{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=a1ebf118-5199-476e-bbf9-69ffa8399f1b", "Heitkamp, Secretary of Transportation Meet to Discuss ND Transportation Needs", "2013-07-19", "2013", "2013-07", "Democrat", "House", "ND", "Heidi Heitkamp", "H001069", "www.heitkamp.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Contact: Todd Deutsch 202-224-9921 \n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\tWashington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp today met with Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx to discuss North Dakota\u2019s unique transportation needs. Specifically, Heitkamp told the Secretary about the need for further and continued investment in rural highways, airport infrastructure, and essential air service. Heitkamp also made the case for locating an Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Test Bed in Grand Forks.\r\n\u201cAs the oil patch continues to support America\u2019s need for energy, North Dakota\u2019s much-used air and ground transportation infrastructure requires increased attention\u2014especially in rural areas and on our reservations,\u201d Heitkamp said. \u201cPolicies must be in place to support rural transportation and the interstate highway system, which are crucial to both the economy of North Dakota and to the economy of the nation as a whole. I encouraged Secretary Foxx to give proper consideration to the transportation needs of rural communities, which faces the unique challenge of high capital infrastructure needs and low density populations.\u201d\u00a0\r\nExplosive growth in the oil patch region of North Dakota has stressed the transportation infrastructure of the entire state. Meeting the increased transportation demands for residents and travelers requires increased investments in the highway and air travel systems. In particular, the widening of U.S. Highway 85 and the expansion of the Williston, Dickinson, Minot and Bowman airports were discussed in the meeting.\r\nNorth Dakota\u2019s rural roads and interstate highways are critical conduits for local and national travel. For instance, highways in the state serve as important arteries for goods travelling from out-of-state population centers to export locations on the east and west coasts and northern border. Additionally, safe and modern roadways are essential in supporting the state\u2019s strong agricultural industry and growing oil and gas industry.\r\n-END-", 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.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=a1ebf118-5199-476e-bbf9-69ffa8399f1b"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.1352398432791233, "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"}