Dear Friend,

On Monday, January 20th, we welcomed President Donald Trump back to the White House with a ceremony inside the Capitol Rotunda.  

It is a new day in America, and we have hit the ground running to deliver relief and common-sense solutions that voters elected us to do. There’s a lot of work to be done, but we are filled with optimism under the leadership of the new administration. 

As we move forward through the critical first 100 days, we will keep you informed on the issues that matter most to you. Below are a few key votes we have successfully passed so far. 
KEY VOTES
Laken Riley Act 
For those who are unfamiliar, Laken Riley was a 22-year-old nursing student from Georgia who was tragically murdered on campus. The individual responsible for her death was an undocumented immigrant who had been arrested twice in New York and released before going to trial. 

The Laken Riley Act honors this young lady’s legacy and aims to prevent any future tragedies caused by individuals with criminal records who are in our country illegally.

Specifically, the bill:  

• Protects American communities by requiring Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to issue detainers and take custody of illegal aliens who commit theft, burglary, larceny, and shoplifting offenses. 
• Authorizes state governments to sue for injunctive relief over immigration enforcement decisions that have harmed the state or its residents. 
• Strengthens the list of criminal offenses that subject illegal aliens to mandatory detention by adding “assault on a law enforcement officer” and “crimes that result in serious bodily injury” to the bill.

This is the first bill President Trump signed into law in his second term. 

Fix Our Forests Act 
The recent catastrophic wildfires that swept through southern California serve as a loud wake-up call that action is needed now to restore our forests and reduce the risk of future wildland fire threats.  

This bill delivers a toolbox of resources, from advanced technology to comprehensive research, to build healthier, more resilient forest conditions. While external factors like extreme winds, exemplified in California’s case, are beyond our control, proactive planning and mitigation strategies aid us in efforts to reduce the potential for future devastation. 

Five ways the Fix Our Forests Act helps prevent wildfires:  

• Prioritizes hazardous fuels reduction activities in high-risk firesheds where catastrophic wildfires pose an imminent threat to life and property.  
• Protects communities in the wildland-urban interface by actively managing our forests and fostering greater collaboration between Federal, State, Tribal, and private land managers.  
• Creates an interagency Community Wildfire Risk Reduction Program and streamlines federal wildfire defense grants to communities.  
• Deploys new technology, such as AI and 5G, to respond to wildfires quicker and more efficiently and support wildland firefighters.  
• Encourages re-seeding of native and fire-resistant vegetation and the clearing of hazard trees in utility rights-of-way. 

Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act 
The House has successfully passed H.R. 21, the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Act. Under current law, any newborn who survives an abortion is recognized as a person; however, some medical professionals choose not to perform life-saving procedures, which can result in an infant suffering after an unsuccessful abortion. 

This legislation: 

Requires healthcare practitioners to provide infants who are born alive following an abortion or attempted abortion with the same standard of medical care as any other newborn. 

• Imposes criminal penalties on healthcare providers who fail to meet this standard of care. 
• Allow mothers to file a civil lawsuit against a healthcare provider who violates this standard. 

I voted in favor of this bill because it reflects current Nevada law, the NRS 442.250, which has been on the books since 1990. I have always stated that I will support our state, and defend the values reflected in the language of our constitution, as determined by the voters. 
THE ENDING PRESIDENTIAL OVERREACH ON PUBLIC LANDS ACT 
I joined Congresswoman Celeste Maloy from Utah’s Second District to introduce legislation that reforms the Antiquities Act of 1906.  

Congresswoman Maloy understands firsthand the unique challenges western states face. Particularly, the impact of having the majority of our land controlled by the federal government.  

To be clear, I do not have any issue with national monuments, but I do take issue with the executive branch having the sole authority to designate them without any input from the communities they will impact most. The Antiquities Act has been abused by presidents time and time again by allowing unnecessary swaths of land to be locked away. The law should be focused on protecting the actual site of interest and not stretching into areas that have little to do with the original purpose of the designation. 

This reform is about restoring local voices to the process and ensuring that the Antiquities Act serves its intended purpose without excessive overreach. 

