News Releases
Hoeven Marks Progress on Devils Lake Amtrak Upgrades, Outlines Path Forward
DEVILS LAKE, N.D. - Senator John Hoeven today held a roundtable in Devils Lake with city and county officials and the manager of BTR Farmers Coop, to mark progress in efforts to upgrade the Amtrak Empire Builder line, including raising track and bridges, necessitated by rising waters in the lake region. The general project objectives are to secure the viability of freight service as well as Amtrak passenger service between Grand Forks and Minot on the Devils Lake track. "The Devils Lake rail pr… Continue Reading
09.06.12
Hoeven, Chamber Host State of Technology Conference
FARGO, N.D. - Senator John Hoeven today touted North Dakota's first-place ranking in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) job growth in the Enterprising States study and encouraged business leaders to continue to build on this success and grow the state's tech industry. Hoeven and the Fargo Moorhead West Fargo Chamber of Commerce hosted The State of Technology: The Next Generation of Jobs in North Dakota, a business conference designed to highlight cutting-edge innovations in … Continue Reading
09.06.12
Hoeven Awards Juvenile Drug Court Graduate Tate Rivera College Scholarship
FARGO, N.D. - Senator John Hoeven, along with Hon. Steve McCullough and the East Central Judicial District Juvenile Drug Court team members, awarded Tate Rivera the 2012 North Dakota Association of Drug Court Professionals scholarship in recognition of his successful graduation from the Fargo Juvenile Drug Court. This scholarship is awarded annually to a North Dakota Juvenile Drug Court graduate who has demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to following the requirements to graduate from the p… Continue Reading
09.05.12
Hoeven: Annual Tribal Leaders Summit Important Forum to Address Issues Impacting Indian Country
BISMARCK, N.D. - Senator John Hoeven today spoke to tribal leaders and tribal employees meeting in Bismarck to participate in the Annual Tribal Leaders Summit. The annual meeting serves as a forum to discuss timely issues impacting people in Tribal Nations across the Great Plans region. "The Annual Tribal Leaders Summit is an important gathering for North Dakota's tribes, tribal leaders and other state and local leaders" said Hoeven. "This meeting offers a strong platform to foster strong worki… Continue Reading
09.05.12
Hoeven, Dalrymple Working Together to Mitigate Ice Jams, Flooding Ahead of Winter
BISMARCK, N.D. -Senator John Hoeven today hosted a meeting of federal, local and state leaders, including Governor Jack Dalrymple, to update the community on efforts to identify and mitigate if necessary existing problem points on the Missouri River that could cause ice jams and lead to flooding this winter. Hoeven and Dalrymple said last year's record flooding significantly altered the river channel and left large deposits of sand south of Bismarck-Mandan, posing a risk to communities bordering… Continue Reading
09.04.12
Hoeven, State, Guard Leaders Welcome Arrival of New UH-72A Lakota Helicopters
BISMARCK, N.D. - Senator John Hoeven and state and National Guard Leaders today welcomed the arrival of four new UH-72A Lakota Helicopters, light utility aircraft that will add to the North Dakota National Guard's fleet and enhance its ability to respond in a flexible and timely way to floods, fires and other civil support needs in the state. Congress approved $250 million for the Lakota program in Fiscal Year 2012 and the Senate Appropriations Committee, on which Hoeven serves, recently recomm… Continue Reading
08.31.12
Hoeven Calls on USDA Risk Management to Adhere to New Preventive Plant Eligibility Rules
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven today called on Risk Management Agency Administrator William Murphy to honor the terms of the revised rules for Prevented Planting that the agency implemented last year to make the program more flexible for North Dakota farmers in flood-impacted areas of the state. The senator last year had urged the administrator to adjust the policy, considering the severity of flooding statewide. In June of 2011 Murphy announced a change in qualification requirements for farm… Continue Reading
08.30.12
Delegation Calls for Military Academy Applications
Washington - Senators Kent Conrad and John Hoeven and Congressman Rick Berg announced today they are currently accepting applications from North Dakota students interested in serving their country by attending one of the nation's military service academies. "The opportunity to attend one of our nation's prestigious military institutions allows students the chance to serve their country while receiving a world-class education," the delegation said in a joint statement. "We encourage all young No… Continue Reading
08.30.12
Delegation Announces $1 Million Grant to Help Tribes Implement Programs to Protect Communities Against Sex Offenders
WASHINGTON - Senators John Hoeven and Kent Conrad and Congressman Rick Berg announced today that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has awarded four federal grants totaling more than $1 million to assist North Dakota tribes in efforts to develop and enhance sex offender registration and notification programs that comply with the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA) of 2006. "Protecting the public from convicted sex offenders and offenders against children is a top priority f… Continue Reading
08.29.12
Delegation Announces $11.6 Million to Improve Infrastructure at State Airports
