In this episode of The Best Dam Podcast, Jill sits down with U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen to explore the unique "frontier spirit" that drives the Silver State. Senator Rosen shares how her faith and upbringing instilled a lifelong commitment to leaving her corner of the world better than she found it.

This isn't just a story about political leadership; it's about a mission-driven approach to community stewardship, the booming landscape of Nevada's clean energy economy, and a collaborative approach to democracy designed to serve families for generations to come.

DISCUSSION

1. The Spirit of Nevada: What it means to represent a massive, diverse state of 70 million acres and how the "frontier spirit" shapes its residents.
   
   
2. Farming the Sun: How Nevada is positioning itself at the forefront of the 21st-century energy economy by utilizing wind, water, solar, and geothermal power.
   
   
3. Preserving What We Must: The delicate balance of sustainable development—using what we can to protect the state's beautiful wilderness and migrating wildlife.
   
   
4. The Messy Thanksgiving Table: Why Senator Rosen compares American democracy to a big holiday dinner and the critical importance of non-stubborn statesmanship.
   
   
5. The Meat and Potatoes of Office: A look behind the scenes at how constituent services quietly help local seniors, veterans, and families navigate federal issues.
   
   
6. Empowering the Next Generation: How Senate internships give young Nevadans hands-on experience in running the country and solving real community problems.
   
   
7. What Do You Do With a Chance?: A special book recommendation that highlights the power of opportunity, kindness, and everyday interactions.
   
   
8. The Small Business Backbone: The surprising statistics behind Nevada's 280,000 small businesses and the massive economic impact of outdoor tourism.
   
   

LEARN MORE

To learn more about Senator Jacky Rosen and constituent services, visit her website at https://www.rosen.senate.gov. Click on the FOR NEVADANS drop-down for a list of Constituent Services.

Book Recommendation - What Do You Do With a Chance By Kobi Yamada,
Mae Besom (Illustrator) - https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/36070310-what-do-you-do-with-a-chance

To learn more about the Boulder City Chamber of Commerce, visit their website at https://www.bouldercitychamber.com

KEYWORDS

Senator Jacky Rosen, Nevada, Boulder City, Clean Energy, Renewable Energy, Small Business, Constituent Services, Community, Las Vegas Chamber, The Best Dam Podcast

#SenatorJackyRosen #Nevada #BoulderCity #CleanEnergy #RenewableEnergy #SmallBusiness #ConstituentServices #Community #LasVegasChamber #TheBestDamPodcast

Podcast Transcript 

Jill: Listeners, I have the distinct privilege of being able to interview the beautiful Jacky Rosen. Senator, we are so grateful to have you here, and thank you so much for being on the Best Damn! podcast.

Senator Jacky: Well, you know what? I love being on the Best Damn podcast. I have the best dam picture in the United States Senate, two of them in my office, and thank you for having me.

Jill: Thank you for remembering, some of the great things that make the state of Nevada awesome, and the dam is one of them. And you know I shared with you that, my parents were always upset that I would constantly swear as a child growing up. But then I would always say, "Hoover Dam, Mom. Hoover Dam" So that always got us out of that.

So we are grateful to have you here. I know your time is short, so we're gonna just jump right into it. 

Senator Jacky: Okay. 

Jill: What is a defining moment in your life when you felt called to serve our country?

Senator Jacky: I want to say it's not just one moment. I think that, I feel like my faith-based community that I'm very connected to and very strong, in Henderson, we really believe in this concept of what they call repairing the world, that you leave the world a better place than how you found.

It's your responsibility to take care of your corner of the world. So whatever that is, whether it's helping your neighbor if they're hungry, or sometimes you're a senator, you have a bigger bully pulpit. Whatever that is, it's your responsibility. Someone did it for you, and so for the next generation, you need to leave the world or your corner of the world, at least as good as how you found it, if not better.

And I think that's just been a defining, characteristic of the family values my family instilled in me, and ones I've carried through as I was volunteer in my adult life, and then of course, had the opportunity to run for office, and I still carry that through.

Jill: We sure appreciate it, you, and so glad that you are willing to serve.

Senator Jacky: Thank you. 

Jill: So thank you for doing so, and I'm grateful for your family that instilled those values in you. So when you travel across our state, what gives you the greatest hope for America's future?

Senator Jacky: I can tell you, the people do not realize how big our state is. I tease some of my colleagues. I think we're about 70 million acres, and that's about 70 Rhode Islands or 70 Delawares, give or take some. 

