url,title,date,year,month,party,chamber,state,member_name,bioguide_id,domain,scraper,source,date_source,text,has_text,collected_at,updated_at https://cramer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cramer-introduces-bill-to-fix-arc-commodity-support-program,CRAMER INTRODUCES BILL TO FIX ARC COMMODITY SUPPORT PROGRAM,2017-12-29,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,ND,Kevin Cramer,C001096,cramer.house.gov,,,legacy,"Download Audio Comments: Click Here WASHINGTON, D.C. Congressman Kevin Cramer introduced a bill cosponsored by Rep. Dave Loebsack (D-Iowa), House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Collin Peterson (D-Minn.), Rep. Kristi Noem (R-S.D.), and Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) to require the Secretary of Agriculture to prioritize data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Risk Management Agency (RMA) when computing average county yields for the purposes of the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) Program. The 2014 Farm Bill included two new programs for covered commodities, Price Loss Coverage (PLC) and Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC), allowing the producer to choose once per farm bill which policy they believe would provide the most effective safety net. Unfortunately the design of ARC, and the manner in which USDA implemented the program has created problems for producers, particularly as it relates to inconsistent county yield data. Rather than the current policy of prioritizing inconsistent survey data from the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Cramers three page bill (H.R.4654) would direct the Secretary to prioritize Risk Management Agency (RMA), or crop insurance, data over all other forms in counties where RMA offers county-wide insurance products, while also allowing the Secretary of Agriculture flexibility for all other instances. Additionally, the legislation codifies USDAs earlier decision to operate the program based on the physical location of the base acres, rather than requiring producers to elect one county for all payments. Even though it is anticipated most producers will utilize Price Loss Coverage going forward, our legislation provides a surgical fix to ARC in case the program is reauthorized in the next Farm Bill, said Cramer. One less headache for North Dakota producers. As Ranking Member of the House Agriculture Committee, Im working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to improve existing farm bill programs. While Ive never been a fan of ARC I do believe we can make improvements to its data sources that will give producers more confidence in the program. This bill is a good starting point for reauthorizing the farm bill next year,said Peterson. Click here to read the bill. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=CBBE033F-9C48-42B9-8B20-4DC43FFD4B3D,Heitkamp Announces Federal Economic Development Funds for Standing Rock,2017-12-28,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,ND,Heidi Heitkamp,H001069,www.heitkamp.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp today announced $51,000 in federal funding for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe that will establish tribal economic development planning and a strategy to support long-term investment and job creation on the reservation. On North Dakotas tribal lands, access to economic opportunity remains a critical challenge, especially for young people looking to start their careers and for those having difficulty finding steady work, said Heitkamp. We know that strong economic conditions grow existing tribal businesses, provide greater security to lower income families, and help build a roadmap to a better future. But too often tribes lack the support they need to plan for sustainable growth. Thats why this award is so important in helping to lay the groundwork for increased private investment and job creation on Standing Rock. These federal funds are made available through the Economic Development Administration (EDA) a bureau of the U.S. Department of Commerce. This EDA funding helps communities establish economic development strategies that aid North Dakota economic development councils across the state in bringing together both public and private resources that will help small businesses, create jobs, and stimulate long-term growth. Heitkamp has long advocated for entrepreneurship and economic development on Standing Rock. In 2015, Heitkamp brought then-U.S. Small Business Administration Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet to the reservation, where they spoke with tribal leaders and business students at Sitting Bull College about opportunities for training, technical assistance, and programs to spur job growth on the reservation. Heitkamp received the Spirit of Enterprise Award from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for her work in the U.S. Senate to support startups in rural areas and small cities to help them get off the ground, and her support of small businesses through commonsense regulatory reform, making sure small businesses have a seat at the table when rules are made. The Chamber also gave Heitkamp a 100 percent rating for her voting record in the U.S. Senate in 2016 supporting North Dakota small businesses. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/featured-items?ContentRecord_id=954F4EA8-406E-48C8-B4ED-3B1FFB56C0ED,"Heitkamp, Carper Urge Administration to Fill Census Bureau Leadership Vacancies",2017-12-27,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,ND,Heidi Heitkamp,H001069,www.heitkamp.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Senator Heidi Heitkamp Home Meet Heidi Constituent Services Issues North Dakota News Contact Featured Items Home / News / Featured Items Contact Senator Heitkamp Washington Office SH-516 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Phone: (202) 224-2043 Fax: (202) 224-7776 Bismarck Office 228 Federal Building 220 East Rosser Avenue Bismarck, ND 58501 Phone: (701) 258-4648 Fax: (701) 258-1254 Fargo Office 306 Federal Building 657 Second Avenue North Fargo, ND 58102 Phone: (701) 232-8030 Fax: (701) 232-6449 Dickinson Office 40 1st Ave West, Suite 202 Dickinson, ND 58601 Phone: (701) 225-0974 Fax: (701) 225-3287 Grand Forks Office 33 South Third Street Suite B Grand Forks, ND 58201 Phone: (701) 775-9601 Fax: (701) 746-1990 Minot Office 105 Federal Building 100 First Street SW Minot, ND 58701 Phone: (701) 852-0703 Fax: (701) 838-8196",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.hoeven.senate.gov/news/news-releases/hoeven-holds-tax-reform-discussion-at-american-crystal-sugar-to-outline-relief-for-north-dakota-families-small-businesses-farmers-and-ranchers,"Hoeven Holds Tax Reform Discussion at American Crystal Sugar to Outline Relief for North Dakota Families, Small Businesses, Farmers and Ranchers",2017-12-27,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,ND,John Hoeven,H001061,www.hoeven.senate.gov,,,legacy,"12.27.17 Hoeven Holds Tax Reform Discussion at American Crystal Sugar to Outline Relief for North Dakota Families, Small Businesses, Farmers and Ranchers Hoeven Amendment Ensured Fair Treatment of Cooperatives in Tax Bill FARGO, N.D. Senator John Hoeven today was joined by Tom Astrup, American Crystal Sugar President and CEO; Jake Joraanstad, a tech entrepreneur and Myriad Mobiles co-founder and CEO; David Mueller, a farmer from Hillsboro; and Vikki Schneeberger, a local teacher, to outline how the tax relief plan benefits North Dakota workers, businesses and families. The new law lowers rates across-the-board for hard-working American families and provides relief for North Dakota small businesses, farmers and ranchers. The senator successfully worked to include an amendment in the bill to ensure fair treatment of cooperatives. Our tax reform legislation provides broad relief for individuals and families in North Dakota, enabling them to keep more of their paychecks, said Hoeven. At the same time, we lower the tax burden on our small businesses, farmers and ranchers. We included important provisions for producers, like raising the estate tax exemption and expanding and making permanent the Section 179 deduction. We also worked very hard to ensure cooperatives and their members are treated fairly so that tax reform works for our states agriculture industry. Highlights of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act Middle-class Americans will see a tax cut of: More than $1,300 for a single parent with one child earning $41,000. More than $2,000 for a median income family of four earning $73,000. More than $2,600 for a married small business owner earning $100,000. Cuts Tax Rates Across the Board for Hardworking Individuals and Families Increases the standard deduction, which means that Americans will not be taxed on the first $12,000 of income for individuals, $24,000 for married couples and $18,000 for a single parent with dependents. 9 out of 10 taxpayers will likely use the expanded standard deduction. Maintains the state and local tax deduction up to $10,000 for individuals and families. Doubles the Child Tax Credit to $2,000 per child Preserves the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit Encourages businesses to provide paid family and medical leave by providing a tax credit Preserves the Adoption Tax Credit Retains Retirement Savings Options Continues tax deductions, including for: Student Loan Interest and Tuition Waivers Medical Expenses Charitable Contributions Home Mortgage Interest Benefits to Small Businesses, Farmers and Ranchers Includes Hoevens amendment to ensure the fair treatment of cooperatives and their members. For the first five years, allows full expensing or writing off the cost of new investments, which is phased down over an additional four year period. Expands the Section 179 expensing of equipment on a permanent basis. Doubles the estate tax exemption, while maintaining the step-up in basis for capital gains. Maintains interest deductibility and the property tax deduction for small businesses, farmers and ranchers. Creates a tax deduction of 20% for qualified pass-through income, which reduces the tax burden for small businesses set up as partnerships or pass-through entities. Reduces the tax rate for C corps from 35% to 21%, making the U.S. tax system more competitive globally and bringing more capital and investment back to the U.S. Maintains the IC-DISC program, which enables small and medium businesses, including manufacturers, to reduce taxes on portions of their export income. Includes Hoevens amendment to allow implement and auto dealers to fully expense interest on inventory. Tax relief, combined with regulatory relief, will empower economic growth leading to greater government revenues. While some have claimed the legislation will lead to cuts under pay-go rules, these rules have never been enforced and Congress voted to waive the rule last week. Over time the tax relief bill will help grow the economy and will generate more revenue not less. -###- Print Email Tweet Previous Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://cramer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cramer-a-christmas-message,CRAMER: A CHRISTMAS MESSAGE,2017-12-22,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,ND,Kevin Cramer,C001096,cramer.house.gov,,,legacy,"Date: December 22, 2017 Contact: jason.stverak@mail.house.gov Click here to download the video. Click here to download the audio. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://cramer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cramer-paygo-waivers-protect-north-dakota-seniors-and-farmers,CRAMER: PAYGO WAIVERS PROTECT NORTH DAKOTA SENIORS AND FARMERS,2017-12-22,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,ND,Kevin Cramer,C001096,cramer.house.gov,,,legacy,"Date: December 22, 2017 Contact: Jason.stverak@mail.house.gov WASHINGTON, D.C. Congressman Kevin Cramer commented on the Pay-as-You-Go (PAYGO) provisions of the continuing resolution passed yesterday by Congress which provides funding for the federal government until January 19, 2018. As promised, there will be no automatic cuts to agriculture programs or Medicare due to the tax bill. PAYGO was waved and the doom and gloom forecasted by many politicians will not come to fruition as a government shut down and cuts to government services important to thousands of North Dakotans were avoided this Holiday season.I hope Senate Democrats will join with Republicans and help return regular order to the appropriations process in 2018. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://cramer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cramer-congratulates-cattlemen-s-beef-promotion-and-research-board,CRAMER CONGRATULATES CATTLEMENS BEEF PROMOTION AND RESEARCH BOARD APPOINTEE,2017-12-21,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,ND,Kevin Cramer,C001096,cramer.house.gov,,,legacy,"Date: December 21, 2017 Contact: Dana.Stancavage@mail.house.gov WASHINGTON, D.C. Congressman Kevin Cramer commended Raymond Erbeles appointment to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Cattlemens Beef Promotion and Research Board. USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue announced the selection of 27 members for the board, two serving in one-year positions. It is my pleasure to acknowledge Raymond on his appointment and this tremendous honor, said Cramer. Raymond has been tasked with a job important to many North Dakotans, and I know he will represent the interests of our producers well. Congratulations again, we are proud of your accomplishments and know you will do excellent work. Erbele, a Streeter resident, will have a direct role in shaping the agriculture sector of beef imports while making significant research findings. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://cramer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cramer-statement-on-short-term-funding-continued-resolution,CRAMER: STATEMENT ON SHORT-TERM FUNDING CONTINUED RESOLUTION,2017-12-21,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,ND,Kevin Cramer,C001096,cramer.house.gov,,,legacy,"Date: December 21, 2017 Contact: Dana.Stancavage@mail.house.gov WASHINGTON, D.C. Congressman Kevin Cramer issued the following statement after the House of Representatives passed a short-term continuing resolution to fund the federal government until January 19: Santa should put coal in the stockings of Senate Democrats for refusing to work in a bi-partisan manner to pass all 12 appropriations bills like the US House did in 2017. Thankfully, there will be no Grinch this year as Congress has passed a continuing resolution assuring the government will remain open and functioning for the next four weeks.I look forward to Congress setting aside partisan differences and returning to regular order in 2018. The short-term funding package includes $2.85 billion for the CHIP program through March 31 with additional measures passed for $81 billion in disaster relief aid. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://cramer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cramer-statement-on-united-nations-vote-on-jerusalem-resolution,CRAMER: STATEMENT ON UNITED NATIONS VOTE ON JERUSALEM RESOLUTION,2017-12-21,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,ND,Kevin Cramer,C001096,cramer.house.gov,,,legacy,"Date: December 21, 2017 Contact: Dana.Stancavage@mail.house.gov WASHINGTON, D.C. Congressman Kevin Cramer issued the following statement after the United Nations (UN) voted down President Trumps decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israels capital: With no surprise the UN has yet again voted contrary to the rights of the state of Israel. Israel, like any other sovereign nation, has the right to declare their capital. This month when President Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israels eternal capital by announcing the U.S. embassy move, we stood with Israel against their many adversaries in the region. This declaration is not subjective, we are acknowledging Israels capital because it is the right thing to do. Cramer is an original cosponsor of H.Res.671 introduced by Rep. Lamborn to express strong disapproval of todays resolution by the UN. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=78143605-F2D8-4D60-AEC6-0EB915784021,Heitkamp Votes to Avoid Government Shutdown,2017-12-21,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,ND,Heidi Heitkamp,H001069,www.heitkamp.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp today released the following statement after voting for a short-term agreement to avoid a government shutdown. Lurching from deadline to deadline is no way to govern, and its unfortunate that Congress is once again kicking the can down the road for another few weeks. North Dakota families and small businesses understand the importance of budgeting and planning for their year ahead because they need to make sure they can put food on the table and support their kids, so theres no excuse for Congresss failure to do the same. Im disappointed that the Childrens Health Insurance Program (CHIP) was only extended for three months. Thats little consolation to families with sick children who rely on the program for their health care needs. This program is about life and death, and the families who rely on it need long-term certainty to know that their kids will be protected. This bill waived the PAYGO law, meaning that vital programs like Medicare and agricultural assistance are not cut which is good, but it means Congress is still adding a $1.5 trillion tax bill to our nations credit card, to be paid for by our children and grandchildren. And experts and academics have said the Republican tax bill wont pay for itself. Unfortunately, the options arent good either cut critical programs families rely on or push huge costs onto future generations. North Dakotans expect and deserve more fiscal responsibility than that. Since before joining the U.S. Senate, Ive called for Congress to pass a balanced budget amendment, and I cosponsored a bill to do just that because the federal government needs to gets its fiscal house in order. While Congress avoided a government shutdown, which would be damaging to our economy and disruptive to many North Dakotans, it must end this cycle of short-term spending bills that just kick the can down the road, and instead give our economy the certainty it needs to grow. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=7F7DCA12-B483-46E8-A487-33A28B1B2B01,"New Heitkamp Podcast: On Tax Reform, Bipartisanship Would Make Better Policy",2017-12-21,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,ND,Heidi Heitkamp,H001069,www.heitkamp.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp today released the latest episode of her podcast, The Hotdish, interviewing former U.S. Senator Kent Conrad (D-ND) and Phillip Swagel, a Republican economist and former economic advisor in the Bush administration. North Dakotans want to know that people from different political parties can sit down and have an honest discussion about the best way forward for our economy, said Heitkamp, North Dakotas former tax commissioner. Unfortunately, that didnt happen as the Republican tax bill was crafted even though I, and many others, tried to be at the table. As a result, it created policies that wont support North Dakotas workers, families, and retirees in the long-term. But from my conversations with a bipartisan pair of guests in this edition of The Hotdish, its clear that theres plenty of common ground to be found we just have to be willing to talk to each other, just as I try to do every day in the Senate. The Hotdish is available on iTunes and SoundCloud. Click here to subscribe to The Hotdish on iTunes. Like Heitkamp, Conrad is a former North Dakota Tax Commissioner, and in his 26 years in the U.S. Senate he played a vital role in shaping our nations fiscal policies and worked on a bipartisan basis on solutions to deal with our deficits and debt, including as the former chairman of the U.S. Senate Budget Committee. He is now a senior fellow at the Bipartisan Policy Center and co-chair of its Commission on Retirement Security and Personal Savings. Heitkamp and Conrad discussed the nearly $1.5 trillion cost of the tax reform bill and the impact of mounting debt on future generations. Heitkamp recalled a recent conversation with a Vietnam veteran in North Dakota who told her he wanted a tax cut but not if his grandkids were going to have to pay for it. Heres a veteran who put on a uniform and served his country, and he was still thinking about whats really good for his country, and not just good for him, Heitkamp said. And you know, I thought, thats a North Dakota attitude, isnt it? Conrad said, Thats the North Dakota I know. I used to tell my colleagues, if on fiscal matters we let North Dakotans decide for the nation, our country would be in much better shape because North Dakotas people have common sense. They know when somebody tells them a story thats too good to be true, that its too good to be true. And they know that you shouldnt just pile up debt on top of debt that thats a dangerous thing. It may not hit you immediately, but over time when you take on too much debt, it leads to bad outcomes. And the people of North Dakota understand that I think better than almost any people in the country. In her conversation with Republican economist Phillip Swagel, they agreed that adding to the deficit to pay for the tax cut was concerning. The monster I see coming at us is the debt and deficit, Heitkamp said. Swagel responded, Absolutely. This bill is going to add $1.5 trillion over 10 years to the deficit but really, once you take into account the gimmicks here, were talking $2 trillion over 10 years. So its a big impact on the deficit, and its got to be a big risk. Swagel was Assistant Secretary for Economic Policy at the Treasury Department during President George W. Bushs second term, and was previously chief of staff and a senior economist at the White House Council of Economic Advisers, as well as an economist at the International Monetary Fund and the Federal Reserve Board. Hes currently a Professor in International Economic Policy at the University of Maryland School of Public Policy. Heitkamp discussed the cost of the tax reform bill and claims that it will pay for itself, despite every nonpartisan analysis disproving that claim. Heitkamp said, I think it will have an impact on economic growth, but I think it is not telling the truth to say that this is going to pay for itself. Do you agree? Swagel responded, I do agree. As you said, there will be growth. I think 2018 is going to surprise people, that growth is really going to be pretty good, and even into 2019. But not enough to raise the revenue to pay for itself. Theres just no way. Additional excerpts from this edition of The Hotdish are below. Click here to read Senator Heitkamps statement on her vote on the tax reform bill. Heitkamp has long said she wanted to work with Republicans and Democrats on tax reform that supports workers, families, and retirees, while growing the economy and remaining fiscally responsible. InSeptemberandOctober, she held four listening sessions across the state to get feedback from North Dakotans about what they wanted to see in a tax reform bill. Shejoined President Trumpduring his visit to North Dakota on tax reform. She alsomet with him and a bipartisan group of senatorsat the White House in September on the issue. And she joineda dinner with a bipartisan group of senators at the home of Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump in October to discuss tax reform. Additional excerpts: Conrad: One thing we know is, when you have high levels of debt and you do tax cuts that are not paid for, over time because you have higher debt that puts upward pressure on interest rates. That means people have to pay more for a mortgage. That means they have to pay more on a college loan. That means they have to pay more on a car loan. Those increases in interest rates hurt long-term economic growth. ............. Heitkamp: The other piece of this that Im very concerned about, Phil, is that it was not a sit down and everybody work through the discussion the way Ronald Reagan did in 86 so that when you get done, everybody owns it Swagel: I agree, thats a key risk here, which is the uncertainty. As you said, on the personal side, the provisions expire, and who knows what will happen what the Congress will look like, who will be in charge. I certainly would have liked everything to be permanent, and to be bipartisan. ............. Heitkamp: We could have done some really excellent work to try to make our system simpler, which this does not do. To make it fairer, which this does not do. And try to make it respond to the global economy better, and I dont think this does it. So it misses it on so many marks, and on top of that, it just misses the mark of fiscal accountability. ............. Conrad: I guess the thing thats so disturbing when youve got this large debt $20 trillion in debt, more than 100 percent the size of our economy and now were going to borrow money, much of it from the Chinese, to give a tax cut that disproportionately goes to the wealthiest among us, it just doesnt make much sense. And the thing thats the most troubling is it could have been paid for. We could have a middle class tax cut, we could reduce the corporate rate to make us more competitive, and we could have paid for it by shutting down some of these offshore tax scams that are so prevalent, that are benefitting people who already have tremendous assets. About The Hotdish: Heitkamp kicked off her podcast in February with an episode on her efforts to combat human trafficking, interviewing anti-human trafficking leader Cindy McCain and North Dakota journalist Kevin Wallevand. Since then, Heitkamps podcast has covered a wide range of topics, including negotiations for the next Farm Bill, the role of moderates in Congress, U.S.-Russia relations, health care, her bipartisan bill that would promote carbon capture, the role of refugees and immigrants in our communities, the threat posed by North Korea, and tackling the crisis of missing and murdered indigenous women. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.hoeven.senate.gov/news/news-releases/hoeven-statement-on-agreement-to-fund-the-government,Hoeven Statement on Agreement to Fund the Government,2017-12-21,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,ND,John Hoeven,H001061,www.hoeven.senate.gov,,,legacy,"12.21.17 Hoeven Statement on Agreement to Fund the Government WASHINGTON Senator John Hoeven released the following statement today after Congress passed legislation to fund the government through January 19. In addition to keeping the government operating, the agreement provides funding for the Veterans Choice program, extends the Childrens Health Insurance Program (CHIP), funds Community Health Centers, and provides additional defense funding to detect and defend against the use of ballistic missiles. Additionally, the legislation waives pay-go requirements, which have never been enforced, to ensure that tax reform does not lead to program cuts. This legislation funds the government, provides funding to ensure we care for our veterans, and extends important programs, including CHIP and funding for Community Health Centers. -###- Print Email Tweet Previous Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.hoeven.senate.gov/news/news-releases/hoeven-statement-on-todays-united-nations-vote-on-jerusalem,Hoeven Statement on Today's United Nations Vote on Jerusalem,2017-12-21,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,ND,John Hoeven,H001061,www.hoeven.senate.gov,,,legacy,"12.21.17 Hoeven Statement on Today's United Nations Vote on Jerusalem WASHINGTON Senator John Hoeven today released the following statement after the United Nations voted to reject President Trumps decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The United Nations vote today is disappointing. We continue to support the presidents decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and begin the process of moving the U.S. embassy a policy that was directed by Congress with strong bipartisan support in 1995 and again by the Senate earlier this year. -###- Print Email Tweet Previous Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://cramer.house.gov/media-center/editorials/tax-cuts-benefit-everyone-especially-the-middle-class,Tax Cuts Benefit Everyone Especially the Middle Class,2017-12-20,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,ND,Kevin Cramer,C001096,cramer.house.gov,,,legacy,"While Americans hung their stockings by the chimney with care, Congress worked diligently to reconcile the differences between the House and Senate tax bills. The result is final passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which promises to keep Uncle Sam far from the holiday spoils. Congress bill is a win for our state. First and foremost, the standard deduction which82 percentof North Dakotans claimed according to 2014 returns doubles to $12,000 for individuals and $24,000 for families. Under this provision alone, a family earning the states median household income of$59,000would pay no federal tax on almost half of their wages. Coupling these changes with a reduction to the 12 percent income tax bracket, youll find that the vast majority of earners in North Dakota will see far less of their earnings sent to Washington. And with the bill making it to President Trumps desk before Christmas, the IRS projects that taxpayers will see less money withheld from their paychecks as early as February 2018. In addition to increasing take home pay, the tax cuts will give local businesses greater flexibility to reinvest in themselves and their community. The final bill allows small businesses to deduct 20 percent of their income, dropping the top tax rate for North Dakotas73,021small businesses from 39.6 percent down to 29.6 percent. Another provision allows small businesses to write off capital investments and accrued interest. Tax cuts like these will help small business owners address some of their primary concerns: repaying debt so they can focus on expanding, hiring, and retaining good employees with higher wages. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act takes care of our farmers by expanding the Section 179 expensing of equipment, doubling the death tax exemption, and maintaining the step-up in basis for capital gains. And it supports farm cooperatives by including the Hoeven-Thune amendment to allow for a 20 percent tax deduction at the entity and member level a solution I helped push through the House of Representative that compensates farmers for the elimination of the Section 199 deduction. When you consider that98.8 percentof businesses in our state are small businesses, its easy to see what a far-reaching impact this plan will have on working families. Yet several under-reported aspects of the bill ensure that its positive impacts extend beyond the lifespan ofany one cut. The compromise bill also incentivizes scholarship and innovation by maintaining the tax graduate school tuition waivers, and reinstating deductions for student loan interest and private research and development. Just as value-added agriculture, technological advancements in oil and natural gas extraction, and an expanding tech sector helped position North Dakota as the nationsfirst in economic growth, so too does the success of the American economy depend on the ingenuity and education of its next generation. Yet those who broadly oppose any policy championed by representatives with an R beside their name are playing the same old song and dance, calling the bill a tax break for the wealthy. When three Senate Democrats spread a talking point that the Republican plan would raise taxes on the middle class by about $800, evenThe Washington Post hardly a bastion for conservative thought gave the Senators four out of four Pinocchios in itsfact checkanalysis. The Post found that more than 97 million households and every group of income earners, on average, will receive a tax cut. In this time of political division, we should acknowledge the bills strengths and the compromises necessary to pass sweeping tax cuts for the middle class. For instance, legislators increased the top corporate tax rate to 21 percent, higher than originally proposed in either the House or Senate and far higher than Trumps initially requested 15 percent rate, in order to make the deal work. This tax bill isnt perfect hardly any legislation is. But putting money back into local economies where it belongs is the best Christmas gift Washington can give, and I was glad to support Congressional Republicans and President Trump in bringing tax cuts to the people of North Dakota. Rep. Kevin Cramer (R-ND), represents North Dakota's at-large congressional district. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://cramer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cramer-announces-mobile-office-hours-in-rugby-and-towner-on-january-8,CRAMER ANNOUNCES MOBILE OFFICE HOURS IN RUGBY AND TOWNER ON JANUARY 8,2017-12-20,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,ND,Kevin Cramer,C001096,cramer.house.gov,,,legacy,"Date: December 20, 2017 Contact: Kaitlyn.Weidert@mail.house.gov WASHINGTON, D.C. Congressman Kevin Cramer has scheduled mobile office hours in Rugby and Towner on Monday, January 8th. Mobile Office Hours allow constituents to receive assistance with casework from the Congressmans staff. Many issues are raised through various forms of contact with me and my offices. Having members of my staff in Rugby and Towner allows more time for those with concerns and questions to explore solutions with people in a position to help, said Cramer. I realize it's not always easy or even possible for people to get to my district offices. Mobile office hours brings these services closer to constituents. Individuals from the Rugby and Towner areas are encouraged to stop by the mobile office for help with veterans and Social Security benefits, Medicare billing problems, immigration issues, military records or medals, or for assistance with any other federal agency. Monday, January 8th Heart of America Library 11-12:30pm 201 3rd Street SW Rugby, ND 58368 McHenry County Courthouse 1:30-3pm Commissioners Room 407 Main Street South Towner, ND 58788 Contact Kaitlyn Weidert, Cramers District Representative, with any questions. Her email is Kaitlyn.Weidert@mail.house.gov and her phone is 701-839-0255. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=35A6A3FE-57C6-46D6-8126-56373F0DE397,Heitkamp Announces More Affordable Housing Options are Coming to Minot,2017-12-20,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,ND,Heidi Heitkamp,H001069,www.heitkamp.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp announced today that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) approved the Minot Housing Authoritys waiver request to adjust their fair market rent (FMR) payment standards, which will give more Minot residents access to affordable housing programs. In September, Heitkamp pressed HUD Secretary Ben Carson to support the waiver to help those in need of affordable housing. Heitkamp has been working closely with HUD to see this process through and to advocate for Minot Housing Authoritys request. FMRs are a measurement which help low-income families afford decent housing in certain areas. In October 2013, HUD increased FMRs in Ward, Mountrail, and Williams counties in response to the housing crisis in the region. As the oil boom in western North Dakota slowed, rent prices rapidly decreased in these countiesyet due to a rule published by HUD last fall, FMRs cannot be less than 90 percent of the FMR amounts from the previous year. As a result, an estimated 100 to 150 fewer low-income families are able to find affordable housing in the Minot area. Rents in the Minot area have decreased somewhat from record highs yet HUDs funding formula to help families afford homes is far too slow to reflect conditions on the ground. The agencys one-size-fits-all approach has left many North Dakota families who urgently need support to afford homes without any assistance putting them and their families at risk, Heitkamp said. Todays decision means that more families in the Minot area will have the resources needed to find adequate housing, and Im proud to have helped push for this waiver. All families should have a safe place to call home, and seeking out ways to make housing more affordable across our state must be a priority. Heitkamp has advocated for affordable housing throughout North Dakota, and in 2015, she pushed back on proposals from the previous administration that would negatively impact the ability of families to obtain decent, safe housing at a reasonable cost and eliminate federal funds for local surveys used to calculate FMRs. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=99D99DBD-51E2-46E3-AA81-2DF2F945448D,Heitkamp: Republican Tax Bill is Full of Broken Promises,2017-12-20,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,ND,Heidi Heitkamp,H001069,www.heitkamp.