{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.heller.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=3689d1bf-7f9a-48cb-a00a-fd8c46be6210", "Heller Statement on Use of \u201cNuclear Option\u201d in U.S. Senate", "2013-11-21", "2013", "2013-11", "Republican", "House", "NV", "Dean Heller", "H001041", "www.heller.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "(Washington, D.C.) \u2013 U.S. Senator Dean Heller (R-NV) issued this statement after the Senate utilized the \u201cnuclear option,\u201d which rids the Senate minority of long-standing rights and requires only a simple majority for some Senate votes.\r\n\u201cThis is a sad day for the United States Senate, and a scary day for Nevada. While today we are discussing nominations, what assurances are there that today\u2019s changes will not apply to future legislation?\u00a0\r\n\u201cThe Nevada delegation has prevented Yucca Mountain from moving forward, a policy that is already the law of the land. We have been able to accomplish this using every arrow in our quiver. When you are from a small state, you have to rely on every tool in your toolbox to protect yourself.\r\n\u201cNow, the opening of Yucca Mountain is a renewed risk. It\u2019s clear that today\u2019s actions by the Senate have made Nevada even more vulnerable to the will of the majority,\u201d said Senator Dean Heller.\r\nNow that the 60-vote threshold for nominations is removed, the same principle could apply elsewhere with legislation. Without a 60-vote threshold, the current policies towards Yucca Mountain could be revisited.\r\nIn June, Senator Heller expressed his concerns about the effect of removing the 60-vote threshold on small states like Nevada, and particularly the Yucca Mountain project.\r\nLater that week, Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN) spoke on the Senate floor indicating that opening Yucca Mountain would be a top priority once the 60 vote threshold is removed, saying that \u201ca vote to end the filibuster is a vote to complete Yucca Mountain.\u201d\r\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.heller.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=3689d1bf-7f9a-48cb-a00a-fd8c46be6210"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.5445239841938019, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}