News Releases
Hoeven Announces New Agreement to Recruit and Retain Rural Postal Carriers in Western ND
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven today announced that the U.S. Postal Service has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Rural Letter Carriers Association that will grant pay increases and bonuses to recruit and retain rural carriers in the Bakken region, including Minot, Dickinson, Williston, Watford City and most of the communities in western North Dakota, effective May 17, 2014. The increases are designed to attract and retain rural carriers. In August 2013, Hoeven invit… Continue Reading
02.26.14
Hoeven Statement on Today's Inspector General Report Finding No Conflict of Interest
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven today issued the following statement regarding the State Department's second inspector general (IG) report exonerating Environmental Resources Management (ERM), the consulting firm that completed the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Keystone XL pipeline project. "Today's Inspector General report makes clear that the Department of State did not violate its conflict of interest procedures in selecting ERM to conduct its environmental review of the Ke… Continue Reading
02.25.14
Hoeven, Heitkamp Announce North Dakota Delegates to U.S. Senate Youth Program
WASHINGTON - Senators John Hoeven and Heidi Heitkamp today announced the selection of students Bethany Berntson and Tyler Toepke-Floyd to serve as North Dakota delegates to the 52nd Annual United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP) scheduled to take place this March in Washington, D.C. This year's delegates were designated by Kirsten Baesler, Superintendent of Public Instruction, who selected the students from a list of nominees recommended by North Dakota teachers and principals. "We are proud… Continue Reading
02.25.14
Hoeven Joins Roberts, Tester, Bipartisan Group to Introduce Bill to Protect Rural Hospitals and Patients
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven Monday joined Senators Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.) to introduce bipartisan legislation to protect rural Critical Access Hospitals (CAH) and their patients by eliminating new "condition of payment" rules from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) that require a physician to predict and limit a patients' stay to within 96 hours. The bill has 13 cosponsors. "Compelling doctors to predict at the outset that a patient needs to stay in… Continue Reading
02.21.14
Delegation Announces $450,000 CDBG Grant for Standing Rock Sioux Tribe
WASHINGTON - Senators John Hoeven and Heidi Heitkamp and Congressman Kevin Cramer today announced the awarding of a $450,000 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. The CDBG Program for Indian Tribes and Alaskan Native Villages, administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), is a competitive program to assist with housing infrastructure, promote a suitable living environment and create economic opportunities. The program is designed … Continue Reading
02.21.14
Hoeven: Freight Railroads To Implement New Voluntary Operating Practices for Rail Transport of Crude Oil
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven, who has been working with federal regulators and railroad industry leaders, said today's announcement that the nation's major rail carriers will implement new voluntary operating practices for moving crude oil by rail is both a step in the right direction and a timely response to a serious concern. The announcement follows several meetings Hoeven had with Department of Defense Secretary Foxx, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) head… Continue Reading
02.20.14
Hoeven and Heitkamp Call on Defense Dept to Follow Law, Halt Environmental Study of ICBM Silos
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senators John Hoeven and Heidi Heitkamp today called on the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to follow federal law and halt any move to conduct an environmental study of the intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) silos at Minot Air Force Base and nationwide, which could potentially lead to the removal of the missiles and closure of the silos. As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Hoeven authored the provision in the Department of Defense appropriations bill… Continue Reading
02.19.14
Hoeven, Google Lead Internet Safety Program at Wachter Middle School
BISMARCK, N.D. - Senator John Hoeven today joined Wachter Middle School students and school officials, North Dakota Department of Public Instruction Superintendent Kirsten Baesler and Google representatives to lead a program designed to educate students, educators and parents on ways to stay safe and secure when using the Internet. Today's Google-sponsored Online Safety Roadshow is part of the company's national online Good to Know initiative created specifically to better educate middle school … Continue Reading
02.19.14
Hoeven Statement on Today's Nebraska Court Decision Regarding Gov. Heineman's Approval of Revised Keystone XL Route
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven today issued the following statement after a Nebraska judge's ruling that the state Public Service Commission, rather than Governor Dave Heineman, has the authority to approve an alternative route through Nebraska for the Keystone XL pipeline project. "We have not yet reviewed today's court ruling, but we recognize that Nebraska has to work through its process on this very important energy project for America. We believe, however, that the environmental concer… Continue Reading
02.18.14
Hoeven Brings Together Local, State, Federal Officials to Build Grafton Flood Protection Plan
GRAFTON, N.D. - Senator John Hoeven today led a meeting in Grafton to help advance a flood protection plan for the city. In attendance were city leaders, including Mayor Chris West and city council members, North Dakota state officials from the State Water Commission and the North Dakota Department of Emergency Services, federal officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as well as representatives from Kadrmas, Lee and Jackson (KLJ), Moore … Continue Reading
