Catherine Cortez Masto facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Catherine Cortez Masto
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Official portait, 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) |
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.
Before becoming a senator, Cortez Masto was the top lawyer for the state of Nevada. This job is called the attorney general of Nevada. She served in that role from 2007 to 2015.
Cortez Masto went to the University of Nevada, Reno and Gonzaga University School of Law. She worked as a lawyer in Las Vegas and as a prosecutor for the U.S. government. In 2016, she was elected to the U.S. Senate. She was the first woman to represent Nevada in the Senate. She was also the first Latina woman to be elected to the Senate. She was reelected for a second term in 2022.
About Catherine Cortez Masto
Early Life and Education
Catherine Cortez Masto was born in Las Vegas, Nevada, on March 29, 1964. Her parents are 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 family background is diverse. Her father's family came from Mexico, and her mother's family came from Italy. Her grandfather, Eduardo Cortez, moved to Nevada from Chihuahua, Mexico.
Cortez Masto went to Ed W. Clark High School. She earned a Bachelor of Science 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
After law school, Cortez Masto became a lawyer in Nevada in 1990. She worked for four years as a civil lawyer in Las Vegas. She also spent two years as a criminal prosecutor for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Washington, D.C. She also worked as the chief of staff for former Nevada Governor Bob Miller.
In 2003, she became an executive vice chancellor for the Nevada System of Higher Education. This role helps manage Nevada's colleges and universities.
Nevada Attorney General
In 2006, Catherine Cortez Masto ran for Nevada Attorney General. She won the election as the Democratic candidate. She was reelected in 2010. As Attorney General, she was the state's chief legal officer.
One important case she handled involved Bank of America. Her office investigated the bank for how it handled loans. In 2012, the lawsuit was settled, and the bank paid $750 million to help people with their loans.
She also defended Nevada's law against same-sex marriage in a lawsuit. However, after a court ruling, she and the state stopped defending the ban.
U.S. Senate
Becoming a Senator
In 2016, U.S. Senator Harry Reid decided not to run for reelection. He supported Catherine Cortez Masto to take his place. She ran against Republican Joe Heck.
Cortez Masto won the election with 47% of the votes. She 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 her second term, winning against Adam Laxalt.
What She Does as a Senator
As a U.S. Senator, Catherine Cortez Masto works on many important issues. She serves on several committees that deal with different topics.
- Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs: This committee looks at banks, housing, and city development.
- Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: This committee focuses on energy, public lands, and mining. She is the Chair of the Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests and Mining.
- Committee on Rules and Administration: This committee deals with the rules and daily operations of the Senate.
- Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation: This committee handles topics like communication, technology, and consumer safety.
- Committee on Indian Affairs: This committee works on issues important to Native American tribes.
- Special Committee on Aging: This committee focuses on issues affecting older Americans.
Important Issues She Supports
Cortez Masto has clear views on many topics:
- Environment: She believes in fighting climate change. She supports using more solar power and other clean energy sources. She does not want Yucca Mountain to be a nuclear waste site.
- Gun Policy: She supports stricter gun control laws. After the 2017 Las Vegas shooting, she helped propose a bill to ban "bump stocks," which make guns fire faster.
- Health Care: She supports the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). She wants to improve it to make health insurance more stable and affordable.
- Immigration: She supports the rights of immigrants. She has worked on laws to help young immigrants known as DACA recipients get federal loans. She also wants to protect sensitive locations from immigration enforcement actions.
- LGBT Rights: She supports same-sex marriage.
Personal Life
Catherine Cortez Masto lives in Las Vegas with her husband, Paul Masto. Paul is a retired special agent from the United States Secret Service. She is a Roman Catholic.
Images for kids
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Official portrait, 2022
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Cortez Masto with then-California Attorney General Kamala Harris in December 2011
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Cortez Masto being sworn in as a U.S. senator by Vice President Joe Biden
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Cortez Masto during the 115th United States Congress
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Maggie Hassan speaking with Cortez Masto at a Senate committee hearing in June 2017
See also
- List of female state attorneys general in the United States
- List of Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States Congress
- Women in the United States Senate