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp today voted against the House-Senate Republican tax bill because it will impact North Dakotans by increasing the debt by nearly $1.5 trillion, raising costs for most middle income families in the long-term, and not growing the economy or creating jobs in the way Republicans say it will. Yesterday, Heitkamp joined a local tax attorney, small business owner, senior citizen, farmer, and the president of the North Dakota Building and Construction Trades Council in Fargo to explain how the bill will hurt North Dakotans in the long-term. As North Dakotas former tax commissioner, I know taxes are complicated, and Ive wanted to work on a bill that cuts taxes for working men and women who need a break, said Heitkamp. In fact, Ive been almost begging Republicans to work with me on a bipartisan bill that could serve North Dakota. I held meetings in North Dakota on tax reform, and met with top White House officials, including the president, on the issue. Unfortunately, I never got a seat at the table, nor did many others. As a result, it produced a partisan tax bill that hurts North Dakota and is full of broken promises to the American people. We were promised middle income tax cuts without cuts for the wealthy. But this bill gives huge, permanent tax cuts to corporations and millionaires while middle income families will see relatively modest cuts in the short-term and their costs go up in the long run. We were promised a fiscally responsible bill. But this bill charges nearly $1.5 trillion on a credit card account to our children and grandchildren without a plan to pay for it. We were promised a simpler tax code so we could file taxes on a postcard. But this bill makes the tax code even more confusing and more difficult for families to understand their tax liability. We were promised no loopholes. But this bill is full of loopholes for real estate moguls, private jet companies, and others, enabling large corporations and the wealthy to pay lower taxes. And we were promised a bill that would grow the economy. But experts and academics agree it wont boost the economy the way Republicans say it will, and many executives have said they will use corporate tax cuts to pad their shareholders profits, not create jobs or boost wages. Congress cant build a successful bill if it is quickly crafted behind closed doors without input from both parties. I know that because Ive crafted many bipartisan bills that serve North Dakota including lifting the ban on exporting oil, finding a viable path forward for coal, and giving community banks and credit unions relief. Those bills didnt happen overnight they took good faith negotiations, compromises from all sides, and a mutual effort to work across the aisle. That didnt happen here. And it shows. Every day, I come to work in the U.S. Senate to fight for North Dakota and rural America. Sadly, this bill leaves them behind. The Republican tax bill will explode the countrys debt, adding nearly $1.5 trillion on the nations credit card and thats before accounting for various budget gimmicks forcing those huge costs onto future generations. On top of that, academics and conservative experts have concluded that under the bill, the countrys debt will grow much faster than the economy. And, the Republican tax bill wont grow the economy or create jobs in the way Republicans say it will, as many large companies have said they will pass most tax savings on to shareholders, and not use the majority of the tax cuts to create jobs or boost wages. The Republican bill will also specifically impact many North Dakotans: Middle income families: The bill provides permanent tax cuts to corporations and large tax cuts for the wealthy, while middle income families lose out in the long-term because the relatively modest tax cuts they initially receive will expire after 2025. According to the Joint Committee on Taxation, the net effect of all individual provisions in the tax reform bill will raise taxes on individuals by a total of $83 billion in 2027. On the other hand, businesses will get a $49.4 billion tax cut that same year. Small businesses: The bill will widen the gap between large and small businesses, just as it will between wealthy individuals and middle income individuals. According to a group of 13 tax law experts from December 7, the bill will essentially punish smaller businesses that cant afford to pay high priced tax attorneys and accountants to exploit loopholes and glitches in the rules.The largest loopholes enable the wealthy to declare their income as business income to benefit from the new lower corporate tax rates. And because of the loopholes, the bill enables businesses to effectively hide income overseas and it could lead to companies shifting American jobs abroad. Seniors: According to AARP, the bill will provide a large tax cut for corporations while raising taxes and health care premiums for millions of older Americans. It will also drastically increase the nations debt by nearly $1.5 trillion, which could lead to $400 billion in cuts to Medicare over 10 years, and slash other programs that support seniors. Farmers and ranchers: Middle income families across rural America, including many farmers, will lose out under the bill as the temporary, relatively modest tax decreases they receive will disappear after 2025, while the wealthy and corporations will reap permanent rewards. Additionally, the huge cost of the tax reform bill could require Congress to pay for it by reducing spending elsewhere. Such action could lead to $20 billion in cuts to vital agriculture programs and hinder the negotiation of the 2018 Farm Bill. The bill also adds complexity and uncertainty for farmers because the full expensing provisions will expire in 2022 and the favored pass through rates will expire by 2025. Millennials: The structure of the tax bill will be particularly devastating for young men and women entering the workforce who will face a nearly $1.5 trillion bill in the next 10 years, just as they are entering their prime working years.Although millennials will be paying for these tax cuts, they wont see much in terms of tax reductions because these cuts are geared toward higher earning workers who are more developed in their careers. And by the time most millennials will be entering into their prime earning years, the tax cuts will be completely phased out.At the same time, millennials will face higher tax brackets because the tax bill will permanently index tax brackets to a lower rate of inflation, resulting in more middle class income going into higher brackets over time.Finally, provisions in this tax bill will do little to address the myriad of challenges young Americans face, from higher education and housing costs to a lack of retirement planning. Heitkamp has long said she wants to work with Republicans and Democrats on tax reform that supports workers, families, and retirees, while growing the economy and remaining fiscally responsible. In September and October, she held four listening sessions across the state to get feedback from North Dakotans about what they wanted to see in a tax reform bill. She joined President Trump during his visit to North Dakota on tax reform. She also met with him and a bipartisan group of senators at the White House in September on the issue. And she joined a dinner with a bipartisan group of senators at the home of Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump in October to discuss tax reform. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.hoeven.senate.gov/news/news-releases/hoeven-army-corps-completes-section-408-review-and-eis-for-minot-advances-construction-of-flood-protection-in-the-region-,"Hoeven: Army Corps Completes Section 408 Review & EIS for Minot, Advances Construction of Flood Protection in the Region",2017-12-20,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,ND,John Hoeven,H001061,www.hoeven.senate.gov,,,legacy,"12.20.17 Hoeven: Army Corps Completes Section 408 Review & EIS for Minot, Advances Construction of Flood Protection in the Region Senator Worked to Expedite 408 Reviews, Ensure Phases Can Proceed without Further Delay WASHINGTON Senator John Hoeven today announced that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has completed the Section 408 review for the Minot regions flood protection project. The delay in the review, which is required to make changes to existing Corps projects, had prevented the Souris River Joint Board from awarding contracts for constructing flood control infrastructure under the first three phases the project. As a result, the boards bids for these phases were at risk of expiring. Todays approval allowed the Corps to issue its Record of Decision in the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process, ensuring the contracts can be awarded prior to the January 15 deadline and streamlining the approval of the projects future phases. Hoeven has been in regular contact with the Army Corps to resolve the delay since July. This includes calls with Army Corps officials, a meeting he held with R.D. James, the nominee for Assistant Secretary of the Army Civil Works, and a letter he sent to the Corps Acting Assistant Secretary Doug Lamont. Hoeven, a member of the Senate Energy and Water Appropriations Committee, also secured language in the Senates Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 appropriations bill directing the Corps to expedite processing of Section 408 packages. The delay in Section 408 reviews represented a real challenge to moving forward on flood protection for the Minot region, said Hoeven. We appreciate the Corps heeding our call to complete the permit, bringing us closer to constructing this vital infrastructure. This is part of our ongoing work to deliver comprehensive flood protection for the entire region. Hoeven is working to support regional flood protection efforts in North Dakota. In addition to the Section 408 provision, the senator helpedinclude the following priorities in the Senates FY2018 funding measure and is continuing his efforts to include them in a future appropriations package: Army Corps Construction Provides $125 million in funding for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers flood control projects above the administrations budget request. This additional funding will help ensure that efforts like comprehensive flood protection in the Red River Valley are funded in the Corps FY2018 work plan. Minot Area Flood Study Provides $400,000 for the Corps feasibility study in the Souris River Basin. The study is a vital step in advancing the first four phases of the Minot areas flood protection project. Fair Treatment of Public-Private Partnerships Includes a provision to ensure fair treatment of public-private partnerships, such as flood protection for the Fargo-Moorhead region, during the Corpss analysis of a projects benefits and costs. Hoeven has secured commitments from administration officials to address inconsistencies in this policy, including Office of Management and Budget DirectorMick Mulvaney, Army Corps Chief Lt. Gen. Todd Semonite andNeomi Rao, the head of the administrations central regulatory authority. In addition, Hoeven continues working with Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Brock Long, who Hoevenhostedin Minot earlier this year, to ensure the agencys preliminary flood maps and the resulting flood insurance rates are accurate in the Souris River Basin. This includes making sure FEMA reevaluates discrepancies in its preliminary flood maps, provides an extended timetable for public comment on the maps and updates the maps as permanent flood protection is built. Hoeven is also working with FEMA to identify additional funding to construct flood protection for the remainder of the Souris River Basin. The Army Corps of Engineers current project entails four phases, and federal support is needed to develop subsequent phases and ensure protection for the whole region. -###- Print Email Tweet Previous Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.hoeven.senate.gov/news/news-releases/hoeven-hhs-award-nearly-13-million-head-start-grant-to-cankdeska-cikana-community-college,Hoeven: HHS Award Nearly $1.3 Million Head Start Grant to Cankdeska Cikana Community College,2017-12-20,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,ND,John Hoeven,H001061,www.hoeven.senate.gov,,,legacy,"12.20.17 Hoeven: HHS Award Nearly $1.3 Million Head Start Grant to Cankdeska Cikana Community College WASHINGTON Senator John Hoeven, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded $1.27 million to the Cankdeska Cikana Community College. The funds will support the institutions Head Start and Early Head Start programs, which serve children from birth through age five as well as expecting mothers in the surrounding community. The award comes as part of a five-year grant that began in 2014. Todays award is an investment in the continued education and well-being of the children and families of the Spirit Lake Nation, Hoeven said. -###- Print Email Tweet Next Article Previous Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.hoeven.senate.gov/news/news-releases/hoeven-senate-passes-tax-reform-lowering-rates-across-the-board-for-individuals-and-families-providing-relief-for-small-businesses-farmers-and-ranchers,"Hoeven: Senate Passes Tax Reform Lowering Rates Across the Board for Individuals and Families, Providing Relief for Small Businesses, Farmers and Ranchers",2017-12-20,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,ND,John Hoeven,H001061,www.hoeven.senate.gov,,,legacy,"12.20.17 Hoeven: Senate Passes Tax Reform Lowering Rates Across the Board for Individuals and Families, Providing Relief for Small Businesses, Farmers and Ranchers Legislation Includes Hoeven Amendment to Ensure Fair Treatment of Cooperatives WASHINGTON Senator John Hoeven today announced that the Senate has passed tax reform legislation that lowers rates across-the-board for hard-working Americans, while also providing the nations small businesses, farmers and ranchers with relief. The bill includes a Hoeven amendment to ensure the fair treatment of cooperatives in North Dakota and across the nation. We worked hard to provide North Dakotans with tax relief that enables them to keep more of their hard-earned paychecks, said Hoeven. The legislation passed by Congress lowers rates across the board for individuals and families. At the same time, it modernizes our tax code and provides our small businesses, farmers and ranchers with tax relief that will enable them to grow and invest. This tax relief plan, coupled with regulatory relief, will unleash economic growth to grow wages and income, as well as government revenues. This tax relief bill is good for America and good for North Dakota. Middle-class families will see a tax cut of: More than $1,300 for a single parent with one child earning $41,000. More than $2,000 for a median income family of four earning $73,000. More than $2,600 for a married small business owner earning $100,000. Hoeven worked to ensure that the legislation provided relief for North Dakota small businesses, including farmers and ranchers. The senators amendment to ensure fair treatment of cooperatives was included in the legislation. Additionally, Hoeven worked to secure the following highlights: Cuts Tax Rates Across the Board for Hardworking Individuals and Families Increases the standard deduction, which means that Americans will not be taxed on the first $12,000 of income for individuals, $24,000 for married couples and $18,000 for a single parent with dependents. 9 out of 10 taxpayers will likely use the expanded standard deduction. Maintains the state and local tax deduction up to $10,000 for individuals and families. Doubles the Child Tax Credit to $2,000 per child Preserves the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit Encourages businesses to provide paid family and medical leave by providing a tax credit Preserves the Adoption Tax Credit Retains Retirement Savings Options Continues tax deductions, including for: Student Loan Interest and Tuition Waivers Medical Expenses Charitable Contributions Home Mortgage Interest Benefits to Small Businesses, Farmers and Ranchers Ensures the fair treatment of cooperatives and their members. For the first five years, allows full expensing or writing off the cost of new investments, which is phased down over an additional four year period. Expands the Section 179 expensing of equipment on a permanent basis. Doubles the estate tax exemption, while maintaining the step-up in basis for capital gains. Maintains interest deductibility as well as the property tax deduction for small businesses, farmers and ranchers. Increases the tax deduction to 20% for qualified pass-through income, which reduces the tax burden for small businesses set up as partnerships or pass-through entities. Reduces the tax rate for C corps from 35% to 21%, making the U.S. tax system more competitive globally and bringing more capital and investment back to the U.S. Maintains the IC-DISC program, which enables small and medium businesses, including manufacturers, to reduce taxes on portions of their export income. Provides greater flexibility for implement and auto dealers to expense interest on inventory. The legislation includes a Hoeven amendment that exempts businesses with floor plan financing from the interest expense limitation, subject to further rules. Tax relief, combined with regulatory relief, will empower economic growth leading to greater government revenues. While some have claimed the legislation will lead to cuts under pay-go rules, these rules have never been enforced. Additionally, both Senate and House leadership have said the pay-go rule will be waived, if necessary. Over time the tax relief bill will help grow the economy and will generate more revenue not less. Congress will also continue to work to make the individual rate reductions permanent after 2025, but will need bipartisan support. Throughout the process, Hoeven worked to ensure the best possible tax relief package for North Dakota families and businesses. In November, the senator held roundtables in Bismarck and Fargo to gather input from North Dakotans. Hoeven has repeatedly spoken on the Senate floor to outline tax reform priorities. Additionally, earlier this fall, the senator held a series of roundtable discussions in Minot, Grand Forks and Bismarck with the North Dakota small businesses and farmers and ranchers to gather input. -###- Print Email Tweet Next Article Previous Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://cramer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cramer-announces-departure-of-adam-jorde-hiring-of-jason-stverak,Cramer Announces Departure of Adam Jorde & Hiring of Jason Stverak,2017-12-19,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,ND,Kevin Cramer,C001096,cramer.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congressman Kevin Cramer announced today that Communications Director Adam Jorde is departing his Washington office and Jason Stverak is returning to the office as Deputy Chief of Staff. Adam Jorde will join NTCAThe Rural Broadband Association as Director of Government Affairs onDecember 21, 2017. NTCAThe Rural Broadband Association represents nearly 850 independent, community-based telecommunications companies that are leading innovation in rural and small-town America. As Cramers lead telecommunications aide, Jorde focused on policy issues within the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology. He also worked as a lead staffer in the House Rural Broadband Caucus where Cramer is a founding co-chair. Since 2013, Jorde has served on Capitol Hill in various communications, policy, and administrative positions for Rep. Kevin Cramer and Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.). A native of Cando N.D., Jorde received his Bachelor of Arts degrees in Business Administration and Spanish from Augustana University in Sioux Falls, S.D. I appreciate the dedication and hard work Adam hasgivenme and the people of North Dakota, said Cramer. Growing up in rural America, Adam has witnessed the digital divide firsthand, and understands the critical and competitive importance of high-speed broadband to education, health care, and economic development. I wish him the best in his new role and I have no doubt hell continue to be a tireless advocate for rural America. Cramer also announced the hiring of Jason Stverak as his Deputy Chief of Staff. Jason will be responsible for communications and will serve as the congressmans foreign policy advisor. Prior to rejoining Congressman Cramers official staff, Jason most recently served as Legislative Director and Lobbyist for Christians United for Israel (CUFI) Action Fund. With more than 3.8 million members, Christians United for Israel is the largest pro-Israel organization in the United States and one of the leading Christian grassroots movements in the world. Jason served as the Executive Director of the North Dakota Republican Party from 2001 to 2007, and later founded the Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity, a non-profit journalism organization. Jason brings a wealth of experience on North Dakotas issues, and relationships with its people. His understanding of media and the important foreign policy issues facing our nation will be a benefit to my office as he works on behalf of North Dakota and its citizens, said Cramer. Contact Stverak for all future press inquiries at Jason.Stverak@mail.house.gov ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://cramer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cramer-house-passes-historic-final-vote-on-tax-cuts-jobs-act,CRAMER: House Passes Historic Final Vote on Tax Cuts & Jobs Act,2017-12-19,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,ND,Kevin Cramer,C001096,cramer.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congressman Kevin Cramer issued the following statement following after the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Conference Report to Accompany H.R. 1 the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act: Todays a truly historic moment for Congress, for our country, and for the conservative values of small government that so many of us stand on. With the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Congress just corrected the tax imbalance created by decades of special interest lobbying in Washington. In 2018, North Dakota families across all income levels will keep more of their money; America will be open for business as one of the most competitive countries in the world; and 70,000 pages of convoluted tax code will be simplified to the point where most individuals will be able to fill out their taxes on a post card. Putting money back into local economies where it belongs is the best Christmas gift Washington can give, and I was glad to support Congressional Republicans and President Trump in bringing tax cuts to the people of North Dakota. NORTH DAKOTA HIGHLIGHTS OF TAX BILL: Individuals and Families Reduces taxes at every income level and sets individual rates at 0%, 10%, 12%, 22%, 24%, 32%, 35%, and 37%. Doubles the standard deduction to $12,000 for single filers, $18,000 for heads of household, and $24,000 for joint filers. Over 80 percent of North Dakotans currently take the standard deduction. Preserves and expands the deduction for charitable contributions. Continues to allow people to write off the cost of state and local taxes just like current law up to $10,000. Gives individuals and families the ability to choose among sales, income and property taxes to best fit their unique circumstances. Expands the Child Tax Credit from $1,000 to $2,000 for single filers and married couples. The tax credit is fully refundable up to $1,400 and begins to phase-out for families making over $400,000. Parents must provide a childs valid Social Security Number in order to receive this credit. The bill also provides a $500 nonrefundable credit for non-child dependents. Retains the mortgage interest deduction providing tax relief to current and aspiring homeowners. For all homeowners with existing mortgages that were taken out to buy a home, there will be no change to the current mortgage interest deduction. For homeowners with new mortgages on a first or second home, the home mortgage interest deduction will be available up to $750,000. Preserves the medical expense deduction and expands it in years 2018 and 2019 for medical expenses exceeding 7.5 percent of adjusted gross income. This floor reverts back to 10 percent beginning in 2020. Eliminates Obamacares individual mandate penalty tax providing families with much-needed relief and flexibility to buy the health care thats right for them if they choose. Retains the student loan interest, qualified tuition, and educator expense deductions. Graduate student tuition waivers also remain in place. Increases the exemption amount from the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) to reduce the complexity and tax burden for millions of Americans. Farmers and Ranchers Supports farm cooperatives by including the Hoeven-Thune amendment to allow for a 20 percent tax deduction at the entity and member level. Expands and makes permanent section 179 expensing up to $1 million in assets. Provides for full and immediate expensing of capital investments for five years. Preserves full interest deductibility for farmers, ranchers, and small businesses with average gross receipts of $25 million or less. Doubles the current estate tax exemption and maintains step-up in basis for capital gains. Preserves cash accounting. Job Creators Lowers the corporate tax rate to 21% (beginning Jan. 1, 2018) down from 35%, which today is the highest in the industrialized world the largest reduction in the U.S. corporate tax rate in our nations history. Delivers significant tax relief to small business job creators by offering a first-ever 20% tax deduction that applies to the first $315,000 of joint income earned by all businesses organized as S corporations, partnerships, LLCs, and sole proprietorships. For Main Street job creators with income above this level, the bill generally provides a deduction for up to 20% on business profits reducing their effective marginal tax rate to no more than 29.6%. Retains the tax-preferred status of private-activity bonds that are used to finance valuable infrastructure projects. Eliminates the Corporate Alternative Minimum Tax Read the full summary here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=18F298AD-D62E-4462-93F5-76F8112C161D,"With Heitkamp Support, Four Export-Import Bank Board Nominees Advance in Senate who would Enable Bank to Fully Operate",2017-12-19,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,ND,Heidi Heitkamp,H001069,www.heitkamp.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Congress Passed Heitkamps Bipartisan Bill to Reauthorize the Bank in 2015 WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp today helped pass out of the Senate Banking Committee four nominees to serve on the Export-Import Banks Board of Directors, getting the Banks board one step closer to having the quorum it needs to fully operate and support American jobs and businesses, including many in North Dakota. Heitkamp also joined Republicans and Democrats in blocking the nomination of Scott Garrett to lead the board. As a Congressman, Garrett voted to kill the Bank, making him unqualified to lead it. Heitkamp spoke out against Garretts nomination at a hearing last month. Today we took a long-awaited step toward helping manufacturers and small business owners across the country including many in North Dakota get the support they need to compete on a global scale, Heitkamp said. The Export-Import Bank provides capital for American businesses to invest and create jobs, and has turned a profit for taxpayers since its inception more than 80 years ago. But for years, it has been crippled by congressional inaction, which has forced some businesses to move American jobs abroad. Congress needs to support American workers and businesses, and thats why getting the Bank fully functioning is so important. The full Senate must now vote to confirm these nominees so that the Bank can fully operate and help our businesses compete in the global economy. In North Dakota alone, businesses have $50 million of authorizations from the Bank that could be put at risk in the future if it doesnt have a full board seated. Across the country, hundreds of thousands of jobs have been put in jeopardy because of the uncertainty surrounding the Bank, as over $37.5 billion of deals wait in limbo to be approved by the Board. Heitkamp pressed President-elect Trump to get the bank fully functioning in a meeting at Trump Tower in December 2016, and she secured a commitment from him to get the Bank up and running in a meeting shortly after he was sworn in. Background on the Export-Import Bank In June 2015, Congress let the Export-Import Bank expire for the first time in the agencys more than 80 year history. In December 2015, Congress passed Heitkamps legislation to reauthorize the Bank with strong bipartisan support. But the agency still hasnt been able to fully function. The Export-Import Bank is an independent federal government agency and the official export credit agency of the United States. Former Senate Banking Committee Chairman Richard Shelby (R-AL) had refused for a year to hold a committee vote on the then-nominee to the Ex-Im Bank Board. This inaction prevented the lack of a quorum on the five-member board and halted the agency from financing deals over $10 million. As a result, it has hindered support for American jobs and businesses including for small suppliers of companies that use the Bank and prevented them from remaining competitive in the global economy. Some American companies have already been forced to move American jobs overseas because they have not been able to access financing from the Ex-Im Bank. The Ex-Im Bank has helped North Dakota businesses grow, expand, and hire more American workers, supporting $42 million in exports since 2011 from North Dakota alone, as well as 633 jobs across the state by providing loans, loan guarantees, and insurance to facilitate overseas sales by U.S. firms. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=AE068F80-8BC2-461C-A06F-B22069B5BAA6,Heitkamp Announces Federal Funding to Further Economic Growth Strategies,2017-12-19,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,ND,Heidi Heitkamp,H001069,www.heitkamp.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp, a member of the Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship, announced three federal grants totaling $210,000 to the Lewis & Clark Regional Development Council, Roosevelt-Custer Regional Council for Development, and the Souris Basin Planning Council to help them establish comprehensive plans to grow and diversify their local economies. Having the right economic strategy in place is key to taking on opportunities and mitigating challenges to keep local communities thriving, said Heitkamp. These federal funds will assist the regional economic development councils in central and western North Dakota so they can put together comprehensive plans that work with both the public and private sectors to leverage each communitys assets to grow their economies. These federal funds will be distributed as follows: Lewis & Clark Regional Development Council: $70,000 in federal funds to put together an economic development strategy that works with both the public and private sectors that will assist in the counties of Burleigh, Emmons, Grant, Kidder, McLean, Mercer, Morton, Oliver, Sheridan, and Sioux. Roosevelt-Custer Regional Council for Development: $70,000 in federal funds to put together an economic development strategy that works with both the public and private sectors that will assist in the counties of Adams, Billings, Bowman, Dunn, Golden Valley, Hettinger, Slope, and Stark. Souris Basin Planning Council: $70,000 in federal fund to put together an economic development strategy that works with both the public and private sectors that will assist in the counties of Bottineau, Burke, McHenry, Mountrail, Pierce, Renville, and Ward. The federal funds are made available through the Economic Development Administration (EDA) a bureau of the U.S. Department of Commerce. This EDA funding helps communities establish economic development strategies that aid North Dakota economic development councils across the state in bringing together both public and private resources that will help small businesses, create jobs, and stimulate long-term growth. Recently, Heitkamp announced two other federal grants totaling $140,000 to support economic development planning for the Lake Agassiz Regional Council and the North Central Planning Council.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.hoeven.senate.gov/news/news-releases/hoeven-announces-350000-in-economic-development-grants-for-north-dakota,"Hoeven Announces $350,000 in Economic Development Grants for North Dakota",2017-12-19,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,ND,John Hoeven,H001061,www.hoeven.senate.gov,,,legacy,"12.19.17 Hoeven Announces $350,000 in Economic Development Grants for North Dakota WASHINGTON Senator John Hoeven, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced that the Economic Development Administration has awarded five grants totaling $350,000 to regional councils in North Dakota. The funds will support strategies to spur investment and job creation. The details of the awards are as follow: Lake Agassiz Regional Council, Fargo - $70,000 Lewis and Clark Regional Development Council, Mandan - $70,000 North Central Planning Council, Devils Lake - $70,000 Roosevelt-Custer Regional Council for Development, Dickinson - $70,000 Souris Basin Planning Council, Minot - $70,000 Our regional councils work to meet the needs of communities across the state, ensuring robust economic growth and good job opportunities for our citizens, Hoeven said. Todays awards support this important mission. -###- Print Email Tweet Previous Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.hoeven.senate.gov/news/news-releases/hoeven-und-students-selected-to-train-as-federal-airborne-law-enforcement-officers,Hoeven: UND Students Selected to Train as Federal Airborne Law Enforcement Officers,2017-12-19,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,ND,John Hoeven,H001061,www.hoeven.senate.gov,,,legacy,"12.19.17 Hoeven: UND Students Selected to Train as Federal Airborne Law Enforcement Officers WASHINGTON Senator John Hoeven today issued the following statement after 15 students at the University of North Dakota (UND) were selected to train as Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air Interdiction Agents under the universitys Pathways Program. Earlier this year, Hoeven announced the CBP program, which provides federal career opportunities for students learning to fly both manned and unmanned aircraft. This really is a win-win not only do UND aerospace students get a job and get paid while theyre going to school, but CBP gets these great young people to help them carry out their very important mission, Hoeven said. The pathways program represents a tremendous opportunity for UNDs students and ensures CBP has access to the pilots it needs to ensure the security of our border. Congratulations to all of the successful applicants. The students, who are hired as federal employees with flexible full or part-time schedules, will assist in developing operational plans for interdiction missions, work with state and local law enforcement officials and perform security liaison duties. Upon graduation and while accruing flight hours, the trainees will become Aviation Enforcement Agents with duties that include collecting and processing evidence and interviewing suspects and witnesses. Upon completion of flight hours, the trainees will become CBP Air Interdiction Agents conducting aerial border security missions. Todays announcement dovetails with Hoevens work as a members of the Senate Appropriations Committee to secure $8 million in Fiscal Year 2017 funding to ensure that CBPs UAS operations and training facility would remain in Grand Forks. The CBPleased arecently renovated space on the air base in September. -###- Print Email Tweet Previous Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://cramer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cramer-statement-on-epa-s-replacement-rule-for-clean-power-plan,CRAMER: Statement on EPAs Replacement Rule for Clean Power Plan,2017-12-18,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,ND,Kevin Cramer,C001096,cramer.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congressman Kevin Cramer issued the following statement following an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) advance notice of proposed rulemaking for greenhouse gas emissions from existing electric utility generating units: I appreciate Administrator Pruitts emphasis on industry and state stakeholder involvement, this is what has been missing all along. With the proposed repeal of the overreaching Clean Power Plan already in motion, this action begins consideration of a new rule to regulate carbon dioxide from existing power plants. I encourage consumers, state officials, energy producers, and others to weigh in on this important rulemaking. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=5DF6DE3F-D7AC-4729-B3D7-89017E52BEE0,Heitkamp Explains how Republican Tax Reform Bill will Hurt North Dakotans,2017-12-18,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,ND,Heidi Heitkamp,H001069,www.heitkamp.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp today explained how the House-Senate Republican tax reform bill will impact North Dakotans by increasing the debt by nearly $1.5 trillion, raising costs for most middle income families in the long-term, and not growing the economy or creating jobs in the way Republicans say it will. Joining Heitkamp were a local tax attorney, small business owner, senior citizen, farmer, and the president of the North Dakota Building and Construction Trades Council. Each explained how the final bill will make the tax code more complex, disadvantage local small businesses and workers, hurt seniors and middle income families, and put at risk farm programs that producers rely on. Its Congress job to put our country on a strong path forward, said Heitkamp, North Dakotas former tax commissioner. Unfortunately, this bill does the opposite. It will put nearly $1.5 trillion on the countrys credit card, passing those costs on to our children and grandchildren. And it will increase costs for most North Dakotans in the long-term, while corporations and the wealthy reap permanent benefits. Ive long said I wanted to work on tax reform that supports workers, families, and retirees across North Dakota, but this bill was hastily crafted and pushed through by one party. That produced bad results that dont serve North Dakota or rural America. Heitkamp discussed how the final bill, released last Friday evening, will explode the countrys debt, adding nearly $1.5 trillion on the nations credit card and thats before accounting for various budget gimmicks forcing those huge costs onto future generations. On top of that, academics and conservative experts have concluded that under the bill, the countrys debt will grow much faster than the economy. And, the Republican tax reform bill wont grow the economy or create jobs in the way Republicans say it will, as many large companies have said they will pass most tax savings on to shareholders, and not use the majority of the tax cuts to create jobs or boost wages. The Republican bill will also specifically impact many North Dakotans: Middle income families: The bill provides permanent tax cuts to corporations and large tax cuts for the wealthy, while middle income families lose out in the long-term because the relatively modest tax cuts they initially receive will expire after 2025. According to the Joint Committee on Taxation, the net effect of all individual provisions in the tax reform bill will raise taxes on individuals by a total of $83 billion in 2027. On the other hand, businesses will get a $49.4 billion tax cut that same year. Small businesses: The bill will widen the gap between large and small businesses, just as it will between wealthy individuals and middle income individuals. According to a group of 13 tax law experts from December 7, the bill will essentially punish smaller businesses that cant afford to pay high priced tax attorneys and accountants to exploit loopholes and glitches in the rules.The largest loopholes enable the wealthy to declare their income as business income to benefit from the new lower corporate tax rates. And because of the loopholes, the bill enables businesses to effectively hide income overseas and it could lead to companies shifting American jobs abroad. Seniors: According to AARP, the bill will provide a large tax cut for corporations while raising taxes and health care premiums for millions of older Americans. It will also drastically increase the nations debt by nearly $1.5 trillion, which could lead to $400 billion in cuts to Medicare over 10 years, and slash other programs that support seniors. Farmers and ranchers: Middle income families across rural America, including many farmers, will lose out under the bill as the temporary, relatively modest tax decreases they receive will disappear after 2025, while the wealthy and corporations will reap permanent rewards. Additionally, the huge cost of the tax reform bill could require Congress to pay for it by reducing spending elsewhere. Such action could lead to $20 billion in cuts to vital agriculture programs and hinder the negotiation of the 2018 Farm Bill. The bill also adds complexity and uncertainty for farmers because the full expensing provisions will expire in 2022 and the favored pass through rates will expire by 2025. Millennials: The structure of the tax bill will be particularly devastating for young men and women entering the workforce who will face a nearly $1.5 trillion bill in the next 10 years, just as they are entering their prime working years.Although millennials will be paying for these tax cuts, they wont see much in terms of tax reductions because these cuts are geared toward higher earning workers who are more developed in their careers. And by the time most millennials will be entering into their prime earning years, the tax cuts will be completely phased out.At the same time, millennials will face higher tax brackets because the tax bill will permanently index tax brackets to a lower rate of inflation, resulting in more middle class income going into higher brackets over time.Finally, provisions in this tax bill will do little to address the myriad of challenges young Americans face, from higher education and housing costs to a lack of retirement planning. Heitkamp has long said she wants to work with Republicans and Democrats on tax reform that supports workers, families, and retirees, while growing the economy and remaining fiscally responsible. In September and October, she held four listening sessions across the state to get feedback from North Dakotans about what they wanted to see in a tax reform bill. She joined President Trump during his visit to North Dakota on tax reform. She also met with him and a bipartisan group of senators at the White House in September on the issue. And she joined a dinner with a bipartisan group of senators at the home of Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump in October to discuss tax reform. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=B1B7D3C0-04D2-4C2B-B28B-8CDC4660C3B7,Heitkamp Announces Federal Funds to Support Students Entering STEM Fields,2017-12-18,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,ND,Heidi Heitkamp,H001069,www.heitkamp.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp announced $999,519 in federal funds for the University of North Dakota to support scholarships for lower-income, first generation, and unrepresented students so they can pursue an education in science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM). Encouraging students to enter STEM education programs and supporting them throughout their college years will help increase the number of students ready to tackle the jobs of the 21st century, said Heitkamp. These federal funds will support lower income and minority students, including underrepresented students from rural areas, enabling them to pursue and further their careers in STEM. These federal funds are made available through the National Science Foundations Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics program and the Undergraduate Scholarships with Mathematics and Science Training, Exploration and Research project. These funds will support at least 36 scholarships over a five year period for students in need of financial assistance as well as to support under represented students to increase diversity in these fields. Students must be working towards a degree in Biology, Chemistry, Geography & Geographic Information Science, Mathematics, and Physics & Astrophysics.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=C6AD4AB0-373E-44F2-B0B2-5B4C1D4F4445,Heitkamp Congratulates City of Fargo on Winning National Energy Efficiency Competition,2017-12-18,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,ND,Heidi Heitkamp,H001069,www.heitkamp.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp today congratulated the City of Fargo on winning a two-year national competition to promote energy efficiency in small- to medium-size cities. Today, the Georgetown University Energy Prize competition announced that Fargos energy efficiency initiative, eFargo, has been selected as the winner of the competitions $5 million prize. The 50 U.S. communities competing for the prize were judged based on reductions in energy use and sustainability over a two-year period, creativity, and quality of community outreach and replicability. An important piece of our nations all-of-the-above energy strategy should be implementing local and state-wide energy-saving initiatives that fit our unique weather challenges and helping residents understand the tangible benefits of reduced and efficient energy use, said Heitkamp. Fargos success shows that even under extreme North Dakota weather conditions, we can promote long-term sustainability while also lowering energy bills. Todays announcement is the culmination of two years of collaboration and innovation from many dedicated folks in the Fargo community. Congratulations to the City of Fargo and the leaders of the eFargo initiative on winning this prestigious award through truly innovative ideas and community-wide participation achieving greater energy efficiency that I hope will lead to long-term planning goals for the Fargo metropolitan region. As part of its initiative, the City of Fargo has brought together government officials, residents, and utility companies to significantly improve energy efficiency in the Fargo community, as well as increase renewable energy use. Among other things, the city has been working to incorporate biodiesel buses into its bus system, replace traffic lights to LED, and provide energy conservation tips to local residents. Click here to learn more about the eFargo project. Heitkamp has long been a supporter of Fargos efforts to advance sustained energy efficiency. Heitkamp has been in contact with the eFargo project leaders throughout the competition in 2014, Heitkamp sent a letter of support on behalf of the initiative that was included in Fargos initial application. And in 2015, Heitkamp congratulated Fargo on becoming a semi-finalist in the Energy Prize competition. ""Ultimately it was people power, designing and implementing cost-effective and creative solutions, and building partnerships that pulled together the community into an active role and empowered them to achieve the energy use reductions in their homes and schools, said eFargo Project Manager Malini Srivastava. Winning the Georgetown Prize gives us cause to celebrate but also the responsibility of national leadership. We want to thank Senator Heitkamp for her assistance during this process, and we look forward to working with her as we continue to build cost-effective, creative, and nimble solutions. We hope to inspire and be a resource for other cities and towns to achieve their own energy-efficiency goals. As winner of the competition, the City of Fargo will receive assistance from leading experts to finance new sustainable energy projects in the community. Click herefor more information about the Georgetown University Energy Prize. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=E57B8866-F46B-4B8F-AE43-116727E6325F,Heitkamp Announces Federal Economic Development Funds for North Dakota,2017-12-18,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,ND,Heidi Heitkamp,H001069,www.heitkamp.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp, a member of the Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship, announced two federal grants totaling $140,000 to the Lake Agassiz Regional Council and the North Central Planning Council that will support efforts to develop and implement economic growth strategies in North Dakota. Laying the groundwork to grow our local economies will help North Dakota succeed well into the future, said Heitkamp. Strong economies support families, grow small businesses, and make sure that folks are able to show up to good-paying jobs each morning, and these federal funds will help counties in northeastern North Dakota develop a game plan to boost their local economies. These federal funds will be distributed as follows: Lake Agassiz Regional Council: $70,000 in federal funds to put together an economic development strategy that will assist the counties of Cass, Ransom, Richland, Sargent, Steele, and Traill. North Central Planning Council: $70,000 in federal funds to put together an economic development strategy that will assist the counties of Benson, Cavalier, Eddy, Ramsey, Rolette, and Towner as well as Spirit Lake Nation and the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indian Reservation. The federal funds are made available through the Economic Development Administration (EDA) a bureau of the U.S. Department of Commerce. This EDA funding helps communities establish economic development strategies that aid North Dakota economic development councils across the state in bringing together both public and private resources that will help small businesses, create jobs, and long-term growth. Heitkamp received the Spirit of Enterprise Award from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for her work in the U.S. Senate to support small businesses through commonsense regulatory reform, making sure small businesses have a seat at the table when rules are made, and pushing for investments to support startups in rural areas and small cities to help them get off the ground. The Chamber also gave Heitkamp a 100 percent rating for her voting record in the U.S. Senate in 2016 supporting North Dakota small businesses.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.hoeven.senate.gov/news/news-releases/hoeven-announces-nearly-1-million-grant-for-stem-undergraduate-scholarships-at-und,Hoeven Announces Nearly $1 Million Grant for STEM Undergraduate Scholarships at UND,2017-12-18,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,ND,John Hoeven,H001061,www.hoeven.senate.gov,,,legacy,"12.18.17 Hoeven Announces Nearly $1 Million Grant for STEM Undergraduate Scholarships at UND WASHINGTON Senator John Hoeven today announced that the National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded a nearly $1 million grant to the University of North Dakota (UND) to support scholarships for undergraduate students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields. The funds will go to students from low-income families and underrepresented groups, giving them the opportunity to participate in research projects with faculty and preparing them for graduate studies and research careers. These scholarships will open new opportunities for students to gain valuable, hands-on experience as they pursue a STEM degree, helping them to achieve their education and career goals, Hoeven said. As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Hoeven helped secure funding in the Senates Fiscal Year 2017 appropriations bills for programs to enhance STEM education, including the Tribal Colleges and Universities Program at NSF. In addition, Hoeven successfully included a provision to improve students access to STEM education in the Every Student Succeeds Act, which Congress passed last year. The measure was based on legislation he introduced with Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.). -###- Print Email Tweet Previous Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.hoeven.senate.gov/news/news-releases/hoeven-fargo-wins-georgetown-university-energy-award-will-help-establish-5-million-energy-efficiency-project,"Hoeven: Fargo Wins Georgetown University Energy Award, Will Help Establish $5 Million Energy Efficiency Project",2017-12-18,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,ND,John Hoeven,H001061,www.hoeven.senate.gov,,,legacy,"12.18.17 Hoeven: Fargo Wins Georgetown University Energy Award, Will Help Establish $5 Million Energy Efficiency Project WASHINGTON Senator John Hoeven today issued the following statement after eFargo, the partnership between the City of Fargo and North Dakota State University (NDSU), won the Georgetown University Energy Prize. Among other things, Fargo will receive support in obtaining $5 million in financing for an energy efficiency project. The senator wrote in support of Fargos application in 2014. Congratulations to Fargo, NDSU and all of their partners on this tremendous achievement, Hoeven said. Weve worked hard over the years to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship, both in the Red River Valley and across the state. This award stands as a testament to the problem-solvers who are driving the future of our economy, and we thank everyone involved for their hard work. The award recognizes the significant energy savings achieved by the community and its partners. The efforts arising out of the universitys challenge will be used to develop innovative energy efficiency plans that can be replicated across the nation, helping to reduce energy costs for individuals, families and businesses. The award dovetails with Hoevens work to establish the state as a hub of technology entrepreneurship and innovation. At his 2017 State of Technology Conference, Hoeven stressed how technology is the third wave in North Dakotas economic growth and is bringing new opportunities to the states core industries, including energy development. The senator showcased local, innovative projects like Project Tundra, theAllam Cycle and Red Trail Energys project to reduce the emissions from its ethanol plant in Richardton which will allow greater energy production with better environmental stewardship. As a member of the Senate Energy and Energy Appropriations Committees, Hoeven continues to support these efforts and is working to ensure the final Fiscal Year 2018 funding bill provides adequate funding for carbon capture and sequestration programs. -###- Print Email Tweet Next Article Previous Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.hoeven.senate.gov/news/news-releases/hoeven-thune-amendment-fixes-tax-provision-for-cooperatives,Hoeven-Thune Amendment Fixes Tax Provision for Cooperatives,2017-12-16,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,ND,John Hoeven,H001061,www.hoeven.senate.gov,,,legacy,"12.16.17 Hoeven-Thune Amendment Fixes Tax Provision for Cooperatives Senators Secure Language in Tax Relief Legislation WASHINGTON Senator John Hoeven (R-N.D.) announced that his amendment to maintain the fair tax treatment of cooperatives, which he authored with Senator John Thune (R-S.D.), has been included in the conference committees final tax relief package. The elimination of Section 199 in Congress draft tax bills presented a significant problem for cooperatives, threatening to increase their taxes and leading to higher costs for their members. The Hoeven-Thune language included in the final bill fixes this provision, ensuring cooperatives in North Dakota and across the nation will benefit from Congress tax relief legislation. We worked hard to ensure the final tax relief legislation provided certainty for cooperatives and treated them fairly, Hoeven said. Cooperatives provide vital services for our communities and agriculture producers and fill an important role in our economy. I appreciate Senator Thune, as well as our colleagues in the Senate and the House, for working with us to secure this important provision for our cooperatives. I look forward to advancing this and the rest of our tax relief legislation to help grow our economy and benefit middle-class Americans, workers, small businesses, farmers and ranchers. Throughout the debate on tax reform, Senator John Hoeven has worked tirelessly to ensure that farmers and their co-ops were treated fairly. In particular, the Senator recognized early on that the elimination of the Section 199 deduction threatened to raise the tax burden of many producers and cooperatives. The provisions that he and Senator John Thune were able to secure in the bill will, we believe, keep money in the pockets of family farmers across the country at a time when low commodity prices mean that every penny counts. We strongly support this bill and thank Senator Hoeven for his leadership.Chuck Conner, President & CEO of the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives Tom Astrup, President and CEO of American Crystal Sugar Company, applauds Senator Hoeven for his hard work on behalf of family farmers. Senator Hoeven fought effectively to craft a good alternative to Section 199, the Domestic Production Activity Deduction, which is eliminated under the tax bill. We think the alternative will continue to provide important job creating incentives to rural America, which is extremely important given this challenging period for the farm economy. Senator Hoevens leadership in the tax reform debate means that CHS membersboth farmers and local co-opswill continue to be engines of economic activity in North Dakota and across the territory we serve. The Section 199 deduction helped to create jobs and broaden the tax base in many rural communities and the loss of the deduction would have had impacts far beyond agriculture. Senator Hoeven has prevented that scenario through his efforts to make the new tax code work for co-ops and their members. On behalf of CHS and our farmer-owners, I would like to thank him for being a champion of agriculture. Jay Debertin, President & CEO of CHS Inc. Land OLakes and our members thank Senator Hoeven today for his dedication to making the tax reform package work for family farmers and the co-ops they own. Senator Hoeven led the effort to ensure that eliminating the Section 199 deduction does not have the unintended consequence of raising taxes on producers during hard times across the countryside. The provisions included in the final package will offset the loss of this deduction, we believe, and help encourage job creation and growth across rural America.Chris Policinski, President & CEO of Land OLakes, Inc. Congressman Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) worked to gather support for the Hoeven amendment in the House of Representatives, along with Congresswoman Kristi Noem (R-S.D.) and Chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture, Mike Conaway (R-Texas).Other cosponsors of Hoevens amendment in the Senate included Senators Cory Gardner (R-Colo.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), James Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Tom Cotton (R-Texas) and Steve Daines (R-Mont.). -###- Print Email Tweet Previous Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://cramer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cramer-statement-on-release-of-final-tax-bill-to-be-voted-on-next-week,CRAMER: Statement on Release of Final Tax Bill to be Voted on Next Week,2017-12-15,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,ND,Kevin Cramer,C001096,cramer.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congressman Kevin Cramer issued the following statement after the House and Senate Conference Committee on tax reform released the final version of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, a bill providing the most significant tax reform since 1986: Without question, the final version of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act released tonight will save Americans thousands of dollars in taxes. Farmers will save money; local businesses will save money; young working families will save money; single individuals will save money; nearly everyone in America will keep more of their hard-earned money. This is a win for the American people, and people should expect to see more money in their paychecks beginning February 2018. Read the summary of the bill here.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://cramer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cramer-supports-privacy-policy-notification-bill-modernizing-regulations,Cramer Supports Privacy Policy Notification Bill Modernizing Regulations For Auto Lenders,2017-12-15,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,ND,Kevin Cramer,C001096,cramer.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. Congressman Kevin Cramer supported a bill this week simplifying the privacy policy requirements for finance institutions making auto loans. H.R. 2396, the Privacy Notification Technical Clarification Act, eliminates the requirement for auto financial companies to mail physical copies of their annual privacy notifications. The bill allows institutions to include their privacy policy electronically or on the billing statement. It does not modify privacy policies that are in place or the requirement for financial institutions to disclose them, but it streamlines the process of keeping consumers updated in a resourceful process. Oftentimes, these financial institutions do not make changes to their privacy policies, but are still required to mail hundreds of pages of information. The legislation passed by the House reduces the redundant and unclear information being sent to consumers, and brings attention to important announcements a financial provider would send physically. Being able to request and view your lending privacy policy online is a commonsense solution to the unnecessary amount of mail folks are receiving, said Cramer. This bill corrects a practice that bombards consumers with unnecessary mailers, and removes this nonsensical regulation that has hurt auto lenders and community financial institutions. In the 114th Congress, the House passed the Eliminate Privacy Notice Confusion Act so unchanged privacy policies do not require distribution. H.R. 2396 awaits action in the Senate.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/op-eds?ContentRecord_id=25181411-4E57-4C68-9037-E83649485998,Bipartisanship Makes Better Policy,2017-12-15,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,ND,Heidi Heitkamp,H001069,www.heitkamp.senate.gov,,,legacy,"These days, Congress is far too often a place of partisanship and grandstanding. Its apparent with the hastily written tax reform bill that is being pushed through Congress which would explode our countrys debt. But during my time in the U.S. Senate, Ive found that if I seek out Republicans and Democrats who really want to work together to find solutions, we can reach results that support North Dakota and the country. In rural America, you can buy a $60,000 pickup truck with a piece of paper, but you have to jump through hoops to buy a $40,000 house. Thats in part because mortgage regulations designed for big banks are harming small community lenders, which most North Dakotans rely on for their banking. This is just one example of how one-size-fits-all regulation hurts rural states like North Dakota. In fact, over the past several years, the number of small community lenders has declined across the country especially in rural areas as they struggle to keep up with new onerous regulations that dont make sense for their business models. By trying to fix too big to fail, weve in many ways created too small to succeed. Thats why Ive been working with Republicans and Democrats to find commonsense solutions to help rural communities like those across North Dakota get ahead. Specifically, over the past several years Ive worked with a small bipartisan group of lawmakers to construct a regulatory relief proposal for community banks and credit unions so they can better serve farmers, small businesses, and families across our state. It was crafted with input from outside experts and after more than two dozen hearings in the Senate Banking Committee. The result is a bill that already has strong bipartisan support from 11 Democrats, 11 Republicans and one Independent, which means it has a good chance to pass and a good chance to make lasting, needed change. It would enable small businesses to get financing to operate, help farmers get loans to support their farms, and help families get loans or mortgages to buy homes. It would also protect your credit by providing extended fraud alerts and free, unlimited, credit freezes. If youre a veteran, a credit bureau would be required to provide free credit monitoring services and they would be prohibited from including paid off or settled medical debt in your credit report. And if you rent your home, youll have added protections from foreclosures. The bill aims to fix overly burdensome regulations that were meant to protect our economy from risky behavior by our nations biggest banks, but have unintentionally hurt small lenders that North Dakotans rely on. If it comes up for a vote in the new year, it has enough support to pass. The thoughtful, bipartisan way we worked on this bill stands in stark contrast to the Republican tax reform bill. As North Dakotas former tax commissioner, Ive been eager to work with Republicans and Democrats on tax reform that supports workers, families, and retirees, while growing the economy and staying fiscally responsible. After holding listening sessions across North Dakota, having many discussions with top White House officials including the president, and trying to change this bill so it supports working families, this bill was crafted behind closed doors with only Republican support. And it shows. It will add more than $1 trillion on our countrys credit card which will be handed to our children and grandchildren. And it tries to buy off middle income families for almost nothing, while the wealthy get richer at their expense. Its bad for North Dakotans, our economy, and our future. Its up to Congress to set a responsible path forward for our country, but the tax reform bill is bad business. Its about a partisan political win, but the detrimental impacts of it will be felt across North Dakota and the country at a time we should be rallying around ideas to boost our economy. If Republican leaders want to make lasting, positive changes to our tax code that actually benefit middle income Americans, they should take a page from our bipartisan effort to provide regulatory relief so families, farmers, and small businesses can get ahead. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=2846CF42-EEBD-4EF8-AE1E-93B0E6F92765,"Heitkamp, Capito, Whitehouse, Barrasso Push for Passage of Bipartisan Carbon Capture Technology Bill",2017-12-15,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,ND,Heidi Heitkamp,H001069,www.heitkamp.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Senators Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and John Barrasso (R-WY) are pushing Senate leadership to include the FUTURE Act, their bipartisan bill to encourage technological innovation in carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS) while also reducing carbon emissions, in any year-end legislation to extend expiring tax provisions. Theirbipartisan legislationwould support maintaining a place in our energy mix for existing resources like coal and natural gas by encouraging development and use of carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) technologies and processeswhile also spurring adoption of low-carbon technologies to transform carbon pollution into useable products. Heitkamp and Whitehouse firstintroduced the bill in July 2016. Since then, they have worked with Capito and Barrasso, and others, to build out bipartisan support among more progressive Democratic senators and more conservative Republican senators. Awide cross-sectionof coal companies, utilities, environmental groups, and labor organizationsalso support the bill, reinforcing a willingness from all sides to come together and seek bipartisan solutions. We need more bipartisanship in this town, and this bill is proof that good ideas bridge political divides, Heitkamp said. Encouraging innovation in energy is critical to North Dakota jobs, and this bill will jump-start the innovation needed to give our nation a strong, affordable, and diverse energy mix that includes North Dakota coal. Including the FUTURE Act in a tax extenders package and ultimately in a must-pass bill in the near future would be a win for an all-of-the-above energy strategy and an investment in American energy jobs. Capito said, America is poised to lead the world in developing low-carbon technologies that will drive economic growth. Along with the broad coalition that supports this bill, it is my hope that the FUTURE Act will be included in any end-of-year legislation to extend expiring tax provisions. Turning carbon pollution into something useful ought to be part of our strategy to fight climate change. Our bipartisan bill would put a price on carbon pollution and pay facilities for emissions they keep out of the atmosphere. It would also clear a path for businesses in Rhode Island and around the country that turn carbon pollution into useful products, said Whitehouse. We should put this bipartisan legislation to work for the American people. America is the worlds leader of carbon capture technology, and we want to keep it that way, said Barrasso. In Wyoming and across America, carbon capture and other clean energy sources create jobs and grow our economy. The bipartisan FUTURE Act will spur innovation in the coal industry and will help create new technologies that transform carbon emissions into a useful product. Click here to read the text of the letter. The senators bipartisan bill would extend and expand the 45Q tax credit to provide certainty to utilities and other industrial sources, and would incentivize the build-out of industrial carbon capture projects that plan to use CO2and CO for enhanced oil recovery and carbon utilizationthe conversion of carbon dioxide into useable products. The 45Q provision is an integral part of the tax code for incentivizing carbon capture. Carbon capture cannot take off on a large scale unless there is federal support to encourage investment and implementation of the technology through tax credits and other mechanisms, which this bill would provide. The bill would also provide a crucial lifeline to coal miners by providing a pathway to maintain coal as a part of our diverse energy mix, doing so in a cleaner way, and reinforcing bipartisan support for standing up for these workers and their communities. In addition to extending 45Q, the bill would strengthen support for carbon capture technologies by increasing the commence construction window for carbon capture projects from five to seven years and by increasing the number of years to claim the credits from 10 to 12 years. Cosponsors of the bill include U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO), Roy Blunt (R-MO), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Bob Casey (D-PA), Thad Cochran (R-MS), Chris Coons (D-DE), Joe Donnelly (D-IN), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Al Franken (D-MN), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Gary Peters (D-MI), Rob Portman (R-OH), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Jon Tester (D-MT), and Mark Warner (D-VA). Background: Heitkamps work to find a realistic path forward for coal builds on her more than a decade of experience on the board of directors of Dakota Gasification, the one-of-a-kind synfuels plant in Beulah, N.D. During her service as North Dakotas Tax Commissioner, on the North Dakota Industrial Commission, and as the states Attorney General, Heitkamp was able to work on viable solutions to make sure coal remains a strong part of the North Dakotas energy mix. Since joining the Senate, Heitkamp has worked to finding a realistic path for clean coal by: Bringing together Democrats to urge strong CCUS funding, as presidents budget proposed cuts: In June,Heitkamp led a diverse group of 15 Democratic senatorsincluding liberal and conservative lawmakersin urging congressional appropriators to fund strong U.S. Department of Energy investments in carbon, capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) technologies, which are key to coals future. Thepresidents budget threatened to cut fundingfor the U.S. Energy Department Office of Fossil Energy by 55 percent, including funding cuts of at least 84 percent to CCUS programs. Such cuts would significantly hinder the advancement of CCUS technologies, which North Dakotas rural electric co-ops, coal workers, and ratepayers rely on to support a path forward for coal-fired power through clean coal research and development. Introducing major legislation in 2013 and 2015 to put coal on a viable path forward:Heitkampsbillwould incentivize companies to invest in technologies that reduce the carbon footprint of coal-fired power. This is done through federal funding programs, federal support for private investment, and recommendations to Congress that provide insight on how best to support future CCS projects in the U.S. In May 2015, Heitkamp and U.S. Senator Joe Manchin from West Virginia introduced aseries of billsto make sure coal remains part of Americas energy mix, incorporating Heitkamps bill. Convening industry, lawmakers, and academics to discuss path forward on coal:Heitkamp co-hosted aCoal Technology Symposiumon Capitol Hill in 2014 that brought together industry, lawmakers, experts and academics including the Energy and Environmental Research Center from Grand Forks. To a crowded room, Heitkamp laid out the importance of advancing realistic energy policies and discussed the vital role coal plays in providing affordable energy in North Dakota and around the country. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.hoeven.senate.gov/news/news-releases/hoeven-final-bill-provides-tax-relief-for-north-dakotans-small-businesses-farmers-and-ranchers-,"Hoeven: Final Bill Provides Tax Relief for North Dakotans, Small Businesses, Farmers and Ranchers",2017-12-15,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,ND,John Hoeven,H001061,www.hoeven.senate.gov,,,legacy,"12.15.17 Hoeven: Final Bill Provides Tax Relief for North Dakotans, Small Businesses, Farmers and Ranchers Legislation Cuts Taxes for Individuals, Families and Small Businesses WASHINGTON Senator John Hoeven issued the following statement after the Senate and House Conference Committee released the final tax relief legislation, which lowers rates across the board for individuals and families and provides relief for small businesses, farmers and ranchers. We worked hard to ensure that the tax relief bill works for North Dakota, said Hoeven. This legislation lowers rates across the board for individuals and families, enabling hard-working Americans to keep more of their paycheck. At the same time, it lowers rates and provides relief for small businesses, including our farmers and ranchers. This will enable us to grow our economy and create more jobs with higher wages. Tax relief, combined with regulatory relief, will empower the economy to grow and increase government revenues. The legislation does not cut spending to agriculture or other programs nor does it require across the board spending cuts due to paygo requirements. Though the paygo rules have been brought up as a concern, Senate and House leadership have committed to waive them if needed. Hoeven highlighted important provisions in the final tax plan, including: Cuts Tax Rates Across the Board for Hardworking Individuals and Families Provides a net tax cut of more than $2,059 for a median income family of four. Increases the standard deduction, which means that Americans will not be taxed on the first $12,000 of income for individuals, $24,000 for married couples and $18,000 for a single parent with dependents. 9 out of 10 taxpayers will likely use the expanded standard deduction. Doubles the Child Tax Credit to $2,000 per child Preserves the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit Continues tax deductions, including for: Student Loan Interest and Tuition Waivers. Medical Expenses Charitable Contributions Home Mortgage Interest Benefits to Small Businesses, Farmers and Ranchers For the first five years, allows full expensing or writing off the cost of new investments, which is phased down over an additional four year period. Expands the Section 179 expensing of equipment on a permanent basis. Doubles the estate tax exemption, while maintaining the step-up in basis for capital gains. Maintains interest deductibility as well as the property tax deduction for small businesses, farmers and ranchers. Additionally, during Senate debate on the bill, Hoeven worked to secure: Increasing the tax deduction to 20% for qualified pass-through income, which reduces the tax burden for small businesses set up as a partnerships or pass-through entities. Maintaining the state and local property tax deduction up to $10,000 for individuals and families. Maintaining the IC-DISC program, which enables small and medium businesses, including manufacturers, to reduce taxes on portions of their export income. Greater flexibility for implement and auto dealers to expense interest on inventory. The legislation includes a Hoeven amendment that exempts businesses with floor plan financing from the interest expense limitation, subject to further rules. Hoeven has been working to ensure tax reform works for North Dakota families and businesses. In November, the senator held roundtables in Bismarck and Fargo to gather input from North Dakotans. Hoeven has repeatedly spoken on the Senate floor to outline tax reform priorities. Additionally, earlier this fall, the senator held a series of roundtable discussions in Minot, Grand Forks and Bismarck with the North Dakota small businesses and farmers and ranchers to gather input. -###- Print Email Tweet Next Article Previous Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://cramer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cramer-time-for-congress-to-enact-bipartisan-net-neutrality-legislation,CRAMER: Time for Congress to Enact Bipartisan Net Neutrality Legislation,2017-12-14,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,ND,Kevin Cramer,C001096,cramer.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Kevin Cramer issued the following statement after the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) today voted to restore internet freedom by reclassifying the internet under the same light touch regulatory framework developed during the Clinton Administration: “This has gone on long enough, it’s time for Republicans and Democrats to enact permanent net neutrality legislation in Congress. Contrary to what the left is saying, the world is not going to end and your access to the internet was never in danger. From mass hysteria to bomb threats and even naming of FCC commissioners’ children online, the rhetoric over poorly named ‘net neutrality’ rules has turned into a dangerous political mudslinging match. Ironically, Republicans and Democrats actually agree on most principles surrounding net neutrality. I support a free and open internet and want to ensure consumers and small businesses have the same opportunities that larger companies such as Google and Netflix have. Where we disagree is on the regulatory framework to enforce these rules. As a former utility regulator, I know exactly how Title II utility regulation affects companies. It was established to give the government more control over monopoly-style companies like Ma Bell telephone. Putting these same regulations on our very competitive internet market stifles broadband investment and punishes small broadband providers who lack the resources and lawyers to deal with government red tape. That’s terrible for the consumer – especially considering we still lack adequate broadband coverage for 23 million Americans. Moving forward, we have a tremendous opportunity to hit the reset button. In the previous Congress, Republicans made multiple attempts to work with Democrats on codifying principles that ensure net neutrality. We stand ready to get back to work on net neutrality legislation, but we’ll need Democrats to work with us to get things across the finish line.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=15B6F8E6-8A15-4CF8-A709-884106C2EA2A,Heitkamp Raises Concerns over FCC Decision to Roll Back Net Neutrality Protections,2017-12-14,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,ND,Heidi Heitkamp,H001069,www.heitkamp.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Heidi expressed her disappointment with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) decision to roll back net neutrality rules that makes sure that internet service providers (ISP) maintain fair, open, and equal access to the internet. “The decision by the FCC to roll back net neutrality protections is extremely disappointing,” said Heitkamp. “Having high-speed internet is no longer a luxury, today it’s a necessity. Each of us uses the internet daily to pay our bills, take online classes, and make routine purchases. Having strong net neutrality protections would have kept the internet on a level playing field to help allow start-up businesses to compete with large corporations and rural communities to access affordable internet service. It’s an issue of fairness. The FCC’s actions will ultimately undermine these safeguards. Going forward, I will monitor how internet service providers alter the way the internet is offered and work to find realistic solutions so that the internet can continue to thrive as an open and free platform for everyone.” Earlier this week, Heitkamp expressed to FCC Chairman Ajit Pai her strong concerns about the changes to net neutrality rules. In the letter, Heitkamp requested that the Commission provide her office with a briefing on how these changes will impact small business that rely on the internet to reach consumers and folks in rural America who often have only one option to purchase internet service from. Heitkamp has also raised concerns over how the public comment period was administered. This process allows individuals to provide their thoughts and opinions prior to preparation of the final rule. In a recent analysis, of the almost 22 million comments provided, the Pew Research Center found that 57 percent were submitted using temporary or duplicate e-mail addresses. This duplication raises serious concerns regarding the authenticity of the comments, a benchmark to measure the opinions and thoughts of the American public. Heitkamp is urging the FCC Commissioner to conduct an internal investigation to identify and highlight vulnerabilities in the FCC’s public comment portal, and to recommend updates to improve authentication and validation processes. As a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, Heitkamp has heard concerns from small business owners in North Dakota about the impact of repealing net neutrality protections. Many small businesses use the internet to sell their products, develop their brands, and some develop technology exclusively to be used online. If small businesses have to leverage more financial resources just to compete on an equal playing field as larger more established businesses, it could hurt these small businesses, and lead less economic activity and less job growth. As a founding member of the U.S. Senate Broadband Caucus, Heitkamp has been pushing for bipartisan solutions that would connect every North Dakota family, business, and school to high-speed internet. Last year, she brought FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel to North Dakota to see firsthand how rural areas are impacted by a lack of access to high-speed internet, and she has discussed the issue in multiple meetings with the president.