Read my full press release here.  
VIEWING THE CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES
This past weekend, I had the opportunity to visit southern California and receive a tour of the wildfires that devastated communities throughout the state. It is evident our neighboring state is in tragic condition, and while recovery efforts have already started, it’s clear there is a long and challenging road ahead. 

I want to thank all of the first responders on the ground who fought tirelessly to contain the fires, remove hazardous materials, protect homes, and most importantly save lives. 

I received updates on rebuilding efforts and potential mitigation opportunities. It’s all hands on deck to ensure the necessary resources are mobilized for recovery. Being on the ground and witnessing this firsthand was devastating, and it serves as a reminder just how important it is to have a comprehensive plan in place to prevent such catastrophic events. 

My thoughts remain with the communities who have lost everything, and whose futures are uncertain. We have an obligation to do everything we can to support them in the difficult days, weeks, and months ahead.
UPDATE ON SENATE CABINET CONFIRMATIONS 

• Marco Rubio (Secretary of State) - Confirmed by a 99-0 floor vote 
• John Ratcliffe (Director of Central Intelligence Agency)- Confirmed by a 74-25 floor vote 
• Pete Hegseth (Secretary of Defense)- Confirmed by a 50-51 floor vote with Vice President JD Vance casting the tie-breaking vote  
• Kristi Noem (Secretary of Homeland Security)- Confirmed by a 59-34 floor vote 
• Sean Duffy (Secretary of Transportation)- Confirmed by a 72-22 floor vote 
• Scott Bessent (Secretary of the Treasury)- Confirmed by a 68-29 floor vote 
• Lee Zeldin (Administrator of Environmental Protection Agency)- Confirmed by a 56-42 floor vote 
• Doug Burgum (Secretary of Interior)- Confirmed by a 79-18 floor vote

CABINET PICKS THAT HAVE PARTICULAR INTEREST IN NEVADA 
Bureau of Land Management 
Tracy Stone-Manning has stepped down as Director of the Bureau of Land Management, and our very own Jon Raby will temporarily take on the role. Jon, who has served as the BLM Nevada State Director since 2019, has proven to be an excellent advocate for the unique land needs of Nevada.  

It has been a pleasure working alongside him and his team, and I have no doubt he will be a great leader in this new role. I look forward to continuing our partnership as we prioritize finding solutions to our state's challenges.

Secretary of Interior
President Trump has nominated Doug Burgum, the 33rd governor of North Dakota, as his candidate for Secretary of the Interior. This position has a direct hand in shaping land management policies that inevitably have an outsized effect on Nevada.  

Governor Burgum brings a wealth of experience addressing the very challenges the Secretary of the Interior must navigate. I am confident that he will lead the agency toward a brighter future by removing barriers to resource development, unlocking the potential of our federal lands, and ensuring that both Congress and community leaders have a voice in the decision-making process. 
CONSTITUENT SPOTLIGHT
Congratulations to the bright students from Damonte Ranch High School in Reno for winning the 2024 Congressional App Challenge. This annual competition invites middle and high school students to showcase their coding skills by creating innovative apps. 

Leila Schinzing, Jenny Chen and Sarah Stuart’s app, Good for Nevada, optimizes community access to volunteer opportunities across the state. The inspiration behind their app:  

“Since one of our members is in key club, we were inspired to create an app to make it easier to look up and search for places to volunteer in the community. Sometimes it is very difficult to find places and coordinate volunteering events for Key Club and recognized that it can be time consuming finding places to volunteer individually for those in National Honors Society.

We wanted to create an app that can easily link you to various volunteering opportunities in Nevada, making it efficient and easy for people to find ways to help. Volunteering is important in improving communities and giving individuals chances to build skills needed for effective collaboration, which are fundamental for young adults like us who plan to go work in future jobs that will inevitably require working with others in some sort of way.” 
IN THE MEDIA
KOLO8 ABC: Interview with Congressman Amodei

2News Nevada: Congressman Mark Amodei Introduces Bill

Axios: Energy: Digesting Day 1

Las Vegas Sun: Nevada Democrats Join House Republicans in backing controversial bill

The Federalist: Burgum Pledges to Restore Responsible Land Management to Interior Department
EEP IN TOUCH
As always, thank you for subscribing to the Amodei Report. I look forward to continuing to keep you up to date on the issues you care about most.

