{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=f93f7f38-0734-4b96-abe8-fc3649a554f0", "Heitkamp Discusses Progress and Challenges for Rural Economic Growth with Red River Regional Council", "2014-10-28", "2014", "2014-10", "Democrat", "House", "ND", "Heidi Heitkamp", "H001069", "www.heitkamp.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "GRAFTON, N.D.  U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp today addressed the Red River Regional Council (Region IV), which covers the northeastern counties of Pembina, Walsh, Nelson and Grand Forks, for the groups annual meeting on the regions economic strengths and weaknesses to plan for future development.\r\nAs Chair of the Senate Committee on Agricultures Subcommittee on Jobs, Rural Economic Growth and Energy Innovation, Heitkamp called a hearing in May to examine and highlight challenges and proven tactics for sparking economic development in rural America. At the hearing, Red River Regional Council Executive Director Dawn Keeley testified on her findings during her career of more than 23 years of work on rural economic development, and discussed how good regional strategies can help solve local issues while helping prepare local communities for growth.\r\nPreparing for the future landscape of our rural communities is crucial to maintaining our local economies and small town life for future generations, said Heitkamp. We can do that by strengthening our local and federal partnerships that will facilitate economic opportunity in our rural communities. As chair of the rural development subcommittee, Ive been able to prioritize that growth among our national partners. When Executive Director Dawn Keeley testified before my subcommittee at a hearing I called on this issue back in May, we were able to dig deeper into how to solve local issues, plan for future growth, and come up with workable solutions in rural communities that best foster economic development. When you grow up a small town like I did  just 90 people call Mantador home  you dont need to be reminded of the fact that our rural areas are, and always have been, critical to our states success. But thats not the case for everyone  and thats why Ill continue to be a strong voice for the success of our rural communities  because sometimes folks just need a little reminding.\r\nHeitkamp has been adamant in advocating for federal partnerships in rural development. In July, Heitkamp met with Lisa Mensah, the nominee for Under Secretary for Rural Development at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). At the meeting, Heitkamp stressed the need to establish policies that foster economic growth in rural areas and implement language included in the 2014 Farm Bill which prioritizes projects which achieve regional goalssomething the Red River Regional Council plays an important role in doing.\r\nLast year alone, USDA Rural Development invested more than $500 million in North Dakota infrastructure projects including water and waste water, electric and telecommunication projects, and housing. This is part of a five-year commitment of almost $3.3 billion economic development and infrastructure investments in North Dakota from the USDA.\r\nAs a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, Heitkamp played a key role in writing, negotiating, and passing the 2014 Farm Bill. The legislation, which Heitkamp is now overseeing to make sure it works for North Dakotans, makes  for the first time  targeted federal investments for projects that support long-term regional strategies. Regional strategies more efficiently and effectively target resources to where they will have the greatest impact. They not only address weaknesses in a region, but support the strengths of the area.\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=f93f7f38-0734-4b96-abe8-fc3649a554f0"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.0643978603184223, "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"}