{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.heller.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ContentRecord_id=90106E28-E81C-4AF3-866E-D16DF96EE665", "Heller, Cortez Masto Submit Letter to the Social Security Administration Requesting Formal Public Notice as to How It Intends to Assist Las Vegas Attack Victims, Families", "2017-10-18", "2017", "2017-10", "Republican", "House", "NV", "Dean Heller", "H001041", "www.heller.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senators Dean Heller (R-NV) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) sent a letter to Nancy A. Berryhill, Acting Commissioner of Social Security Administration and Steve Breen, Acting San Francisco Regional Commissioner (Region IX), requesting a formal public notice or an announcement regarding how it intends to assist the victims and the families of the Las Vegas attack, including special procedures for expedited enrollment and claims processing. \u201cIn response to this tragedy, doctors, nurses, paramedics, and other medical professionals have worked around the clock under harrowing circumstances to provide life-saving care for hundreds of victims,\u201d read the senators\u2019 letter. \u201cUnfortunately, 58 innocent people tragically lost their lives and have left behind families and loved ones \u2013 including spouses and dependents. As family members and loved ones strive to grapple with such loss in light of this heinous attack, it is vital that federal agencies offer support for those affected.\u201d The letter reads in full:\r\nOctober 17, 2017 Nancy A. Berryhill  Acting Commissioner of Social Security  Social Security Administration  6401 Security Blvd., 3100 West High Rise  Baltimore, MD 21235\r\nCommissioner Berryhill, On the night of October 1, 2017, a gunman opened fire on 22,000 people attending the Route 91 Harvest festival in Las Vegas, Nevada. During this horrific event, fifty-eight individuals were murdered and nearly 500 innocent people sustained injuries, making this attack the deadliest mass shooting in modern American history. In response to this tragedy, doctors, nurses, paramedics, and other medical professionals have worked around the clock under harrowing circumstances to provide life-saving care for hundreds of victims. Unfortunately, 58 innocent people tragically lost their lives and have left behind families and loved ones \u2013 including spouses and dependents. As family members and loved ones strive to grapple with such loss in light of this heinous attack, it is vital that federal agencies offer support for those affected. We respectfully request the Social Security Administration issue a formal public notice or announcement as to how it intends to assist the victims and the families of the Las Vegas shooting, including expedited enrollment. Please provide a copy of guidance for special procedures to process claims of survivor benefits, benefits for people with disabilities, or other benefits for those affected by the tragedy in Las Vegas. Thank you for your timely consideration of this request.\u00a0\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=90106E28-E81C-4AF3-866E-D16DF96EE665"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.214670017361641, "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"}