United States Senator John Ensign Legislative Accomplishments

Legislative Accomplishments

Planning for Nevada’s Future and Preserving Our State’s Resources

Coauthored the Clark County Lands Bill, which was signed into law, that releases thousands of acres in the Las Vegas Valley for development and settles long-term wilderness designations. It also creates a new National Conservation Area to protect the Sloan Canyon petroglyphs. At least $1 billion more will flow into the Southern Nevada Special Account which can be used for more parks, trails, and natural areas.
(107^th Congress)
Secured $300 million ($37.5 million over eight years) for the restoration of Lake Tahoe—record funding. (108^th Congress)
Fought efforts in the Senate and by the Administration that would divert proceeds from land sales in Nevada away from the state by transferring millions of dollars in land sales under the Southern Nevada Public Lands Management Act (SNPLMA) to the federal treasury for deficit reduction. (109^th Congress)
Coauthored the Lincoln County Conservation, Recreation, and Development Act, which was signed into law, that enhances the development of infrastructure, provides recreational opportunities, and assists in the conservation of our natural resources and public lands in Lincoln County. (108^th Congress)
Secured $750,000 to operate an emergency warning system for the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area, including the Mt. Charleston and Lee Canyon areas. (109^th Congress)
Took the lead in making fuel reduction at Lake Tahoe a priority. (109^th Congress)
Coauthored the White Pine County Lands Bill, which was signed into law. The bill provides an economic boost to our state and preserves pristine wilderness areas across Nevada. (109th Congress)

The White Pine County Lands Bill protects northern Nevada’s valuable outdoor areas such as Lake Tahoe, the Eastern Sierra, and the Ballardini Ranch while also encouraging economic opportunity in White Pine County. Specific accomplishments include:

Provides funds to acquire and protect portions of the Ballardini Ranch in Washoe County.

Designates more than 550,000 acres of wilderness in White Pine County and transfers 3,526 acres to the Ely Shoshone Tribe for traditional, ceremonial, commercial and residential purposes.

Encourages economic opportunity in White Pine County by allowing up to 45,000 acres of BLM lands to be privatized. Currently, 94 percent of the county’s land is managed by federal agencies. Under this bill, a portion of land will be released each year with 5 percent of land sales proceeds going to the state education fund; 10 percent to White Pine County law enforcement, fire protection, transportation, and natural resource planning; and 85 percent to fund the protection of wilderness areas in White Pine County.

Transfers about 658 acres from the BLM to the Fish and Wildlife Service in the Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge and about 117,000 acres of land surrounding the Great Basin National Park from the Forest Service to the BLM. Approximately 70,000 acres of that land will be designated wilderness and roughly 55,000 will be withdrawn from land disposal and mineral laws. This will further protect the area and ensure popular hunting areas remain open and accessible.

Authorizes a 3-year study for the possible extension of the Silver State Off-Highway Vehicle Trail into White Pine County. It authorizes a route designation only if the Secretary of the Interior determines that such a trail would not significantly impact wildlife habitat, natural or cultural resources.

Expands and improves state parks and wildlife management areas. The Charcoal Ovens State Park will receive about 658 acres of Bureau of Land Management land they currently manage as part of the park; Cave Lake State Park will receive a conveyance of land totaling 2,960 acres; and Steptoe Valley Wildlife Management area will receive approximately 6,281 acres to expand this popular waterfowl and wetlands area.

Provides funding to reduce the risk of fire through restoration projects and the improvement of critical watersheds in eastern Nevada and the Great Basin Area, two regions where the possibility of catastrophic fire threatens the entire habitat. The funding is provided through SNPLMA for federal agencies to work in cooperation with the Eastern Nevada Landscape Coalition and the Great Basin Institute.

Conveys two small parcels of land in White Pine County for the expansion of the airport and industrial park to support future economic development.

Significantly strengthens SNPLMA by authorizing a comprehensive 10-year hazardous fuels reduction plan for the Spring Mountains; permitting the BLM to clear and protect public lands in the Las Vegas Valley that are reserved for affordable housing, which will alleviate problems with dumping; implementing the Clark County Multispecies Habitat Conservation Plan; and accelerating the construction of parks and trails in Clark County.

Authorizes construction of a new reservoir, which will provide substantial long-term benefits to Nevada by conserving 3 million acre-feet of Colorado River water. The proposed reservoir will be adjacent to the All-American Canal.

Speeds the construction of parks and trails by replacing a cumbersome reimbursement system, which has constrained the financial ability of local governments to pay for these projects, with a requirement that local governments be paid up front.

