FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                 Contact: Logan Ramsey, 202-225-6155

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Mark Amodei (NV-02) today released the following statement in regards to four bipartisan initiatives, critical to Nevada’s CD-2, which were accomplished in the House during the final days of the 114^th Congress: 

“Achieving just one of these measures before the end of the 114^th was considered unlikely,” said Congressman Amodei, “so the fact that all four of these bills have been embraced by House Leadership and their Committees of Jurisdiction and also approved out of the House before Congress adjourned is tremendous news for Nevada in itself.”

Specifically, Congress has sent to the President’s desk, S. 612, a bill recognizing Lake Tahoe as a national priority and H.R. 875, legislation to streamline international travel at the Reno-Tahoe Airport. Each of these bills is expected to be signed into law. In addition, the House advanced H.R. 6303, which will create a new zip code for residents of Storey County, and Congressman Amodei’s veterans’ affairs bill, H.R. 4298, to properly recognize a deserving group of veterans who account for nearly ten percent of all Vietnam casualties.

“The significance of House-passage is the basis for optimism and quick treatment next year,” Amodei continued.  “I thank my colleagues for working hard to champion these Nevada-centric priorities through Congress. While there is still much work to be done, I’m especially pleased to be going into 2017 knowing that several priorities important to Nevadans were able to become law. Come January, I plan to hit the ground running, wasting no time working on Nevada’s behalf to move three lands bills requested by Washoe, Douglas, and Pershing Counties, as well as much needed work on healthcare, immigration, and jobs.”

Background:

Below are four Nevada priorities that were successfully passed out of the House during the final two weeks of the 114^th Congress, two of which are expected to be signed into law by President Obama:

Expected to be signed into Law:

S. 612, the Water Infrastructure Improvements Act for the Nation (WIIN) Act

Included in the final bicameral Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), titled the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN)Act, is the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act, a bill recognizing Lake Tahoe as a national priority by investing $415,000,000 over the next seven years to improve water clarity, reduce wildfire threats, combat invasive species, and invest in transportation and infrastructure projects.

H.R. 875, the Cross-Border Trade Enhancement Act of 2016

Since 2014, the Reno-Tahoe International Airport has worked to attract more international flights, but total screening time for international flights is unreasonable due to limited Customs and Border Protection (CBP) staff. CBP regional management has repeatedly told Reno the airport needs more flights to justify more officers, but the small number of officers prevents the airport from attracting more flights due to processing wait times. This bipartisan bill will provide small ports of entry, like Reno, with the ability to pay for up to five additional CBP screening officers. Additional CBP officers will improve international processing times and help Reno attract more international flights to and from Mexico and other countries.

House-Passed:

H.R. 6303, a bill designating facilities of the United States Postal Service to establish new ZIP Codes

This is a bipartisan bill that directs the U.S. Postal Service to establish new zip codes for residents in five different locales. This includes residents in Storey County who will be the only jurisdiction west of the Mississippi River to receive a new zip code.

H.R. 4298, the Vietnam Helicopter Crew Memorial Act 

The Vietnam War was the first in which the United States Military relied heavily on helicopters for transportation and combat. These pilots and crew members touched every aspect of efforts during the war, serving as transportation for soldiers and civilians, and providing critical battlefield support. However, there is currently no national monument honoring the heroic efforts of a number of casualties that account for nearly ten percent ofall Vietnam casualties. A joint sacrifice of this magnitude is worthy of proper recognition, but the process has failed these veterans. H.R. 4298, the Vietnam Helicopter Crew Memorial Act, seeks to honor these veterans by placing a memorial in Arlington National Cemetery which properly recognizes their common sacrifice. The memorial will be at no cost to the taxpayer and will be fully funded by the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association (VHPA).

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