Lisa Mascaro

Story Archive

Harry Reid's fourth TV ad begins running today: Friday, Nov. 13, 2009; WASHINGTON -- Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's latest TV campaign ad goes up today -- the fourth in a month -- touting the senator's clout and his belief that Nevada's hard times will turn around.
Analysts address Heller’s objections: They say insurance isn’t like other purchases, as congressman asserts; Thursday, Nov. 12, 2009; Since returning to Nevada after the House vote on health care reform, Republican Rep. Dean Heller has laid out one of his objections to the bill — call it the iPod argument. Heller opposes the legislation’s mandate that all Americans carry health insurance. Some people may want to buy health care, Heller said, others might want to buy an iPod. It should be their choice.
Close House vote on health care highlights Harry Reid’s tough task: Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2009; If a lesson can be learned from the House passage of the landmark $1.1 trillion health care reform legislation, it is just how difficult it will be for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to accomplish a victory in the Senate. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi lost 39 of her 258 House Democrats on the final vote. Reid does not have that margin of error.
Rep. Berkley livens health care debate with story of her own: Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2009; WASHINGTON -- Leave it to Democratic Rep. Shelley Berkley to liven up a late-night health care hearing with tales of dating the doctor who would become her husband.
Feds to slash Yucca funds as project maintains life: Monday, Nov. 9, 2009; WASHINGTON -- The Energy Department is proposing to severely reduce Yucca Mountain's budget next year, an expected move as President Barack Obama pledged to zero out funds for the proposed nuclear waste dump in fiscal 2011.
Attention in D.C. focuses on health care proposals: Monday, Nov. 9, 2009; WASHINGTON -- Greetings, Early Liners. All eyes turn to the Senate this week after the House’s historic passage of health care reform legislation over the weekend, but actually, not much will be happening there unless you’re able to peer behind the closed doors of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s office.
Ensign moves out of home on C Street: Town house shared with Christian colleagues had gained notoriety because of Nevadan’s affair; Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009; Sen. John Ensign has moved out of the C Street house, the Christian home he shared with other elected officials on Capitol Hill that came under scrutiny for its residents’ beliefs and practices and their role in trying to end the Nevada Republican’s affair with a campaign staff member.
Why Dean Heller’s hard line on immigrants might sting later: Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009; The Republican Party has been told again and again that it must tone down its rhetoric against illegal immigrants if it has any hope of keeping Hispanic voters who were once gravitating to the party from moving further toward Democrats.
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.
Berkley, Titus join Biden at dinner for Greek Orthodox Church leader: Thursday, Nov. 5, 2009; WASHINGTON -- When the vice president opened his home to the Ecumenical Patriarch of the Greek Orthodox Church this week, Nevada's Democratic Reps. Shelley Berkley and Dina Titus joined for dinner.
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.
Health care debate set to take center stage: Monday, Nov. 2, 2009; WASHINGTON – Greetings, Early Liners and let the floor debate begin.
The House health care bill debate could begin this week as leaders hope to have the revised bill introduced by Tuesday, which tees up a 72-hour posting before a vote that Roll Call says could come as soon as Friday.
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.
Health care, climate change on front burner in D.C.: Monday, Oct. 26, 2009; WASHINGTON -- Greetings, Early Liners. Today just might be the day so many have been waiting for, as Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is expected to finish crafting the Senate's health care bill and send it over to the green shades for a price estimate.
‘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.
Progressive group wants tougher stand from Harry Reid: Monday, Oct. 19, 2009
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.
Dina Titus to host health care town hall meeting: Friday, Oct. 16, 2009; WASHINGTON -- Democratic Rep. Dina Titus will do this week what most Nevada lawmakers ably avoided during the long hot summer of Tea Party protests: She will host an open town hall forum on health care on Monday.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Dina Titus appointed to defense bill committee: Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2009; WASHINGTON -- Democratic Rep. Dina Titus continues to expand her reach on the Hill, having been appointed today as one of the conferees to negotiate the final version of a massive defense bill.
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.