November 11, 2011

Dear Fellow Nevadan,

Last week, I was joined by my colleagues in the Nevada Congressional delegation in introducing the Pine Forest Recreation Enhancement Act, which was a product of a comprehensive two-year local process. Local landowners, sportsmen, conservationists, and other stakeholders in Humboldt County came together to develop this proposal through a series of public meetings and presented it to the delegation with broad community support. The Nevada State Legislature and the Secretary of the Interior have praised the robust and inclusive local process used to produce this bill as the gold standard for community-based wilderness proposals.

Beyond the widespread support for this bill, there is no question that the unspoiled natural lands and wildlife habitat in the Pine Forest Range should receive the strongest level of protection we can provide for public lands. Situated 100 miles northwest of Winnemucca, the Pine Forest Range boasts high alpine lakes and rivers surrounded by granite spires that are home the Lahontan Cutthroat trout, native only to Nevada. Thick forests of aspen and white-bark pine that blanket these mountains provide a stronghold for mule deer, while the steep slopes and open sage-brush meadows are home to thriving herds of bighorn sheep and pronghorn. The area is also well known by sportsmen across the west for its world-class chukar hunting.

This bill would designate 26,000 acres within the Blue Lakes and Alder Creek Wilderness Study Areas (WSAs) as the Pine Forest Range Wilderness Area and release 1,500 acres of the existing WSA lands. The bill would also direct the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to exchange federal lands surrounding nearby ranches for private parcels within the existing WSAs to allow for more appropriate management of public lands and ensure the economic viability of privately owned ranches.

I strongly believe that stewardship and preservation of our public lands must be a priority for all Nevadans. We must ensure that our state’s naturally pristine lands are protected, and this legislation will preserve thousands of acres of Nevada’s public lands for sportsmen and conservationists alike. I applaud the Humboldt County Commission and the Pine Forest Working Group on their efforts to bring forward this locally-supported wilderness proposal, and I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Senate to pass this legislation.

Click here to read the joint press release from the Nevada Congressional Delegation on the introduction of the Pine Forest Recreation Enhancement Act. For more information on my work in Nevada, please visit my website, reid.senate.gov, or sign up to receive my e-newsletter, The Reid Report.

Sincerely,

HARRY REID
U.S. Senator for Nevada

November 11, 2011

Dear Fellow Nevadan,

Today, we pause to honor the hundreds of thousands of veterans from Nevada, and many more across the country, who have sacrificed to protect the freedoms our country holds dear. The brave men and women who have put on the uniform to keep us safe exemplify the best our state and our country have to offer.

Nevada is home to more than 230,000 veterans, and we hope each day that the 1,157 Nevadans currently serving overseas returns home safely. When they do return to Nevada, it is our duty to repay their service by ensuring they can find a job, have access to medical treatment, and transition smoothly back to civilian life.

Our veterans and their families deserve the best, which is why we must continue to keep them in our thoughts not just on Veterans Day, but every day. I was proud to lead the Senate yesterday in passing bipartisan legislation that will help spur hiring among the nearly 900,000 out-of-work veterans in this country and in Nevada. This includes a quarter of a million young veterans of the global fight against terrorism.

Our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines fighting overseas should be focused on the job at hand, not how they’ll find a job when they come home. While we need to do more to maintain our commitment to our nation’s heroes, yesterday’s vote was an important step in the right direction. I hope that my colleagues in the House will honor our troops by passing this legislation as soon as possible.

Sincerely,

November 10, 2011

Dear Fellow Nevadan,

Today, the Senate rejected efforts to reduce freedom and competition on the Internet. By a vote of 42-56, Senators agreed that broadband internet providers must disclose methods they use to manage their networks, cannot block access to lawful internet content or websites, and cannot discriminate among internet content.

The bill we defeated today sought to overturn the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rule that will now go forward to ensure a free and open Internet that fosters innovation and investment in new technologies. This FCC rule gives small businesses the certainty that they can reach their customers, and it gives innovators and investors certainty about the rules governing the Internet. The rule also increases innovation and investment, which will enable even more Internet-related job creation.

For more information on my work in the U.S. Senate, please visit my website, reid.senate.gov, or sign up to receive my e-newsletter, The Reid Report.

Sincerely,

HARRY REID
U.S. Senator for Nevada