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[Page S2754]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Maiden Speech
Ms. ROSEN. Madam President, I thank Senator Cortez Masto for that
great introduction.
I am honored and humbled to address this distinguished body as the
newest Senator from the great State of Nevada and to stand alongside an
exceptional group of colleagues with a shared commitment to public
service. I am especially honored to hold this seat, as it once belonged
to a great Nevada public servant, Senator Richard Bryan. Senator Bryan
served in just about every position in government, from assemblyman to
Governor. He worked tirelessly to advance civil rights, empower women
in government, and defend Nevada's public lands. I am so honored to
carry his values with me to move Nevada forward.
As I take up this mantle in the Senate, I am prepared to continue
Senator Bryan's legacy and work for Nevadans, while also building
toward a legacy of our own. I stand here as Nevada's 28th Senator and,
for the first time in history, as one of two women to represent our
State in the Senate. I am proud to be part of such an incredible
movement of strong, passionate, trailblazing women like Senator
Catherine Cortez Masto, who became the first female Senator to
represent the great State of Nevada and the first Latina elected to
serve in the Senate.
Everywhere, we are seeing women who are stepping up to lead, and I am
thrilled to have the chance to empower women who are looking to break
barriers along the way. By bringing more women to the decision-making
table, we can open doors and make progress on issues that affect us and
our hard-working families on a daily basis. When women put their minds
together, there is no new ground we cannot break, and there is no glass
ceiling we cannot shatter.
I stand here today to share my vision for how we can work together--
on both sides of the aisle--to lay down a framework for progress
because Nevadans and Americans everywhere are counting on us to go
above and beyond, to overcome obstacles before us, and to find
commonsense, forward-thinking solutions for the challenges of this new
era--challenges like immigration reform, which protects our Dreamers
and TPS recipients; challenges like a changing 21st century economy and
climate change; and, of course, an issue that is so important to hard-
working families everywhere, the challenge of access to affordable,
quality healthcare.
Before I discuss where we are going, let me tell you just a bit about
where I come from--my values and the ways in which my story has helped
to shape who I am and how it will shape who I will be as Nevada's
newest Senator.
I am the proud granddaughter of immigrants and a first-generation
college graduate who worked my way through college waiting tables. Yes,
I am a former member of the Culinary Workers Union, and I saved my tips
in envelopes to pay for that college tuition. I am a computer
programmer and a systems analyst who worked my way up in what has been
long considered a male-dominated industry.
I am a wife to my husband Larry, a radiologist, whom I can always
count on to be by my side. I am a mother to my wonderful daughter
Miranda, whom I am so proud of and who inspires me every day to build a
better future for our country.
I am a former president of my synagogue--the largest synagogue in
Nevada--and during my tenure, I witnessed the beauty of our country's
religious diversity and how community engagement strengthens America. I
also learned the importance of working together to fight against anti-
Semitism, which we are seeing now, once again, rear its ugly head here
at home and around the globe.
Remembering where I come from, my story, my roots, this is what
guides me every day to make decisions to help working families. When it
comes to issues like college affordability and education, equal pay for
equal work, labor rights, combating hate and anti-Semitism, and
standing up for Israel, I can speak from personal experience.
I am reminded that my story is just one of many from Las Vegas to
Reno, to Searchlight, to Lovelock, and everywhere in between because I
hear from Nevadans who share some of those same stories from every part
of the rich, vibrant fabric that makes up our diverse State, including
Latinos, Asian Americans, African Americans, Tribal communities, and
beyond.
When I think of the shores of Lake Tahoe and of Lake Mead, the
majestic canyons of Red Rock, the open skies across the desert, and the
mountains that shine below them like jewels in the sun, I think of
home. Nothing rings more true to me than saying home means Nevada to
me.