Jill: Love it. 

Senator Jacky: And so our state is so diverse. It's not just a Lake Tahoe and a Lake Mead or Las Vegas. It is the dark skies. It is the small towns. It is the frontier spirit. The Pony Express went through Carson City. Mark Twain's brother was our lieutenant governor, and he wrote the book Roughing It up there. And then 

Jill: Yeah 

Senator Jacky: We think about our frontier history, our energy future, our, tourism, whether it's out at the, at Lake Mead, where we're looking at, overlooking here today. We have an incredibly beautiful state, and what gives me hope for the future is honestly Nevadans. Everywhere I go, people welcome me.

They sit down. They tell me what they hope for, and they tell me what they worry about. 

Jill: Yeah. 

Senator Jacky: They tell me what, they really talk to me like a person. And that's, I feel like that gives me the power to do my job for Nevada, and I'm really grateful to the, people of Nevada for that.

Jill: The spirit of Nevada.

Senator Jacky: The spirit of Nevada.

Jill: Absolutely. So Boulder City is such a beacon of light when it comes to clean, renewable energy. We were started because of hydro, and we are stronger because of solar. What do you see in Nevada's future with the increase in energy demand and technology and innovation outpacing infrastructure? Where do we go from here?

Senator Jacky: You know what? This is a fantastic question. I talk about this all the time, and I think we have to be energy agnostic. In Iowa, they farm the corn. In Nevada, we farm the sun, or we had Hoover Dam. And so what I say is that we have wind, water, solar, and geothermal, right?

We have all of that type of energy, and we have critical minerals. And so in Nevada, we are at the forefront of the 21st century energy economy, and we were, Hoover Dam, we were at that just about 100 years ago. At Hoover Dam, people don't realize it's still pumping out that energy for us.

Jill: Right

Senator Jacky: Hydroelectric power. With geothermal, with solar, we can do so many things, not just the jobs it creates, but the sustainable energy future and how do we power our lives that are just so very important, and what kind of world do we want to leave for our kids? We know it's getting hotter or drier, and we want to be sure that, again, how do we take care of the world we're gonna pass on

Jill: Right

Senator Jacky: to those kids and grandkids. And Nevada plays prominently in all of that, and we're trying to invest in the kinds of education and ecosystems that create the opportunity for all Nevadans there.

Jill: You know, I love that idea of the sustainable nature. Talk about the frontier, it's beautiful- 

Senator Jacky: Yeah 

Jill: protect it, we're stewards, but how do we make that sustainable as well?

Senator Jacky: How do you use what you can to preserve what you must? And so we might build some solar fields in order to protect the rest of things. I'll tell you, I was just, up in northern Nevada a few weeks ago. I was, I think, Stillwater Wildlife Refuge. 

Jill: Oh. 

Senator Jacky: People don't realize when they drive around Nevada, it is not a full desert everywhere.

There are these, bodies of water, marshes, especially as you get up through central and northern Nevada. Migrating birds, the amount of migrating birds, that we saw, and this is not even in peak season when you go there in May. You go there in the spring or the fall, you see tons of birds, and they need those stopover points to make it from 

Jill: Right

Senator Jacky: Canada down to wherever they're going. and Nevada's a critical... we're not just a tourist stop for, people. We're that stop for the migrating birds and other kinds of animals.

Jill: Wildlife, yeah. 

Senator Jacky: Wildlife, sure. And so how do we preserve. Use what we can to preserve all the rest, that, I think, is the message.

Jill: I love that. I appreciate the thought process that you're taking there. So, what American value do you believe is most important to preserve future generations?

Senator Jacky: What American values? I think, first of all, I really think that the idea that we should have opportunity for everyone, that what you can imagine, if you have the right education and people behind you and a good, I think about education K through 12, I think about opportunities for training and jobs and then in a wide variety of things.

Again, how do we build for the future? We have to educate our kids for the problems that they're gonna encounter cause they're gonna become us. Although nobody's teenager wants to hear that, right? And so I just think that the most American value that we can think of is our, entrepreneurship.

Jill: Right

Senator Jacky: Our imagination, our kindness. I will tell people that our First Amendment, really important, although sometimes it makes us argue. It's all good. It democracy is messy.

And that's a good thing. It's like a big Thanksgiving table. Everybody brings a dish, everybody's talking, and that's, it, then you walk away and you've learned a lot and you've done a lot of different things as it's all melted together.

