Lisa Mascaro

Washington Coorespondent

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Recent Stories (view all stories)

A boost for DesertXpress: Reid uses corridor designation to show backing for private project; Friday, July 3, 2009; Nowhere on the official documents from Thursday’s announcement of a new high-speed rail corridor between Las Vegas and Los Angeles is the proposed DesertXpress featured as the preferred project.
But make no mistake: DesertXpress is the chosen one, at least for now.
Path clears for federal support of fast train to California: Transportation chief will announce key designation for Las Vegas route today; Thursday, July 2, 2009; The U.S. Transportation secretary will announce today designation of a Las Vegas-California high-speed-rail corridor, enabling the train route to compete for $8 billion in economic recovery money and other support, the Las Vegas Sun has learned.
Love it or hate it, climate change bill heads to Senate: As legislation squeezed through House, partisan divide showed; Thursday, July 2, 2009; The rowdy House floor debate on climate change provided one of those moments of political theater when it is hard to know whether the warring sides are even talking about the same bill.
All in a day’s work: Sitting down with the president: At conference table in West Wing, Obama takes questions; Sunday, June 28, 2009; On my way home the other night, people walked by wearing Hawaiian leis from a luau at the White House. Crowded, harrumphed one man. And hot. Tough crowd here in Washington.
Off the cuff, Ensign guarded but genial: In wake of affair confession, he says he must ‘work harder than I’ve ever worked’; Friday, June 26, 2009; Photographers greeted Republican Sen. John Ensign when he emerged from a meeting Thursday as fellow Republican senators inside were voting to replace him as their policy chairman.
Group asks for ethics probe of Ensign: Thursday, June 25, 2009; A watchdog group filed complaints with the Senate Ethics Committee and the Federal Elections Committee on Wednesday, calling for investigations of the circumstances surrounding Republican Sen. John Ensign’s affair.
Obama tells Sun: Nevada’s housing pain is on my mind: Thursday, June 25, 2009; President Barack Obama said Wednesday he is acutely aware of Nevada’s foreclosure crisis and is evaluating whether more can be done to help homeowners, including by redirecting unused bank bailout funds for homeowner relief.
Obama warned that using a portion of the $70 billion returned from the banks may require help from Congress.
High-speed train plan gets notice in D.C.: Projects like DesertXpress should be part of federal strategy, Nevadan tells panel; Wednesday, June 24, 2009; The proposed DesertXpress train between Las Vegas and Southern California got a shout-out on Tuesday at a Senate hearing on the future of high-speed rail. It came as the Federal Railroad Authority prepares to release $8 billion for train development.
For Ensign, a new lot in Congress: Suddenly unpopular and much less powerful, senator adjusts to a low-key position in Senate politics; Wednesday, June 24, 2009; Republican Sen. John Ensign is adjusting to his new political life, and it is a bit complicated. The once-rising national star who pledged to use his growing political influence to rebuild Nevada’s troubled Republican Party will instead likely be using this time to lie low, toil away at policy and repair his own image with colleagues here and voters at home.
Ensign apologizes during lunch with GOP senators: Tuesday, June 23, 2009; WASHINGTON -- At today's weekly lunch with Republican senators, Sen. John Ensign apologized to his colleagues, those present said. Ensign appeared "contrite," one Republican senator said.