February 7, 2009

Washington, D.C. – Nevada Senator Harry Reid beat back an amendment to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act that would have eliminated targeted relief for states with higher unemployment like Nevada. In the current budget crisis, this amendment would have meant Nevada would have received fewer federal relief dollars to maintain Medicaid services.

“The economic recovery plan will not plug all the budget gaps, but it will put us on the road to recovery," Reid said. "And while this is not a guarantee the state won’t have to raise funding levels, defeating this amendment places Nevada closer to getting the recovery funds it needs to keep vital health programs and services in place. This is a big win for Nevada.”