Enthusiastic supporters greet Senator Reid during Winnemucca whistle-stop

WINNEMUCCA — Senator Harry Reid was greeted by a crowd of enthusiastic supporters and long-time friends when he stopped over in Humboldt County as part of a rural northern Nevada whistle-stop tour.  The Wednesday (April 7) reception was fairly bipartisan as voters turned out to hear the senator speak and to thank him for his support on such issues as his opposition to the Jungo Rd. proposed landfill, his battle for the healthcare bill, and the effort he made to return revenue from geothermal leases to local government.

Addressing the crowd Senator Reid said, "I appreciate the fact I have been able to serve Nevada as long as I have, but there is a lot more work to do."  He made specific references to keeping PILT (payment in-lieu of taxes) fully funded and seeing that the mining industry is protected from legislation that might cost rural counties in revenue and employment.  He commented, "I do everything I can to protect mining."

For many in the crowd the chief topic was the 2010 Healthcare Reform bill.  When asked about pending lawsuits against the bill, Reid responded such action "was a waste of time".  He outlined the many positive aspects of the bill such as the closing of the "doughnut hole" for senior citizens, protection for children with preexisting conditions, and the extension in coverage for young people who can now stay on their parents insurance until they're 27 years old.  Reid commented, "This is a bill that's going to help Americans."  Reid said in the future there will be tighter control over insurance companies and their ability to suddenly cancel coverage -- usually right when it's needed the most by the individual.  Reid said some insurance companies were just scams and commented, "They don't want to help people."

Reid pointed out there are approximately 50,000 people in the US without health insurance, and when they get sick they do the only thing they can do -- they go to the emergency room, which is the most expensive health care money can buy.  That's just bad business.  Congress had to intervene, he argued, to keep the cost of health care from rising out-of-control at a time when fewer and fewer Americans have insurance.

In attendance for the reception were those who came specifically to hear the senator address the issue of health care.  Nicki Schumacher said, "I came to thank Senator Reid for getting the health care bill passed and for sticking to it."

Others came just to hear what the senator had to say.  One such attendee was Lorraine Giurlani who said, "He certainly had command of his facts."

Overheard in the crowd:  One participant  wondered allowed what would happen to Nevada without Senator Reid at the helm.  He said the questions we should be asking are:  "What would have happened with Yucca Mt?  With the Jungo Rd. landfill? if we did not have Senator Reid."  He noted the amount of money Reid diverted to Nevada at a time when the state was literally broke and pointed out if Reid was not reelected the next senator will not have the influence to protect the state's interest as Reid has done.

Senator Reid was greeted by Rebecca Holzel whose introductory speech reminded the audience who's really going to be running the state in a short while. A fourth grader at Grass Valley Elementary School she noted of the kids who are her age, "Someday ...we're going to be running this place."  Rebecca pointed out if her generation is going to take over the schools, hospitals and government ... they're going to have to have a solid education.  Reid responded by noting how things have changed since he first went to the US Senate -- including the recent influx of women senators.  "In those days," Reid said, "there was just one female senator."  When asked what she thought of the Senator, Rebecca replied, "I thought he was very nice."

Humboldt County Democratic Central Committee Chairman KC Harrison said he found Senator Reid very up-to-date on educational issues -- especially the need for revisions to No Child Left Behind.  Harrison is a teacher at French Ford Middle School (Humboldt County schools were on spring break at the time of the senator's visit), so issues impacting teachers and students are very close to Harrison's heart.  Beyond the politics, Harrison praised the cross-section of voters who attended the event and noted it appeared the crowd included just as many Republicans as Democrats.