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=C0AEAF5A-5459-4B98-B61D-EA00D08889D7,"Heitkamp, Cornyn Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Prioritize Transitional Housing for Domestic Violence Victims",2017-12-14,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,ND,Heidi Heitkamp,H001069,www.heitkamp.senate.gov,,,legacy,"51.5 Percent of Victims Nationwide who need Emergency Housing do not Receive it WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) and John Cornyn (R-TX) today introduced a bipartisan bill that would direct the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to increase transitional housing support for victims of domestic violence. According to North Dakota Council on Abused Women’s Services (CAWS North Dakota) Executive Director Janelle Moos, federal funds urgently needed for transitional housing have been shifted to other HUD housing programs in recent years, which has limited the scope of survivor-focused transitional housing and has endangered the safety of victims who face economic barriers in finding alternative housing. In one survey, 51.5 percent of U.S. domestic violence victims who sought housing services did not receive them, meaning they may have been forced to stay in or return to an abusive environment. Heitkamp and Cornyn’s bipartisan Help End Abusive Living Situations (HEALS) Act would prioritize funding for domestic violence victims’ transitional housing, increase flexibility in transitional housing programs in communities so that victims can get back on their feet, direct HUD to research more housing options to support victims of domestic violence, and bring attention to the ways transitional housing can provide safety for at-risk families and meet the trauma needs of victims. “When I talk with the folks who provide critical intervention services to victims of domestic violence, the most important issue is often victims’ need for immediate, safe refuge and supportive services that recognize the trauma they have experienced,” said Heitkamp. “By diverting funding away from transitional housing, the federal government has been inadvertently forcing communities to shutter transitional housing facilities, sometimes leaving victims of domestic violence without a safe alternative. Our bipartisan bill would fix this problem by helping to level the field for transitional housing and encouraging housing options that best support survivors — so that women and children have the residential stability to permanently escape their abusers. We must continue working to stop the spread of family violence to keep our communities strong and safe, and this bill is a step forward  in making sure victims receive the housing, safety, and trauma support they need to begin the process of healing and recovery.” “Far too many bureaucratic hurdles stand between victims of domestic violence and access to safe housing,” said Cornyn. “This bill starts to break down those barriers by prioritizing funding for and increasing flexibility of transitional housing programs so survivors can focus on getting back on their feet instead of fearing how long they’ll have a roof over their head.  I thank the many non-profits in Texas that support domestic violence victims, without whose input and support this bill would not be possible, and I urge my colleagues to join this bipartisan, common-sense effort to help victims of domestic violence.” “Many domestic violence survivors need the supportive services transitional housing offers to get them back on their feet and out of the cycle of poverty, trauma, and homelessness. However, funds have been diverted from transitional housing in recent years, which has disproportionately and negatively impacted survivors in North Dakota by decreasing victim-specific housing programs,” said CAWS North Dakota Executive Director Janelle Moos. “Providers shouldn’t have to choose between losing funding and cutting supportive services, and our communities need to have the autonomy to choose which homelessness interventions work best for their community members. That’s why the HEALS Act is so important and why I greatly appreciate Senator Heitkamp’s work to introduce it and to continue to stand up for domestic violence survivors, as she has done throughout her career.” Specifically, the HEALS Act would: Level the playing field in the HUD scoring process for transitional housing that serves domestic violence victims. Alter HUD’s selection criteria for community transitional housing providers to include evaluating an organization’s success in addressing the effects of domestic violence. Guarantee an avenue for defunded transitional housing programs to reapply for federal funding and allow programs to receive the assistance and technical support they need. Initiate research on the best housing approaches for survivors of domestic abuse and assault, taking the impact on trauma into consideration. Nationally, the HEALS Act has received support from the National Network to End Domestic Violence, the National Domestic Violence Hotline, and the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. Across North Dakota, transitional housing providers have described increased requests for emergency residential options, emphasizing why HUD must recognize the benefits of transitional housing and find a better method of funding these critical services. On just one day in 2016, 80 percent of unmet requests for emergency domestic violence services in North Dakota were related to housing. “In the Grand Forks community, we’ve seen an uptick in the number of victims of family violence needing emergency shelter. Lack of funding is an issue we constantly face, and the need for trauma-informed housing and services for these victims and families cannot be underestimated,” said Community Violence Intervention Center (CVIC) President/CEO Kristi Hall-Jiran. “As someone who sees the effects of sustained trauma on a daily basis, I know that the HEALS Act would be a critical step in addressing this need and preventing victims from being further trapped in a cycle of abuse. I want to thank Senator Heitkamp for continuing to be a leader on the issue of domestic violence in four state and for introducing this important bill.” Heitkamp has long worked to support transitional housing for victims and bring greater attention to domestic violence and trauma in North Dakota communities. In October 2017 as part of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Heitkamp toured the Minot Domestic Violence Crisis Center and helped present additional funding for its transitional housing facilities.  And in January 2015, Heitkamp and Grand Forks Police Chief Mark Nelson toured the CVIC in Grand Forks to see firsthand the innovative and collaborative programs it has implemented to support survivors, counsel abusers, and combat domestic violence in the region. In the U.S. Senate, Heitkamp has built on her work as North Dakota’s Attorney General to combat domestic violence and stop those who seek to harm adults and children. One of the first bills she co-sponsored was the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), which she then played a major role in pushing through Congress in 2013. Heitkamp worked to include a key provision in VAWA to address the continuing crisis of violence against women in tribal communities. The provision strengthens the existing programs and provides tribal governments the force they need to prosecute non-Indian perpetrators who commit these crimes on tribal land. In August, Heitkamp’s bipartisan legislation to combat domestic violence by promoting pro-bono legal services for victims unanimously passed the Senate. In 2014, Heitkamp launched her Strong & Safe Communities Initiative to address emerging challenges in the state – including a rise in domestic violence – in the wake of the oil and gas boom. In 2016, Heitkamp released her Strong & Safe Communities Report offering a comprehensive set of proposals to address challenges facing North Dakota, including solutions on domestic violence and trauma and a host of other issues facing the state. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.hoeven.senate.gov/news/news-releases/hoeven-working-to-streamline-federal-permits-for-energy-development,Hoeven Working to Streamline Federal Permits for Energy Development,2017-12-13,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,ND,John Hoeven,H001061,www.hoeven.senate.gov,,,legacy,"12.13.17 Hoeven Working to Streamline Federal Permits for Energy Development Senator Invites Interior Official to North Dakota to Meet with Local Energy Industry on APD Delays, See Reclamation Practices Firsthand WASHINGTON During a hearing of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee this week, Senator John Hoeven outlined the need to streamline the federal permitting process for energy development. Hoeven stressed that delays in the permit process drive energy producers to avoid projects involving federal lands and mineral rights, adding cost to their operations and depriving the federal government of much-needed revenue. Hoeven highlighted his legislation, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Mineral Spacing Act, which would direct BLM to establish a pilot program to waive the requirement for a federal permit when less than 50 percent of subsurface minerals are owned or held in trust by the federal government and there is no federal surface land. This would help free up BLMs staff and resources and address the backlog of applications for permit to drill (APD) on federal lands. Jim Cason, Associate Deputy Secretary at the U.S. Department of Interior, committed to work with Hoeven on this legislation and advance solutions to streamline APDs. The delays in federal permitting impose increased costs on energy producers and consumers, while also reducing royalties to mineral holders, including the government, Hoeven said. Our legislation would give control back to majority mineral rights holders and allow BLM to better focus on its surface acres. That means BLM can get more done with greater efficiency and the federal government will have access to increased revenues. I appreciate Mr. Cason for agreeing to work with us on this legislation, which aligns with our broader effort to provide regulatory relief for all of our energy producers. In addition, Hoeven invited Cason to North Dakota to meet with the states energy industry on the permit delays and learn firsthand about the benefits of a state-led regulatory approach. Hoeven cited the success of the states lignite coal industry and its land reclamation practices, which have been consistently recognized for their excellence by federal agencies. Hoeven said such practices stand as an example of how state primacy in regulations helps provide certainty for producers and a more timely permit process while ensuring good environmental outcomes. The hearing comes as part of Hoevens efforts to support robust energy development for the nation, which creates good paying jobs and generates revenues for local, state and federal government. To this end, Hoeven is working to advance regulatory relief for the nations energy developers, including: Stopping the Waters of the U.S. RuleHoeven worked through the Appropriations Committee to defund the regulation in 2016 and 2017. EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recentlyissueda proposal to restore the regulations that were in place prior to WOTUS, which was issued in 2015. This is the first of two steps established by the executive ordersignedby the president in February. Repealing the Stream Buffer Rule Hoeven helped introduce and pass legislation torescindthe one-size-fits-all Stream Buffer Rule, which was primarily based on mining practices in the Appalachian region and threatened to eliminate thousands of mining jobs. Rolling Back Burdensome Regulations Hoeven joined the President and Interior Secretary to implement executive orders and begin rolling back regulations that hamper domestic energy production, including the EPAs costly rules for coal-generating power plants, BLMs hydraulic fracturing rule for federal lands, BLMs methane rule and the moratorium on federal coal leasing. The senator also cosponsored and voted for a resolution to repeal the BLM methane rule, for which the administration has proposed a three-year delay while it works to review and rescind the rule. Rescinding BLM Planning 2.0 Hoeven cosponsored and helped pass a resolution under the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to repeal the rule. Thismaintainedmultiple-use requirements for federal lands, including energy development. -###- Print Email Tweet Next Article Previous Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://cramer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cramer-house-passes-resolution-reaffirming-strategic-partnership-between,Cramer: House Passes Resolution Reaffirming Strategic Partnership Between U.S. & Canada,2017-12-12,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,ND,Kevin Cramer,C001096,cramer.house.gov,,,legacy,"​WASHINGTON, D.C. – Ccongressman Kevin Cramer supported a resolution approved today by voice vote, which recognizes the importance of the United States’ partnership with Canada. Cramer, a co-chair of the House Northern Border Caucus, was an original cosponsor of the resolution. “Canada is one of our strongest allies and friends, and I’m happy to see the House of Representatives double down on supporting our northern neighbor” said Cramer. “Through our strategic partnerships on national security, energy, agriculture, and other bilateral trade deals, having Canada by our side makes North America stronger as a whole, and I look forward to an even stronger relationship in the future.” H. Res. 357 reaffirms the strong relationship between the U.S. and Canada, and recognizes that it has advanced U.S. national interests and urges increased cooperation on security, energy and economic issues. The resolution supports stronger trade relations, and encourages grater security collaboration in defense, border security, cyber security, and Arctic security.  Finally, the resolution calls for an increased focus on energy security through greater energy infrastructure integration. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://cramer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cramer-statement-on-president-trump-signing-national-defense,CRAMER: Statement on President Trump Signing National Defense Authorization Act,2017-12-12,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,ND,Kevin Cramer,C001096,cramer.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Kevin Cramer issued the following statement after President Trump today signed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) in to law: “I’m pleased to see this defense bill signed by the President become law today. During times of instability around the world and in countries like North Korea and Iran, it’s important to show the globe that the United States will always speak from a position of strength. The NDAA shows our continued strength while also authorizing the largest pay raise for our troops in eight years and supporting North Dakota’s military missions. Now it is important we pass a defense appropriation bill that reflects the same policies.” ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=5CCD64D3-379A-4355-A5E0-DE975D6A5B0F,Heitkamp Announces Federal Funds to Help Families Facing Tough Times Get Back on their Feet,2017-12-12,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,ND,Heidi Heitkamp,H001069,www.heitkamp.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp, a member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, announced two federal grants totaling over $215,000 to help families in public housing find ways to support themselves so they are able to live independent lives. “At the end of the day, all families want a safe and secure home that they are able to afford for themselves and their children,” said Heitkamp. “These federal funds will help give those in need a helping hand to get back on their feet.” The federal grants are distributed as follows: Fargo Housing and Redevelopment Authority: $110,836 The Housing Authority of the City of Grand Forks: $104,899 These federal funds are made available through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Family Self-Sufficiency Program. This program assists families living in public housing to increase their own income through a coordinated effort that addresses the need of childcare, financial literacy, home ownership, and employment assistance.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=78C8B4EF-F52D-4FE7-A646-794B32D3E26B,President Signs Bipartisan Defense Bill Heitkamp Helped Pass,2017-12-12,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,ND,Heidi Heitkamp,H001069,www.heitkamp.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp released the following statement after President Trump signed bipartisan defense legislation Heitkamp helped pass to authorize U.S. Department of Defense funding levels and set our nation’s defense policy, which includes several key provisions Heitkamp pushed for to support North Dakota’s defense installations and jobs. “Today is a win for North Dakota’s military installations, as well as our government’s ability to consistently support our nation’s servicemembers and defense operations,” said Heitkamp. “The military plays such a vital role in our state, whether it’s in keeping us safe or boosting our economy. This strong, bipartisan defense bill provides our military with the resources, technology, and training it needs to protect American families, and it provides North Dakota reservists with the health care they earned through their service. In the face of North Korean aggression, it was also encouraging that my provision to reinforce our nation’s commitment to our Pacific allies was signed into law. To address emerging global threats, this legislation recognizes that many of North Dakota’s key defense capabilities require upgrades, such as the B-52 bombers, ICBMs, and UH-1N helicopters. I’ll continue pushing for these modernization efforts, and I will not stop fighting for North Dakota’s service men and women and defense communities.” Heitkamp helped pass an earlier version of the bill in September, and she successfully pushed for several provisions to support North Dakota by: Defending against the North Korea threat: Heitkamp’s amendment reassures our allies of America’s steadfast commitment to protecting against the North Korea nuclear threat. As North Korea continues to threaten regional stability and peace with its missile and nuclear weapons tests, Heitkamp’s amendment makes clear that the United States stands ready to provide its full range of capabilities in the defense of our allies.   Helping veterans join the workforce: The legislation encourages the expansion of a Department of Defense program known as SkillBridge, a key provision of legislation Heitkamp introduced, to allow service members to participate in an internship at a federal agency during their final 180 days of service, giving them skills to help them succeed in the workforce.  Boosting Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) research: The bill encourages the military to use facilities such as the Northern Plains UAS Test Site in Grand Forks to research and develop capabilities to defend against the threat that unmanned aircraft could pose to military installations like those in North Dakota. Heitkamp has long advocated to expand and strengthen Grand Forks’ UAS mission.   Heitkamp, a cofounder of the bipartisan Senate Defense Communities Caucus, also successfully fought to include several provisions that help bolster North Dakota’s defense efforts by: ·Modernizing our nuclear capabilities. The legislation includes support for B-52 squadrons and ICBM squadrons, and also extends special pay and bonus authorities for nuclear officers. This is an important step forward in Heitkamp’s years-long efforts to bolster critical nuclear deterrence missions. ·Protecting our missile fields. The bill urges the Secretary of the Air Force to expedite procurement of replacement UH-1N aircraft, used to protect our missile fields. For years, Heitkamp has pushed for the replacement of the aging UH-1N helicopters, and sent a letter to Defense Secretary Mattis pressing the need for replacement earlier this year. ·Supporting RQ-4 Global Hawks. Recognizing the critical importance of the missions performed by Grand Forks Air Force Base’s Global Hawks, Heitkamp pushed to secure funding and long-term support for the RQ-4 Global Hawk aircraft. The final bill notes that the Global Hawks are essential for providing warfighters with the intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance they need and should remain in the Air Force inventory as long as they provide such unique capabilities. Heitkamp has long-supported the Global Hawks mission. ·Authorizing an Indoor Firing Range at Minot Air Force Base. This funding will enable the Air Force to build a fully-enclosed firing range to ensure that airmen can complete their arms training in safe conditions. A new range will reduce air quality concerns, provide higher quality training with lower maintenance costs and ensure the range is available regardless of winter weather conditions. The new facility would provide greater capacity than the current range, consolidating four existing buildings into one fully-enclosed firing range. ·Strengthening our missile defense in the face of the North Korean threat. Following her October 2016 Asia-Pacific fact-finding trip focused on ballistic missile defense, Heitkamp pushed to enhance defenses against emerging North Korean ballistic missile threats. The National Defense Authorization Act includes several provisions to bolster our defenses, including authorizing more interceptors. ·Supporting reservists. The bill includes a provision Heitkamp supported to allow deployed Reserve Component members to receive pre-mobilization and transitional TRICARE health care. This is another step forward to support reservists like the North Dakotan’s currently deployed to Washington, D.C., after Heitkamp helped pass the Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act earlier this year. ·Enhancing Asia-Pacific Stability.  To further strengthen U.S. posture to deal with North Korea as well as threats from China, the legislation calls for the expansion of exercises, investments in infrastructure, and additional U.S. military presence in Asia, as Heitkamp called for in a letter to Defense Secretary Mattis.   ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.hoeven.senate.gov/news/news-releases/hoeven-announces-nearly-216000-in-hud-grants-to-support-family-self-sufficiency-in-the-red-river-valley,"Hoeven Announces Nearly $216,000 in HUD Grants to Support Family Self-Sufficiency in the Red River Valley",2017-12-12,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,ND,John Hoeven,H001061,www.hoeven.senate.gov,,,legacy,"12.12.17 Hoeven Announces Nearly $216,000 in HUD Grants to Support Family Self-Sufficiency in the Red River Valley WASHINGTON Senator John Hoeven, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, today announced that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has awarded two grants totaling $215,735 to housing agencies in the Red River Valley. The funds are made available through HUDs Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) program and will be used to coordinate services, such as job training, child care and financial literacy, to help families and individuals increase their income and reduce the need for rental assistance and other support programs. The details of the awards are as follows: Fargo Housing and Redevelopment Authority - $110,836 Grand Forks Housing Authority - $104,899 These awards will help families in Fargo and Grand Forks access opportunities, like a better job and permanent housing, that will give them a stronger financial footing, Hoeven said. -###- Print Email Tweet Next Article Previous Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.hoeven.senate.gov/news/news-releases/hoeven-president-signs-defense-authorization-into-law,Hoeven: President Signs Defense Authorization into Law,2017-12-12,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,ND,John Hoeven,H001061,www.hoeven.senate.gov,,,legacy,"12.12.17 Hoeven: President Signs Defense Authorization into Law Bill Supports North Dakota Missions & Troops, Includes Hoeven UAS Pilot Amendment WASHINGTON Senator John Hoeven today issued the following statement after the president signed into law the Fiscal Year 2018 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The legislation provides strong support for North Dakotas defense missions, helps modernize the nations nuclear deterrent and improves pay and benefits for the troops, including authorizing health care benefits for Guard members deployed on pre-planned missions. Additionally, Hoeven included a provision enabling National Guard unmanned aircraft pilots to receive timely training from civilian contractors, like General Atomics, which has an unmanned aerial systems (UAS) training facility at Grand Sky Technology Park. The president has now signed into law the National Defense Authorization Act, which provides strong support for the military missions in North Dakota, as well as the pay and benefits our men and women in uniform deserve, said Hoeven. The legislation also includes our provision to enable UAS pilot in the National Guard to train using facilities like Grand Sky Technology Park. North Dakota plays a vital role in our national defense strategy with our nuclear deterrent in Minot to the UAS intelligence and targeting in Grand Forks. This legislation authorizes tools and funding to support these missions. Support for North Dakota Missions Authorizes nearly $300 million for the Global Hawk, including the RQ-4 Global Hawk program at Grand Forks Air Force Base. $108.6 million in authorized funding for the Air Force to replace the UH-1N Huey helicopter that provides security for the intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) located around Minot Air Force Base. $586 million authorized to sustain the existing fleet of ICBMs and $215.7 million for the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent program to develop a replacement for the existing Minuteman III. Authorizes $221.4 million for upgrades to the B-52 and $451 million for the Long Range Stand Off (LRSO) missile to replace the aging Air Launched Cruise Missile carried on the B-52. Hoevens amendment authorizes the National Guard to send unmanned aircraft pilots to a civilian contractor for training if the Air Force lacks the capacity to train pilots in a timely fashion. The amendment ensures that pilots are able to train using UAS training academies, like those at Grand Sky Technology Park, adjacent to Grand Forks Air Force Base. Hoeven played a key role in bringing Northrop Grumman and General Atomics to Grand Sky to establish these training facilities. Support for the Troops Authorizes a 2.4 percent across-the-board pay raise for members of the uniformed services. Authorizes health care benefits for members of the National Guard who are deployed for pre-planned operations. This will help members of the North Dakota Guard who deploy to Washington, DC as part of Operation Noble Eagle. Hoeven has sponsored legislation that addresses these benefits. -###- Print Email Tweet Next Article Previous Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=2A005F2E-6D65-49D0-8C4D-2503CAC86FA1,Heitkamp Successfully Presses USGS to Conduct New Study of Oil & Gas in Bakken Region,2017-12-11,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,ND,Heidi Heitkamp,H001069,www.heitkamp.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp today said that a decision by U.S. Geologic Survey (USGS) to conduct an updated assessment of oil and gas resources in the Bakken Formation and Three Forks Formation is a needed step, which comes after she pressed USGS to take such action. Last week, Heitkamp called on USGS Acting Director William Werkheiser to conduct a more updated assessment of the region as the last assessment was completed in 2013. Until the decision by USGS today, the next assessment wasn’t supposed to take place until 2020. Heitkamp made the case that USGS should conduct an assessment sooner than 2020 because past assessments reinforced that dramatically more oil and natural gas were available at the time because of updated technologies. “After pressing USGS to move up its timeline, it’s encouraging the agency is going to conduct a new assessment of oil and natural gas in the western part of the state sooner than it had planned,” said Heitkamp. “The most recent USGS survey of the Bakken region in 2013 more than doubled the estimated mean resources for technically recoverable oil and natural gas. And just in the past four years since then, our state has continued to be at the forefront of the development of innovative energy technologies, and it’s likely such a survey will show even more recoverable oil and natural gas is available in the region. A new USGS survey will help provide more updated data so our state can continue to lead in energy development, investment, and innovation.” The most recent USGS survey of the Bakken region in 2013 more than doubled the estimated mean resources for technically recoverable oil to 7.38 billion barrels, which included an estimated 6.7 trillion cubic feet of recoverable natural gas. Since mid-2014, in part because of the drop in the price of oil, the industry has been particularly innovative with its development and production to stay competitive, which has led to lower costs and more extraction. Click here to read the letter Heitkamp sent to USGS on December 8. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=906E8BA7-F725-46F8-A787-E9998AE49D45,"Heitkamp Voices Strong Concerns, Requests Briefing on Net Neutrality Rollback Proposal",2017-12-11,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,ND,Heidi Heitkamp,H001069,www.heitkamp.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Heidi today expressed her strong concerns about a proposal to roll back net neutrality rules that protect basic fairness on the internet and the impact it will have on rural communities. In a letter to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Ajit Pai, Heitkamp requested a briefing on the Restoring Internet Freedom Order, a proposal under consideration by the FCC to allow internet service providers to block, throttle, or prioritize certain content, which could hurt consumers and small businesses in rural America. “Strong net neutrality rules protect consumers – especially in rural areas – and I’m very concerned about the FCC’s plan to repeal protections that ensure basic fairness on the internet,” Heitkamp said. “North Dakotans and small businesses lose out if their internet provider is allowed to infringe upon these basic principles – particularly if there is only one internet provider in a given area. I’ve heard from many North Dakota startup companies worried that repeal of net neutrality could lead them to pay higher costs to do business on the internet, and I share their concerns. Repealing net neutrality could leave North Dakota’s rural communities more vulnerable, and the FCC needs to fully explain the impact of these changes.”  Click here to read the letter. As a founding member of the U.S. Senate Broadband Caucus, Heitkamp has been pushing for bipartisan solutions that will connect every North Dakota family, business, and school to high-speed internet. Last year, she brought then-FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel to North Dakota to see firsthand how rural areas are impacted by lack of access to high-speed internet, and she has discussed the issue in multiple meetings with the president. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.hoeven.senate.gov/news/news-releases/hoeven-usgs-to-work-with-state-industry-on-comprehensive-study-of-williston-basin,"Hoeven: USGS to Work With State, Industry on Comprehensive Study of Williston Basin",2017-12-11,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,ND,John Hoeven,H001061,www.hoeven.senate.gov,,,legacy,"12.11.17 Hoeven: USGS to Work With State, Industry on Comprehensive Study of Williston Basin Senator Hosted USGS Director in Bismarck in August to Highlight ND Energy Industry WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven, a member of Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and Energy Appropriations Committee, today announced that the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) will conduct a comprehensive, broad-based resource estimate for the Williston Basin. The USGS notified Hoeven today that it will undertake the analysis as a result of a meeting he hosted in Bismarck with USGS Acting Director William Werkheiser. Hoeven brought Werkheiser to the state to hear firsthand from energy leaders about the latest data, geological surveys and technical achievements in the oil field.  “Our state’s energy industry continues to develop new and innovative ways to produce more energy with better environmental stewardship,” said Hoeven. “With these innovations come new assumptions about oil production in the Williston Basin. That’s why our producers made a strong case for this new USGS study. We appreciate the USGS taking a comprehensive look at the region as they work with the State and industry to update the estimate of recoverable oil.” Hoeven spearheaded a similar effort that resulted in the latest USGS study from 2013, which more than doubled the estimates of technically recoverable oil at that time, from 3.65 billion barrels to 7.4 billion barrels. In addition, Hoeven continues working through the Appropriations Committee to support federal research programs that empower producers to get more out of oil and gas wells, while also reducing the environmental footprint of drilling. To this end, the Senate’s Fiscal Year 2018 energy funding bill includes $26 million for enhanced oil recovery research, a $6 million increase over the previous year. -###- Print Email Tweet Previous Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://cramer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cramer-house-passes-legislation-accelerating-investigations-at,CRAMER: House Passes Legislation Accelerating Investigations at Substandard VA Facilities,2017-12-08,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,ND,Kevin Cramer,C001096,cramer.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Kevin Cramer supported legislation passed this week in the House of Representatives to speed up the process of correcting substandard medical practices at VA facilities. Oftentimes, when wrongdoing or substandard care is uncovered at a VA medical facility, the Inspector General and the Government Accountability Office are charged with completing the investigation. However, bogged down in red tape and government bureaucracy, these investigations frequently take a long time to complete – all while patients are continuing to receive care from these facilities. The Enhancing Veteran Care Act (S. 1266) allows the VA to contract with non-profits that accredit health care organizations to investigate VA medical centers at a much faster pace. “When bad actors or substandard care is discovered at a VA facility, it needs to be fixed yesterday – that’s the sort of urgency our veterans deserve,” said Cramer. “The Enhancing Veteran Care Act delivers on our promise to hold the VA accountable, and I’m pleased to see this bill going to the White House to be made law.” Through Cramer’s work in the House of Representatives, the VA has seen steady improvements to address accountability concerns including hiring practices, health care scheduling practices, and new technologies aimed at improving care for rural areas.   ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://cramer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cramer-community-bank-regulatory-relief-bill-passes-house,CRAMER: Community Bank Regulatory Relief Bill Passes House,2017-12-07,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,ND,Kevin Cramer,C001096,cramer.house.gov,,,legacy,"Recording: Audio WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Kevin Cramer supported a bill today bringing regulatory relief to community banks for certain escrow requirements. H.R. 3971, the Community Institution Mortgage Relief Act, would exempt lenders from certain escrow and impound requirements if they have consolidated assets of $25 billion or less, and hold the mortgage on their balance sheet for three years. The bill would also direct the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to exempt mortgage servicers from certain requirements related to mortgage loan servicing and escrow account administration if they service 30,000 or fewer mortgage loans annually. “For North Dakotans, this is an access to banking services issue. When community banks are dropping mortgage services altogether in order to stay afloat, consumers across rural America are the ones who lose out. The House has passed numerous bills over the years to bring financial relief to our community financial institutions. I hope the Senate this Congress can finally follow suit.” Escrow requirements enacted by the CFPB have caused small lenders to increase mortgage costs on consumers or exit the mortgage market entirely. Unlike larger banks who have the resources and economies of scale to handle such requirements, smaller institutions lack the human or financial resources necessary to comply with many of burdensome regulations placed on them by the CFPB and the Dodd-Frank Consumer Protection Act.   ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://cramer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cramer-statement-on-passage-of-short-term-budget-continuing-resolution,CRAMER: Statement on Passage of Short-Term Budget Continuing Resolution,2017-12-07,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,ND,Kevin Cramer,C001096,cramer.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Kevin Cramer issued the following statement after the House of Representatives voted today to pass a short-term continuing resolution to fund the federal government until December 22: “While ironing the final wrinkles out of our tax reform bill, this short-term funding extension is necessary to make sure the federal government keeps the lights on. I look forward to enacting a fiscally sustainable budget in the coming weeks after Congress has passed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.” ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=A49824B9-5C07-44BE-B27B-0929CB4ED4EE,"Heitkamp Meets with Army Assistant Secretary Nominee, Presses for Lasting Flood Protections",2017-12-07,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,ND,Heidi Heitkamp,H001069,www.heitkamp.