For additional information, please call my Washington office: (202) 225-6155, Reno office: (775) 686-5760, or Elko phone: (775) 777-7705 or visit my website at Amodei.house.gov.

To receive updates on what I am doing in Washington and Nevada’s 2nd District follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.


Sincerely,

Mark E. Amodei
Member of Congress

​Washington, D.C. — Today, Congressman Mark Amodei joined Congresswoman Celeste Maloy (UT-02) in introducing legislation to reform the Antiquities Act of 1906.

The Ending Presidential Overreach on Public Lands Act would strip presidential authority to unilaterally designate national monuments and give that authority to Congress by striking Section 2 from the Antiquities Act.

"My home state of Nevada, along with other Western states, has long been burned by executive actions on public lands and monument designations that bypass input from Congress and local governments,” said Rep. Mark Amodei. “I am a firm believer that the best lands policy is generated by the local communities who actually live off of these lands, not Washington bureaucrats. This legislation overturns years of a one-sided approach on major land management decisions and ensures Western communities are given a seat at the table for any future monument designations."

"Congress, not the executive branch, has jurisdiction to make decisions on public land," said Rep. Maloy. "Congress trusted Presidents with a narrow authority to declare national monuments in the Antiquities Act. Unfortunately, Presidents have continued to abuse that narrow authority to designate millions of acres of land in Utah and across the West without proper Congressional oversight. My bill aims to rebalance the powers between Congress and the executive branch and restore transparency and accountability to these designations."

Background:

The Antiquities Act was born out of concern that America’s rapid expansion into the West would destroy historical artifacts and resources. It made sense for presidents to have a tool to quickly protect them. However, over the years, the Act's sweeping language has been weaponized to unilaterally designate vast swaths of public land as national monuments without sufficient public input or Congressional oversight. Since its enactment, the Antiquities Act has been used over a hundred times to create national monuments, locking up millions of acres of land. President Biden has actively done this through his so-called “America the Beautiful Initiative”, preventing entire communities from using the resources in their own backyards for recreational or economic use.

In 1976, Congress passed the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 which clarifies that Congress reserves the power to “modify or revoke” designations and ensures that the president doesn’t have the unilateral authority to designate monuments without Congressional action.

The Ending Presidential Overreach on Public Lands Act gives Congress the sole power to modify or revoke national monument designations and prevents the President from making unilateral decisions regarding national monuments.
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Read the full text of the legislation here.

Washington, D.C. — Rep. Mark Amodei issued the following statement after being assigned to serve on the Natural Resources Subcommittee on Federal Lands and the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations in the 119th Congress:

“This Congress, I’m thrilled to have a seat at the table on two influential Natural Resources subcommittees,” said Rep. Mark Amodei. “The Subcommittee on Federal Lands offers me a powerful platform to continue to be a relentless advocate for Nevada’s lands priorities, especially in passing Nevada lands bills, which are critical to our state’s economic prosperity. At the same time, it allows me to present commonsense solutions to protect our unique landscapes and preserve our way of life.

“I’m also excited to leverage my experience on the Appropriations Committee in my role on the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, where I will work to ensure the accountability and efficient operations of our federal agencies. Oversight of the federal bureaucracy and eliminating waste were a driving force behind a historic presidential turnout of 2024, and I’m honored to play a part in advancing transparency in that process.”

Learn more about the Subcommittee on Federal Lands here.

Learn more about the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations here. 

Washington, D.C. — Rep. Mark Amodei issued the following statement after voting to re-elect Rep. Mike Johnson to serve as Speaker of the House for the 119th Congress:
 
“The role of Speaker of the House is no easy task and given the cards Speaker Johnson was dealt last Congress, he did an honorable job,” said Rep. Mark Amodei. “With over a year of experience under his belt, he has gained valuable insights and lessons to bring with him into the 119th Congress. I am confident in his ability to steer our party towards success alongside President Trump and Senate Majority Leader Thune. Throughout his tenure in the 118th Congress, I made Speaker Johnson and his staff fully aware of the unique needs and concerns of Nevada, and I look forward to continuing our work together to deliver for our state.”
 
 
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