02.18.14
Hoeven Stresses States' Water Rights at Annual Rural Water Expo
FARGO, N.D. - Senator John Hoeven today stressed the need to pass the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) and protect states' water rights at the 28th Annual Rural Water Expo. The North Dakota Rural Water Systems Association (NDRWSA) hosted the annual event in Fargo. "Clean and abundant water for both residential and business uses is fundamental to any community, which is why the work you do across North Dakota to improve the quality of our rural water supply is so important," Hoeven said. "… Continue Reading
02.18.14
Hoeven, Google Lead Internet Safety Program for Fargo Middle Schoolers
FARGO, N.D. - Senator John Hoeven today joined Ben Franklin Middle School students and school officials, North Dakota Department of Public Instruction Superintendent Kirsten Baesler and Google representatives to lead a program designed to educate students, educators and parents on ways to stay safe and secure when using the Internet. Today's Google-sponsored Online Safety Roadshow is part of the company's national online Good to Know initiative created specifically to better educate middle schoo… Continue Reading
02.12.14
Hoeven: Senate Votes to Restore Military Retiree COLA
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven today spoke on the Senate floor to rally bipartisan support to restore the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for military retirees, which was reduced in the budget agreement passed by Congress on December 18, 2013. The budget agreement reduced the retiree COLA by 1 percent until veterans reach the age of 62, at which time the adjustment would be restored. The policy was scheduled to take effect in December of 2015. The senator's speech came just ahead of the bipa… Continue Reading
02.12.14
Hoeven Statement on the Debt Ceiling
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven today issued the following statement in response to the Senate vote to raise the U.S. debt ceiling: "I voted against the legislation to increase our debt ceiling today because it did not include savings or reforms to address the deficit and debt. The national debt has grown to $17.2 trillion, and we need to reduce it for the sake of our country today and for the well-being of future generations. "Under the Budget Control Act that Congress passed in 2011, we req… Continue Reading
02.11.14
Hoeven, Corker, GOP Senators to President: After Six Years, It's Time to Approve Keystone XL
WASHINGTON - In light of the fifth and final environmental impact statement (EIS) that cleared the way for approval of the Keystone XL pipeline, Senators John Hoeven of North Dakota and Bob Corker of Tennessee today led all 45 Republican senators in writing to the President to again call for approval of the Keystone XL pipeline. On January 31, the State Department released its final EIS on the Keystone XL pipeline that found the project would have no significant impact on the environment and … Continue Reading
02.11.14
Hoeven, Heitkamp, Cramer Work to Resolve Agriculture Shipping Delays
WASHINGTON - Senators John Hoeven and Heidi Heitkamp and Congressman Kevin Cramer today brought together BNSF Railway Executive Director Matt Rose and senior officials of American Crystal Sugar and Farmers Union to help resolve shipping delays for agriculture products and sugar that have occurred this winter. North Dakota agricultural producers have expressed concern that growers aren't getting timely service from the railroads serving the state to ship their products. They say under normal c… Continue Reading
02.10.14
Hoeven Working to Advance Permanent Flood Protection for Red River Valley
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven met with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Deputy Commanding General for Civil and Emergency Operations Maj. Gen. John Peabody last week to secure funding for permanent flood protection project for the Red River Valley. The meeting today was in follow up to his recent discussions with both General Thomas Bostick, Chief of the Corps of Engineers, and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Direct Sylvia Burwell regarding project funding. The senator believes the project… Continue Reading
02.10.14
Hoeven Arranges Meeting to Resolve Agriculture Rail Shipping Delays, Amtrak Service in N.D.
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven today announced that he will bring together senior officials of BNSF Railway, American Crystal Sugar and Farmers Union to help resolve agriculture shipping delays this winter. Hoeven also plans to address delays in AMTRAK service in North Dakota. "BNSF and our producers need to find a solution that moves sugar and other agricultural products to market in a timely fashion," Hoeven said. "We're bringing all the principals to the table to discuss measures that ca… Continue Reading
02.07.14
Hoeven: Farm Bill Signed Into Law
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven, a member of the House/Senate farm bill conference committee and the Senate Agriculture Committee, today said that the farm bill signed into law this afternoon provides North Dakota farmers and ranchers with a long-term plan and good options to manage risk with enhanced crop insurance. "The farm bill that was signed into law today is important not only for our farmers and ranchers, but for every American who benefits from the highest quality, lowest cost food su… Continue Reading
02.07.14
Hoeven, Boozman, Pryor, Franken Lead Letter Urging President to Provide Relief During Propane Shortage
WASHINGTON - Senators John Hoeven (R-N.D.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Mark Pryor (D-Ark.) and Al Franken (D-Minn.) are leading a bipartisan coalition of senators in pushing the Obama administration to provide relief for families, farmers, and businesses who are suffering from a significant spike in propane prices this winter. The senators wrote to urge the President to provide continued regulatory relief for and assistance to those impacted by the propane shortage. "Homes, businesses, and farms de… Continue Reading