.
John Ensign: Public option would be popular, so let’s not do it: So goes Ensign’s opposition, stated in Senate panel debate; Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009; Republican Sen. John Ensign on Tuesday delivered one of the more curious arguments against a public health care option. People might like it and use it. Then it would become popular, and too big to fail. And the government would have to support it.
Dems predict Harry Reid win, analyst expects GOP gains: Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2009; WASHINGTON -- Despite his poor poll numbers, don't doubt Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's ability to win re-election. That was the word today from the chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. But the non-partisan Cook Political Report is not so sure.
Harry Reid plans telephone town-hall meeting Thursday: Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2009; WASHINGTON -- Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is hosting another telephone town-hall with Nevadans on health care reform at 4 p.m. Thursday.