08.26.13

Hoeven Outlines Priorities During Congressional Panel

Senator Says Pro-Growth Policies Will Help American Companies Expand and Innovate

FARGO, N.D. – Senator John Hoeven today joined a congressional panel discussion hosted by the Greater North Dakota Chamber of Commerce in Fargo. Individuals and business leaders from across North Dakota were in attendance. Hoeven highlighted his work in the Senate on energy development, agriculture, visas for employees of high-tech business and the national economy. Attendees were invited to discuss issues of concern to the business community following the panel.

“We need to implement pro-growth reforms that will provide certainty, reduce the cost of doing business and empower American industry to innovate, expand their operations, hire more workers and grow our economy,” Hoeven said. “That is what we did in North Dakota, and by making those same market-based reforms at the national level, we can create the right kind of legal, tax and regulatory environment that will spur investment and growth. That will benefit American businesses, workers and consumers while helping address our nation’s debt and deficit.”

Energy Development

As a member of the U.S. Senate Energy Committee, Senator Hoeven is working to implement a comprehensive, states-first, all-of-the-above energy policy that will make use of America’s energy resources, reduce cost and make our nation energy secure. The senator has introduced energy legislation including the Domestic Energy and Jobs Act (DEJA) and the Empower States Act.

DEJA is a wide-ranging package of 12 diverse energy bills that addresses both traditional and renewable development, designed to streamline and simplify regulations, boost domestic energy supplies, build American energy infrastructure and safeguard America’s supply of critical minerals used in modern high-tech manufactured products such as cell phones and computers. It establishes an American energy development plan, an all-of-the-above energy program for federal lands by reviewing the nation’s energy needs and goals for federal land energy production.

The Empower States Act would ensure that states retain the right to manage hydraulic fracturing and gives them the ability to respond first to any violation. It includes provisions to prevent loss of jobs or harm to consumers and the economy, to prevent arbitrary regulation from federal authorities and to ensure good environmental stewardship. This legislation recognizes that individual states are the first and best responders to oil and gas issues because they know their land and have a stake in protecting their environment.

Agriculture

As a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee and an appointee to the farm bill conference committee, Hoeven discussed his priorities for the upcoming farm bill. Hoeven said that strong farm policy has allowed our country to have the highest quality, lowest cost food supply in the world. Both the Senate and the House versions of the farm bill include enhanced crop insurance, a priority for Hoeven and North Dakota producers. The current Senate farm bill saves $24 billion to help reduce the deficit and debt. Hoeven stated that the most challenging issue to resolve in conference is determining appropriate reforms in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

Hoeven helped to successfully pass farm bills in both the current session of Congress and the last. Hoeven has held a series of roundtable meetings this month to gather input from agriculture leaders and discuss the priorities the senator will work on as a member of the joint Senate-House conference committee.

Immigration

During the Senate debate on immigration reform, Hoeven worked to secure the border first, enforce employment laws to eliminate incentives for illegal immigration, ensure anyone in the country illegally goes to the back of the line and provide the necessary visas for agriculture workers and high-tech workers to build the U.S. economy. Hoeven has also cosponsored legislation that increases H-1B visas for STEM and high-tech graduates of U.S. schools to help businesses access the talent they need and to ensure that those who received an American education stay here to help grow the economy.

Job Creation

Hoeven stressed the need to encourage pro-growth policies in Congress that will get our economy growing and help us get on top of our national debt and deficit. The Senator highlighted his work to permanently lower taxes, reforms to spending that have significantly reduced our budget deficit over the last two years and his work to pass student loan reform.