{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=26621255-e89b-4637-b39f-1a181428ce48", "Heitkamp Pushes for Solutions to Housing & Economic Challenges Facing North Dakotas Growing Communities", "2014-06-27", "2014", "2014-06", "Democrat", "House", "ND", "Heidi Heitkamp", "H001069", "www.heitkamp.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "SURREY, N.D.  U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp today toured the City of Surrey and addressed the pressing challenges facing growing North Dakota communities in a meeting with city administrators and officials, such as reduced access to affordable housing, strained infrastructure and law enforcement, and stressed education and public safety systems.\r\nSince 2009, Surrey has seen unprecedented population growth as a result of increased energy development in western North Dakota. Over that period, the number of homes in the city has increased by approximately 66 percent, greatly impacting the local housing market. Should population growth continue as projected, Surrey would become one of the top fifteen-largest cities in North Dakota. Additionally, the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) railroad, which carries crude oil, currently runs through the heart of the city.\r\nNorth Dakotas energy boom has provided some serious benefits for our state and made us a leader in economic development. But we cant overlook the challenges that have also arisen from this accelerated growth, said Heitkamp. Thats what my meeting and tour of Surrey were about  discussing the challenges the city is currently facing and trying to find a productive path forward. We need to help our local law enforcement cope with the growing population, support more affordable housing, and build needed infrastructure like roads and bridges. By making these types of investments we can help growing towns, like Surrey, have the tools they need to be places where families choose to live and businesses are able to grow.\r\nHeitkamp has been working in the Senate and with North Dakotas towns and cities to address many of the challenges communities are facing because of the population growth throughout the state.\r\nEarlier this month, Heitkamp brought U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-DE) to Minot and Williston to see the states northern border with Canada firsthand and speak with local officials about the security challenges they face as the states population has boomed. Carper is Chairman of the Senate Committee which has jurisdiction over the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and Heitkamp is a member of the Committee.They spoke with local law enforcement about the changing dynamics in the state due to the energy boom, as the state is experiencing many challenges with border crossings, including human trafficking, illegal trade, illegal immigration, and national security threats.\r\nHeitkamp has also long been a supporter of making worthwhile investments to improve North Dakotas public safety, infrastructure, housing, and public services. Last week, Heitkamp unveiled legislation to better prepare emergency personnel to respond to potential incidents, such as derailments of trains carrying materials like crude oil as those shipments have increased across the state. Since the Casselton derailment last December, Heitkamp has worked tirelessly to understand what happened, and push for improvements to rail safety to make sure communities and families throughout North Dakota are safe.\r\nSince joining the Senate, Heitkamp has worked to address North Dakotas housing shortage. Because of the states economic boom, its estimated the state will need 30 percent more housing units by 2025. Heitkamp played a key role in passingbipartisan legislation through the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairsthat would reform the nations broken housing finance system.She specifically worked to include proposals that will make sure rural and Native communities receive a fair share of funding provided to states, offering them more resources to make affordable housing a reality. Last year, Heitkamp traveled to six cities across the state to discuss North Dakotas unique housing challenges.\r\nIn April, Heitkamp and Senator John Hoevenbrought FAA Administrator Michael Huerta to North Dakotato see the aviation challenges facing the western part of the state. For instance, passenger enplanements increased from 8,500 in 2007 to more than 186,000 in 2013 at Sloulin Field International Airport in Williston, placing major stress on airport infrastructure. Since Administrator Huertas visit, Heitkamp has played a key role in obtaining nearly $30 million in grants for North Dakotas airports through the federally-funded Airport Improvement Project.\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.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=26621255-e89b-4637-b39f-1a181428ce48"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.0863379575312138, "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"}