Plans for the growing water needs of southern Nevada by authorizing the construction of the “Drop 2” reservoir along the Colorado River and providing for the lining of the All-American Canal to conserve and capture Colorado River water. An average of 60,000 acre-feet of water will be saved each year as a result of this conservation project. Because the Southern Nevada Water Authority will finance this project, Nevada is guaranteed the right to divert and consume a portion of water from Lake Mead in addition to Nevada’s basic apportionment of 300,000 acre-feet.

Improving Educational Opportunities

Received the 2005 Educational Pioneer Award for his vision and contributions to the disadvantaged student population of Nevada. (109^th Congress)
Authored a provision in the No Child Left Behind Act that requires population updates every year. Conservatively, over the authorization of NCLB, Nevada will get an additional $35 million to serve Title I students. In the 2004-2005 school year, the state of Nevada will receive an additional $6.7 million because of the annual population update that is required by this amendment. (107^th Congress)
Secured higher education funding of $350,000 for Western Nevada Community College, $400,000 for Truckee Meadows Community College, and $350,000 for the Community College of Southern Nevada. (108^th Congress)
Honored with the Senatorial Leadership Award by Black America’s Political Action Committee for his leadership in areas including choice in education, protecting the sanctity of human life, and fighting for limited government. (108^th Congress)
Secured a long-awaited Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (JROTC) unit for Douglas High School starting during the 2007 -2008 school year. Douglas High School had been on the waiting list for five years. (110^th Congress)

• Received the commitment for a new VA healthcare facility in Las Vegas, including an 81-bed hospital, a 120-bed nursing home, and a state-of-the-art clinic twice the size of the Guy Ambulatory Care Center. (108th Congress)
• Secured an additional $1.79 billion for veterans’ medical care in the budget for 2004. (108th Congress)
• Authored an amendment to the CARES authorization bill that requires that population growth be considered when making recommendations for new VA facilities. (108th Congress)
• Wrote language in the CARES authorization bill making construction of a community-based outpatient clinic in Elko a priority by VA. (108th Congress)
• Authored a Medicare amendment for military retirees for a waiver of the late enrollment penalty and year-round enrollment in Medicare Part B. (108th Congress)
• Offered an amendment that was included in the Budget Resolution. The amendment provided an additional $410 million for health care for America’s veterans, delivered relief on veterans’ co-pays for prescription drugs and eliminated a proposed $250 enrollment fee for VA healthcare programs. (109th Congress)

Advocating a Strong National Defense and an Effective Approach to Combating Terrorists (Committee on Armed Services, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support)

Secured funds for Satellite Communications (PRC-117) backpack radios for Nellis Air Force Base’s 66th Rescue Squadron after learning of the need during a visit to the base. (107^th Congress)
Secured $58.6 million in military construction for Nevada. (108^th Congress)
Introduced legislation that renamed a Reno post office the Guardians of Freedom Memorial Post Office in honor of military men and women who have fought and died in defense of our country. (108^th Congress)
Authored an amendment to allow American troops to use tear gas in certain combat situations approved by the United States Senate. (109^th Congress)
Introduced an amendment and signed a letter to President Bush calling for the hiring, training and placement of additional Border Patrol agents. (109^th Congress)
Visited troops twice in Iraq. (108^th and 109^th Congresses)

Accessing Quality Health Care

Coauthored the Nurse Reinvestment Act, which was signed into law, to help alleviate the nationwide nursing shortage. (107^th Congress)
Authored and received a vote (49-48) on medical liability reform legislation. (108^th Congress)
Secured $1.35 million for the Nevada Cancer Institute. (108^th Congress)
Coauthored the Mammography Quality Standards Act Reauthorization, which was signed into law, to renew MQSA for two more years by maintaining quality standards for mammography services. (108^th Congress)
Coauthored the Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act of 2005, which was signed into law, to continue federal support for bone marrow and umbilical cord blood research as part of the effort to find cures or improved treatments for diseases including Parkinson’s, diabetes, and heart disease. (109^th Congress)
Worked to remove obstacles to the loan guarantee process for the hospital in Pahrump which resulted in a $17.5 million loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. (109^th Congress)
Authored the HEALTH Act and continues to take the lead on medical liability reform. (109^th Congress)
Fought to keep Nathan Adelson Hospice (NAH) of Las Vegas open when a flawed administrative ruling nearly forced its closure. By includeding a provision in the Tax and Trade Extenders bill to correct the administrative decision by the federal agency overseeing Medicare. NAH remains open and continues meeting the needs of southern Nevadans. (109^th Congress)

Fighting for a Smaller, More Effective Government and Tax Relief (Committee on the Budget)