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Senator Secures Commitment from James to Visit North Dakota to Observe Challenges Facing Flood-Prone Communities WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp today met with R.D. James, the nominee to serve as the Assistant Secretary of the Army - Civil Works—the top civilian official overseeing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. In her meeting with Mr. James, Heitkamp discussed North Dakota’s flood protection priorities, reinforced the critical need to maintain federal support for ongoing Army Corps projects in North Dakota, such as permanent flood protections in Minot and Fargo, and highlighted the need for the administration to include water projects in its infrastructure proposal. Heitkamp also secured a commitment from James to, if confirmed, visit North Dakota to see firsthand the challenges facing flood-prone communities.    “The memories of sandbagging never really go away, and for too many families, they’re still struggling to recover from the devastating floods they’ve experienced,” said Heitkamp. “Today, I sat down with the nominee to head the Army Corps of Engineers to talk about our state’s priorities for protecting our cities, residents, and businesses. I updated him on the progress we’ve made in securing support for critical projects like the Fargo-Moorhead diversion, but I warned Mr. James that the federal government can’t neglect its responsibility to fully protect communities in the Souris River Basin and the Red River Valley. I also invited Mr. James to travel to North Dakota to see firsthand the flooding challenges facing our residents, and he expressed his commitment to visit so that he can fully understand the flood risks and work with us on strategies to prevent future disasters.” Heitkamp has long been a champion for strong, permanent flood protections to protect North Dakota communities. In Minot, the Army Corps of Engineers has been tasked with evaluating a proposed flood control project in partnership with the city. In May, Heitkamp helped secure $900,000 in the Army Corps’ 2017 work plan for the continued study of potential long-term flood protections for the city of Minot and the Souris River Basin. Last year, Heitkamp successfully pushed the White House and Army Corps to advance such options for permanent flood protections. This followed Heitkamp’s efforts to bring Minot officials to Washington to meet with OMB and Army Corps officials to discuss the next steps in securing federal funding for permanent flood protection in Minot.   And in April, Heitkamp joined Fargo leaders and the Army Corps to celebrate the groundbreaking of the Fargo-Moorhead diversion. Earlier this year, she urged Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Mick Mulvaney and the Army Corps of Engineers to continue funding for the Fargo-Moorhead Diversion project. Heitkamp successfully secured a new construction start for the diversion in 2016. Click here for a photo from the meeting. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=CF78F8E3-D4FC-4FEC-A933-C45B8310E869,Heitkamp Helps Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Prevent Sexual Harassment in the Workplace,2017-12-07,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,ND,Heidi Heitkamp,H001069,www.heitkamp.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp helped introduce bipartisan legislation to provide increased protections for victims of sexual harassment in the workplace. The Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Harassment Act of 2017 would void forced arbitration agreements that prevent sexual harassment survivors from getting the justice they deserve. Heitkamp joined Senators Lindsay Graham (R-SC), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), and others to introduce the bill. “For too long, victims of sexual harassment and assault in some workplaces have been forced into an arbitration process that sweeps systemic issues of abuse under the rug and denies victims the justice they deserve,” Heitkamp said. “Forced arbitration gives employees no choice in how to legally address mistreatment in the workplace that causes lasting personal and mental pain and damage to their careers. We must end this unfair practice and give all workers full access to justice in the face of sexual harassment and abuse.” If an employee’s contract or employee handbook includes a forced arbitration clause, the employee is likely to have signed away his or her right to a jury trial whether or not they are aware of the clause. Forced arbitration clauses typically prevent victims of sexual harassment from discussing the nature or basis of their complaint – which can keep other employees in the dark about a workplace culture that allows sexual harassment and abuse to continue unabated. Employees are far more likely to win cases that go to trial than cases that go through the arbitration process. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=F2840A00-E026-4443-95E7-949C16A59FC6,Heitkamp Helps Introduce Bill to Help Recruit More Volunteer Firefighters & EMS Personnel by Expanding Education Incentives,2017-12-07,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,ND,Heidi Heitkamp,H001069,www.heitkamp.senate.gov,,,legacy,"ND Fire Chiefs Have Looked for Ways to Increase First Responder Recruitment and Retainment; 96 Percent of ND’s Firefighting Forces are Volunteer WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp today helped introduce a bill that would incentivize more young men and women in rural America to become volunteer firefighters and emergency medical responders by giving them access to a student loan forgiveness program for public servants. Across North Dakota, 96 percent of firefighting forces are volunteer. But according to North Dakota Firefighter’s Association Training Director Robert Knuth, those numbers are dwindling as the average age of a volunteer increases and the average number of years each volunteer serves decreases. The bill would help encourage more men and women in rural America to volunteer as firefighters by expanding student loan forgiveness to eligible volunteer first responders by allowing them to qualify for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program through the U.S. Department of Education. PSLF provides loan forgiveness for the balance of any principal and interest that remains due after 120 full payments on federal loans. Under this bill, individuals would need to be both certified as a first responder as well as a volunteer in a community public safety organization to qualify for the PSLF program. “Volunteer first responders sacrifice a great deal to protect our communities. They have our back, so we should have theirs,” Heitkamp said. “This legislation will help make sure our fire departments and EMS teams are adequately staffed by encouraging more men and women to volunteer for these needed roles across our state. A program already exists to help public servants pay off their student loans, so it’s just common sense that firefighters and first responders should qualify as well. By making it easier for departments to recruit and retain volunteers, we can help our first responders focus on keeping our communities strong and safe.”      Heitkamp has repeatedly heard North Dakota fire chiefs describe the challenges of recruiting and retaining volunteer first responders, especially in rural areas. Several fire chiefs and firefighter associations in North Dakota have supported the bill, including the North Dakota Firefighter’s Association and the North Dakota Fire Chief’s Association. Click here for a list of quotations from first responders and fire chiefs in North Dakota who support the bill. “The vast majority of North Dakota’s firefighters are volunteers, and they seldom ask for any form of recognition for all their hard work to keep our homes and businesses safe. I think it’s a shame that they don’t currently qualify for something as commonsense as federal student loan forgiveness. That’s why the North Dakota Firefighter’s Association Executive Board appreciates the work Senator Heitkamp has done in helping introducing this bill,” said North Dakota Firefighter’s Association Training Director Robert B. Knuth. “Her Volunteer First Responder Loan Forgiveness Act seems like part of the solution to boosting rural volunteer firefighter and EMT recruitment, and I hope the loan forgiveness aspect will incentivize volunteers to stay committed for long periods of time. It’s not always easy for firefighters to settle down in rural towns, give hours of their time to rigorous training, or be away from their families in sometimes life-threatening situations—I’m glad our volunteer first responders are being addressed through genuinely beneficial legislation.” The Volunteer First Responder Loan Forgiveness Act is being led by U.S. Senator Jon Tester (D-MT), Heitkamp, and Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO). This bill is also supported by the International Association of Fire Chiefs, National Volunteer Fire Council, Sergeants Benevolent Association, and Major County Sheriffs of America. This legislation builds on Heitkamp’s ongoing efforts to help North Dakota’s first responders find affordable housing and education. In September, Heitkamp introduced the Volunteer First Responder Housing Act  to promote housing opportunities for volunteer first responders. In 2015, Heitkamp brought the number two top official of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to North Dakota to discuss training and recruitment for volunteer firefighters and how the federal government can better respond to the needs of rural first responders. This effort also builds on Heitkamp’s Strong and Safe Communities Initiative, which she launched in 2014. The initiative aims to address some of the emerging challenges facing the state by bringing focus to ideas that keep North Dakota’s communities strong and families safe in their homes. She issued her Strong & Safe Communities Report in August of 2016. Among the goals of her initiative includes making sure North Dakota communities are supported by well-trained and robust emergency responder forces, and that they are equipped with the necessary tools and resources. Last year, Heitkamp’s Railroad Emergency Services Preparedness, Operational Needs, and Safety Evaluation (RESPONSE) Act was signed into law. This bill— which was introduced by Heitkamp following the derailment of a crude oil train in Casselton in December 2013— helps first responders get the quality training and access to appropriate resources and effective communications they need to handle potential hazardous incidents. In addition to her RESPONSE Act, Heitkamp has worked to improve first responder safety by helping secure $5 million in federal funding to support a one-of-a-kind federal training facility in Pueblo, Colorado that prepares first responders to handle hazmat incidents on the rails, such as crude oil train derailments. At the end of 2016, nearly 310 North Dakota first responders had participated in training at the Pueblo facility – more than 130 of which were trained to specifically handle crude-by-rail incidents. She has also worked closely with federal, state, and local officials, including bringing then-U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx to North Dakota and holding a U.S. Senate hearing on first responder safety.   Click here for video and audio.  ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.hoeven.senate.gov/news/news-releases/hoeven-senate-and-house-move-to-conference-on-tax-relief-legislation,Hoeven: Senate and House Move to Conference on Tax Relief Legislation,2017-12-07,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,ND,John Hoeven,H001061,www.hoeven.senate.gov,,,legacy,"12.07.17 Hoeven: Senate and House Move to Conference on Tax Relief Legislation On Senate Floor, Senator Outlines Important Provisions in Legislation to Lower Rates for Individuals, Families and Small Businesses, Empower Economic Growth WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven again spoke on the Senate floor to outline important provisions in tax relief legislation to lower tax rates across-the-board for working Americans and to provide the nation’s small businesses, farmers and ranchers with relief. The Senate voted to move to a conference committee with the House of Representatives.                 “We’re working to get the best possible tax relief package for North Dakotans and our small businesses, farmers and ranchers,” said Hoeven. “Tax relief really is all about hardworking taxpayers across this country, not just in terms of making sure they keep more of their hard-earned dollars after taxes, but making sure that their wages and income go up. As we work on this tax package, we want to make sure that across all income groups we see real tax relief. But the other aspect is that it’s pro-growth. It’s about stimulating investment across this country by entrepreneurs, innovators, small companies and with companies bringing money from overseas back home to America to create jobs here. That’s what we’ll continue to focus on as we move to conference committee with the House.”   Hoeven highlighted important provisions in the Senate plan, including:  Increasing the tax deduction to 23% for qualified pass-through income, which reduces the tax burden for small businesses set up as a partnerships or pass-through entities.  Maintaining the state and local property tax deduction up to $10,000 for individuals and families. Maintaining the IC-DISC program, which enables small and medium businesses, including manufacturers, to reduce taxes on portions of their export income.  Greater flexibility for implement and auto dealers to expense interest on inventory. The legislation includes a Hoeven amendment that exempts businesses with floor plan financing from the interest expense limitation, subject to further rules.  Additionally, the Senate Tax Relief Package:  Reduces the Tax Burden on Hardworking American Taxpayers The Senate tax reform bill cuts tax rates across the board.  Provides a net tax cut of about $2,200 for a median income family of four.  Increases the standard deduction, which means that Americans will not be taxed on the first $12,000 of income for individuals, $24,000 for married couples and $18,000 for a single parent with dependents.  9 out of 10 taxpayers will likely use the expanded standard deduction. Doubles the Child Tax Credit to $2,000 per child. Continues tax deductions, including for:  Student Loan Interest and Tuition Waivers. Medical Expenses Charitable Contributions. Home Mortgage Interest Up to $10,000 in property taxes paid to state and local governments Benefits to Small Businesses, Farmers and Ranchers For the first five years, allows full expensing or writing off the cost of new investments, which is phased down over an additional four year period. Expands the Section 179 expensing of equipment on a permanent basis. Doubles the estate tax exemption, while maintaining the step-up in basis for capital gains. Maintains interest deductibility as well as the property tax deduction for small businesses, farmers and ranchers. Tax relief, combined with regulatory relief, will empower the economy to grow and increase government revenues. Claims that the legislation will increase the deficit do not account for or underestimate revenue from a growing economy. According to the Tax Foundation, the Senate tax bill will increase the size of the economy by 3.7 percent, increase wages by 2.9 percent and create nearly 1 million new jobs. Hoeven has been working to ensure tax reform works for North Dakota families and businesses. In November, the senator held roundtables in Bismarck and Fargo to gather input from North Dakotans. Hoeven has repeatedly spoken on the Senate floor to outline tax reform priorities. Additionally, earlier this fall, the senator held a series of roundtable discussions in Minot, Grand Forks and Bismarck with the North Dakota small businesses and farmers and ranchers to gather input.   -###- Print Email Tweet Previous Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.hoeven.senate.gov/news/news-releases/hoeven-urges-senate-leadership-to-delay-electronic-logging-device-implementation-for-motor-carriers-hauling-livestock,Hoeven Urges Senate Leadership to Delay Electronic Logging Device Implementation for Motor Carriers Hauling Livestock,2017-12-07,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,ND,John Hoeven,H001061,www.hoeven.senate.gov,,,legacy,"12.07.17 Hoeven Urges Senate Leadership to Delay Electronic Logging Device Implementation for Motor Carriers Hauling Livestock Senator Worked with DOT to Secure ELD Waiver, Flexibility in HOS Regulations WASHINGTON Senator John Hoeven, a member of the Senate Transportation Appropriations Committee, recently joined a bipartisan group of senators in urging the Senate leadership to delay implementation of electronic logging device (ELD) requirements for commercial motor vehicles hauling livestock. The full letter can be found here. We need to provide a smooth transition from paper records to ELDs for motor carriers tasked with hauling livestock, Hoeven said. This is all about ensuring the new rules do not interfere with the safe, efficient and humane transportation of livestock. This effort aligns with Hoevens work to provide needed regulatory relief to ensure agriculture producers can get their products to market and secure safe transportation for their livestock. This includes: ELD Waiver Last month, Hoeven announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) was issuing a waiver on ELD requirements for the commercial transportation of agriculture products. Hoeven worked with DOT officials to secure the waiver, effective for 90 days, which ensures drivers will not be forced out of service if they are still using paper logs to record their hours of service (HOS). In addition, DOT says it will not enforce out-of-service violations for all motor carriers until April 1. Drivers transporting non-agricultural products may still receive a citation for being out of compliance during this period, but may continue to drive. Further, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) will not record out-of-service violations against motor carriers federal safety rating while the waiver is in effect. Hours of Service Flexibility Earlier this year, Hoeven secured flexibility under FMCSAs HOS regulations for truckers hauling livestock. Agriculture groups were concerned that due to the nature of hauling livestock, potential animal safety concerns could arise should a driver not reach his destination within the 11 hours of driving, 14 hour work day allowed under HOS requirements. FMCSAs flexibility within the agriculture exemption means HOS do not apply to those hauling livestock when their work is conducted within a 150 air mile (or about 172 road mile) radius of the source of the livestock. Should a driver go beyond this radius, the HOS begin to apply and the driver can drive an additional 11 hours and work 14 hours. FMCSA has announced it will issue a Notice for Comment on Agricultural Hours of Service clarifying the ag-exemption 150-air mile radius rule. -###- Print Email Tweet Next Article Previous Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://cramer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cramer-house-approves-concealed-carry-reciprocity-act,CRAMER: House Approves Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act,2017-12-06,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,ND,Kevin Cramer,C001096,cramer.house.gov,,,legacy,"Recording: Audio WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Kevin Cramer supported legislation today to increase the rights of gun owners and ensure current law is being enforced with respect to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). The Constitution grants Americans the fundamental right to own a firearm. With the passage of H.R. 38, the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, would allow individuals who are qualified to carry a concealed handgun in one state to carry in other states that permit concealed carry. Under the legislation, the license holder must abide by the laws of the state which recognize their own residents’ right to concealed carry. Cramer is a cosponsor of this bill. This legislation also includes the Fix NICS Act, which corrects the problems of inaccurate reporting within the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). In a measure to prevent gun-related misconduct, the Fix NICS Act instructs both state and federal law enforcement officials to report criminal history and penalizes agencies who fail to do so. The Fix NICS Act also requires the Bureau of Justice Statistics to account each time a bump stock is used to commit a crime. “There is no reason a law-abiding gun owner in North Dakota should lose their Second Amendment rights while crossing state lines,” said Cramer. “The Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act protects every citizens’ federal constitutional right to bear arms while ensuring individuals, who are legally prohibited from owning a firearm under current law, are prevented from doing so. This is a very common sense law.” H.R. 38 is supported by 24 State Attorneys General in a letter written to congressional leadership outlining how the individual right of gun ownership does not correlate to increased risk of crime. Both bills move to the Senate for further action.   ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://cramer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cramer-statement-on-moving-us-embassy-to-jerusalem,CRAMER: STATEMENT ON MOVING U.S. EMBASSY TO JERUSALEM,2017-12-06,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,ND,Kevin Cramer,C001096,cramer.house.gov,,,legacy,"Recording: Audio WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Kevin Cramer issued the following statement after President Trump’s decision to move the U.S. embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem: “Moving our embassy to Jerusalem is a long overdue recognition to the undeniable core of Israel. Today’s announcement by President Trump comes at a time when reaffirming the strong alliance between the United States and Israel is critical towards stabilizing and advancing diplomacy in the region. We remain committed to peaceful solutions to conflict in the region and working with our partners.” Cramer signed a letter in January urging President Trump to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and relocate our embassy.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://cramer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cramer-trump-to-appoint-bob-wefald-to-american-battle-monuments,CRAMER: Trump to Appoint Bob Wefald to American Battle Monuments Commission,2017-12-06,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,ND,Kevin Cramer,C001096,cramer.house.gov,,,legacy,"Recording: Audio WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Kevin Cramer announced today that President Trump intends to appoint Robert “Bob” Wefald of North Dakota to the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC). Earning his B.A. from the University of North Dakota and his J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School, Wefald has served the people of North Dakota in several public positions including North Dakota Attorney General from 1981 to 1984. He also served in the U.S. Navy for 27 years including during the Vietnam War. “It was really easy to recommend Bob to President Trump for this role,” said Cramer. “As a former Navy Captain, North Dakota Attorney General, and a District Court Judge, he checks all the boxes for a member of this honorable commission. Bob’s unwavering commitment to veterans and veteran issues is well known, and his personal record of military experience and his dedication to North Dakota will serve him well as he begins his time on the American Battle Monuments Commission. I’m very happy for Bob.” The American Battle Monuments Commission, established by the Congress in 1923, is an agency of the executive branch of the federal government. Charged with guarding America’s overseas commemorative cemeteries and memorials, the agency honors the service, achievements and sacrifice of U.S. Armed Forces. ABMC’s commemorative mission includes: Designing, constructing, operating and maintaining permanent American cemeteries in foreign countries. Establishing and maintaining U.S. military memorials, monuments and markers where American armed forces have served overseas since April 6, 1917, and within the United States when directed by public law. Controlling the design and construction of permanent U.S. military monuments and markers by other U.S. citizens and organizations, both public and private, and encouraging their maintenance. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=60F60759-A85D-4498-88D5-8908383EBEB7,Heitkamp Leads Bipartisan Effort to Delay New Regulations for Livestock & Insect Transporters,2017-12-06,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,ND,Heidi Heitkamp,H001069,www.heitkamp.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp led a bipartisan effort to delay implementation of electronic logging devices (ELDs) for commercial vehicles transporting livestock or insects. The regulations are due to go into effect early next year, but the unique safety and animal welfare challenges of livestock hauling still need to be addressed. Heitkamp joined U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS) in leading a bipartisan group of colleagues in sending a letter to Senate leadership supporting a provision in the U.S. House-passed Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) appropriations bill delaying implementation of ELDs and providing the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) time to make the necessary adjustments to hours of service rules. “Transporting livestock in a humane and timely manner is critical to jobs in rural communities across North Dakota, so we must make sure livestock haulers have the ability to get their goods to their destinations quickly and safely,” Heitkamp said. “We must look critically at any new regulation that could harm rural jobs, so it’s encouraging that a bipartisan group has joined me in calling for a reasonable delay in ELD implementation so that we can better protect livestock, motorists, and the jobs livestock production supports.” Full text of the letter is below and available here. Senator Heitkamp has been fighting for livestock and honey bee producers, especially as they continue to face the effects of a severe drought. This week, she introduced legislation to expand assistance available to livestock and honey bee producers as they recover from drought. In August, Heitkamp conducted a two-day drought and Farm Bill tour across western North Dakota to hear directly from farmers, ranchers, researchers, and FSA workers about the solutions they need now to weather the drought, and the critical programs that need to be protected and strengthened in the 2018 Farm Bill. The tour built on a listening session Heitkamp convened in July with ranchers, local leaders, and experts on the ground in Bowman to talk about solutions to address challenges they currently face related to the drought, and discuss how to best prepare down the road. The letter was also signed by U.S. Senators John Hoeven (R-ND), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), John Barrasso (R-WY), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Jon Tester (D-MT), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Jim Risch (R-ID), Pat Roberts (R-KS), Mike Lee (R-UT), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Jim Inhofe (R-OK), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Mike Enzi (R-WY), Cory Gardner (R-CO), Dean Heller (R-NV) and James Lankford (R-OK). ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=8DB38284-E1FA-4164-B594-DF084BE0C2B0,Heitkamp Bipartisan Bill to Protect Consumers & Boost Economic Growth in Rural Communities Passes Senate Committee,2017-12-06,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,ND,Heidi Heitkamp,H001069,www.heitkamp.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp helped pass bipartisan legislation she wrote and negotiated with Republican Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID) and a bipartisan group of senators out of the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.   The bill comes after three years of bipartisan negotiations that Heitkamp helped lead that would give community banks and credit unions the relief they need to better serve consumers across North Dakota, while also strengthening consumer protections. In the past 30 years, the number of community banks and credit unions has dropped by about two-thirds, yet more than 80 percent of North Dakota deposits still go to community banks, reinforcing that small financial institutions remain a key resource for North Dakota families. Heitkamp announced the agreement last month after several years of work with Crapo, the Chairman of the Banking Committee, and Banking Committee members Joe Donnelly (D-IN), Jon Tester (D-MT) and Mark Warner (D-VA). The bill so far has support from 12 Republican senators, 11 Democrat senators, and one Independent senator. “When Congress puts partisanship aside and works across party lines, we can forge ahead with real solutions that help our economy and rural communities – that’s how I try to work every day in the U.S. Senate,” Heitkamp said. “Unlike tax reform, which was written behind closed doors with zero input allowed from Democrats, this regulatory relief bill was written in good faith by members from across the political spectrum and it shows. For years, I’ve been working with my Republican colleagues on a plan to reduce red tape and give community banks and credit unions the freedom to focus on their customers, especially in rural areas where their services are needed the most. It’s a significant step forward that our bill passed in committee, and I’m proud to lead this bipartisan coalition fighting for families, farmers, and small businesses.” “Community banks like Cornerstone Bank support small businesses, families, and farmers across North Dakota, but our efforts to grow and support our communities have been challenged by burdensome regulations,” said Gary Petersen, Chairman of Cornerstone Bank. “For years, Senator Heitkamp has fought to make sure we have the relief we need to support consumers, and we greatly appreciate her bipartisan work in the U.S. Senate to reach a deal that serves North Dakota and addresses our concerns.” “This is a major victory for consumers not only across the United States, but especially in rural areas such as the Dakotas,” said Jeremiah Kossen, President and CEO of Town & Country Credit Union. “Senator Heitkamp’s bipartisan bill will ease the burden of regulation for credit unions and allow millions of Americans better access to mortgages and other loans, and we appreciate her efforts to strengthen the local financial institutions that keep rural America strong.” Click here for additional statements of support from North Dakota and national financial institutions. In a recent op-ed published in Roll Call, the Bipartisan Policy Center wrote that the legislation is “one of the first significant pieces of financial regulatory legislation in years with real bipartisan support,” and that it “should provide greater incentives to extend credit, particularly to Main Street small businesses, without undermining the progress made since the crisis in making the financial system safer.” Click here to read the op-ed in Roll Call. In 2015, Heitkamp and a bipartisan group of senators came close to finalizing a deal, and she’s been working to find a path forward ever since. The bill comes after more than 20 Senate Banking Committee hearings on regulatory reform and economic growth since 2015 that Heitkamp has been part of, and more than 30 discussions she has had with top financial regulators about the issue. The bipartisan bill would: Improve consumer access to mortgage credit; Provide regulatory relief for small financial institutions and protects consumer access to credit; Tailors regulations for banks to better reflect their business models; Protect consumers’ credit by including a fraud alert in consumers’ files for one year and providing a free credit freeze alert for parents to put on their children; Protect veterans’ credit by prohibiting a credit reporting agency from including medical debt in reports; Protect seniors by extending immunity from liability to certain people who disclose suspected exploitation of seniors; Protect tenants from foreclosure by a re-imposing bill to protect tenants that was repealed in 2014; and Protect consumers from cyber security threats by requiring the Treasury Department to submit a report to Congress on the risks of cyber threats to financial institutions and the U.S. capital markets. Click here for a section-by-section summary. In the U.S. Senate, Heitkamp has been a leader in supporting local banks and making sure they have opportunities to succeed without facing undue regulations. Last year, Heitkamp brought former Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Richard Cordray to Bismarck to hear directly from small banks and credit unions about the regulatory burdens they face that can deter their focus on relationship lending. In March 2014, Heitkamp urged President Obama to carefully consider the concerns of community banks when naming a nominee for the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, and called on him to nominate someone to the Board who understands the lifelines community banks play in rural areas so those voices are heard. In August 2013, she brought Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Chairman Martin Gruenberg to North Dakota to hear directly from bankers in the state about the importance of local and community banks to helping small businesses and communities thrive. In 2015, Heitkamp brought the head of the federal agency overseeing credit unions to North Dakota to hear directly from local credit union leaders about their concerns with potentially burdensome federal regulations, and to learn more about the positive impact these smaller financial institutions have on communities and businesses across the state. Also in 2015, legislation introduced by Heitkamp was signed in to law to reduce unnecessary burdens on community banks and local financial institutions by eliminating redundant, costly, and often ignored annual banking notifications, and instead require banks to alert customers only when privacy and information-sharing changes actually occur. Heitkamp has long worked to improve how regulations are developed through her role as the ranking member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Regulatory Affairs and Federal Management, which oversees the federal regulatory process. In April, she joined with Republican Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) to introduce the bipartisan Regulatory Accountability Act to make federal regulations smarter and more effective so they better support businesses, families, and jobs by modernizing the federal regulatory process that hasn’t been significantly reformed in 70 years. She has also fought against burdensome regulations for farmers and retailers, leading an effort to reverse across-the-board restrictions on agricultural retailers that sell anhydrous ammonia, a common fertilizer. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.hoeven.senate.gov/news/news-releases/hoeven-bill-to-expand-resources-for-indian-victims-of-crime-clears-indian-affairs-committee,Hoeven Bill to Expand Resources for Indian Victims of Crime Clears Indian Affairs Committee,2017-12-06,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,ND,John Hoeven,H001061,www.hoeven.senate.gov,,,legacy,"12.06.17 Hoeven Bill to Expand Resources for Indian Victims of Crime Clears Indian Affairs Committee WASHINGTON Senator John Hoeven (R-ND), chairman of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, today welcomed committee passage of legislation he introduced to expand critical resources and programs for Indian victims of crime. The Securing Urgent Resources Vital to Indian Victim Empowerment (SURVIVE) Act, which has 9 bipartisan cosponsors, increases resources for tribal victim assistance by requiring a 5 percent allocation from the Crime Victims Fund (CVF) be provided to Indian tribes through a grant program. Despite high rates of victimization, Indian tribes currently receive less than one percent of CVF resources. The grant program created by the SURVIVE Act will improve public safety and strengthen victim services in Indian Country, said Hoeven. Tribal communities experience some of the highest victimization rates in the country, with little to no resources to assist victims. This bill will establish direct tribal access to the Crime Victims Fund by creating a five percent set aside for Indian tribes, which amounts to $150 million per year for culturally relevant and tribal specific victim assistance programs. Additionally, the senator's bill empowers tribal victims of crime by: Expanding the types of victim assistance, services, and infrastructure for which the funds may be used, including domestic violence shelters, medical care, counseling, legal assistance and services, and child and elder abuse programs. Enhancing Indian tribes' flexibility to deliver culturally tailored victim services that best meet the needs of their local communities. Providing for significant confidentiality and privacy protections for crime victims receiving services. Increasing the resources available to Indian crime victims from the CVF, which is funded by fines and penalties paid by convicted federal offenders, without increasing overall spending. The SURVIVE Act has received support from the National Congress of American Indians, the United Tribes of North Dakota, the Navajo Nation, the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, and the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate Tribe. The Senate Indian Affairs Committee unanimously voted to advance the bill to the full Senate. -###- Print Email Tweet Next Article Previous Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.hoeven.senate.gov/news/news-releases/hoeven-holds-hearing-to-examine-indian-water-rights-settlement-legislation,Hoeven Holds Hearing to Examine Indian Water Rights Settlement Legislation,2017-12-06,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,ND,John Hoeven,H001061,www.hoeven.senate.gov,,,legacy,"12.06.17 Hoeven Holds Hearing to Examine Indian Water Rights Settlement Legislation WASHINGTON Senator John Hoeven (R-ND), chairman of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, today held a hearing to examine two Indian water rights settlement bills: The Navajo Utah Water Rights Settlement Act of 2017, sponsored by Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT); and The Hualapai Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 2017, sponsored by Senator Jeff Flake (R-AZ) and co-sponsored by Senator John McCain (R-AZ). The Navajo Utah Water Rights Settlement Act of 2017 The Navajo Utah Water Rights Settlement Act of 2017 intends to resolve claims between the Navajo Nation and the State of Utah regarding allocation in the San Juan River. The bill authorizes over $210 million of approved water development projects for the Navajo Nation and allocates 81,500 acre-feet per year of water from the San Juan River. The Hualapai Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 2017 The Hualapai Tribe Water Rights Settlement Act of 2017 resolves claims of the Hualapai Nation to water allocation in the Colorado basin. It would authorize approximately $173.5 million for water development projects and reallocate 4,000 acre-feet per year of water from Central Arizona Project to the tribe. Click here for complete witness testimony and video of the hearing. ### Print Email Tweet Next Article Previous Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.hoeven.senate.gov/news/news-releases/hoeven-statement-on-appointment-of-bob-wefald-to-american-battle-monuments-commission,Hoeven Statement on Appointment of Bob Wefald to American Battle Monuments Commission,2017-12-06,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,ND,John Hoeven,H001061,www.hoeven.senate.gov,,,legacy,"12.06.17 Hoeven Statement on Appointment of Bob Wefald to American Battle Monuments Commission WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven today issued the following statement after the president announced the appointment of Robert Wefald to the American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC). Wefald is a veteran of the U.S. Navy, having served 27 years and rose to the rank of Captain, and held the positions of North Dakota Attorney General and District Court Judge for South Central North Dakota. He also served as chairman of the committee that worked to secure the designation of USS North Dakota for a Virginia-class submarine. “Bob has long been an advocate for our state and nation’s servicemembers and a dedicated public servant,” Hoeven said. “Throughout his career and personal life, his passion for serving his fellow veterans has been apparent. In this new role, he will continue his work to honor the men and women who gave everything for our country. We congratulate him on this well-earned position, and wish him the best in this important mission.” The ABMC administers and maintains U.S. military cemeteries, memorials and monuments, both domestically and across 16 foreign countries. The sites commemorate the service, achievements and sacrifice of the U.S. Armed Forces. The agency also operates an online database of names associated for each site. -###- Print Email Tweet Previous Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.hoeven.senate.gov/news/news-releases/hoeven-statement-on-presidents-decision-to-move-us-embassy-to-jerusalem,Hoeven Statement on President's Decision to Move U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem,2017-12-06,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,ND,John Hoeven,H001061,www.hoeven.senate.gov,,,legacy,"12.06.17 Hoeven Statement on President's Decision to Move U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem Move Recognizes Jerusalem as Capital of Israel WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven today released the following statement about the President’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and begin the process of relocating the U.S. embassy. “We support the President’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and to begin the process of relocating the U.S. embassy. Congress directed, with strong bipartisan support in 1995, that the embassy be moved to Jerusalem. Earlier this year, the Senate voted 90-0 in favor of a resolution calling on the President to abide by the 1995 law. Moving the embassy to Jerusalem in no way prejudges the outcome of negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. The specifics of Israeli sovereignty in Jerusalem must be determined through negotiations and we continue to encourage Israelis and Palestinians to reach a peace deal.”  -###- Print Email Tweet Previous Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=07EF2937-F7B5-4656-9F80-62E0C2D498B6,Heitkamp Votes to Confirm New Secretary to U.S. Department of Homeland Security,2017-12-05,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,ND,Heidi Heitkamp,H001069,www.heitkamp.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp voted with a bipartisan majority of the U.S. Senate to confirm Kirstjen Nielsen as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). “During Kirstjen Nielsen’s nomination process, she committed to me that she would prioritize security improvements along our Northern Border – including quickly implementing the new Northern Border Strategy that came as a result of my bipartisan bill being signed into law,”said Heitkamp. “Nielsen also brings important expertise on cybersecurity to her new position. Our nation needs to take additional steps to make our systems and networks more secure and resilient, and I hope Nielsen can be a key part of that effort. The United States must have a strong Homeland Security Secretary that will act as an independent voice and not be swayed by political pressure. I pressed Nielsen on this at her confirmation hearing – and I plan to hold her to those commitments as Secretary, as well as her promises to prioritize the Northern Border and address some of the long-term challenges there, so we can keep North Dakota and our nation safe.” As a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs, Heitkamp questioned Nielsen during her confirmation hearing in November. Heitkamp underscored the need to recognize the security and personnel challenges along the nation’s 5,500 mile Northern Border and secured a commitment from Nielsen that she would quickly review and implement the new Northern Border security strategy. This new strategy was recommended by DHS’s recently completed Northern Border Threat Assessment – an analysis that was a result of Heitkamp’s Northern Border Security Review Act that was signed into law last year. As part of Nielsen’s commitment to the Northern Border, Heitkamp encouraged her to visit North Dakota’s border to see firsthand the unique challenges that a border in remote and rural areas face to keep our nation safe. In October, Heitkamp first met with Nielsen to discuss her nomination. Heitkamp has long been working to make the Northern Border a priority for DHS as it impacts national security, trade, jobs, and quality of life along our border with Canada. More details about the work Heitkamp has done to make sure the Northern Border receives the proper attention include: Visiting the Northern Border multiple times. In 2014, Heitkamp brought the then-Chairman of the Senate Homeland Security Committee Tom Carper (D-DE) to North Dakota to raise awareness and bring more attention to the Northern Border. In 2015, Heitkamp brought then-DHS Deputy Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to see the Northern Border for himself when they visited the Pembina border crossing. In 2016, Heitkamp visited the Portal Point of Entry where she met with Customs and Border Protection Officers, agents, and management to learn more about the challenges they face in helping secure the border. Making the Northern Border a priority for a U.S. Senate Committee. Following Mayorkas’ visit, Heitkamp successfully called for a hearing in the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs on the Northern Border during which she questioned federal border security officials about the issues she heard about firsthand in Pembina with Mayorkas. In March 2016, Heitkamp urged then-DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson on the need to pay closer attention to the border. Additionally, in November 2016 Heitkamp stressed the importance of additional resources and support for the border during a U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security hearing with chief and deputy chief of U.S. Border Patrol. Securing long-term Northern Border efforts at Grand Forks Air Force Base. Heitkamp pushed DHS to secure a long-term Air and Marine Operations presence at the Grand Forks Airforce Base and in September 2017 DHS and Customs and Border protection heeded her call to maintain the their presence on the base. Reducing drug crime and flow at the border. In August 2014, Heitkamp joined then-White House Drug Czar Michael Botticelli to unveil a new national strategy to fight drug crimes in the Bakken and at the Northern Border that she specifically pushed for. Addressing the personnel staffing along the Northern Border. In October 2017, Heitkamp’s bipartisan bill, the CBP Hiring and Retention Act, passed in committee with the intent of alleviating chronic challenges Customs and Border Protection face in hiring and retaining a qualified workforce. During a U.S. Senate Homeland Security Hearing in March 2017, Heitkamp stressed the importance of improving the recruitment and retention of qualified employees at the ports of entry to key union U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=3164D537-0420-4639-B6B2-2ADBB29FBAEF,Heitkamp: New Crackdown on Unfairly Subsidized Biodiesel Imports will Boost ND Jobs,2017-12-05,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,ND,Heidi Heitkamp,H001069,www.heitkamp.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp today released the following statement on the U.S. International Trade Commission’s (ITC) approval of import duties on biodiesel from Argentina and Indonesia, following Heitkamp’s testimony at a recent ITC hearing where she made the case that imports from those countries were unfairly subsidized and threatening jobs in North Dakota.  “This decision is a win for North Dakota farm and biodiesel production jobs, and a powerful signal that we won’t tolerate unfair trade practices that hurt American jobs,” Heitkamp said. “Our farmers and those employed by the biodiesel industry work hard every day to grow this important part of our domestic energy strategy. Producers like ADM based out of Velva – which produces 75 million gallons of biodiesel a year – are at the forefront of innovation in the renewable fuel industry, and we must continue to support this home-grown source of energy and jobs.” In addition to her testimony at the ITC hearing last month, Heitkamp sent a letter to U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross in September, urging him to take action to protect U.S. producers from these unfairly subsidized imports. Click here to read her letter to Secretary Ross.  According to a study conducted last year by LMC International and released by the National Biodiesel Board, the 2.1 billion gallons of biodiesel and renewable diesel used by Americans in 2015 supported 47,400 jobs and $1.9 billion in wages, and had an $8.4 billion economic impact. In North Dakota, about 50 percent of corn is turned into ethanol, according to the North Dakota Corn Growers Association, reinforcing how important it is that we maintain a robust biofuels market through the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). In October, Heitkamp successfully fought to protect biofuel production targets in the RFS, leading a bipartisan letter to the administration opposing proposed cuts to production levels in 2018.  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had proposed holding the biomass-based diesel volume stagnant for 2019 and reducing the advanced biofuel volume for 2018, leaving potential growth in the industry on the table and threatening near-term job losses in rural America. EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt had previously pledged to support the RFS, and Heitkamp reinforced the need to protect it in a meeting with Pruitt prior to his confirmation.   A member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Heitkamp has been a vocal advocate for biodiesel and ethanol – industries that support over 400,000 American jobs, including many in North Dakota. Heitkamp has fought for the EPA to provide certainty to farmers and biofuels workers, and has continually pressed the agency to issue a strong RFS rule.  ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=FE875240-90CD-4024-84DC-18696BE711FA,"Heitkamp Introduces Bill to Help Farmers, Ranchers, Beekeepers Recover from Drought",2017-12-05,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,ND,Heidi Heitkamp,H001069,www.heitkamp.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp today introduced legislation to expand assistance available to farmers, ranchers, and honey bee producers who have been impacted by the drought. Heitkamp’s legislation, the Livestock and Honey Bee Disaster Assistance Act, would permanently remove the funding cap for the Emergency Livestock Assistance Program (ELAP), which provides financial assistance to producers of livestock and honeybees for losses due to weather events and disease. The program is currently capped at $20 million, but demand has been nearly $40 million and is expected to grow. The bill would also allow the Secretary of Agriculture to temporarily raise the cost-share assistance provided by the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) from 75 percent to 90 percent in counties that receive an extreme drought designation by the U.S. Drought Monitor Index. ECP is used by farmers and ranchers to recover from disasters like drought, which can lead to wildfires that destroy fences and require expensive installation of watering systems for livestock. “North Dakota’s severe drought has been a real challenge for farmers and ranchers, and it has strained programs that provide much-needed assistance to support our agriculture community,” Heitkamp said. “As I’ve talked to farmers and ranchers across the state, it’s clear that Congress can improve the way it provides assistance in times of drought and other hardship. That’s why I’ve put forward some common sense reforms to make sure our disaster relief programs work when they’re needed the most.”  Heitkamp has been working to address challenges farmers and ranchers face from low commodity prices and drought, and make sure the next Farm Bill focuses on these issues as well. She recently introduced bipartisan legislation with Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) to strengthen and improve the Agriculture Risk Coverage-County Level program (ARC-CO), which helps farmers when commodity prices fall to damaging levels. In August, Heitkamp conducted a two-day drought and Farm Bill tour across western North Dakota to hear directly from farmers, ranchers, researchers, and FSA workers about the solutions they need now to weather the drought, and the critical programs that need to be protected and strengthened in the 2018 Farm Bill. The tour built on a listening session Heitkamp convened in July with ranchers, local leaders, and experts on the ground in Bowman to talk about solutions to address challenges they currently face related to the drought, and discuss how to best prepare down the road. A member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Heitkamp helped write, negotiate, and pass the 2014 Farm Bill and has worked to implement and protect the Farm Bill for producers across North Dakota. Heitkamp has been working to make sure North Dakota farmers and ranchers can weather the drought, as she seeks to implement lasting solutions to provide some relief and strengthen existing programs in the 2018 Farm Bill that will protect them during extreme weather over the long term. Heitkamp has worked to: Successfully press USDA to provide additional staffing at FSA offices across North Dakota. After Heitkamp called on U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Sonny Perdue to quickly provide workers for understaffed offices, USDA agreed and announced it would temporarily provide more staff at FSA offices around North Dakota to help farmers and ranchers get immediate drought assistance. As FSA offices continue struggling to handle the volume of applications fast enough to serve farmers and ranchers, Heitkamp in October requested additional support from Secretary Perdue. Meet with farmers and ranchers across North Dakota to hear more about the comprehensive solutions they need, including a roundtable in Bowman with a ranchers, local leaders, and experts, and a drought and farm bill tour across western North Dakota.  Provide key federal, state, and local informational resources. In June, Heitkamp launched her drought resources webpage to make sure farmers and ranchers can access local, state, and federal tools and assistance. These resources include haying and grazing options, tax information, mental health services, and resource eligibility requirements.   ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.hoeven.senate.gov/news/news-releases/hoeven-statement-on-confirmation-of-kirstjen-nielsen-as-dhs-secretary,Hoeven Statement on Confirmation of Kirstjen Nielsen as DHS Secretary,2017-12-05,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,ND,John Hoeven,H001061,www.hoeven.senate.gov,,,legacy,"12.05.17 Hoeven Statement on Confirmation of Kirstjen Nielsen as DHS Secretary Senator Secured Commitment from Nielsen to Visit ND, Advancing States UAS Expertise to Strengthen National Security WASHINGTON Senator John Hoeven, a member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, today issued the following statement after the Senate confirmed Kirstjen Nielsen as the Secretary of Homeland Security. In a meeting with Nielsen and during her confirmation hearing, Hoeven highlighted the unique advantages of North Dakotas unmanned aerial systems (UAS) industry in developing solutions to improve the nations security, both at the borders and across the country. This includes assisting the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in testing and evaluating technologies that can counter illegal use of unmanned aircraft, which might pose a threat to public safety or key infrastructure. Accordingly, the senator extended an invitation to Nielsen to visit North Dakota, which she accepted. UAS holds the promise of not only providing great commercial benefits, but also in helping to better secure our nation, said Hoeven. Secretary Nielsen and I have extensively discussed North Dakotas leading role in developing and testing these UAS applications and how we can leverage this technology to strengthen DHS operations. I look forward to working with her to do just that. Hoeven continues his efforts to ensure North Dakota leads in developing the future of the UAS industry. To this end, the senator is actively working to secure the states role in the Federal Aviation Administrations (FAA) recently-launched drone integration pilot program. The state is well-positioned to lead in the pilot program, as well as in developing low altitude beyond-line-of-flight applications, UAS detection/counter-UAS technologies and the National Aeronautics and Space Administrations (NASA) unmanned traffic management (UTM) system, due to two components Hoeven helped secure in recent years: Authorizationfor the Northern Plains UAS Test Site to oversee UAS operations that go beyond the line of sight of the operator. Upgradesfor the DASR-11 digital radar systems at the Grand Forks Air Force Base and a similar system at Hector Field in Fargo. Further, as a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Hoeven secured $8 million in Fiscal Year 2017 funding to ensure that CBPs UAS operations and training facility would remain in Grand Forks. The CBPleasedrecently-renovated space on the air base earlier this year. -###- Print Email Tweet Next Article Previous Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://cramer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cramer-announces-mobile-office-hours-in-forman-and-ashley-on-december-12,Cramer Announces Mobile Office Hours in Forman and Ashley on December 12,2017-12-04,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,ND,Kevin Cramer,C001096,cramer.house.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Kevin Cramer has scheduled mobile office hours in Forman and Ashley on Tuesday, December 12th.   Mobile Office Hours allow constituents to receive assistance with casework from the Congressman’s staff. “Many issues are raised through various forms of contact with me and my offices. Having members of my staff in Forman and Ashley allows more time for those with concerns and questions to explore solutions with people in a position to help,” said Cramer. “I realize it's not always easy or even possible for people to get to my district offices. Mobile office hours brings these services closer to constituents.” Individuals from the Forman and Ashley areas are encouraged to stop by the mobile office for help with veterans and Social Security benefits, Medicare billing problems, immigration issues, military records or medals, or for assistance with any other federal agency. Tuesday, December 12 Forman Public Library — 10-11:30am 347 Main St. Forman, ND 58032   Ashley City Building — 1:30-3pm Conference Room 113 1st Ave NW Ashley, ND 58413     Contact Cody Morsching, Cramer’s Field Representative, with any questions. He can be reached by email at Cody.Morsching@mail.house.gov or telephone 701-356-2216. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://cramer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/cramer-house-moves-tax-legislation-to-conference,CRAMER: House Moves Tax Legislation to Conference,2017-12-04,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,ND,Kevin Cramer,C001096,cramer.house.gov,,,legacy,"Contact: Adam.Jorde@mail.house.gov WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Kevin Cramer issued the following statement this evening after the U.S. House of Representatives approved the motion to go to conference on H.R. 1 – the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act: “At the beginning of this year, Congress and the Trump Administration pledged to enact meaningful tax reform making American businesses globally competitive again, and giving middle class taxpayers the tax cut they deserve. Tonight’s vote marks one of the final steps in passing historic tax reform, and I’m looking forward to seeing a bill on President Trump’s desk before Christmas.” ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=267DAC98-7CB3-4671-A9E0-282379853F3C,The Truth about the Senate Republican Tax Reform Bill,2017-12-04,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,ND,Heidi Heitkamp,H001069,www.heitkamp.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp today released the following information explaining the truth about the Senate Republican tax reform bill. Click here to read Heitkamp’s statement about her vote against the bill. THE TRUTH ABOUT THE SENATE REPUBLICAN TAX REFORM BILL FACT: The Senate Republican tax reform bill will explode our country’s debt, adding nearly $1.5 trillion on the nation’s credit card – and that’s in the best-case scenario. WHAT THIS MEANS: The bill will put our kids on the hook to pay for its exorbitant cost without substantially growing the economy. We need to have an honest conversation about what American families are getting for that $1.5 trillion, because that’s a really big bill to put on our kids’ shoulders. And it will have a huge impact on their futures. [CBO, 12/2/17] With $1.5 trillion, there are so many better, smarter ways the Senate could invest that money that would actually support working families and stand up for our kids’ futures. With this same amount of money, the Senate could give every taxpayer making less than $200,000 per year a $9,000 tax cut, rather than disproportionately helping the wealthy as this bill does. Or the Senate could invest that money, in priorities such as finding a cure for Alzheimer’s and cancer, rebuilding our country’s degraded infrastructure, expanding opioid abuse prevention and treatment programs, or fixing the country’s pension crisis. All of these priorities will be crowded out by the Senate’s deficit financed tax bill. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget concludes that the real cost of the Senate bill could be $2.2 trillion, and debt would exceed the size of the economy in just over a decade. [CRFB, 11/15/17] The drastic increase in the federal debt will likely require Congress to pay for it by reducing spending elsewhere. As a result, there could be to severe cuts to and the elimination of critical programs that middle income families rely on. According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, Republicans’ bill would trigger automatic spending cuts, including: [The Hill, 11/14/17] Cutting $400 billion from Medicare that would take away health care from seniors. AARP opposes the bill. Wiping out $20 billion from agriculture programs that farmers and ranchers depend on like commodities, livestock assistance, conservation, specialty crop research initiative, beginning farmer and rancher development program, rural energy for America program, and specialty crop block grants. Plus, because of these costs, the federal government risks making it unaffordable to do a Farm Bill next year. [Politico, 11/30/17] Reducing Customs and Border Patrol operations that protect our borders and keep communities safe. Cutting student loan assistance that enables students to afford college. Slashing Essential Air Service, a vital federal program which enables North Dakota’s smaller airports to serve rural communities, support local jobs, and boost economic development. The program invests $4.2 million in Dickinson’s airport, $4 million in Devils Lake’s, and $2.8 million in Jamestown’s each year. Eliminating federal oil, gas and coal payments to states. States currently receive 50 percent of the revenues from minerals extracted from federal lands in the state. These funds are used by states to pay for road, schools, firefighters, and other public services. For North Dakota, it would mean the loss of $40 million next year. [U.S. Interior Department] CONSERVATIVES AGREE: 37 top economists from the University of Chicago said that the Republican tax reform bills would cause the U.S. debt to increase much faster than the economy would grow. [University of Chicago, 11/21/17] The conservative American Enterprise Institute stated, “This tax bill is also terribly flawed. Its benefits are too tilted toward wealthier Americans. It would increase deficits and debt at a time when both are already high and headed higher. And the changes to business taxes are hardly constructed to optimize economic growth.” [AEI, 11/29/17] FACT: The Senate Republican tax reform bill won’t grow the economy or create jobs in the way Republicans say it will. WHAT THIS MEANS: Republicans’ claims that this bill will provide robust, sustained economic growth are not true, and many large companies have admitted it. Many companies have said they will turn over most of the gains from corporate tax cuts to their shareholders rather than hiring more workers – creating more have and have nots and disproportionately hurting families across North Dakota. Some economics and company executives are making clear that bringing their tax rate down won’t cause them to hire more workers. [Politico, 11/30/17] CONSERVATIVES AGREE: Bruce Bartlett, a senior Treasury and White House economic official under two Republican presidents, said, “Virtually everything Republicans say about taxes today is a lie. Tax cuts and tax rate reductions will not pay for themselves; they never have.” [USA Today, 9/27/17] Phillip Swagel, President George W. Bush’s top economist at the U.S. Department of Treasury, called Treasury Secretary Mnuchin’s claims that the tax cuts will pay for themselves “just implausible.” [WSJ, 11/17/17] FACT: The Senate Republican tax reform bill gives the vast majority of tax cuts to wealthy Americans while middle and low income families get the crumbs. WHAT THIS MEANS: With this bill, Republicans are buying off middle income families by giving them almost nothing, while wealthy Americans get the vast majority of the tax cuts. Tax reform must support workers, families, and retirees – but this bill does the opposite. Instead, this tax bill is just unfair -- providing permanent tax relief for corporations and the wealthy, while making tax credits for middle income families temporary, phasing them out in 2025. According to the Joint Committee on Taxation, with this bill, $34 billion in tax cuts will be invested in in 572,000 Americans who make over $1 million – averaging $59,000 per person. On the other hand, $14 billion in tax cuts will go to 90 million taxpayers who make under $50,000 per year – averaging $160 per person. [JCT, 11/11/17] According to the Institute of Taxation and Economic Policy, in North Dakota, the top one percent – those making over $604,800 – will see an average tax cut of $46,870. Meanwhile, North Dakotans making under $75,220 – 60 percent of those in North Dakota -- will get an average tax cut of just a few hundred dollars. [ITEP, 11/17] Then, in 2027, on average, North Dakotans will see a tax increase of almost $10,000. On the other hand, rather than disproportionately helping the wealthy as this bill does, with $1.5 trillion, the Senate could give every taxpayer making less than $200,000 per year a $9,000 tax cut. [ITEP, 11/29/17] Because the tax breaks for middle income families are only temporary, the non-partisan Tax Policy Center concluded that half of all households nationwide would face a tax increase in 2027, including two-thirds of households making between $54,700 and $93,200. In North Dakota, the nearly 90,000 households earning under $105,000 per year would receive a tax increase under the proposal. [CBPP, 11/21/17] The bill punishes middle income families because the tax credits for them are only temporary and go away in five years. But the tax cuts for corporations are permanent. For families across the country, that creates economic uncertainty, while rewarding big corporations. On top of this, the bill would eliminate or drastically reduce many important tax breaks that support middle income families like the personal exemption, and state and local property tax deduction. FACT: The Senate Republican tax reform bill encourages outsourcing. WHAT THIS MEANS: The bill won’t bring jobs back to the U.S. because it supports foreign investors by giving them tax cuts for keeping jobs overseas, rather than incentivizing them to bring jobs to the U.S. and hire American workers.  Rather than supporting families and workers, many of the biggest beneficiaries of this bill will actually be foreign investors, who according the Institute of Taxation and Economic Policy, will get $22 billion in tax cuts in 2027, while American families making under $90,300 will pay an additional $18 billion in aggregate taxes that year. [ITEP, 11/18/17] FACT: The Senate Republican tax reform bill will make the tax code more complex. WHAT THIS MEANS: Families need a tax code that is easier to understand and comply with. Right now there are six huge books that make up the tax code. And independent analysists have said this bill will add another book to that stack because of all the complications it will create. [WSJ, 11/14/17] This bill creates potential loopholes that will invite further abuses in the tax code and complicate tax filing for businesses. For example, it includes a loophole that supports companies that shift jobs overseas. [NYT, 11/13/17] On the business side, the bill will likely increase tax compliance costs for small businesses and pass throughs as a result of its new, untested pass through deduction model. On the international side, the changes are also untested and could significantly increase opportunities for gamesmanship of the tax code and/or lead to off-shoring of U.S. jobs.  FACT: The Senate Republican tax reform bill will create uncertainty and losses for homeowners because the tax system will favor renting over owning a home. WHAT IT MEANS: The bill could have longstanding negative impacts on homeownership by reversing a century worth of tax policy that has valued homeownership as a key driver of retirement security for families across the country. The North Dakota Association of Realtors and North Dakota Homebuilders oppose this bill because it will take away incentives for people to purchase homes by nearly doubling the standard deduction which eliminates most itemized deductions. If fewer people buy homes, home values will decrease, hurting property values for those who already own homes.[Washington Post, 9/27/17] Homeowners in every state will be double taxed for state and local taxes because the bill will drastically reduce how much homeowners can deduct on their property taxes. According to the National Association of Realtors, the direct result of these changes will be a plunge in home values across America in excess of 10 percent, and likely more in higher cost areas. The provision in the bill that will restrict the use of the exclusion of gain on the sale of a principal residence would exacerbate the effect, especially for young homeowners seeking a starter home.  FACT: The Senate Republican tax reform bill will hurt farmers and ranchers. WHAT THIS MEANS: The bill could lead to drastic cuts in farm programs and make a new Farm Bill unaffordable. The drastic increase in the federal debt will likely require Congress to pay for it by reducing spending elsewhere. As a result, there could be severe cuts and the elimination of critical programs including wiping out $20 billion from agriculture programs that farmers and ranchers depend on like commodities, livestock assistance, conservation, specialty crop research initiative, beginning farmer and rancher development program, rural energy for America program, specialty crop block grants. Plus, because of these costs, the federal government risks making it unaffordable to do a Farm Bill next year. [Politico, 11/30/17] The rushed process and the resulting lack of clarity on key agricultural provisions could be harmful to North Dakota agricultural producers, by making substantial changes to critical provisions like accelerated depreciation (Section 179), carryback provisions, “like kind” exchanges, and Section 199 for cooperatives, all of which could be capped or reduced depending upon the outcome of Senate floor procedures. The North Dakota Farmer’s Union opposes the bill. FACT: The Senate Republican tax reform bill will directly hurt millennials who will face tougher futures. WHAT THIS MEANS: The bill targets millennials through changes to home ownership, increased rates on lower income brackets, the child tax credit, and by drastically adding to the country’s debt – which will have a cumulative effect on young adults. [Cosmopolitan, 11/29/17] Millennials, in part because they tend to have lower incomes and are saddled with student loan debt, will see almost zero benefit from this bill. Median income for millennials across the country is relatively low, at about $24,000 per year in North Dakota. Under this bill, tax cuts for those earning less than $75,000 a year will phase out by 2027, leaving many of those Americans with tax hikes instead. [Washington Post, 11/16/17] Analysis from the Joint Committee on Taxation shows that for those making less than $30,000 per year, nearly 50 percent won’t see any significant benefit from the bill by 2019. And only 39 percent will see a tax decrease of $100 to $500. [JCT, 11/27/17] The bill makes it hard for millennials to buy homes and puts those at a disadvantage if they recently bought a home. Homeowners in every state would be double taxed for state and local taxes because the bill will drastically reduce the amount homeowners can deduct property taxes. The bill will take away incentives for people to purchase homes by nearly doubling the standard deduction which eliminates most itemized deductions. If fewer people buy homes, home values will decrease, hurting property values for those who already own homes. The bill will also require homeowners to stay in their homes for five years before receiving the capital gains exemption, which may prevent millennials from buying a first home. [Washington Post, 9/27/17] The child tax credit won’t fully apply to many millennials. Even though the tax credit is doubled under the bill, the tax credit is limited to just 15 percent of an individual’s income. Therefore, only high income earners, which tend to not be millennials, will get the full $2,000 tax credit. [Vox, 11/15/17] Additionally, millennials and younger generations will have to deal with the impact of this bill on future budgets. It will increase the national debt by nearly $1.5 trillion. FACT: The Senate Republican tax reform bill will hurt North Dakota’s energy industry. WHAT THIS MEANS: Wind, oil, gas, and coal will see decreased support because of the bill. The drastic increase in the federal debt will likely require Congress to pay for it by reducing spending elsewhere. As a result, there could be severe cuts to and the elimination of critical programs including federal oil, gas and coal payments to states. States currently receive 50 percent of the revenues from minerals extracted from federal lands in the state. These funds are used by states to pay for road, schools, firefighters, and other public services. For North Dakota, it would mean the loss of $40 million next year in federal oil, gas, and coal payments. [U.S. Interior Department] Provisions in the bill will weaken the effectiveness of the Production Tax Credit (PTC) that supports the development of wind energy, including in North Dakota. Heitkamp specifically worked to extend the PTC in a deal she helped negotiate that Congress passed in December 2015 to lift the decades-old ban on exporting oil and pair it with tax credits for renewable energies, including extending the PTC. For more than a year and a half, she worked with U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) to build support in Congress for lifting the ban, reach a deal with Democrats that included support for renewable energies like wind to gain bipartisan support for the deal, and get enough votes to change this outdated policy. As a result, North Dakota’s wind sector has expanded since 2015. FACT: The Senate tax reform bill will lead to a decrease in charitable donations to nonprofit organizations. WHAT THIS MEANS: Nonprofits that support education, health care, financial literacy, and many other causes that impact every part of North Dakota will lose out. The bill could curtail up to $18 million per year in charitable giving and subject nearly 50,000 non-profit jobs in North Dakota to uncertainty. [JEC, 11/28/17]  ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=9618D0C0-E7B7-48D2-81E0-4D31E0205BAB,Heitkamp Statement on Vote Against Senate Republican Tax Reform Bill,2017-12-02,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,ND,Heidi Heitkamp,H001069,www.heitkamp.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Senator: “With this bill, Congress is handing our children a credit card bill with nearly $1.5 trillion of debt – and that’s in the best-case scenario”  North Dakotans will see an Average Tax Increase of almost $10,000 in 2027 WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp today issued the following statement explaining her vote against the Senate Republican tax reform bill that would add nearly $1.5 trillion to the country’s debt. “As North Dakota’s former tax commissioner, I’ve been eager to work with Republicans and Democrats on tax reform to give hard working men and women a needed tax break,” said Heitkamp. “Tax issues are important and complicated, and that’s why Congress needed to work together, Republicans and Democrats, on tax reform. After holding listening sessions across North Dakota, having many discussions about tax reform with top White House officials including the president, and trying to change this bill so it supports working families, it’s discouraging that Senate Republicans weren’t willing to work with us on it. Instead, this bill was crafted at the last minute behind closed doors. And it shows – this bill is bad for North Dakota. “With this legislation, Congress is handing our children a credit card bill with nearly $1.5 trillion of debt – and that’s in the best-case scenario. We need to have an honest conversation about what that means for us long-term. Now, we won’t be able to spend that money on finding a cure for Alzheimer’s and cancer, addressing the opioid epidemic, fixing the country’s pension crisis, boosting national security, rebuilding degraded infrastructure, supporting agriculture research, or providing disaster assistance. All that money will have been spent on tax reform. “Additionally, this bill tries to buy off middle income families for almost nothing, while the wealthy get richer at their expense. In North Dakota, the top one percent – those making over $604,800 – will see an average tax cut of $46,870. The president and most members of Congress will benefit from this bill. Meanwhile, North Dakotans making under $75,220 – 60 percent of those in our state -- will get an average tax cut of just a few hundred dollars. Look at that disparity – there’s nothing fair about it. Then, in 2027, on average, North Dakotans will see a tax increase of almost $10,000. On the other hand, if these tax cuts were given out evenly across the board rather than disproportionately to the wealthy, every American would get a $9,000 tax cut, but that isn’t what is happening. “I wanted to be able to support a responsible, permanent tax reform bill that stands up for workers, families, and retirees while staying fiscally responsible. I wanted to help write it. But this bill gives large corporations a permanent tax cut, while the tax cuts for working families expire in a few years. It could hurt North Dakota seniors by cutting $400 billion from Medicare. It puts farm programs and the Farm Bill at risk. It makes it more difficult for young families to buy homes. It will be harder for students to afford a college education. It makes it more complicated for small businesses to file taxes. It will take health care away from 13 million families. Teachers won’t be able to buy the school supplies they need. Nonprofit organizations will receive fewer donations to operate and help struggling families. The bill could force cuts for federal oil, gas, and coal payments to North Dakota by $40 million per year. And all the top academics – Republicans and Democrats – say it won’t grow the economy or create jobs in the way Republicans say it will. “It’s up to Congress to set a responsible path forward for our country. This bill is bad business and it’s about a political win, but the detrimental impacts of it will be felt across North Dakota and the country. Every day when I come to work in the U.S. Senate, I’m fighting for families across rural America – the workers, parents, retirees, and children -- who are counting on us to stand up for them and do the right thing for them. But under this bill, they will lose, and that’s why I can’t vote for it.” ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.hoeven.senate.gov/news/news-releases/hoeven-senate-passes-tax-relief-for-north-dakotans-small-businesses,"Hoeven: Senate Passes Tax Relief for North Dakotans, Small Businesses",2017-12-02,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,ND,John Hoeven,H001061,www.hoeven.senate.gov,,,legacy,"12.02.17 Hoeven: Senate Passes Tax Relief for North Dakotans, Small Businesses Legislation Cuts Taxes for Individuals, Families and Small Businesses WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven today released the following statement after the U.S. Senate passed tax relief legislation to lower tax rates for working Americans and the nation’s small businesses.  “The Senate took an important step to provide hardworking, middle-class Americans with tax relief that will enable them to keep more of their paycheck and at the same time lower rates for small businesses, including our farmers and ranchers, so we can grow our economy and create more jobs with higher wages,” said Hoeven. “Now that the Senate has passed its tax relief plan, we’ll go to work with the House to deliver the best possible bill for hardworking Americans.”   During Senate debate on the bill, Hoeven successfully worked to include provisions in the tax relief plan to benefit North Dakotans, including: Increasing the tax deduction to 23% for qualified pass-through income, which reduces the tax burden for small businesses set up as a partnerships or pass-through entities.  Maintaining the state and local property tax deduction up to $10,000 for individuals and families. Maintaining the IC-DISC program, which enables small and medium businesses, including manufacturers, to reduce taxes on portions of their export income.  Greater flexibility for implement and auto dealers to expense interest on inventory. The legislation includes a Hoeven amendment that exempts businesses with floor plan financing from the interest expense limitation, subject to further rules.  Additionally, the Senate Tax Relief Package:  Reduces the tax burden on hardworking American taxpayers.  Provides a net tax cut of about $2,200 for a median income family of four.  Increases the standard deduction for individuals to $12,000 and married couples to $24,000.   Increases the standard deduction for a single parent with dependents to $18,000.  9 out of 10 taxpayers will likely use the expanded standard deduction. Doubles the Child Tax Credit to $2,000 per child. Benefits to Small Businesses, Farmer and Ranchers For the first five years, allows full expensing or writing off the cost of new investments, which is phased down over an additional four year period. Expands the Section 179 expensing of equipment on a permanent basis. Doubles the estate tax exemption, while maintaining the step-up in basis for capital gains. Maintains interest deductibility as well as the property tax deduction for small businesses, farmers and ranchers. Tax relief, combined with regulatory relief, will empower the economy to grow and increase government revenues. Claims that the legislation will increase the deficit do not account for or underestimate revenue from a growing economy. Additionally, the legislation does not cut spending to agriculture or other programs nor does it require across the board spending cuts due to Pay-Go requirements.  Hoeven has been working to ensure tax reform works for North Dakota families and businesses. Last week, the senator held roundtables in Bismarck and Fargo to gather input from North Dakotans. Hoeven has repeatedly spoken on the Senate floor to outline tax reform priorities. Additionally, earlier this fall, the senator held a series of roundtable discussions in Minot, Grand Forks and Bismarck with the North Dakota small businesses and farmers and ranchers to gather input.   -###- Print Email Tweet Previous Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/heidi-in-the-news?ContentRecord_id=84D83486-26C1-42F9-9B78-27E6FEDE06E8,Bismarck Tribune: Senate approves bill to expand AMBER Alerts to Indian Country,2017-12-01,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,ND,Heidi Heitkamp,H001069,www.heitkamp.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Bismarck Tribune Staff A bill to expand AMBER Alerts in Indian Country has passed the U.S. Senate. Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., who introduced the bill with Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said Thursday she hopes the House will approve the bill as soon as possible so the president can sign it into law.  “Native American children are some of the most vulnerable children in the country, yet there isn’t an AMBER Alert system in much of Indian Country, and that makes it very difficult to recover children who have been abducted or who have run away,” Heitkamp said.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=67230C10-C980-4314-8FFF-928852270CBB,Heitkamp Announces Federal Funds for Family Healthcare Center in Fargo,2017-12-01,2017,2017-12,Democrat,House,ND,Heidi Heitkamp,H001069,www.heitkamp.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp today announced $431,077 in federal funds to support the Family Healthcare Center in Fargo to help deliver primary care services for North Dakotans. “Every North Dakota family deserves to stay healthy and safe,” said Heitkamp. “These federal funds will help the Family Healthcare Center in Fargo provide needed primary care services so families in Fargo can stay healthy by accessing needed health care services.” These federal funds are authorized through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.hoeven.senate.gov/news/news-releases/hoeven-announces-431000-hhs-grant-for-family-healthcare-in-fargo,"Hoeven Announces $431,000 HHS Grant for Family Healthcare in Fargo",2017-12-01,2017,2017-12,Republican,House,ND,John Hoeven,H001061,www.hoeven.senate.gov,,,legacy,"12.01.17 Hoeven Announces $431,000 HHS Grant for Family Healthcare in Fargo WASHINGTON Senator John Hoeven, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has awarded a $431,077 grant to Family HealthCare in Fargo. The funds are made available through HHS health center cluster program and will support improved and expanded primary health care services at the centers facilities. Todays funds will help Family HealthCare provide affordable, quality health care services to individuals and families in the Fargo-Moorhead region, helping to improve their long-term wellbeing and quality of life, Hoeven said. -###- Print Email Tweet Next Article Previous Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/heidi-in-the-news?ContentRecord_id=8A72D79A-77E7-4A2B-84E8-7F02488B562E,KFYR: US House introduces version of 'Savanna's Act',2017-11-30,2017,2017-11,Democrat,House,ND,Heidi Heitkamp,H001069,www.heitkamp.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Joe Skurzewski WASHINGTON, D.C. - A bipartisan bill named in honor of a slain Native American woman from North Dakota is now making its way through the US House of Representatives, aimed at addressing the increase in murders and disappearances of Native American women. The bill, introduced by Rep. Norma J. Torres (D-CA) and Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK), is named ""Savanna’s Act"" in honor of the late Savanna Greywind. The bill is intended to accompany a similar one introduced in the US Senate by Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND). The bills would work to close the gaps between tribal, local, and federal law enforcement agencies. Heitkamp’s bill is currently before the Senate’s Committee on Indian Affairs, and Torres is a ranking member of a House subcommittee on Native American affairs. Greywind’s body was found along the Red River in August, more than a week after she disappeared. Greywind was pregnant at the time of her disappearance, though authorities found the child in a Fargo apartment. The child is said to be in good health and living with Greywind’s boyfriend. Two people face charges of conspiracy to commit murder and kidnapping in Greywind’s disappearance and death. Thirty-eight-year-old Brooke Crews intends to change her plea, while 32-year-old William Hoehn awaits another court appearance.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/heidi-in-the-news?ContentRecord_id=E4E816C3-6C6C-416D-B03E-0BC2F533C06F,"Opinion Editorial: The Hill: Congress, here's a CO2-smart tax fix to protect, create jobs",2017-11-30,2017,2017-11,Democrat,House,ND,Heidi Heitkamp,H001069,www.heitkamp.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Bob Perciasepe, D. Michael Langford, John Risch As the Senate approaches a vote this week on tax reform legislation, there’s a proposal with bipartisan support that unions, environmental groups, and industry are all backing. Incentives to support more investment in carbon capture use and storage technology would spur new job growth, but they will also mean that manufacturers and energy producers have the ability to preserve jobs at existing facilities, while reducing carbon emissions at the same time. The NRG Energy Petra Nova carbon capture project at the W.A. Parish coal-fired power plant about 25 miles southwest of Houston is an example of the potential to both cut emissions and protect workers. That’s because the retrofit adopting post-combustion carbon capture technology will annually extract more than 1.6 million tons of carbon dioxide that would otherwise be exhaled into the Texas sky. The project, which is the largest of its kind in the world, was also completed with more than 1,000 workers contributing to the project. But successes like this in the private sector can — and must — be bolstered by partners on Capitol Hill. Leaders of both parties agree that the investments will create and preserve high-paying jobs while helping to reduce carbon emissions over the long term. Legislation to do just that has been cosponsored by a bipartisan group of 25 senators. The FUTURE Act, as introduced by Senators Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) and John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) would encourage investment in carbon capture projects, direct air capture projects, and the development of technology to convert carbon into useful products. We already know this practical technology works. In Decatur, Illinois, the Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) Illinois Industrial Carbon Capture and Storage Project became the world’s first commercial-scale ethanol plant retrofitted with carbon capture. Retrofitting facilities with carbon capture technology, like those projects in Decatur and Houston, creates near-term construction jobs in communities where employment is sorely needed. Two thousand workers were involved in the Shell Quest Project in Alberta with 900 working daily on the construction, and the SaskPower Boundary Dam Project in Saskatchewan employed roughly 600 people for construction. But, perhaps more importantly, these projects preserve the long-term jobs in communities that have depended on them for decades with the retrofits ensuring many more years of employment as upgraded plants emit far fewer carbon emissions than before. New projects in the U.S. can replicate those successes. To help maintain American leadership in this critical area of energy infrastructure, now is the time to support adding more carbon capture projects to the development pipeline. That means providing the financial incentives for investment in these projects.    Carbon capture applications go beyond the power sector, including great potential in steel, cement, and fertilizer production plants, natural gas processing plants, and at refineries. On the other side of the world, the Emirates Steel “Abu Dhabi CCS project” became the world’s first steel plant retrofitted with carbon capture technology. Low-carbon and zero-carbon technologies have benefited in the past from similar financial incentives. Federal tax credits and state portfolio standards drove deployment of wind and solar energy and helped dramatically reduce costs. What’s important for Members of Congress and people concerned about carbon emissions to know is that carbon capture technology works. Petra Nova and the ADM projects are just a couple of examples. For those examples to be replicated broadly though, we need now to make these projects more economical and to identify additional uses for repurposing the captured carbon in addition to enhanced oil recovery. Scaling up carbon capture technology would set the stage for cost reductions that could open the door for new industries. Last fall, the Carbon XPRIZE recognized 27 semi-finalists who are developing promising uses for captured carbon dioxide, from enhanced concrete to plastics and carbon nanotubes for higher capacity batteries. In analyzing these finalists, making sure that the carbon stays out of the atmosphere will be an important factor. Capturing carbon from sources — like power plants or industrial processes — can be a bridge to ambitious technologies, like direct atmospheric capture of CO2 to pull the greenhouse gas directly out of the air above. These exciting new industries provide opportunities for American innovation and new jobs. The sky is the limit with carbon capture; it’s that varied and diverse. We’ve seen increased levels of deployment, improved technology performance, and reduced costs in the wind and solar energy industries thanks, in part, to financial incentives. While we’re right to celebrate these American successes, we must not stop there. Let’s apply the same winning formula of financial incentives and state portfolio standards to drive deployment of new American energy infrastructure. As the Senate deliberates over a tax extenders package, we encourage them to include the FUTURE Act — and its financial incentives for carbon capture technology — to open the door for American innovation. Bob Perciasepe is president of the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES), an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization working to forge practical solutions to climate change. He is also a former deputy administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. D. Michael Langford is the national president of the Utility Workers Union of America, which is committed to ensuring that its members are the safest, most productive, and highest skilled utility workers in the world. John Risch is the national legislative director of the Transportation Division of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers, the largest union of railroad employees in North America.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=225DEC6B-C871-4978-AB7C-9E5B8E269C90,Heitkamp-McCain Bill to Expand AMBER Alerts in Indian Country Passes U.S. Senate,2017-11-30,2017,2017-11,Democrat,House,ND,Heidi Heitkamp,H001069,www.heitkamp.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) and John McCain (R-AZ) today announced that her bipartisan bill to expand AMBER Alerts in Indian Country has passed the U.S. Senate. Heitkamp and McCain introduced the AMBER Alert in Indian Country Act of 2017 earlier this year to expand the child abduction warnings in Indian Country. Such alerts are critical for law enforcement efforts to quickly disseminate information to the public about abducted children to generate leads as quickly as possible, but currently such alerts in many parts of Indian Country are limited to tribal lands – if they exist at all. By making tribes eligible for AMBER Alert system resources, law enforcement in state, local, and tribal governments will better be able to coordinate to find and rescue missing or abducted children, particularly if they have been taken off of their reservation. “Native American children are some of the most vulnerable children in the country, yet there isn’t an AMBER Alert system in much of Indian Country, and that makes it very difficult to recover children who have been abducted or who have run away,” Heitkamp said. “That must change, and that’s why I introduced this bipartisan bill with Senator John McCain to expand this lifesaving system to some of the most vulnerable children in our country – those in Indian Country. The Senate passing this bill is an important step forward, and I encourage the House of Representatives to pass it as soon as possible so the president can sign it in to law. This is part of a broader effort raise awareness and bring better systems of justice to Indian Country, and to give law enforcement agencies at all levels the tools they need to prevent crime and bring criminals to justice so we can keep all our communities strong and safe. Both this bill and Savanna’s Act which I introduced to help address the crisis of missing and murdered native women and girls would make important strides.” “Last year, Navajo Nation was devastated by the abduction and murder of 11-year old Ashlynne Mike,” said Senator McCain. “In that high profile case, authorities did not issue an AMBER Alert for Ashlynne until the day after family members reported her abduction. According to FBI statistics, more than 7,500 Native American children are listed as missing in the United States today. We must protect the most vulnerable individuals in Indian Country, and this legislation is an important step forward in that effort.” The House version of the AMBER Alert in Indian Country Act recently passed out of the House Judiciary Committee. The legislation must now pass the full House before being sent to the president’s desk to be signed in to law. Heitkamp has long been working to build a more robust response to addressing crime and human trafficking in Indian Country and of Native Americans. This week, Heitkamp launched a social media campaign using #NotInvisible to raise awareness about the crisis of missing and murdered indigenous women and bring it out of the shadows. Click here for video of Heitkamp discussing the initiative. Heitkamp has also featured the stories of missing and murdered women on her Facebook page to raise awareness about the crisis. Click here to read their stories. In October she introduced Savanna’s Act to ensure North Dakota’s tribes have the information and resources they need to protect women and girls from violence, abduction, and human trafficking. The U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs held a hearing on the legislation, and it has attracted strong bipartisan support. Companion legislation was introduced in the House of Representatives this week by U.S. Representatives Norma Torres (D-CA) and Tom Cole (R-OK) In September 2013, Heitkamp led an initial hearing to sound the alarm on the prevalence of human trafficking, especially in Indian Country. Since then, Heitkamp has pushed for legislative action to fight human trafficking, playing a key role in introducing and passing bipartisan legislation on the issue in 2015 in the U.S. Senate, and continuing to introduce more bills on the issue to provide resources for health care providers to stop human trafficking and protect runaway and homeless youth from trafficking. In September of this year, Heitkamp and a group of nine bipartisan senators called for federal agencies and organizations to provide specific training to federal government employees in Indian Country to spot, stop, and respond to human trafficking and domestic violence in the communities they serve. Click here to read the letter. Building on her work to protect every Native child and community from criminals seeking anonymity on their lands, Heitkamp brought then-Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director James B. Comey to Fort Berthold in 2016 to continue to press him on the urgent need for a permanent federal law enforcement presence and an improved federal response on the ground in Indian Country, as she had been doing for years. As North Dakota’s former Attorney General, Heitkamp has worked to raise awareness about the need for a permanent federal law enforcement presence across Indian Country. Since joining the U.S. Senate, she has continued to call for a permanent FBI office in western North Dakota and Indian Country. There is now an FBI office in Williston and she continues to press for an office on tribal lands.   The first bill Heitkamp co-sponsored was the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, which she played a major role in pushing through Congress in 2013. Heitkamp worked to include a key provision in VAWA to address the continuing crisis of violence against women in tribal communities. The provision strengthens the existing programs and provides tribal governments the force they need to prosecute non-Indian perpetrators who commit these crimes on tribal land. Through her Strong & Safe Communities Initiative, which Heitkamp launched in September 2014, Heitkamp has worked to address the emerging challenges in North Dakota as a result of the state’s population boom, including crime, exploitation, and trafficking issues in Indian Country. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=C9411CBF-EE71-4F51-B178-D4D0851EC03F,Heitkamp Statement on Final Renewable Fuel Standard,2017-11-30,2017,2017-11,Democrat,House,ND,Heidi Heitkamp,H001069,www.heitkamp.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp today issued the following statement after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its final renewable volume obligations (RVOs) for biofuels under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). “The EPA’s final RFS rule is an improvement from the original proposal in July, supporting strong ethanol production, but I’m disappointed that biodiesel targets were not raised,” Heitkamp said. “The failure to raise biodiesel targets is discouraging to private investment in the industry and to jobs in rural America. The EPA should make sure the RFS remains a forward looking program that encourages growth and drives new investment in the industry while supporting good jobs.” The EPA had proposed holding the biomass-based diesel volume stagnant for 2019 and reducing the advanced biofuel volume for 2018, leaving potential growth in the industry on the table and threatening near-term job losses in rural America. EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt had previously pledged to support the Renewable Fuel Standard, and Heitkamp reinforced the need to protect it in a meeting with Pruitt prior to his confirmation.   According to a study conducted last year by LMC International and released by the National Biodiesel Board, the 2.1 billion gallons of biodiesel and renewable diesel used by Americans in 2015 supported 47,400 jobs and $1.9 billion in wages, and had an $8.4 billion economic impact. In North Dakota, about 50 percent of corn is turned into ethanol, according to the North Dakota Corn Growers Association, reinforcing how important it is that we maintain a robust biofuels market through the Renewable Fuel Standard. A member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Heitkamp has been a vocal advocate for biodiesel and ethanol – industries that support over 400,000 American jobs, including many in North Dakota. Heitkamp has fought for the EPA to provide certainty to farmers and biofuels workers, and has continually pressed the agency to issue a strong Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) rule. Last year, EPA released final 2017 renewable volume obligations (RVOs) for ethanol and advanced biofuels, and 2018 RVOs for biodiesel under the RFS. As Heitkamp had long pushed for, the corn ethanol blend levels met the statutory requirements for the first time in years. The EPA is required by law to set fuel blending levels annually so biodiesel and ethanol producers can plan for the future, but the agency failed to do so for years, creating uncertainty for farmers as well as advanced biofuels research and development. After the EPA released its proposed RVOs in May 2016, Heitkamp called on the Administration to set more ambitious targets, as the law requires. She followed up on this in a call with Director of the Office of Management and Budget Shaun Donovan. Heitkamp also helped lead 40 senators in urging the Administration to increase biodiesel RVOs to encourage continued industry growth and diversity in the nation’s energy supply. Heitkamp led the charge in the Senate to successfully push the EPA to set timely RVOs in 2015 for the first time in years. When the RVOs released in May 2015 were lower than levels needed to comply with law and promote the ethanol and biofuels industries, Heitkamp led a bipartisan group of 36 senators in calling on the EPA to increase the RVOs, and joined a bipartisan group of more than 40 senators to put pressure on the EPA for strong corn ethanol blend levels in June 2016.     ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=DA81E26D-AC4F-4EC8-95D3-878FAEDE7A70,"Heitkamp, Ernst Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Improve Government Efficiency and Accountability",2017-11-30,2017,2017-11,Democrat,House,ND,Heidi Heitkamp,H001069,www.heitkamp.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Legislation would Strengthen Congressional Oversight and the Public’s Ability to Evaluate How Federal Agencies are Tackling Problems WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) and Joni Ernst (R-IA) today introduced a bipartisan bill to hold federal agencies accountable to act on recommendations that save taxpayer money and make government more efficient. The legislation requires that all open recommendations from inspectors general (IG) at federal agencies that have remained unimplemented for more than a year be posted to a single, searchable website. This legislation would allow Congress and the public to keep better tabs on the problems that have been identified at the federal agencies where IGs conduct audits to combat waste, fraud, and abuse – and keep track of whether or not steps have been taken to resolve those problems. IGs serve as federal watchdogs within government agencies by investigating agencies and recommending how to improve operations and transparency on issues ranging from cybersecurity to federal hiring practices. For the third consecutive year, the IGs identified in their recommendations over $20 billion in potential taxpayer savings. However, there is currently no standard requirement for how IGs organize and maintain open recommendations on their websites, and the quality of publicly available information varies from agency to agency. “Each year, our government invests in the important work of inspectors general. Unfortunately, it’s often difficult for taxpayers to assess whether a federal agency is listening to inspector general recommendations and making good-faith efforts to correct major issues that could help the federal government work better,” said Heitkamp. “Our bipartisan bill would allow the public to better hold government agencies and their leadership accountable by making sure the work of inspectors general gets the full and public analysis it deserves. That way recommendations are put to good use and tax dollars are used efficiently.” “Inspectors General play a critical role in the oversight of our federal agencies,” said Ernst. “I am glad to join Senator Heitkamp in this bipartisan effort to make the recommendations made by the Inspectors General more accessible and transparent so we can better combat waste and abuse in our federal agencies.” Today’s announcement follows the October launch of Oversight.gov—a federal website that hosts thousands of IG reports. The launch responded to Heitkamp’s repeated calls for greater transparency and accountability across federal agencies – including in bipartisan legislation she introduced last year that would have required IGs to post unimplemented recommendations on their websites. The Inspector General Recommendation Transparency Act is endorsed by the Project on Government Oversight. Before the launch of this legislation, Heitkamp met with U.S. Department of Justice Inspector General Michael Horowitz to discuss ways to improve Congressional oversight of his agency’s recommendations. During the meeting, Heitkamp reinforced how improving the way open recommendations are posted online could motivate federal agencies to fulfill the recommendations, and help keep Congress better informed about ways to improve operations at federal agencies. Heitkamp has been consistently working with the IG community on ways to implement key elements of her bill to help improve transparency and accountability across the federal government. As a leader of the Regulatory Affairs and Federal Management Subcommittee within the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security, Heitkamp helped lead a subcommittee hearing on how federal departments and agencies implement recommendations from the U.S. Government Accountability Office and the offices of inspectors general. At the hearing, Horowitz testified that for every dollar invested in IGs, there is the potential for $18 in savings for taxpayers, and Heitkamp expressed concern about the need for more transparency and visibility in agencies’ efforts to resolve issues of waste, fraud, abuse and mismanagement as identified by IGs. In March 2015, Heitkamp and U.S. Senator James Lankford (R-OK) launched their #CutRedTape Initiative to gather feedback about how federal regulations are impacting Americans across the country every day, and work to improve these regulations by reducing waste, stopping backlogs, and cutting red tape. ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/heidi-in-the-news?ContentRecord_id=07BB38BB-0B49-46D5-A8E7-E22B2A119039,KVRR: Senator Heitkamp Raises Awareness About Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women,2017-11-29,2017,2017-11,Democrat,House,ND,Heidi Heitkamp,H001069,www.heitkamp.senate.gov,,,legacy,"TJ Nelson WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Heidi Heitkamp is recognizing Native American Heritage Month by launching a social media campaign about missing and murdered indigenous women. Heitkamp said, “It can only end when we raise awareness. That’s why I’m asking you today to join me in making sure these women are not invisible. That we are not going to let this happen in our communities and in our country.” Across the country, 84 percent of Native American women experience some kind of violence in their lifetime. On some reservations, Native American women are murdered at 10 times the national average. In 2016, North Dakota had 125 reported cases of missing Native women according to the National Crime Information Center, but numbers are likely much higher as cases are often under reported and data isn’t officially collected. Heitkamp has introduced “Savanna’s Act”, named after slain Fargo woman Savanna Greywind, to keep Native women and girls safe.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/heidi-in-the-news?ContentRecord_id=A1E1E23E-0718-424F-889B-B23A58B3A6BB,Fargo Forum: Savanna's Act introduced in U.S. House,2017-11-29,2017,2017-11,Democrat,House,ND,Heidi Heitkamp,H001069,www.heitkamp.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Heitkamp, D-N.D., introduced ""Savanna's Act"" to the Senate in October. It received a hearing in the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs later that month, but has not progressed beyond that. California Rep. Norma Torres and Oklahoma Rep. Tom Cole introduced Savanna Act's into the House on Wednesday, Nov. 29. Heitkamp introduced the bill in response to what she has called an ""epidemic"" of missing and murdered native women. The bill is named for Savanna LaFontaine-Greywind, the 22-year-old Fargo woman who was killed in August. She was a member of the Spirit Lake Nation. The bill would create standard protocols for responding to cases of missing and murdered American Indians, improve the collection and dissemination of statistics about missing and murdered natives, and enhance tribal access to federal crime databases. Heitkamp on Wednesday also launched a social media campaign to raise awareness about the issue of missing and murdered native women. She asked native women, their families, advocates and others to post photos of themselves on Facebook and Twitter holding a sheet of paper saying #NotInvisible.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/op-eds?ContentRecord_id=6DC01F16-7BE1-498E-A094-9F48E8EB7EC5,"Choose Your Health Care Plan Now, Open Enrollment is Almost Over",2017-11-29,2017,2017-11,Democrat,House,ND,Heidi Heitkamp,H001069,www.heitkamp.senate.gov,,,legacy,"As we approach the holidays and a new year, it’s important to count our blessings and focus on the health and well-being of ourselves and those we care about. And perhaps the single most important thing you can do for your health and financial security is to make sure you have adequate health insurance. Health care open enrollment is going on right now and North Dakotans can sign up for or change their health care plans to make sure they’re getting a plan that works best for them and their families. But this year, you have much less time to research and choose a plan through healthcare.gov, known as the health insurance marketplace, than in past years. Open enrollment ends on December 15 – a month and a half earlier than last year – so time is running out to choose a plan for those who don’t get coverage through your job, Medicare, Medicaid, or Tricare. That’s why it’s so important that you act quickly to secure coverage – and remind your friends and family to do the same. The administration drastically cut the length of the open enrollment period this year, and also slashed federal funding for in-person assistance known as navigators who help you select a plan and sign up for coverage. We’re seeing the direct impacts in North Dakota. Minot State University, for example, saw its federal funds to help North Dakotans find care slashed by 96 percent. And Great Plains Tribal Chairmen’s Health Board doesn’t have enough funds to help North Dakotans sign up for coverage as it has done in previous years. Since 2013, the uninsured rate in North Dakota has been reduced from 11 percent to 8 percent, in  large part due to the work of organizations like these that helped families sign up for coverage. Because of the shorter enrollment period and reduced resources, I created a new webpage to help folks explore their health care options and choose the best plan for their individual needs. Please visit it to find resources at www.heitkamp.senate.gov. North Dakotans can shop for plans, determine financial assistance eligibility, sign up for coverage, and receive application assistance or appeal a decision by visiting www.healthcare.gov or calling 1-800-318-2596. There are five ways to apply for coverage: online, by phone, with in-person help, through an agent, or by mail. Despite the administration’s misguided decision to cut open enrollment period and support for assistance like North Dakota’s navigators, enrollment across the country has actually risen compared to previous years. That’s because families know how important it is to have health insurance – whether you have a preexisting condition or are in perfect health. You never know when you’ll need medical care, and no one should be saddled with a debilitating bill from the emergency room simply because they missed the open enrollment period and don’t have health care. I have long said that the health reform law isn’t perfect. But there are many pieces in it that are helpful, and for years I’ve been pushing to make it work better for North Dakota families and small businesses. For example, I’m leading an effort to delay the Health Insurance Tax to prevent burdensome premium increases. And I recently helped put forward a bipartisan plan to immediately make health insurance more affordable and accessible for North Dakota families. Every individual and family should be able to get access to affordable, quality health care, and no one should have to go bankrupt to pay for health care for a child with disabilities, a sick family member, or just an emergency that you never thought could happen. I encourage every North Dakotan who lacks health insurance or needs to make changes to their coverage to do so before the December 15 deadline. There isn’t time to waste as protecting your health is too important.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ContentRecord_id=B80A2612-BA2E-4B76-91A2-BFD1F6111AD9,Heitkamp Shines Light on Crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women with #NotInvisible during Native American Heritage Month,2017-11-29,2017,2017-11,Democrat,House,ND,Heidi Heitkamp,H001069,www.heitkamp.senate.gov,,,legacy,"WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp today recognized Native American Heritage Month and launched a social media campaign to raise awareness about the crisis of missing and murdered indigenous women and bring it out of the shadows. Heitkamp is encouraging Native women, their families, advocates, and others to show their support and help raise awareness about this epidemic by posting a photo holding a sheet of paper with #NotInvisible. Click here for video of Heitkamp discussing the initiative. Across the country, 84 percent of Native American women experience some kind of violence in their lifetime, and on some reservations, Native American women are murdered at 10 times the national average. In 2016, North Dakota had 125 reported cases of missing Native women according to the National Crime Information Center, but numbers are likely much higher as cases are often under reported and data isn’t officially collected.  “Native American Heritage Month is a time to reflect on the history and traditions of Native Americans, and it’s also a reminder that indigenous populations face many challenges that urgently require awareness and solutions,” Heitkamp said. “Folks in Indian Country across our nation know all too well about the epidemic of missing and murdered Native women as so many of them are directly impacted by it every day. But outside those communities and reservations, the issue lacks the awareness it deserves. With this effort, we’re standing with Native women, their families, advocates, and supporters to bring this crisis out of the shadows and say that Native women are not invisible. Only once we raise awareness about this epidemic can we then help implement solutions to stop these tragedies from occurring. This is a crisis that requires more federal resources and attention, which is why I’ve introduced Savanna’s Act to keep our Native women and girls – and all of our communities – strong and safe.” Heitkamp introduced Savanna’s Act in October. It has received bipartisan support in the U.S. Senate and already received a hearing in the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs.  Click here for a fact sheet on Savanna’s Act.  