Catherine Cortez Masto facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Catherine Cortez Masto
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Official portrait, 2022
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| United States Senator from Nevada |
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| Assumed office January 3, 2017 Serving with Jacky Rosen
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| Preceded by | Harry Reid |
| Chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee | |
| In office January 3, 2019 – January 28, 2021 |
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| Leader | Chuck Schumer |
| Preceded by | Chris Van Hollen |
| Succeeded by | Gary Peters |
| 32nd Attorney General of Nevada | |
| In office January 1, 2007 – January 5, 2015 |
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| Governor | Jim Gibbons Brian Sandoval |
| Preceded by | George Chanos |
| Succeeded by | Adam Laxalt |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Catherine Marie Cortez
March 29, 1964 Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Paul Masto |
| Education | University of Nevada, Reno (BS) Gonzaga University (JD) |
| Signature |  |
| Website | |
Catherine Marie Cortez Masto (born March 29, 1964) is an American lawyer and politician. She is currently a United States senator for Nevada. She has held this important job since 2017. As a member of the Democratic Party, Cortez Masto also served as the top lawyer for Nevada, called the attorney general of Nevada, from 2007 to 2015.
Cortez Masto studied at the University of Nevada, Reno and Gonzaga University School of Law. Before becoming a senator, she worked as a lawyer in Las Vegas. She also worked as a prosecutor for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Washington, D.C. She was first elected as Nevada's attorney general in 2006. She was reelected in 2010 but could not run for a third term. This was because of rules in Nevada's constitution about how long someone can serve.
In 2016, Cortez Masto won a close election to become a U.S. Senator. She replaced Senator Harry Reid. This made her the first woman to represent Nevada in the Senate. She also became the first Latina woman to serve in the U.S. Senate. She started her term on January 3, 2017. In 2022, she was reelected for a second term.
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Early Life and Education
Catherine Cortez Masto was born in Las Vegas, Nevada. Her parents were Joanna and Manny Cortez. Her father was a lawyer and worked for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. He was also a member of the Clark County Commission. Her father had Mexican heritage, and her mother had Italian heritage. Her grandfather, Eduardo Cortez, came to Nevada from Chihuahua, Mexico.
Cortez Masto went to Ed W. Clark High School. She earned a degree in finance from the University of Nevada, Reno in 1986. Later, she earned her law degree from Gonzaga University School of Law in 1990.
Early Career and Public Service
After law school, Cortez Masto became a lawyer in Nevada in 1990. She worked as a civil attorney in Las Vegas for four years. She also spent two years as a prosecutor for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Washington, D.C. A prosecutor is a lawyer who works for the government to bring legal cases against people accused of crimes. She also served as the chief of staff for former Nevada Governor Bob Miller. A chief of staff helps manage the governor's office.
In 2003, Cortez Masto became an executive vice chancellor for the Nevada System of Higher Education. This role involved helping to manage the state's colleges and universities.
Nevada Attorney General
In 2006, Cortez Masto ran for Nevada Attorney General as a Democrat. She won the election. She was reelected in 2010. As Attorney General, she was the state's chief legal officer. She represented Nevada in legal matters and worked to protect its citizens.
In 2010, her office investigated Bank of America. They looked into how the company was treating borrowers. The lawsuit was settled in 2012. This settlement helped people who were struggling with their home loans.
Cortez Masto also defended Nevada in a lawsuit about same-sex marriage. At first, she defended the state's ban on same-sex marriage. However, after a court ruling, she and the state changed their position. They stopped defending the ban.
U.S. Senate
Senate Elections
2016 Senate Election
In 2016, U.S. Senator Harry Reid decided not to run for reelection. He supported Catherine Cortez Masto to take his place. Her main opponent was Republican U.S. Representative Joe Heck.
Cortez Masto supports investing more in renewable energy. Groups that support environmental protection and women's rights also supported her campaign.
She won the election with 47% of the votes. This made her the first Latina to serve in the U.S. Senate. She started her term on January 3, 2017.
2022 Senate Election
On February 24, 2021, Cortez Masto announced she would run for reelection. She faced Adam Laxalt, who had been the attorney general after her. Many people thought this would be a very close election. Cortez Masto won the election, securing her second term as senator.
Senate Work and Key Events
As a senator, Cortez Masto works on many important issues. She was in the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. This was when supporters of Donald Trump stormed the building. She was on the Senate floor when the Capitol was breached. She and other senators were moved to a safe place. She called the attack "un-American and unacceptable."
Senate Committees
Cortez Masto serves on several important Senate committees. These committees help create laws and oversee government actions.
- Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
- Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Protection (ranking member)
- Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
- Committee on Indian Affairs
- Committee on Finance
Senate Groups
She is also part of several groups in the Senate, called caucuses. These groups focus on specific issues or communities.
- Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus
- Congressional Hispanic Caucus
- Congressional Caucus for Women's Issues
Political Views
Cortez Masto often votes in line with President Joe Biden's policies.
Environmental Protection
Cortez Masto believes that human activities cause climate change. She thinks the government should limit pollution from power plants. She supports creating "green jobs" and using more solar power and other clean energy in Nevada. She is against using Yucca Mountain as a place to store nuclear waste.
Gun Safety
Cortez Masto supports stronger gun control laws. She believes people on the terrorist watchlist should not be able to buy guns. After the 2017 Las Vegas shooting, she helped introduce a bill to ban "bump stocks." These devices make guns fire faster.
Health Care
She does not support getting rid of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). She wants to improve the act to make health care more stable and affordable.
Immigration
Cortez Masto has worked on issues related to immigration. She has sent letters to government agencies about how they treat pregnant women in detention. She also supports allowing young immigrants, known as DACA recipients, to get federal housing loans. She introduced a bill to make sure immigration agents get approval before taking action in sensitive places like schools or hospitals.
LGBT Rights
Cortez Masto supports same-sex marriage.
Puerto Rico
As of July 2025, Cortez Masto is working on a plan to support a vote for Puerto Rico to decide its own future.
Personal Life
Catherine Cortez Masto lives in Las Vegas with her husband, Paul Masto. He is a retired special agent from the United States Secret Service. She is Roman Catholic.
Images for kids
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Catherine Cortez Masto's signature
See also
In Spanish: Catherine Cortez Masto para niños