Received the “Spirit of Enterprise” award from the United States Chamber of Commerce for his voting record during the 2nd session of the 108th Congress.
Named the top friend to taxpayers and received an “A” for his fiscal voting record in 2002 and 2004 from the National Taxpayers Union.
Named a Taxpayer Hero by the Council for Citizens Against Government Waste’s 2004 Congressional Ratings.
Received the Hero of the Taxpayer Award from Americans for Tax Reform. (108^th Congress)
Received the Tax Fighter Award from The National Tax-Limitation Committee for his work to control federal spending. (108^th Congress)
Took the lead with the Senate Fiscal Watch Team to cut government spending in order to offset the tens of billions of dollars being spent on hurricane relief in the Gulf Coast region. (109^th Congress)
Halted asbestos reform legislation being considered by the United States Senate in order to protect taxpayers from being responsible for literally hundreds of billions of dollars in future liability. (109^th Congress)

Promoting Commerce and High Tech for the Future (Member of the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation; Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Technology, Innovation and Competitiveness; and Member of the Senate Republican High Tech Task Force)

Named the Legislator of the Year by the Information Technology Industry Council. (108^th Congress)
Received the Digital Patriot Award from the Consumer Electronics Association. (109^thCongress)
Coauthored the Dot Kids Implementation and Efficiency Act of 2002, which was signed into law, to create a protected place on the Internet under the “.kids.us” subdomain. (107^th Congress)
Authored the Invest in the U.S.A. Act, which was signed into law and that has infused $300 billion into our economy. (108^th Congress)
Introduced a bill to give the Federal Trade Commission the ability to establish the Do Not Call list, nullifying a court ruling that blocked its implementation. (108^th Congress)
Received the 2003 Founders Circle Award from TechNet for demonstrating active leadership in the area of technology. (108^th Congress)
Authored the Broadband Investment and Consumer Choice Act designed to update the nation’s telecommunications laws and increase choices for consumers in the field of technology. (109^th Congress)

Fighting Yucca Mountain

Cut funding for Yucca Mountain in the DOD authorization bill by half. (108^th Congress)
Fought off efforts in the Budget Committee to increase the annual funding level for Yucca Mountain, helping to stall completion of the project. (108^th Congress)

Protecting the Right to Vote with Election Reform

Authored an amendment in the 2002 Help America Vote Act calling for voter verification paper trails. (107^th Congress)
Introduced the Voting Integrity and Verification Act designed to create a new level of integrity at the ballot box by requiring a paper printout of votes cast at electronic voting machines. (108^th Congress)

Improving Transportation

Authored a provision in the Aviation Security Law, which was signed into law, to remove arbitrary age limit and allow retired law enforcement officers and retired members of the armed forces to apply to be federal air marshals. (107^th Congress)
Secured $5 million for the Las Vegas Beltway. (108^th Congress)
Secured additional baggage screeners for McCarran and $93.75 million for McCarran’s baggage screening system. (108^th Congress)
Worked with the FAA to quickly resolve failures of the Instrument Landing System (ILS) at the Reno-Tahoe International Airport that resulted in a total shutdown during heavy holiday travel in 2004. (108^th Congress)
Authored the American Right to Fly Act and took lead in repealing Wright Amendment flight restrictions to provide Americans with more options and lower fares on air flights. (109^th Congress)
Included an amendment in the Senate transportation bill to dispose of a lawsuit over the widening of U.S. 95 and allow the project to continue as a way to pressure the Sierra Club and highway officials to come to the table and solve their differences outside of the courts. (109^th Congress)
Secured funding for transportation projects in the Transportation Equity Act: $20 million for the Blue Diamond Hwy/SR 160 Widening; $8 million for I-15 Widening and Interchanges, Las Vegas Valley; $18 million for the Boulder Highway MAX Bus Rapid Transit; $32 million for the Henderson-Las Vegas-North Las Vegas Regional Fixed Guideway Project; $7 million for US 95 Widening and Interchanges, Las Vegas; $16 million for the Las Vegas Resort Corridor Downtown Extension Project; $18 million for the Las Vegas-Boulder Highway MAX Bus Rapid Transit; $6 million for the I-80 at Fernley Interchange; $12 million for the Virginia Street Bus Rapid Transit, Reno; $12 million for the Pyramid Highway Corridor, Sparks; $2 million for Railroad Reconstruction, Ely and White Pine County; $15 million for the Downtown Railroad Trench Public Plaza, Reno. (109^th Congress)
Won approval of an amendment to protect southern Nevada air tour operators’ ability to provide aerial tours of the Grand Canyon. (109^th Congress)
Recognized by the Century Council for his continuous efforts to stop drunk driving and underage drinking as a member of the Congressional Stop DUI Caucus. (109^th Congress)

