News Releases
Hoeven Supports Measure to Block EPA "Waters of the U.S." Rules
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator John Hoeven joined a number of his GOP colleagues in cosponsoring Senator John Barrasso's (R-Wyoming) legislation to block a proposed rule from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) expanding its authority to regulate small wetlands, creeks, stock ponds and ditches under the Clean Water Act (CWA). The Protecting Water and Property Rights Act of 2014 would prevent the EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers from finalizing its March 2014 proposed rule, which would signif… Continue Reading
06.18.14
Hoeven Announces $7 Million in HUD Grants to North Dakota
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven today announced that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is awarding over $7 million in formula funding to the North Dakota Department of Commerce, Division of Community Services. The funds are being awarded from three HUD programs: • Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) - $3.7 million - CDBG supports state and local efforts to ensure access to decent housing and suitable living environments, as well as expanding economic opport… Continue Reading
06.17.14
Hoeven Statement on North Dakota Producing One Million Barrels of Oil a Day, a New Record
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven issued the following statement regarding news that North Dakota is producing one million barrel of oil a day mark. In 2000, North Dakota produced less than 100,000 barrels of oil per day: "Today, the North Dakota Petroleum Council announced that our state has topped one million barrels of oil production a day. That is the collective achievement of many individuals and companies that have worked tirelessly for more than a decade to build this important industry… Continue Reading
06.17.14
Hoeven: Energy and Water Bill Allows Construction of Corps' Projects
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven, a member of the U.S. Senate Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee, today worked to include language in the Fiscal Year 2015 Energy and Water Appropriations bill that allows the Army Corps of Engineers to begin construction on five new projects in Fiscal Year 2015. Those projects are to be selected on a competitive basis, but Hoeven included language requiring the Corps to give consideration for local effort, both in terms of the funding share and whether … Continue Reading
06.16.14
Hoeven Announces Nearly $1.5 Million Grant to Bismarck Airport
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven today announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has awarded an additional $1.462 million in funding to help rehabilitate the runway at Bismarck Municipal Airport. Last week, DOT awarded $472,448 in funding to the airport, for a total of $1,935,000. As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Hoeven has been working to invest in infrastructure and other services to meet the needs of North Dakota's growing population. "Our airports are s… Continue Reading
06.16.14
Hoeven Calls on Air Force to Base Manned E-11A Aircraft at GFAFB Along With Global Hawk Block 20
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven today wrote to Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James asking that the manned E-11A aircraft be based at Grand Forks Air Force Base (GFAFB) along with the Global Hawk Block 20 already based at the base. Both aircraft are capable of performing the Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) mission. BACN provides a critical communications capability for our troops overseas. Hoeven told Secretary James that the BACN mission is a valuable asset and shoul… Continue Reading
06.13.14
Hoeven Statement on President Barack Obama's Visit to the Standing Rock Reservation
BISMARCK, N.D. - Senator John Hoeven, a member of the U.S. Senate Indian Affairs Committee, issued the following statement regarding President Barack Obama's visit to North Dakota: "By coming to Standing Rock, President Obama will get a better understanding of both the rich culture of native peoples and some of the challenges like crime and teen suicide that they face far too often on the reservation. "To address one aspect of those challenges, we have introduced the bipartisan Native Amer… Continue Reading
06.13.14
Hoeven Urges Forest Service Chief to Meet With North Dakota Ranchers to Resolve Disputes Over Grassland Management
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven, in a letter sent yesterday, urged Forest Service Chief Thomas Tidwell to provide a 30-day extension of formal talks with North Dakota ranchers to resolve differences of opinion regarding management practices on the Little Missouri National Grasslands. In the letter, Senator Hoeven raises concerns over the Forest Service's response to ranchers' objections to a recent draft grazing allotment management plan and urges the Forest Service to hold further meetings wit… Continue Reading
06.13.14
Hoeven Addresses the National Energy Efficiency Forum
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven Thursday addressed the 25th annual national Energy Efficiency Forum, telling a group of leaders in the field that energy efficiency is "the low-hanging fruit, the one area in our public discourse on energy that appeals to almost everyone's common sense." Hoeven is a cosponsor of the bipartisan Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act, legislation introduced by Senators Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Jean Shaheen (D-N.H.), and author of two key provisions in… Continue Reading
06.11.14
Hoeven Announces $500,000 Grant for Bismarck Airport
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven today announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has awarded $500,000 federal grant to the Bismarck Municipal Airport. As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Hoeven has been working to invest in infrastructure and other services to meet the needs of North Dakota's growing population. "The DOT grant to improve the runway at Bismarck Municipal Airport is another positive development in our ongoing work to address North Dakota's infra… Continue Reading
