UPDATE:

President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden will be attending the memorial service on January 8th for Senator Harry Reid. 

This will be Biden's first visit to Nevada as President.

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Nevada Governor Sisolak has ordered flags to fly half-staff in remembrance of former U.S. Senator Harry Reid who died at the age of 82 on Tuesday. 

The order, signed December 29th, says flags will until sunset "on the day of his interment." 

A memorial service is set for January 8 at 11 a.m. at the Smith Center for the Performing Arts in Las Vegas. The event, which will also be live streamed, will include family, friends and colleagues of Senator Reid. 

Reid was elected to the United States Senate in 1986 and served in the Senate from 1987 to 2017.

Reid died Tuesday, “peacefully” and surrounded by friends “following a courageous, four-year battle with pancreatic cancer,” Landra Reid said of her husband in a statement.

“Harry was a devout family man and deeply loyal friend,” she said. “We greatly appreciate the outpouring of support from so many over these past few years. We are especially grateful for the doctors and nurses that cared for him. Please know that meant the world to him.”

He retired in 2016 after an accident left him blind in one eye.

Reid in May 2018 revealed he’d been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and was undergoing treatment.

Reid served as the Senate Majority Leader in 2007.

Download PDF Harry Reid Flag Executive Order

Landra Reid released the following statement:

“I am heartbroken to announce the passing of my husband, former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. He died peacefully this afternoon, surrounded by our family, following a courageous, four-year battle with pancreatic cancer. Harry was 82 years old. We were married for 62 years.

“We are so proud of the legacy he leaves behind both on the national stage and his beloved Nevada. Harry was deeply touched to see his decades of service to Nevada honored in recent weeks with the re-naming of Las Vegas’ airport in his honor.

“Harry was a devout family man and deeply loyal friend.

“We greatly appreciate the outpouring of support from so many over these past few years. We are especially grateful for the doctors and nurses that cared for him. Please know that meant the world to him.”

“Funeral arrangements will be announced in the coming days.”

Governor Steve Sisolak issued the following statement on the death of U.S. Senator Harry Reid:

“To say Harry Reid was a giant doesn’t fully encapsulate all that he accomplished on behalf of the state of Nevada and for Nevada families; there will never be another leader quite like Senator Reid. To me, he was a mentor, a father figure, and someone I trusted to always give it to me straight.  

I am heartbroken by the news of his passing. Kathy and I extend our deepest condolences to his family, friends and loved ones. We are especially thinking of Harry’s forever love, Landra.

Perhaps what I appreciate most about Senator Reid’s legacy is he never forgot who he was or where he came from. From humble beginnings in Searchlight, he became one of the state’s most powerful and fiercest advocates in Washington, DC. He spent his life and his career fighting the good fight for all Nevadans. I feel lucky to have known him.  

I’m beyond thankful for the moments we shared. He will be so deeply missed but the mark he left on the Silver State will last forever.” 

Attorney General Aaron D. Ford has issued the following statement:

“Senator Reid’s passing marks a tremendous loss for Nevada and for the country. For decades, he served as one the Silver State’s most active champions in Washington, D.C. Moreover, his love for his home and his passion for improving the lives of Nevadans never waned after his retirement in 2017.  

A boxer in his youth, he was a fighter for his state for his entire life. From his childhood in Searchlight to his time in Carson City, the House of Representatives and, finally, the Senate, Senator Reid was a fierce advocate for Nevada families. The state, and the country, is poorer for his passing. 

 On a personal level, Senator Reid mentored and guided me, like he did so many others. Berna and I will keep Landra and Senator Reid’s entire family in our prayers. Our hearts go out to them. May God watch over and console the Reid family. 

Rest in power, Senator Reid."

U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto released the following statement:

“Paul, the entire Cortez family, and I are devastated to learn of the passing of Senator Harry Reid. He was one of the most powerful, dedicated, and effective advocates our state has ever had. From the moment he woke up to the moment he went to bed, everything he did was motivated by his love for and devotion to the Silver State. He was the man from Searchlight, born into the humblest beginnings, and he went on to lead a truly extraordinary life and fight for every man and woman across our state.

“Harry Reid was a champion for Nevada, helping preserve our precious environmental treasures, strengthen our rural communities, and build up our great cities. He knew Nevada was a microcosm of the country, and he made sure our great state would have a major role in deciding each party’s nominee for President. And he never hesitated to fight for us, from blocking efforts to dump nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain to getting our state the federal support we deserve.

“The American people are better off because of the leadership of Senator Harry Reid. He gave millions of Americans access to affordable health care and made such a difference to countless people. He was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, mentor and friend, and a true son of Nevada. His legacy will be forever connected to the history of our state, and he will be deeply missed.”

U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen issued the following statement:

“Senator Reid was an inspiration to me and so many Nevadans. A former boxer from Searchlight, he taught me that it is always worth fighting the good fight, and I am forever grateful for his friendship over the years. Senator Reid carried our state to new heights - nobody has done more in the history of our state to advance Nevada’s interests.

Senator Reid also saw the potential in others and helped them grow to that potential. He was exceptionally kind and had a boundless passion for improving the lives of hardworking families. My thoughts and condolences are with Landra and Senator Reid’s entire family during this difficult time."

U.S. Representative Mark Amodei issued the following statement on the passing of Harry Reid:

“The ultimate Nevada advocate again gets to talk boxing with Mike O’Callaghan. Rest In Peace Mr. Leader.”

