February 7, 2021 - Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) released the following statement celebrating the passage of her bipartisan amendment with Senator Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) to support the hospitality, travel, tourism, and entertainment industries impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. This amendment was passed as part of the Senate’s budget resolution, which marks an important step towards passing COVID-19 stimulus legislation. The amendment will ensure the Senate prioritizes support for the hospitality industry as Congress crafts legislation to provide coronavirus relief to communities across the U.S.

“The coronavirus pandemic has devastated the hospitality, travel, and tourism industries in Nevada and across the country. Canceled travel plans and shuttered entertainment venues have caused billions of dollars in lost revenue that would normally fund vital state infrastructure projects and support good-paying American jobs. Our communities cannot afford to see these industries decimated, and I’m glad to have passed this bipartisan amendment to expand support for our struggling hospitality sector and provide relief for the workers in the industries hardest hit by this pandemic. Now that the Senate has approved a budget resolution, we can get on to the important work of negotiating a robust, comprehensive coronavirus relief package that truly helps the people of Nevada.”

Background: 

Last year, Senators Cortez Masto and Cramer introduced bipartisan legislation to provide comprehensive relief and recovery measures for the convention, trade show, entertainment, travel and hospitality industries and their workers. The Hospitality and Commerce Job Recovery Act would stimulate the economy by creating new recovery incentives for hospitality and trade shows, enhance the employee retention tax credit to help maintain workers’ connections to their employers, and provide recovery incentives for middle class families to jump-start travel when safe.

Senator Cortez Masto has also called for additional support for Tribal communities, more funding for state, local, and tribal governments, and additional aid for health care workers, home health workers and hospitals in any upcoming coronavirus relief package.
Source: Senator Catherine Cortez Masto