So I think it's really important. And also, I really do believe the, the right to vote, your vote is your 

Jill: Oh, 

Senator Jacky: is your voice. And I tell people to vote for folks who aren't stubborn because that means they'll come sit down at that big messy Thanksgiving table and say

Jill: Yeah 

Senator Jacky: "Okay, we got a problem. We, here's 10 items we think we should do, but we agree on five. Let's do the five, and then we can argue more about the other five." But if you're not stubborn, you'll sit in a room and you'll try to figure things out, and I think that's the most important thing that you can, ask for the people who are elected, whether it's your mayor or, or president of the United States, all the way in between, \

Jill: So that statesmanship 

Senator Jacky: Yes 

Jill: the civility side of it

Senator Jacky: Yes 

Jill: is so important to the democracy.

Senator Jacky: Yes.

Jill: And it, you don't have a democracy without that kind of dialogue, that statesmanship 

Senator Jacky: Right

Jill: the civility, that unity.

Senator Jacky: And I think that, you know, we have to, instead of going into corners, if you're not stubborn, let's say b- there's issues here in Boulder City and you wanna talk about it, you pull people together and say, "Okay, what are the issues?"

You name 20 issues, and you agree on how to fix, we'll say half of them, 10. 

Jill: Right. 

Senator Jacky: Well, go ahead and start working on fixing those. And then you can continue to have discussions about the others that you may have bigger disagreements on or 

Jill: Right 

Senator Jacky: some dr disagreements . But what I think what people get frustrated on is that if I don't agree with you on everything, I do nothing, and that doesn't work.

It doesn't work if you're apart of family, friend, business owner, and it just doesn't work for people. And I just hope that, people that are elected, and there are plenty there, there needs to be more

that aren't criticized for coming and sitting down and trying to figure things out the best we can and that's how I think we get a good, Good outcomes all the time.

Jill: I appreciate that, and I hope our youth understand that on their civic journey that they really

.

Senator Jacky: Yeah

Jill: 'cause it is a journey for them to understand, do I wanna be a part of that? 

Senator Jacky: That's right. 

Jill: But when I walk the halls and get to come and visit you and 

Senator Jacky: Yeah

Jill: see the staffers that are all. I don't know, they feel like they

Senator Jacky: Oh,

Jill: they're young are babies. 

Senator Jacky: They're young.

Jill: But they're helping run the country.

Senator Jacky: That's right. 

Jill: They are really 

Senator Jacky: That's right 

Jill: the behind the scenes. It's so fabulous to see the youth that are engaged in 

Senator Jacky: Yes 

Jill: in the effort. And

Senator Jacky: And can I say one more thing? 

Jill: Absolutely. 

Senator Jacky: We have a lot of interns. We have three sets. every house member, every senator has internships, and usually we take people from our states, obviously, or districts if you're in Congress.

And those, you have to be 18, but those young folks, they come and they work. We have three, a spring, a summer, and a fall. We pay them, so you can go on our website and see 

Jill: Learn more 

Senator Jacky: learn more about that. 

Jill: We'll put that in the show notes. 

Senator Jacky: Yes, that's right, rosen.senate.gov. But it's interesting what they learn. They said they didn't realize all the phone calls that come in, all the ways that we help our veterans, people's Social Security, our seniors. They did not realize all the ways that, that we help people, all the things that people are worried about here in Nevada, the drought, the, you know, whether we're getting the baseball, the football, the new basketball.

Jill: Sports. 

Senator Jacky: I have nothing to do with whether the new basketball comes or not. But whether it's federal or state issues, just the kinds of calls and oftentimes the, distress calls people get.

Jill: Right 

Senator Jacky: That they just don't know where to turn and they call us, and we're really able to, especially with those federal issues, veterans, seniors, immigration tax, Social Security, we're able to help. And if the, and if we can't, my team knows everyone in Nevada. We will refer you to the right place to help you, get that help.

Jill: We're grateful for those interns, and the staff, and the ability that we can reach out. That you

Senator Jacky: Yeah 

Jill: have the, that communication is open and those constituent services are so valuable,

Senator Jacky: and it's the most important thing we do.

Jill: It really is. 

Senator Jacky: People do not realize. they think, "Oh, you're just there making law." We are there making laws. 

Jill: No. 