Foreign Affairs

Traveled to Mexico to meet with President Fox and secured the commitment from the Mexican Foreign Minister to open a Mexican Consulate in Las Vegas. (107^th Congress)
Sponsored the Israeli-Palestinian Peace Enhancement Act and took the lead on bipartisan legislation that expresses the Senate's expectation that the Palestinian Authority must meet certain conditions before a Palestinian state is recognized, including a leadership not compromised by terrorism; a firm commitment to peace with Israel; the dismantling of terrorist infrastructures in the West Bank and Gaza; sustained security cooperation with Israel; and an end to anti-Israel incitement. (108^th Congress)
Took the lead on legislation to commemorate the United States’ implementation of the Genocide Convention and to reaffirm America’s commitment to preventing historical atrocities like those that occurred during the Holocaust and the Armenian Genocide, among others. (108^th Congress)
Sponsored a Senate resolution, which was signed into law as part of an Omnibus Appropriations Act, to condemn Syria’s interference in the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political independence of Lebanon. (108^th Congress)
Sponsored the bipartisan Cuba Transition Act of 2003 to support multilateral efforts to plan for a Cuba transition; to provide funds to assist the Cuban people and independent nongovernmental organizations in Cuba to build civil society; and to establish a fund, called the Fund for Free Cuba, to provide assistance to a future transition government in Cuba (as defined by Helms-Burton). (108^th Congress)
Sponsored a successful Senate amendment to the Foreign Operations Appropriations Act of 2004, which increased financial and infrastructure aid to the Cuban people and support for democracy-building efforts. (108^th Congress)
Introduced the United Nations Oil-for-Food Accountability Act of 2005 and took the lead in holding the United Nations accountable for the Oil-for-Food Scandal by introducing legislation to withhold a portion of America’s dues to the United Nations until the organization provides full cooperation with the investigation. (109^th Congress)
Joined the Cuba Democracy Caucus. (109^th Congress)
Cosponsored a resolution urging the EU to classify Hezbollah as a terrorist organization. (109^th Congress)

Protecting Nevada’s Economy

Helped secure a final tip agreement between the Nevada gaming industry and the Internal Revenue Service. (108^th Congress)
Drafted an amendment that allowed the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to judge the merits of $330 million worth of contracts that defunct energy company Enron attempted to collect from Sierra Pacific and Nevada Power. Enron never supplied the power. It saved Nevada taxpayers from rate increases. (109^th Congress)

Encouraging Opportunity for those with Disabilities

Received the 2004 Jacob K. Javits Award for his efforts and action on behalf of Americans with disabilities. (108^th Congress)
Authored an amendment approved by Congress to allow Opportunity Village, the Las Vegas-based organization that provides employment and educational opportunities for people with severe disabilities, to retain a contract to provide food service at Nellis Air Force Base. (108^th Congress)
Helped craft the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act to ensure quality education and services for children with disabilities. (108^th Congress)
Requested and received improved handicapped access to federal buildings in Las Vegas. (109^th Congress)

Animal Advocacy

Named Humane Society’s Legislator of the Year (2005)
Wrote the Animal Drug User Fee Act, which was signed into law, to speed animal drugs to market through the FDA. (108^th Congress)
Authored the Captive Wildlife Safety Act, which was signed into law, prohibiting the interstate shipment of exotic animals. (108^th Congress)
Secured $475,000 for displaced wildlife in Nevada. (108^th Congress)
Secured funding for the Wild Horse Adoption Center (109^th Congress)
Authored the Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act of 2005, which passed the Senate, to stop animal fighting by making the transportation of animals across state lines for the purpose of fighting a felony under federal law. (109^th Congress)
Took the lead in urging an immediate and coordinated federal rescue effort of pets abandoned in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. (109^th Congress)
Authored the Virgie S. Arden American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act and has taken the lead on legislation to end the slaughter of horses for human consumption. (109^th Congress)

Other Accomplishments

Judiciary/Nominations

Daniel Bogden as United States Attorney for the District of Nevada
James Mahan to the U.S. District Court, Nevada
Larry Hicks to the U.S. District Court, Nevada
Jay Bybee to the 9^th Circuit Court of Appeals
Brian Sandoval to the U.S. District Court, Nevada
Took the lead on the Circuit Court of Appeals Restructuring and Modernization Act of 2005 to split the Ninth Circuit Court (109^th Congress)

Constituent Services

Resolved nearly 17,000 cases