U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) is joining a bipartisan effort to stand up to the Biden Administration and block an effort to allow beef imports from Paraguay over concerns it would hurt Nevada’s ranchers and cattlemen. In November 2023, the U.S. Department of Agriculture issued a rule allowing the importation of beef from Paraguay. Nevada ranchers and cattlemen oppose this effort over concerns that Paraguay has a history of foot and mouth disease, which infects cattle and is highly contagious. The bipartisan group of Senators have filed a Congressional Review Act resolution to block this rule and protect domestic producers. “Nevadans sent me to the U.S. Senate to be an independent voice for them and to always put our state first,” said Senator Rosen. “The Biden Administration’s ill-advised attempt to allow beef imports from Paraguay will hurt Nevada’s ranchers and cattlemen, and that’s why I’m proud to be part of a bipartisan effort to block this misguided effort.” “The importation of Paraguayan beef into the U.S. comes with numerous red flags including the potential risk of introducing Foot and Mouth Disease,” said Martin Paris, Executive Director of Nevada Cattlemen’s Association. “The Nevada Cattlemen’s Association greatly appreciates Senator Rosen’s efforts to uphold the highest of food safety standards and ensure the continued health of our domestic cattle herd.” “Nevada’s cattle sector is extremely important for our state, representing roughly 2/3rds of the total agricultural sales,” said Doug Busselman, Executive Vice President of the Nevada Farm Bureau. “It is extremely important to protect cattle health by preventing imports of very risky foreign sources.” Senator Rosen has been a strong advocate for Nevada’s ranchers and cattlemen. Last month, Rosen sent a bipartisan letter calling on the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry to address long-term drought in the upcoming Farm Bill out of concern for its negative effects on farmers and ranchers in Nevada. Last year, she broke with the Biden Administration to block proposed regulations of U.S. waterways that would have hurt Nevada’s farmers and ranchers. Senator Rosen was also named a “Friend of the Farm Bureau” for being a consistent supporter of Nevada’s farming and ranching communities.

New Democrat Coalition Whip Congresswoman Susie Lee (NV-03) joined fellow coalition leaders in unveiling their immigration reform framework to protect our border, create a path to citizenship, and strengthen our economy. The framework demonstrates New Dems’ commitment to finding a bipartisan solution to keep people safe, boost our economy, and preserve the American Dream. The New Democrat Coalition is comprised of nearly 100 center-left House Democrats committed to breaking through gridlock to deliver results for Americans. Congresswoman Lee has worked with the New Democrats to develop sound immigration and border security policies, and repeatedly called on Republicans to join Democrats in advancing these common sense, bipartisan solutions. “The only answer to our broken immigration system is a bipartisan solution. Now is the time for Congress to address a major issue that has been facing our economy and national security for far too long. Whether I’m talking to a big casino owner, a small business owner, a construction company, or a renewable energy company, the number one issue that gets brought to my attention is workforce,” said Congresswoman Susie Lee. “I believe many of my Republican colleagues want a bipartisan immigration solution, but when they had the chance to act, Republican leadership chose to kill the deal and exploit the border for political points. If we want to protect our border, support our economy, and provide a pathway to citizenship, then my Republican colleagues must come to the table and work with us who remain ready to get the job done.” You can find the framework here, and an abbreviated version below: Note on Bipartisanship This is a framework and a discussion. The best immigration solutions have bipartisan consensus.New Democrats are committed to lasting solutions to our nation’s problems and recognize such solutions are often the result of bipartisan efforts. There are areas to be flexible within this framework.Section I: Strengthen America’s Economic Competitiveness Eliminate the per-country cap for employment-based (EB) immigration visas and raise the family-sponsored per-country visa cap from 7 percent to 15 percent.Increase the number available EB visas to keep up with workforce demands.Section II: Build the Workforce Our Economy Needs Establish a pathway for migrant farmworkers in the United States to earn legal status and make commonsense reforms to the H-2A visa program.Permanently authorize the Conrad 30 waiver program, which allows physicians studying in the United States on a J-1 visa a pathway into the country upon graduation.Create a new temporary non-immigrant visa category for year-around work in industries experiencing occupation shortages.Section III: Secure Our Nation’s Border, Once and For All Fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) at a sufficient level that ensures that Customs and Border Protection has no fewer than 22,000 full-time Border Patrol agents, increase the number of CBP officers at ports of entry by at least 500 to help halt the flow of illicit drugs such as fentanyl, increase CBP retention bonuses and raise the minimum pay rate of Border Patrol agents at or below the GS-12 pay scale level.Fund DHS at a sufficient level that ensures it can upgrade the technology used at the border including investment in radar surveillance systems, mobile remote video surveillance systems, manned and unmanned vehicles; drones; the CBP One app; and CBP’s internal communications systems and improve infrastructure at the border including investment to upgrade roads and other pathways; clear invasive species that impede sightlines, and—in strategic locations where necessary—upgrade physical barriers.Direct DHS to implement biometric monitoring at their ports of entry by 2030 in accordance with Congressional Mandate.Section IV: Embrace Those Who are a Part of the American Fabric: A Pathway to Citizenship for Dreamers and TPS Holders Grant Dreamers conditional permanent resident status if they sufficiently meet criteria, including passing security and law enforcement background checks; paying reasonable application fees; have received a high school diploma, GED, are in a program assisting them in obtaining a high school diploma or GED; or are working.Grant Dreamers lawful permanent resident status if they acquire a degree from an institution of higher education, or complete at least two years of a post-secondary level degree program while remaining in good standing; complete at least two years of military service or are honorably discharged; OR maintain continued employment for a minimum of three years, at least 75 percent of which the individual was authorized to work in the United States.Pursuant to current naturalization requirements, permit Dreamers to apply for U.S. citizenship upon maintaining permanent resident status for five years.Grant Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) Holders lawful permanent residence if they have been in the country over three years and pass security and law enforcement background checks.Section V: Provide A Path to Legal Status for Those Who Pass a Background Check and Pay a Fine Grant undocumented immigrants who arrived to the United States when they were over age 18 temporary legal status if they pay a fine, pass a criminal background check, have not been convicted of a felony offense in the United States or their country of origin, and are enrolled in school or work full time.At the end of five years, grant those individuals lawful permanent residence status if they continue to meet certain criteria.Section VI: Fully Enforce Our Nation’s Immigration Laws Initiate legal proceedings for undocumented immigrants that do not qualify for temporary legal status. Undocumented immigrants who committed a felony, and those who fail to earn legal status, must be held accountable.Modernize compliance tools to digitally ensure U.S. employers can determine the work eligibility of new hires, with assistance to small businesses and safe harbor for employers that attempt in good faith to comply.Provide judicial discretion for immigration judges to consider marital, veteran, and other ties to the United States and specific communities when deciding legal status cases.Section VII: Reform our Broken Asylum System and Safeguard it From Abuse Transition the nation’s immigration court system into an independent judiciary, consistent with Article I of the U.S. Constitution.Provide funding to hire additional immigration judges and staff support to address the significant