Republican gubernatorial candidate and former United States Senator Dean Heller released the following statement:

“Even though we were rarely on the same page politically, Harry Reid was always gracious, classy, and warm in our personal interactions and I always appreciated that about him,” Heller said.  “We shared the bond of being members of the LDS faith, and he was a devoted family man who will be deeply missed by Landra and the entire Reid family.  Lynne and I are thinking of them tonight and wishing them nothing but peace and solace as they say goodbye to a beloved husband, father, and grandfather.  Harry Reid’s impact and legacy will be long felt in Nevada and beyond.”

NV Dems Chair Judith Whitmer made the following statement on Tuesday evening upon learning the news of former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s death:

“The Nevada State Democratic Party and all Nevadans are saddened by the news of Senator Reid’s passing. In his many years of service to the State of Nevada and our nation – as a state legislator, Lieutenant Governor, member of Congress, and Senator – Harry Reid demonstrated his deep commitment to his community, his Party, and his country. Senator Reid’s work to protect and conserve Nevada’s natural resources, one of his top priorities throughout his nearly 50-year career, leaves a lasting legacy across our landscape. His tireless work to build the Democratic Party in Nevada will benefit us for generations to come.”

“On behalf of all Democrats, we offer our sincerest condolences to the Senator’s family. His life and legacy will not be forgotten.”

The City of Reno and the Reno City Council have issued the following statement:

On behalf of all of us at the City of Reno, today we send our deepest condolences to the family and friends of U.S. Senator Harry Reid. Our heart goes out especially to his wife, Landra. Senator Reid’s political contributions to our state are beyond significant, but above all, he was a wonderful family man. 

 “To say that Harry Reid was an incredible Nevadan is an understatement. There is perhaps no one individual who left a bigger mark on the Silver State. He fought for Nevada, and made our state more relevant on the national stage than ever before. We can thank Senator Reid for many of the things that make Nevada and Reno great places to live, including our economic diversity and protecting our public lands. His service to Nevada is truly remarkable, and it was an honor to know him,” Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve said.

We stand today with our Governor and all Nevadans in mourning this exceptional leader, who epitomizes the Silver State’s fighting spirit and everything it stands for.

DNC Chair Jaime Harrison released the following statement in response to the passing of former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid:

“Senator Harry Reid was a true lion of the Senate. He was as tough as they come. A great man, and a great leader. We’ve all heard the countless stories of how he changed the course of history, but Senator Reid’s greatest strength was that he remained humble through it all and never forgot where he came from. Senator Reid gave us a masterclass in what it meant to serve and fight on behalf of the people he represented. My deepest condolences go out to his family, friends, and the entire state of Nevada. While we lost an American icon, his memory will not be forgotten – and my hope is that we can strive to emulate his leadership and follow in his footsteps to create a better country for all.”

Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued the following statement on the passing of former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid:

“Today, America lost a titan of public service. Senator Harry Reid was a leader of immense courage and ferocious conviction who worked tirelessly to achieve historic progress for the American people.

“Over more than four decades of public service, Senator Reid was guided always by his North Star: to improve the lives of working families like his own. As a son of a miner and a laundress, raised in a humble childhood, Senator Reid was a leader with strong family values, a pioneer spirit and an unyielding commitment to lift up others. In the Congress, his strategic mind was legendary and unsurpassed – and he was a master of the legislative process during his service in both the House and the Senate. Indeed, Harry Reid will be remembered as one of the most impactful Leaders of the Senate in history, helping to steer this institution with reverence, principle and command. Officially and personally, it was a great privilege to witness his brilliance at work, as we worked together to rescue the American economy in the wake of the Great Recession, protect consumers with the historic Dodd-Frank reforms and advance the promise of quality, affordable health coverage for all with the landmark Affordable Care Act.

“Senator Reid leaves behind an extraordinary legacy of patriotism and leadership that will benefit the Congress and Country for decades to come. May it be a comfort to his wife Landra, whom he adored, his children Rory, Lana, Josh, Key and Leif, of whom he was most proud, and the entire Reid family that so many grieve with and pray for them at this sad time.”

U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell released the following statement on the passing of former Senator Harry Reid:

“Nevada and our nation are mourning a dedicated public servant and a truly one-of-a-kind U.S. Senator, my former colleague Harry Reid.

“The runway that brought Harry to the upper chamber was nothing short of amazing. His life’s journey began in a house that lacked running water. It took him all the way from amateur boxing and a stint with the U.S. Capitol Police to eventually becoming one of the most senior leaders whom that force protected. You could hardly invent a more quintessentially American story, and it took Harry’s legendary toughness, bluntness, and tenacity to make it happen.

“The nature of Harry’s and my jobs brought us into frequent and sometimes intense conflict over politics and policy. But I never doubted that Harry was always doing what he earnestly, deeply felt was right for Nevada and our country. He will rightly go down in history as a crucial, pivotal figure in the development and history of his beloved home state.

“When Harry retired from the Senate, we both celebrated the fact that our many differences had never really gotten personal. Harry’s and my paths in the Senate were roughly parallel. We seemed to reach each institutional milestone within just a few years of each other. I truly appreciated the sincere and cordial relationship we shared behind the scenes when passions cooled.

“Most of all, Elaine and I appreciated our joint friendship with Harry and his lifelong high-school sweetheart Landra. Harry and Landra had one of the great Senate marriages of our generation — a true inspiration to behold. So it is Landra, their children, and the entire Reid family who come first in our thoughts and prayers tonight. May God bless and keep them as we pray He is welcoming home this unique and accomplished American.”

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