Senators seek industry input for relief bill

WASHINGTON — Nevada’s U.S. senators have been speaking with gaming industry leaders as the

Senate writes a bill to provide relief to businesses hit hard by the new coronavirus.

The gaming industry, airlines, cruise lines and entertainment venues are seeking federal aid to help ease the burden of coronavirus fallout.

Sens. Jacky Rosen and Catherine Cortez Masto, both Democrats, were talking with industry officials this week to determine what would be needed and what the priorities are for a relief bill to be written by the Senate.

Rep. Dina Titus, D-nev., co-chairwoman of both the travel and tourism caucus and the gaming caucus, said on a conference call with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-calif., that any long-range relief package must include relief for the millions of workers whose jobs have been affected, a congressional aide said.

Nevada Resort Association President Virginia Valentine said in a statement that the organization is closely monitoring developments in Washington.

While Republicans and Democrats have pledged bipartisan efforts with the White House to craft a bill to provide relief, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said he wants the aid targeted to families.

Democrats had grumbled that an earlier $8.3 billion relief bill passed by the House and Senate focused on tax cuts and loans for larger businesses without providing enough aid to families and mom-and-pop shops feeling the brunt of the economic fallout.

The Review-journal is owned by the family of Las Vegas Sands Corp. Chairman and CEO Sheldon Adelson. Las Vegas Sands Corp. operates The Venetian and Palazzo.

Contact Gary Martin at gmartin@ reviewjournal.com or 202-662-7390. Follow @garymartindc on Twitter.