{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=5c971c3f-133a-445e-b7ed-4b4d3130bf3a", "Heitkamp Congratulates Minot Air Force Base on New Runway at Ribbon Cutting Ceremony", "2014-09-29", "2014", "2014-09", "Democrat", "House", "ND", "Heidi Heitkamp", "H001069", "www.heitkamp.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "MINOT, N.D. U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp today spoke at a ribbon cutting event to celebrate the opening of thenewly-reconstructed runway at Minot Air Force Base, the culmination of a three-year construction process.\r\nThe original runway at Minot Air Force Base was constructed in 1957 with an intended thirty-year lifespan, but has been operating for nearly twice as long without a complete renovation. A number of B-52 bombers and several hundred servicemembers from the base were temporarily reassigned to Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota and deployed to Andersen Air Force Base in Guam to allow for the completion of the runway reconstruction, and now those military families will be reunited.\r\nThe courageous servicemembers at Minot Air Force Base defend our nation every day, and we need to make sure they have the best facilities and resources they need to do their jobs, said Heitkamp. This reconstruction project was long overdue and takes an important step toward fulfilling that pledge. And we cant forget that the completion of this project means military families will now be able to reunite as several had to separate during renovations. Nearly sixty years after it was initially constructed, this runway will support the critical national security missions that the servicemembers at Minot Air Force Base perform every day and help bring back together this military community once again. As a staunch advocate for our servicemembers and their families, I'll continue to make sure they have the tools and resources they need.\r\nAsco-founder of the bipartisan Senate Defense Communities Caucus, Heitkamp has worked to find innovative solutions to improve conditions for military families, andto develop close partnerships withthe communitiesin which they serve.Earlier this month in Washington, Heitkamppushed for a renewed commitment to servicemembers and their familiesat a symposium on the nuclear triad, hosted by Minot Task Force 21.\r\nIn July, Heitkampmet in Minot with Colonel Michael Lutton, who oversees the Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) force at Minot Air Force Base, where they discussedstrategies tobetter support the base's servicemembers and their families as they keep the country safe. Later that month, Heitkampmet withColonel Jason Armagost,the Minot base commander whoalsooversees the B-52 bombers, and Lutton to discuss ongoing efforts to protect the long-term viability of the base.\r\nHeitkamp has been a fervent supporter ofour nations strategic nuclear forces includingICBMsand B-52s,and maintaining them as a key part ofour national defense. In May, Heitkampmet with Major General Jack Weinstein, the Air Forces officer overseeing our nations ICBM force to reiterate the importance of Minot Air Force Base to our national security. In April, heeding her concerns and those of the bipartisan ICBM coalition, Heitkampannouncedthat the Pentagon decided to preserve all of the nations missile silosin the militarys new strategic force structure under the New START Treaty with Russia. In December 2013, Heitkamp helped pass legislation to enable our military to have the resources it needs to safeguard our nation, which included aHeitkamp-backed amendment to protect North Dakotas ICBM infrastructure.\r\nLast December, Heitkampannounced that the U.S. Army awarded a more than $32 million contract to complete runway repairs and improvementsat Minot Air Force Base.\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=5c971c3f-133a-445e-b7ed-4b4d3130bf3a"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.9510149247944355, "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"}