Senator Jacky: But constituent services is our meat and potatoes of what we do and, not seen to the public, seen to the people that we help, but not something that, sometimes people come on the news and they wanna brag about their success story if something good happened and they say, "Can we go talk about it?" We've had help, stuff with that, with people on Meals on Wheels or different 

Jill: Right 

Senator Jacky: veterans issues or, and that, but,

Jill: Those testimonials mean a lot to you 

Senator Jacky: yeah

Jill: and staff, so that they know 

Senator Jacky: Yeah .

Jill: that the work that they're doing 

Senator Jacky: Yeah

Jill: is valuable.

Senator Jacky: That's right.

Jill: I appreciate that. this is kind of a little bit more of a personal note, but what is the book that you are reading right now or a special book to you?

Senator Jacky: Well, right now we've been doing a lot of homework. We've been very busy in, very busy in Washington, working on a lot of, a lot of big bills with 21st Century Road to Housing and the National Defense Authorization.

So my reading has been all work. But one book that is a children's book that I have been talking and sharing with people a lot lately, 'cause I think people have feel a little, have felt a little bit discouraged, and I wanna give them hope, and this is a book called What Do You Do With A Chance? And it's a children's book.

We'll give you the title, I'll give you the author and all that. You can include it. And I think it speaks again to the American spirit. What can you do. Let's say you're a teacher. And we've all had that teacher who maybe saw something in us that we didn't see, asked us to do something, invited us in, or a person who gave us an opportunity, or, just was nice to us.

We went to the bank one day and that we're having a bad day, and the teller just was pleasant and changed your whole outlook. So what do you do with a chance? What do you do with how you present yourself? How do you reach out and, just through kindness help others do good things? So it's a really great book. I actually think it's part of a series. it's a kid's book, but I think it's really meaningful.

Jill: I love that. I think more adults need to read some of those kids book and 

Senator Jacky: Yeah 

Jill: relearn some of those lessons.

Senator Jacky: Sometimes it's the simple things.

Jill: Yeah. I love that. Yeah. I can't wait to read it.

Senator Jacky: Yeah.

Jill: So our chamber's mission is to strengthen our community and support opportunities for all. What gives you the greatest optimism about America's future, and what role do local communities like Boulder City play in keeping America's spirit strong?

Senator Jacky: Well, you know what? We've been, we've been going strong for 250 years.

50 years. And like I said, democracy is, it's messy, it's noisy. it's like that giant Thanksgiving table where you invite everybody, family and friends, and then, oh no, there's a football game. But one uncle likes football team A and the other likes football team B, and you're like, "No, no, no." But the point is, it's we're all together.

And I think at the end of the day, we wanna do what's good for our country, what's good for our future, and how does that, how do we do things that help us grow in positive ways. Whether it's right here at the local level in Boulder City, all the ways that you're investing, in your community, in tourism, in jobs, in small business, in your schools.

That really makes a difference. So I do think that I would tell people maybe don't watch so much news, and talk to your neighbors. Get off your phones, go out and take a hike, take a walk. Go volunteer.

Jill: Love it.

Senator Jacky: Meet folks, and, give people a chance because I think at the end of the day, I find people to be much kinder than you, you may ever see on a news station.

Jill: Well, I love your message. I love your heart. Thank you so much for being with us today. We really appreciate it, and I, cannot wait to see you in action again in September when we get to come up for the Las Vegas Chamber Fly-In. It is one of my favorite things to do all time in the year, is to be able to come to Washington, D.C.

Senator Jacky: Oh, and we flood. The Fly-In is big. we just take over Washington. Nevada takes over the capital. That's what happens on that Fly-In week, and it is awesome.

Jill: Yep. We really appreciate your interest in small business, in rural communities here in the state of Nevada, in tourism, outdoor recreation.

All the things that you are leading us into a great future.

Senator Jacky: Do you know there's 280,000 small businesses in Nevada? 

Jill: Wow. 

Senator Jacky: 99.2% of business in Nevada, small business. Small business is 500 and under. But there's so many that are like that 50 and under, that really small business.

Jill: Yeah.

Senator Jacky: And so people do not realize almost, over 280,000 small businesses in Nevada.

Jill: That's incredible.

Senator Jacky: Outdoor tourism, about $24, billion a year to our economy, thousands and thousands of jobs. we're a lot more diverse than I think people. We know it here in Nevada, but that people realize.

Jill: We do, truly in the rural areas especially. yeah. So thank you for all your service. 

Senator Jacky: Thank you

Jill: Thank you for all of the positive things and the role model that you are. We truly appreciate you.

Senator Jacky: Thank you. I'm happy to come back anytime.