working with the attorney general, katherine cortez masto, my administration will use multistate settlement funds to assist nevadans who have been hardest hit by the housing crisis. we are obligated as leaders to find ways to keep people in their homes and families together, and i will use every available means at my disposal to protect and help the people who fight every or day to -- every day to stay in their most important possession, their home. [applause] >> the recession has hurt the entire nevada family. state employees have seep their pay cut -- have seen their or or pay cut, and they have been required to take unpaid furlough days. tonight i am announcing that we will be able to provide some relief to them as well. merit pay will be restored for state employees beginning on july 1, 2014, and the number of required furlough days will be cut in half as of july 1 of this year. thank you to all state employees. [applause] there's another group that te serves our -- deserves our attention and respect, our veterans. the men and women who have served our nation in two wars are coming home