06.11.14
Johnson, Hoeven Introduce National Bison Legacy Act
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven (R-N.D.) joined Senator Tim Johnson (D-S.D.) today to introduce the National Bison Legacy Act, legislation that would officially recognize bison as the National Mammal of the United States. "North Dakota's history is closely associated with the bison, largely because of the influence of President Teddy Roosevelt's early visits to our state," Hoeven said. "His efforts to protect these majestic animals helped to retrieve them from the brink of extinction and est… Continue Reading
06.11.14
Hoeven: Senate Passes Bipartisan Legislation to Address VA Health Care Challenges
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven today announced that the U.S. Senate voted 93-3 to pass bipartisan legislation to reform the Veterans Affairs Administration (VA) and ensure that our veterans receive timely care. The bill will now go to conference with House-passed legislation. "We need to do all we can to ensure our veterans have access to health care services that meet their needs," said Hoeven. "This legislation will help to address problems at the VA that were recently brought to light an… Continue Reading
06.10.14
Hoeven Announces $8.5 Million Loan for Richland County Fiber Optic Network
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has awarded an $8.5 million loan to the Red River Telephone Association for the construction of 145 miles of buried fiber optic cable in Richland and Clay counties, completing Red River's Fiber-to-the-Premises (FTTP) build-out for the North Dakota communities of Abercrombie, Colfax, Fairmount, Great Bend, Hankinson, Lidgerwood, Mooreton and Wyndmere. "Our rural telecoms have worked hard to prepare … Continue Reading
06.10.14
Hoeven Announces $2 Million USDA Loan for Childcare Facility in Watford City
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven today announced that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has awarded a $2 million loan to Reservation Telephone Cooperative to help Wolf Run Village, Inc. construct a new daycare facility in Watford City. The facility will serve more than 200 children, from ages 6 weeks to 12 years old. "Developing infrastructure in western North Dakota remains a top priority as our communities continue growing at rapid rates," said Hoeven. "This USDA loan will … Continue Reading
06.09.14
Hoeven Calls on USDA to Ensure Timely Implementation of Supplemental Coverage Option for All Eligible Producers
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven today called on U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack to implement the 2014 farm bill's new Supplemental Coverage Option (SCO) in a timely fashion for all eligible producers. In a letter to Vilsack, Hoeven raised concerns about USDA's current timeline in which SCO will only be available for certain counties and crops during the 2015 crop year. SCO is an enhanced crop insurance program that enables agricultural producers to purchase a supp… Continue Reading
06.09.14
Hoeven Works to Provide Housing, Law Enforcement Support for Growing ND Communities
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven, who serves on the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced that the committee has passed legislation that includes important provisions to help growing communities in Western North Dakota. The Fiscal Year 2015 appropriations bills include strong support for low-income housing assistance programs and provisions to ensure adequate law enforcement in the Bakken region. "We need to do all we can to ensure that growing communities across North Dakota,… Continue Reading
06.06.14
Hoeven Offers Language to Clarify Local Access Provision in Veterans Affairs Legislation
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven has proposed language to the new bipartisan Veterans Affairs (VA) legislation that makes clear that veterans can access a nearby health care provider if their local VA Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) or VA Medical Center (VAMC) cannot provide the required service. Hoeven is working to build bipartisan support for compromise VA legislation being crafted by Senators John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont). The senators have agreed in princi… Continue Reading
06.06.14
Hoeven: Appropriations Bill Includes Strong Funding for Airport Improvement Program
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven, a member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced that the committee has passed the Fiscal Year 2015 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) bill with $3.5 billion in funding for the Airport Improvement Program (AIP), which provides grants to improve airports in North Dakota and across the nation. Hoeven has been working to provide federal funding for transportation infrastructure to help meet increasing demands at airports in we… Continue Reading
06.06.14
Hoeven Statement on the 70th Anniversary of D-Day Invasion at Normandy
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven today issued the following statement in commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the D-Day invasion of Normandy, which turned the tide of the Second World War in favor of the United States and our allies: "It is difficult to imagine now the horrific challenges our veterans of the Normandy invasion faced 70 years ago today. More than 160,000 allied troops landed on the beaches of Normandy in the face of fierce German resistance, and more than 9,000 allied soldi… Continue Reading
06.05.14
Hoeven: Senate Reaches Agreement in Principle on Veterans Affairs Legislation
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven today welcomed an agreement in principle between Senators John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) on a bill that would reform the Veterans Affairs (VA) Administration and make it easier for veterans to get health care services in their local communities. Hoeven is working to build bipartisan support for the compromise measure in the Senate. The legislation is the product of several VA bills offered by Republicans and Democrats. Hoeven is a cospons… Continue Reading
