Cortez Masto Hosts Press Conference to Discuss Support for Nevada Veterans in the NDAA

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Las Vegas, Nev. - Today, U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) joined Nevada veterans and service members to discuss her work to deliver for veterans in the recently passed National Defense Authorization Act of 2026 (NDAA). Following concerns she heard at a Las Vegas roundtable with Nevada veterans last year, Cortez Masto helped pass provisions in the NDAA to ease the transition into civilian life and ensure veterans get the benefits they earned.

Senator Cortez Masto was joined by Colonel Amy Klima, J2, Intelligence Officer/Deputy Chief of Staff-Intelligence Nevada National Guard; retired Colonel Mary L. Devine, Director of the Nevada Department of Veterans Services; Ross Bryant, Executive Director of the UNLV Military and Veterans Services Center; and Pranava Moody, American Legion, Department of Nevada, District First Vice-Commander.

"In collaboration with veterans across the Silver State, I was able to secure major wins in the NDAA," said Senator Cortez Masto. "For example, at a roundtable I hosted last year in Las Vegas I heard from Colonel Devine about how so many veterans miss out on important benefits because their discharge documents don't have their up-to-date contact information. So, I made it a requirement that when service members fill out their discharge paperwork, they have to include their updated contact information. This simple fix, along with updates to the Transition Assistance Program, will make the world of difference for ensuring veterans get the resources they've earned."

"I couldn't have made this happen without working directly with Nevada's veterans. I'm proud of the progress we've made together, but I know the men and women who sacrificed so much for their country still deserve more," Cortez Masto continued. "I'll keep working with Nevada's veterans to deliver for them in Washington."

Specifically, Senator Cortez Masto highlighted the following wins she secured in the NDAA:

• A requirement that when service members fill out their discharge paperwork, they include their contact information unless they explicitly opt out, helping State Veteran Service Agencies connect veterans with the services they need;
• Improvements to the Transition Assistance Program to account for a veteran's childcare needs, spousal employment status, and duty location;
• A provision to prohibit the United States' investment in critical national security technology in adversarial countries, such as China and Russia; and
• A provision to ensure retired law enforcement officers who were killed as a result of their service following their retirement are not unjustly denied benefits.

Senator Cortez Masto is a consistent champion for Nevada's service members and veterans. She recentlycosponsored sweeping legislation to reform and improve health care for veterans. Cortez Masto helped pass the PACT Act to ensure veterans suffering from toxic exposure in the line of duty get the medical care they need and has worked to support veterans exposed to toxins while serving at the Nevada Test and Training Range. Cortez Masto successfully pushed the Biden administration to approve a new veterans cemetery in Elko, Nevada, and has been continually pushing the VA for transparency in the timeline of its construction. She has fought back against the Navy Federal Credit Union for its disparate lending practices and for overcharging service members.

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