Today, U.S. Representatives Norma Torres (D-CA) and Tom Cole (R-OK) will introduce companion legislation in the House of Representatives. Heitkamp launched a website with key resources and information on missing and murdered indigenous women, including offering steps to take if you know or suspect a person has gone missing by force. Click here for more information.  Heitkamp has also featured the stories of missing and murdered women on her Facebook page to raise awareness about the crisis. Click here to read their stories. Earlier this month, Heitkamp released the latest episode of her podcast, “The Hotdish,” interviewing two experts and advocates who have dedicated their lives to helping indigenous women overcome obstacles and hardship. Click here for details. “The Hotdish” is available on iTunes and SoundCloud, as well as on Heitkamp’s Senate website. Click here to subscribe to “The Hotdish” on iTunes.   Background Heitkamp has long worked to stop violence, exploitation, and trafficking of Native women and children by: Combating human trafficking in Indian Country. Heitkamp held an initial Senate hearing in September 2013 on stopping human trafficking with a focus on Indian Country. She has worked closely with Cindy McCain, a global leader in the effort to stop human trafficking. McCain testified at a Senate hearing earlier this month on human trafficking in Indian Country and highlighted Heitkamp’s work on the issue. In 2015, Heitkamp brought Cindy McCain to Fort Berthold, to talk about how to combat human trafficking. In September, Heitkamp called forfederal agencies and organizations to provide specific training on human trafficking to federal government employees in Indian Country. Heitkamp also played a key role in passing bipartisan legislation in 2015 to fight human trafficking, and introduced multiple other bills on the issue. Calling for a permanent federal law enforcement presence in Indian Country. When she served as North Dakota’s Attorney General and now as a U.S. senator, Heitkamp has worked to raise awareness about the need for a permanent federal law enforcement presence across Indian Country. In 2016, she brought then-Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director James B. Comey to Fort Berthold to press him on the issue. Just a few weeks ago, Heitkamp spoke with the current FBI director about law enforcement challenges in Indian Country and pressed the agency to make these issues a priority. Protecting Native women from violence. In the U.S. Senate, Heitkamp has built on her work as North Dakota’s Attorney General to combat domestic violence. The first bill she cosponsored was the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act, which she then played a major role in passing in 2013. Heitkamp worked to include a key provision in the bill to address the continuing crisis of violence against women in tribal communities. The provision strengthens the existing programs and provides tribal governments the force they need to prosecute non-Indian perpetrators who commit these crimes on tribal land. Keeping communities strong and safe. Through her Strong & Safe Communities Initiative, which Heitkamp launched in September 2014, she has worked to address the emerging challenges in North Dakota as a result of the state’s population boom, including crime, exploitation, and trafficking issues in Indian Country.   ###",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.hoeven.senate.gov/news/news-releases/hoeven-on-senate-floor-senate-tax-reform-provides-working-north-dakotans-small-businesses-with-tax-relief,"Hoeven on Senate Floor: Senate Tax Reform Provides Working North Dakotans, Small Businesses with Tax Relief",2017-11-29,2017,2017-11,Republican,House,ND,John Hoeven,H001061,www.hoeven.senate.gov,,,legacy,"11.29.17 Hoeven on Senate Floor: Senate Tax Reform Provides Working North Dakotans, Small Businesses with Tax Relief Legislation Will Spur Economic Growth, Help Raise Wages WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven continued working to pass tax relief for hardworking North Dakota families and small businesses, including the state’s farmers and ranchers. The senator spoke on the Senate floor to highlight important priorities in the Senate’s draft bill that will enable middle-income individuals and families to keep more of their paychecks.  Hoeven has been working to ensure that the Senate bill meets the needs of North Dakotans. Last week, the senator held roundtables in Bismarck and Fargo to gather input from North Dakotans.  “We’ve been working to provide middle class Americans with tax relief that will enable them to keep more of their hard earned money so they can invest in the future,” said Hoeven. “At the same time, by lowering rates on our small businesses and our farmers and ranchers, we’re empowering and growing our economy which will create good jobs and raise wages for workers. That’s why we continue working to pass this tax relief plan.”   The Senate Tax Relief Package:  Reduces the tax burden on hardworking American taxpayers. Provides a net tax cut of about $2,200 for a median income family of four.  Increases the standard deduction for individuals to $12,000 and married couples to $24,000.  Increases the standard deduction for a single parent with dependents to $18,000.  9 out of 10 taxpayers will likely use the expanded standard deduction. Doubles the Child Tax Credit to $2,000 per child. Benefits to Small Businesses, Farmers and Ranchers For the first five years, allows full expensing or writing off the cost of new investments. Expands the Section 179 expensing of equipment on a permanent basis. Doubles the estate tax exemption, while maintaining the step-up in basis for capital gains. Maintains interest deductibility as well as the property tax deduction for small businesses, farmers and ranchers. The senator has repeatedly spoken on the Senate floor to outline tax reform priorities. Additionally, earlier this fall, the senator held a series of roundtable discussions in Minot, Grand Forks and Bismarck with the North Dakota small businesses and farmers and ranchers to gather input.   -###- Print Email Tweet Next Article Previous Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.hoeven.senate.gov/news/news-releases/hoeven-usda-provides-flexibility-in-school-meal-programs,Hoeven: USDA Provides Flexibility in School Meal Programs,2017-11-29,2017,2017-11,Republican,House,ND,John Hoeven,H001061,www.hoeven.senate.gov,,,legacy,"11.29.17 Hoeven: USDA Provides Flexibility in School Meal Programs Senator Has Led Efforts to Ensure Schools Can Offer Nutritious Meals While Still Meeting Their Budgets WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has issued an interim final rule that provides regulatory relief under the agency’s Child Nutrition Programs. As chairman of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee and a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, Hoeven secured a commitment from USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue during his confirmation process to work with the senator, school nutrition professionals and school districts to ease the regulations. Further, the senator successfully included language in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 funding agreement that provides schools with greater flexibility in meeting the whole grains, milk and sodium requirements. Today’s announcement comes as part of Hoeven’s ongoing efforts to ensure schools can both meet their budgets and serve nutritious meals.  “School nutrition professionals work every day to provide healthy meal options to our children,” said Hoeven. “School budgets and product availability place real constraints on their efforts, which is why we’ve worked to provide relief from these one-size-fits-all regulations. I appreciate Secretary Perdue for following through on his commitment to find a workable path forward for our schools to continue providing nutritious meals that students will actually eat.”   Specifically, today’s interim final rule would be in effect for the 2018-2019 school year and addresses requirements for: WHOLE GRAINS: Under current regulations, all grains offered with school meals must be whole grain rich – down to the croutons on the fresh salad bar. While schools have been able to apply for waivers, Hoeven has worked to address concerns with the waiver application and provide longer-term flexibility. This rule allows state agencies to grant exemptions to the whole grain requirements, allowing schools to serve enriched grain products and providing relief for those struggling with product availability or facing unreasonable cost increases due to the requirements. SODIUM: Schools have made great strides in reducing sodium to meet Target 1 sodium levels. However, school nutrition professionals have warned that lower sodium targets will push many healthy options, like low-fat deli sandwiches, soups and salads off the menu, due in part to naturally occurring sodium in foods. In recognition of this, the rule allows schools to remain at Target 1 sodium levels through the 2018-2019 school year, giving schools and children additional time to adjust to sodium reduction efforts. MILK: The rule gives schools the option to serve flavored low-fat milk, in addition to the currently allowed unflavored non-fat and low-fat milk and flavored non-fat milk. -###- Print Email Tweet Previous Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/heidi-in-the-news?ContentRecord_id=0F633CCA-2D12-49DB-831C-15203166AB05,Bismarck Tribune: ND could be one of the most affected states if US withdraws from NAFTA,2017-11-27,2017,2017-11,Democrat,House,ND,Heidi Heitkamp,H001069,www.heitkamp.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Jenny Schlecht FARGO — The U.S. Chamber of Commerce released a list of the states most likely to be negatively affected if the U.S. withdraws from the North American Free Trade Agreement, placing North Dakota at third, behind only Michigan and Wisconsin. Rounding out the list were Texas, Missouri, Ohio, Iowa, Indiana, Arizona, Nebraska, Pennsylvania and North Carolina. North Dakota’s position on the list sounds about right to officials in the North Dakota Trade Office. “Absolutely,” says Lindsey Warner, director of marketing and events at NDTO. “The unfortunate thing is, if NAFTA goes away, no matter how you look at it, it’s going to hurt a lot of our exporters.” NAFTA, implemented in 1994, over time eliminated almost all agricultural tariffs and quota restrictions among the U.S., Canada and Mexico. The three countries have undergone several rounds of negotiations in an effort to produce a modernized version of the agreement. The chamber report explains North Dakota leads the nation in terms of the share of its exports going to Canada and Mexico, at 84 percent, with $3.5 billion in exports sent to the two countries. It estimates withdrawing from NAFTA would put 33,000 jobs at risk in the state. While the report specifically mentions North Dakota as being a big provider of soybeans to Mexico, Nancy Johnson, executive director of the North Dakota Soybean Growers Association, says that’s not exactly the case. North Dakota sends 66 percent of its soybeans whole to the Pacific Northwest, where they are shipped to Asian countries, primarily China, Thailand, the Philippines and Taiwan, according to North Dakota Soybean Council statistics. However, Johnson says, Mexico is a major importer of soybean meal, which is used as swine and poultry feed. So while North Dakota itself crushes a very small amount of soybeans at this time, the soybean industry as a whole does send a substantial amount of meal to Mexico. The location for a soybean crushing plant in Spiritwood, N.D., being planned by Minnesota Soybean Processors, was chosen in part because of access to rail to take products like soybean meal to Mexico or Canada, Johnson says. Relationships with buyers and sellers of various products over the years have been built in the years since NAFTA was approved, Johnson says. “There’s a whole generation of traders who work at these big companies who really haven’t done anything but trade under these rules,” she says. And while those relationships are strong, she says adding tariffs into the equation would change trade substantially. Right now, someone in Mexico who feeds swine reliably buys soybean meal from U.S. sources, in part because of the convenience of train delivery. But if the price of the meal goes up, “he’s going to be looking around,” possibly to sources in Argentina or Brazil, Johnson believes. The NDTO’s purpose is to help North Dakota exporters build relationships with potential customers outside U.S. borders. Warner and Sharon May, director of business development, say the organization is educating North Dakota exporters on the possibility of NAFTA withdrawal and what their options are if it happens. It’s not just North Dakota agriculture that would be affected. Manufacturing, including food processors, ag machinery and small companies that have a primary market in Canada, could be devastated, May says. She adds that about 50 percent of North Dakota exports go to Canada. Without NAFTA, a portion of those products still could potentially qualify for duty deferral, but not all of them. Though much of the rhetoric surrounding the potential withdrawal from NAFTA has focused on loss of U.S. jobs, May says North Dakota has many jobs supported by exports. Warner and May say the trade office has had discussions with the state’s congressional delegation about NAFTA — and they say the state’s representation has a strong grasp on the issue. Both of North Dakota’s U.S. senators, Republican John Hoeven and Democrat Heidi Heitkamp, have signed onto a letter to Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross stressing the importance of NAFTA to agriculture. The Nov. 20 letter has been signed by 18 senators. “With 95 percent of consumers residing outside of the U.S., farmers and ranchers must have access to export markets to sell their high-quality product,” the letter, spearheaded by Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark., said. “Free trade agreements have allowed the U.S. agriculture industry to establish itself as a trusted supplier. International markets have taken years to build, and it is imperative that no steps be taken to jeopardize these gains. We must continue to move the global presence of U.S. agricultural products forward, not backward.” Johnson does believe there will be a price impact for soybeans if the U.S. leaves NAFTA. Though the Trump administration has said negotiations would have a “do-no-harm” goal for agriculture, Johnson says Mexico already has been seeking out other trade partners. “Right now, the rhetoric about the willingness to pull out is already doing harm,” she says.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/heidi-in-the-news?ContentRecord_id=5EAEB05A-A251-497A-AE26-F1C7093A5D1B,Editorial: It's time to level the retail playing field,2017-11-23,2017,2017-11,Democrat,House,ND,Heidi Heitkamp,H001069,www.heitkamp.senate.gov,,,legacy,"We should all agree that competition should be fair, and that government policies should not skew the marketplace strongly in favor of one type of business. Yet that's exactly what's happening in retail, thanks to a 1992 U.S. Supreme Court decision, Quill Corp. vs. North Dakota. The justices held that a business must have a physical presence in a state before it can be required to collect state sales and use taxes. It's one of the reasons online sales have skyrocketed in recent years, as many consumers have developed the habit of avoiding sales taxes by ordering over the internet. That helped Amazon become a retail behemoth, though it now pays sales taxes in all states. Amazon, founded in Seattle in 1994, now accounts for almost 4 percent of retail sales in the United States. E-commerce sales grew 15.1 percent in 2016 and represented 8.1 percent of total retail sales for the year, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. By one estimate, online sales represented almost 42 percent of the growth in retail sales last year. The trend will undoubtedly continue. Online sales are expected to reach 12 percent of retail sales by 2020. So retail players who have an unfair competitive advantage due to an uneven playing field are racking up the score—at the expense of traditional retail stores, many of which have strong roots in the community. Traditional retailers are a source of jobs in their communities. They pay taxes and are often involved in the civic life of their communities, becoming a vital part of the social fabric. But out-of-state e-commerce giants contribute essentially nothing to support local communities, even as they hollow out the local retail sector. This is a problem that requires a federal solution. Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., has been an advocate of leveling the retail playing field. She is a co-sponsor of the Marketplace Fairness Act of 2017, which would enable states to require out-of-state businesses or online retailers to collect the sales and use taxes already owed under current law. A similar bipartisan handily passed the Senate in 2013, but did not become law. This should not be controversial. Heitkamp's Senate and House colleagues should join the co-sponsors of the bill and pass it into law. And, meanwhile, shoppers should remember to patronize their local merchants. We value the convenience of being able to buy products locally. We shouldn't assume that convenience will always be available without our support.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/heidi-in-the-news?ContentRecord_id=DFEF1F27-A01C-4203-9D18-3AE784215AB0,Forum News Service:Costs of opioid abuse much higher than previously believed,2017-11-23,2017,2017-11,Democrat,House,ND,Heidi Heitkamp,H001069,www.heitkamp.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Sydney Mook The opioid crisis which has been affecting families across North Dakota and the region for the past few years has also hit homes across the country. According to new data compiled by President Donald Trump’s Council of Economic Advisers, the costs of opioid abuse are much higher than previously thought. The data states that opioid-involved overdose deaths have doubled in the past 10 years and quadrupled in the past 16 years. The number of opioid-involved overdose deaths has risen by nearly one-third since 2013. Illegally imported fentanyl, a highly potent synthetic opioid, and fentanyl analogs, are thought to be main culprits in the rise of overdose deaths. Drug overdoses are now the leading cause of injury death in the United States, outnumbering traffic crashes or gun-related deaths. The council said evidence suggests that up to 24 percent of drug overdoses related to opioids are not reported, which could raise the estimated 2015 opioid overdose death toll to over 40,000. Preliminary analysis shows that more than 64,000 lives were lost to drug overdoses in 2016, a rate of 175 deaths a day in 2016, according to the council The CEA estimates the cost of the opioid crisis in 2015 to be $504 billion, when the number of lives lost in the crisis are accounted for. The CEA’s high estimate puts the cost of opioid misuse at $622.1 billion while the most conservative estimate suggests the cost is $293.9 billion. On Oct. 26, President Trump directed the acting Secretary of Health and Human Services to declare a nationwide public health emergency to bring the full war chest of the U.S. government to fight the opioid crisis. Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., said although North Dakota does not have the overdose and use rates like West Virginia, opioid use in the state is an “escalating problem.” While Heitkamp was pleased that Trump declared the opioid crisis a public health emergency, she said she wished the declaration came with more resources attached. “Saying it’s an emergency is one thing, actually tackling the problem is another,” she said. “... We need additional resources and we need strategic thinking and I think the President’s declaration will lead to some of the structure pieces, but if we don’t fund best practices I think we won’t get ahead of this problem.” Earlier this year Heitkamp reintroduced the Budgeting for Opioid Addiction Treatment Act, known as the LifeBOAT Act, which would provide funding for substance abuse treatment. It would be funded by charging a 1 cent fee on every milligram of opioid ingredient in a prescription pain pill, estimated to generate more than $1 billion a year, Heitkamp said. “We think nothing about taxing cigarettes, we think nothing about taxing alcohol,” she said. “This is a product that has led to (many) social ills and we would love to see an ongoing and dedicated source of revenue.” Heitkamp said it’s important for members of Congress to remember that addiction cannot be solved in a day. Heitkamp noted that looking at preventive measures is also important. “We have to look at addiction differently than we have in the past,” she said. “That means building workforce. We need more doctors that are trained in medically-assisted treatment, social workers who can assist families and work through the follow-up. We need more boots on the ground and the federal government could do to a lot to incentivise those people to go in that direction.” Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., said it has be a coordinated federal, state and local effort to tackle the opioid crisis. In July 2016, former President Barack Obama signed the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) into law, the first major federal addiction legislation in 40 years. Hoeven said the bill encompasses prevention, enforcement and treatment when it comes to opioid addiction. Last week Hoeven and U.S. Sen. Joe Donnelly, D-Ind., introduced bipartisan legislation aimed at combatting substance use disorders in rural communities. The bill would direct the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Health and Safety Education Competitive Grants Program to prioritize applicants in rural communities using the grants for substance abuse education, treatment, and prevention efforts. Hoeven said bills like CARA and others passed by Congress in the past few years are a good step forward. “Opioid abuse is the cause of great loss and heartache for too many families and a terrible strain on our communities,” Hoeven said in a recent press release. “Action has been taken by Congress and across the administration to address this crisis, and (the President’s) declaration is another important step to help reduce the incidence of opioid abuse and drug overdose. At the same time, we continue working in Congress to pass additional legislation and provide the necessary funding to adequately address this crisis, make services available to those who are struggling with opioid abuse and prevent drug trafficking.” Heitkamp agreed that the passage of CARA is also a good step forward, but noted that she did not believe there was enough money or personnel to fully address the current crisis Heitkamp believes that Medicaid, a health care program for low-income Americans, is an important tool for fighting opioid addiction as 60 percent of people seeking treatment for opioid-related addiction are on Medicaid. She said that proposed cuts to Medicaid were one of the reasons she opposed efforts to repeal the ACA. Additionally Heitkamp said it is important for law enforcement and other levels of government to work together. “If you do not fund law enforcement the price goes down and the access to it increases,” she said. “This needs to be done in conjunction with a robust law enforcement response.”",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/heidi-in-the-news?ContentRecord_id=2BAA1403-EAC7-490B-B636-5C8D1B6A1C96,Bismarck Tribune: Teamsters pin hopes on legislation to save pension,2017-11-22,2017,2017-11,Democrat,House,ND,Heidi Heitkamp,H001069,www.heitkamp.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Jessica Holdman Members of North Dakota Teamsters are rallying around legislation meant to stabilize their pension fund, which is approaching insolvency within the decade. Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., visited Bismarck Tuesday to drum up grassroots support for the Butch Lewis Act, of which she is a co-sponsor. The Central States Pension Fund, which benefits about 2,000 Teamsters in North Dakota, as well as other states, took a hit as a result of the 2008 recession, along with having more retired than active members. Heitkamp called the potential 20 percent to as much as 80 percent declines in pensions an “injustice.” “This has to get fixed,” she said. A Mandan story Tony Goetzfried, 70, of Mandan, started driving trucks and served as the local Teamsters business agent for 20 years. He said he and his fellow workers gave up pay raises to pay into the fund. As a result, it was lucrative and had a lot of money for years. “You did the smart thing,” Heitkamp said. But things changed, and despite the bailout of Wall Street’s financial institutions, which the union says squandered their pensions, nothing was paid back into the fund. Driving in Fargo Donna Mattson, of Fargo, said her husband worked as a UPS driver for 30 years. “He worked hard and earned his pension. He also gave up a great deal to be able to do his job. He missed out on many of our kids’ basketball and soccer games because he worked so much,” she said. Then, in 2013, Mattson’s husband was diagnosed with progressive supranuclear palsy, requiring physical, speech and occupational therapies, as well as in-home nursing, which Mattson said can cost $26 per hour once Medicare benefits run out. She said, without the pension, there is a chance they may not be able to afford to stay in their home. Retirement in Rugby Before his 30-year career as a UPS driver, Wayne Odegaard, of Rugby, was a science teacher. But UPS offered to double his salary and give him the best retirement in the industry, so he took the job despite the long hours that came with it. “It’s a constant stress on my wife and me, especially since I have arthritis, wear braces on both ankles and have three stents after a recent heart attack, which can be expensive to manage,” Odegaard said of the pension fund’s uncertainty. At age 72 and with his health problems, he doesn’t think he’d be able to find another job to support he and his wife. They could be forced to sell their home and rely on government assistance. Bismarck shortcomings Mark Rothschiller, of Bismarck, drove for 27.5 years for UPS, also missing his kids’ plays and sports games. “I’ve had five back surgeries and other rotator cuff surgeries, which forced me to retire early,” said Rothschiller, adding that many of his health issues resulted from the labor intensive nature of his job. His doctor told him he can’t work anymore and, rather than traveling with his wife and grandkids as they had planned, he has to worry about how to cover the medical bills, he said. “Disability and Social Security help, but it doesn’t cover everything,” he said. Call for solvency The Butch Lewis Act would implement the sale of Treasury bonds to provide long-term solvency, as well as allocate $20 billion in federal funding over 10 years, so that union members would continue to receive the benefits for which they bargained, Heitkamp said. Heitkamp said the legislation, which she and the other co-sponsors hope to attach to a larger spending bill or other end-of-year legislation, would help this and other pension funds into the future. “It’s going to require an influx in cash,” she said. The legislation has the support of the Central States Pension Fund and the investment community, according to Heitkamp, who said the United Mine Workers union has also vowed its support, which she hopes will bring more lawmakers’ on board. “We need to have a few Republicans here,” she said. Heitkamp said she thinks the 48-member Democratic Caucus is behind the bill, but 12 more votes would be needed. She called on the Teamsters to go to lawmakers such as Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, and Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., who had spoken in support of the pensioners during a rally in April 2016. There are more than 1,000 retired Teamsters locally, along with 502 active members and 705 previous members that may no longer work in the industry but met years of service requirements to draw a pension upon retirement. Present and past Teamsters affected were employed locally by the SuperValu warehouse, Holsum Bakery, Kemps and Deans Foods.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/heidi-in-the-news?ContentRecord_id=37CB72D8-396A-478D-B021-2ABDA60B3671,Editorial: Our view: Keep up the efforts to curb sex trafficking,2017-11-22,2017,2017-11,Democrat,House,ND,Heidi Heitkamp,H001069,www.heitkamp.senate.gov,,,legacy,"For example, ads openly tout women who are in town for a few days and looking for company. These ads exist in cities throughout the nation — again, including Grand Forks. Under pressure from the government, Backpage.com took down its adult section earlier this year, but many of the ads simply migrated to the website's dating section. In a CBS News report last week, a young woman who says she was coerced into sex trafficking said Backpage.com ""is letting all this happen on their website."" And her mother told CBS that ""Backpage has a primary purpose — to sell sex."" Ads currently exist on Backpage.com's Grand Forks dating section, including one that proclaims ""Ayisia is back. ... Let me be your everything and more. I can make all your fantasies come true."" The ad includes a phone number. That doesn't sound like a ""date"" to us. However, it's also possible that ""Ayisia"" is simply a police sting in process. The CBS report last week noted that police often set up fake accounts to nab, and arrest, the men who respond in person to the ads. CBS noted that some police departments conduct stings often through Backpage.com, and they say the website accommodates them. Still, the company is earning money off what appear to be prostitution ads, child slavery and sex trafficking, and it's not right. During a Senate committee hearing in January, Backpage.com officials invoked their Fifth Amendment rights and refused to testify. The company says federal law protects websites from liability for publishing content from third-party users. New legislation, called the Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act, may help. A Senate subcommittee earlier this month approved a proposal that would revise the Communications Decency Act to specify that it does not provide protection for sex trafficking and that websites can be held liable. Some fear it will make it more difficult to catch dangerous criminals. We suppose that may be true, since police use Backpage.com for stings; but Backpage's existence contributes much more to the problem than to the solution. Senators from the region — including Minnesota's Amy Klobuchar and North Dakota's Heidi Heitkamp and John Hoeven — have thrown their support behind the bill. Sex trafficking and prostitution may seem like a back-alley problem in metro areas. But if nothing else, Backpage.com has shown us these evils exist in places like the Red River Valley, and right out in the open. It needs to stop, and the Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act is a good step.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/heidi-in-the-news?ContentRecord_id=3E54463C-CB9A-4307-A4E3-9881FB5490FF,Prairie Public: Heitkamp holds Bismarck rally for pension protection,2017-11-22,2017,2017-11,Democrat,House,ND,Heidi Heitkamp,H001069,www.heitkamp.senate.gov,,,legacy,"Dave Thompson Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) held a ""pension rally"" at the North Dakota Teamsters' Union headquarters in Bismarck Tuesday (11-21). Heitkamp said she’s helped to write a bill that would protect retirees -- mainly UPS drivers, other truckers and grocery workers -- who depend on the Central States Pension Fund for their pensions. The fund became insolvent, and the federal government had to take it over.  Pensioners may face benefit cuts. The federal Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation will also become insolvent, if the Central States Fund and other pension plans fail. Heitkamp said the workers want what they were promised. She said the bill – called the “Butch Lewis Act” – would provide government financing to put the plans back on solid financial ground, prevent benefit cuts, and put safeguards in place. ""How inequitable it is to basically take away someone's pension, or dramatically cut someone's pension, when those people have done nothing wrong themselves,"" Heitkamp said. ""Why is it that you can bail out the big banks, but when it comes to solving this problem, there can't be any government resources?"" Tony Goetzfried of Bismarck is a retired truck driver, and former North Dakota Teamsters president. He said employers have been putting money into that pension fund since the 1960s, and the employees gave up raises to put money into that fund. ""If it (Central States) goes broke, it's going to cost the taxpayers money,"" Goetzfried said. ""We're going to have people filing for heating assistance, food stamps."" Goetzfried said this was never a gift to the workers. ""We all earned it,"" Goetzfried said. ""We worked hard to put the money in there. Now we want to retire."" Heitkamp is hoping Congress will pass the Butch Lewis act before year’s end.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.heitkamp.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/heidi-in-the-news?ContentRecord_id=5825C64E-B3DD-4BDE-8BD6-E380FEF0D55D,Minot Daily News: Retirees rally for bill to save pensions,2017-11-22,2017,2017-11,Democrat,House,ND,Heidi Heitkamp,H001069,www.heitkamp.senate.gov,,,legacy,"BISMARCK — Former UPS driver Wayne Odegaard of Rugby spent 30 years making deliveries in the familiar brown truck. The wear and tear on his body had consequences, and now the looming loss of his pension has added new worries in his retirement years. “We knew our retirement income would be modest but we would be able to make ends meet,” said Odegaard, 72, who retired in 2007. “I worked long, hard hours and I counted on my pension in retirement.” Odegaard, spoke in a Bismarck Teamsters union hall Tuesday at a rally attended by Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-ND, and more than 100 workers and retirees from around the state who are impacted by pension cuts from the Central States Pension Fund. The fund is a multi-employer pension that covers a range of fields, including thousands of North Dakota workers and retirees in the trucking, UPS package delivery and grocery supply industries. About 2,000 retired North Dakotans and 40,000 retired workers around the country receive payments from the fund. Heitkamp helped write the Butch Lewis Act, which would allow the Treasury Department to loan money, leveraged by safe investments, to pension plans to ensure that retirees and their families are guaranteed their promised benefits. “If we lose that pension, we will be forced to sell our home. We would end up having to rely on government assistance,” Odegaard said. “How I ever would find a job at my age with my health conditions, I don’t know. We need this bill to pass to secure our retirement for the rest of our years and to live with our dignity.” If the Central States Teamsters Pension Plan and other pension plans are allowed to fail, taxpayers would be at risk of having to pay billions when the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation, the government-sponsored insurance company for multi-employer pensions, reaches an exposure of $59 billion and is projected to become insolvent by 2025, according to information from Heitkamp’s office. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates that the cost of backstopping the PBGC, should it fail, would be $101 billion over 20 years. “These workers and retirees followed the rules and did everything right. They worked for years, if not decades, in jobs that took tolls on their bodies, saving for retirement the whole way and expecting those savings to be there for them. Now, through no fault of their own, the rug will be pulled out from under them,” Heitkamp said. “If Congress doesn’t act, the impacts on workers and families will be devastating. As a country, we must value work and keep our promises to workers and retirees. That’s what our bill would do.” Heitkamp urged workers and retirees to lobby on behalf of the bill. She noted workers face 50 to 70 percent cuts to their pensions if Congress fails to arrive at a solution.",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z https://www.hoeven.senate.gov/news/news-releases/hoeven-outlines-faa-drone-integration-pilot-program-for-uas-businesses-at-monthly-meetup,Hoeven Outlines FAA Drone Integration Pilot Program for UAS Businesses at Monthly Meetup,2017-11-22,2017,2017-11,Republican,House,ND,John Hoeven,H001061,www.hoeven.senate.gov,,,legacy,"11.22.17 Hoeven Outlines FAA Drone Integration Pilot Program for UAS Businesses at Monthly Meetup Senator Working to Secure Role for North Dakota in UAS Pilot Program FARGO, N.D. – Senator John Hoeven today outlined the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) new drone integration pilot program for representatives of North Dakota’s unmanned aerial systems (UAS) industry at the Drone Focus monthly meetup. Earlier this month, Hoeven joined Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao and FAA Administrator Michael Huerta to launch the program, which was followed by the FAA’s formal call for applications. The senator is actively working to secure the state’s role in the pilot program. Accordingly, Hoeven is committed to setting up a meeting between the FAA and UAS leaders from the Red River Valley, including those from the Northern Plains Test Site and Grand Sky Development Company. This will provide them an opportunity to outline North Dakota’s UAS expertise and infrastructure to the FAA and help ensure the agency utilizes the unique advantages of the state when selecting projects under the new integration program. Hoeven has also sent a letter to Secretary Chao to advance this effort and hosted the secretary at the annual Drone Focus conference in Fargo this past May, giving her firsthand knowledge of North Dakota’s dynamic UAS industry. “For more than a decade, we have worked to establish North Dakota as a premiere hub of UAS research, development, operations and training,” Hoeven said. “While that includes having our UAS missions and establishing Grand Sky, the test site and the center of excellence, it also means having a pro-growth approach that allows these innovations to be developed. This pilot program represents an important opportunity for our state to fill a central role in securing the future of this industry by bringing that same approach to the national level.” Hoeven stressed that due to the relationship built between government and the unmanned aerial systems (UAS) industry in North Dakota, the state is well-positioned to take a lead in the pilot program and serve as a model for the nation to help advance the integration of this technology into the national airspace (NAS). This would help create a regulatory environment that allows development of this technology, from its applications in national security to agriculture and energy, while also protecting the privacy rights and safety of citizens. This is the latest effort in Hoeven’s work to ensure North Dakota leads in developing the future of the UAS industry, which includes low altitude beyond-line-of-flight applications, UAS detection/counter-UAS technologies and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) unmanned traffic management (UTM) system. These technologies are central to safely incorporating UAS into the NAS, developing new commercial applications for unmanned aircraft and protecting against rogue UAS threats. The state is able to lead advancements in these areas due to two components Hoeven helped secure in recent years: Authorization for the Northern Plains UAS Test Site to oversee UAS operations that go beyond the line of sight of the operator. Upgrades for the DASR-11 digital radar systems at the Grand Forks Air Force Base and a similar system at Hector Field in Fargo.  -###- Print Email Tweet Previous Article",1,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z,2026-03-30T12:14:52Z