Senator Cortez Masto on Government Shutdown, ACA Subsidies, and Russian Sanctions

Government Shutdown Impasse

• 🏛️ Senator Cortez Masto highlights the ongoing government shutdown, now the second longest in US history, and the difficulty in reaching a deal.
• 🤝 She is part of a bipartisan group of lawmakers working to resolve the impasse and reopen the government.

Affordable Care Act Subsidies

• 🏥 A key priority is to extend healthcare subsidies for the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which are crucial for millions of Americans.
• ⚠️ Failure to extend these subsidies could lead to significant healthcare cost increases and loss of access for approximately 22 million Americans.
• 💰 The senator emphasizes that these subsidies benefit Americans in blue, red, and purple states, aiming to lower healthcare costs across the country.

Role of Donald Trump

• 🗣️ Senator Cortez Masto stresses that Donald Trump must be involved in shutdown negotiations, as Republican leadership in Congress largely follows his lead.
• 🎯 She calls for Trump to be a constructive participant in Washington to help resolve healthcare costs and reopen the government.

Impact of Shutdown on Nevada

• ⚛️ The shutdown has furloughed essential nuclear site workers in Nevada, raising national security concerns.
• 📉 The shutdown is also negatively impacting Nevada's tourism industry and hindering small businesses by delaying SBA loans due to a lack of federal workers.
• 🚫 Cortez Masto opposes government shutdowns, viewing federal workers and contractors as pawns in political games.

Foreign Policy and Sanctions

• 🇷🇺 Senator Cortez Masto supports imposing substantial sanctions on Russia to pressure Putin for the illegal war in Ukraine.
• 🏦 As a member of the banking committee, she advocates for using financial sanctions as a key lever to hold Russia accountable.