The city of Las Vegas Business Licensing Division has been made aware of an email phishing scam targeting licensed businesses. It has been reported that individuals have received a fraudulent email claiming that their license has expired. The message then asks recipients to verify their information by Feb. 15, 2024, by clicking a link embedded in the email. Should you receive one of these messages, avoid clicking on any links and delete the email immediately. The city’s Innovation and Technology Department is aware of the scam, but does not have the capability to stop these fraudulent emails at their source.    All official emails from the Business Licensing Division are sent either from an individual staff member (typically their first initial and last name@lasvegasnevada.gov, i.e. Zach Adams would be ZAdams@lasvegasnevada.gov), or if it is a system-generated email it will come from DoNotReply@lasvegasnevada.gov. Emails received from any other addresses claiming to be from the city of Las Vegas Business Licensing Division should be considered fraudulent and should be deleted. If you have received this email and have further questions or concerns, please contact us directly at 702.229.6281 or email us at license@lasvegasnevada.gov. For additional information on avoiding phishing scams aimed at your business, visit the Federal Trade Commission’s official website at https://www.ftc.gov/. 

Today, Congresswoman Susie Lee (NV-03) announced that funding for Laughlin’s water system and the Las Vegas Wash program were her top requests for the bipartisan Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) of 2024. Congresswoman Lee made these requests, which also included prioritizing water supply and conservation projects under the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment during a hearing yesterday on this traditionally biennial, bipartisan legislation.  “No one knows better than a Nevadan just how precious our water resources are — particularly in Laughlin, where an aging and inadequate water system is creating a severe local crisis. That’s why securing water infrastructure investments across southern Nevada, including in Laughlin, is my top request for the bipartisan 2024 Water Resources Development Act,” said Colorado River Caucus Vice-Chair Susie Lee. “We also need to protect and enhance resources for the Las Vegas Wash. That’s why I’ve requested that my bill to expand and increase investments in the Las Vegas Wash be included in WRDA legislation. I will never stop fighting for federal resources and bipartisan solutions to tackle drought in Nevada.”  Sitting at the southern tip of Nevada, Laughlin is struggling with water infrastructure no longer sufficient to meet its needs, especially in the event of an emergency. The town’s water treatment and delivery system is the only such system managed by the Las Vegas Valley Water District that lacks a secondary water source and lags in water storage capacity. To meet this crisis, which comes as southern Nevada continues to contend with the effects of the Western megadrought, Congresswoman Lee requested assistance to update Laughlin’s water system. This includes requesting assistance for the construction of a new groundwater well. Just last week, Lee met with local officials on the ground and heard more about their concerns.  Congresswoman Lee’s second request was for her bill to expand and increase investments in the Las Vegas Wash.  The legislation would raise the funding cap of the Las Vegas Wash program to reflect the critical role that this drainage channel plays for the Las Vegas Valley watershed. The Wash carries more than 200 million gallons of water to Lake Mead every day and allows southern Nevada to recycle nearly every drop of water it uses indoors. Raising the cap on the federally supported Las Vegas Wash program would help ensure that projects to protect and restore the channel receive necessary funding.  Lee recently announced a $20 million investment in the Las Vegas Wash, made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law which she helped negotiate and pass.   You can read more about WRDA here. 

At the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Educational Fund, information and resource sharing is a core component of our work. We are happy to announce a new coaching opportunity for USHCC businesses: Curated Coaching for Entrepreneurs. This program aims to ensure businesses are supported and nurtured with key resources and opportunities for their success. Join the Curated Coaching for Entrepreneurs program offered by Chase for Business. With the Curated Coaching for Entrepreneurs program, you’ll have the opportunity to meet with an expert entrepreneurial coach on your schedule and develop a long-term plan around your business’s needs. Walk away with: The program’s current session, Understanding Options for Business Funding, will help you determine if it’s the right time to seek outside capital, explore different funding options and show you how to prepare. LEARN MORE To sign up and get additional educational resources for your business, visit chase.com/coaching. And be sure to share this opportunity with others in your network by forwarding this email today!