WASHINGTON - Senators John Hoeven and Kent Conrad and Congressman Rick Berg announced today that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has awarded federal grants totaling more than $11.6 million for construction projects at Minot International and Mandan Municipal airports. "North Dakota's airports serve an important role in our state," the delegation said in a joint statement. "The DOT Grants awarded to Minot and Mandan will help improve and maintain these airports so they can continue p… Continue Reading
08.29.12
FEMA Approves Temporary Housing Extension in Minot
BISMARCK, N.D. - Gov. Jack Dalrymple, Sen. Kent Conrad, Sen. John Hoeven and Congressman Rick Berg today announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has approved Dalrymple's request to extend by six months the agency's temporary housing program for Ward County residents who were displaced by last year's historic Mouse River flood. On Aug. 1, Dalrymple sent a letter to FEMA Regional Director Robin Finegan, requesting the six-month housing extension, and the state's congressiona… Continue Reading
08.28.12
Hoeven Warns of Legal Action if Corps Proceeds with Plan to Charge For Missouri River Water
BISMARCK, N.D. - Senator John Hoeven today provided testimony at a public meeting in Bismarck of the Army Corps of Engineers, saying that he will fight aggressively their decision to move forward with plans to charge North Dakota businesses, farmers, ranchers and tribes for access to Missouri River water. The Corps has announced it will begin the rule making process to establish "a fair and equitable pricing methodology" for determining what it will charge residents and businesses. In exchange … Continue Reading
08.24.12
Hoeven Announces Agenda for the State of Technology Conference in Fargo
FARGO, N.D. - Senator John Hoeven today announced the agenda for The State of Technology: The Next Generation of Jobs in North Dakota, a business technology conference featuring keynote addresses by Doug Burgum, founder of Great Plains Software, and Google executive Jeff Davis. The conference will be held September 6, 2012 at the Holiday Inn of Fargo. Hoeven and the Fargo Moorhead West Fargo Chamber of Commerce are hosting the forum to highlight technological innovations in North Dakota's key in… Continue Reading
08.23.12
Hoeven: Romney Energy Independence Plan a Path to Jobs, A Vibrant Economy and a Brighter Future for America
WASHINGTON - Senator John Hoeven today issued the following statement in response to Gov. Mitt Romney's Energy Independence plan for America: "Governor Mitt Romney's true all-of-the-above Energy Independence plan blazes a path to jobs, a vibrant economy and a brighter future for America. By empowering states to regulate their own resources with good environmental stewardship and promoting development of all of our resources, his plan will unleash the enormous energy potential not only of the Un… Continue Reading
08.23.12
Hoeven: New $109 Million Minot Retail and Housing Development Project Important Milestone for City
MINOT, N.D. - U.S. Senator John Hoeven, along with city and state leaders, today participated in a groundbreaking ceremony to mark construction of a new residential and commercial development project, known as the Southgate Addition, in Minot. The new project will develop a hotel, 70 extended stay housing units, 371 multi-family residential units and a 180,000-square-foot retail center. The project will cost an estimated $109 million and is expected to be completed by the fall of 2013. "Today's… Continue Reading
08.23.12
Hoeven: Corps $2 Million Infrastructure Award Helping to Rebuild Minot
MINOT, N.D. - U.S. Senator John Hoeven today said the $1.9 million Section 594 grant allocated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to Minot will help to restore essential sanitary sewer infrastructure after last year's devastating flooding. The city's phased project to expand and extend its sewer system on the south side is a key component in the effort to develop new housing in the wake of the flood. "We are rebuilding our city, piece by piece, project by project, house by house," Hoeven said.… Continue Reading
08.23.12
Hoeven Presses FEMA for Infrastructure Upgrades to Virgil Workman Housing Site, Timely Determination on Flood Map
MINOT, N.D. - Senator John Hoeven today said he's working with Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers officials to upgrade infrastructure at the Virgil Workman temporary housing site to accommodate permanent residences, as well as to donate temporary housing units to the community. Hoeven said the move would help residents transition to secure, permanent housing and, at the same time, save taxpayer dollars as opposed to removing the existing system. The senat… Continue Reading
08.23.12
Hoeven, Minot State Leaders Dedicate $13 Million State-of-the-Art Wellness Center at University
MINOT, N.D. - Senator John Hoeven, along with Minot State University (MSU) leaders and students, today dedicated a new, 60,000-square-foot, $12.8 million Student Wellness Center at the university. Hoeven said the facility, which was funded primarily by student fees, is an investment that will help attract future students, grow the university's health education programs and encourage students to maintain healthy lifestyles. Also attending the ceremony were Minot State University President David … Continue Reading
08.23.12
Hoeven Joins Minot Community to Break Ground on New Ramstad Middle School
MINOT, N.D. - U.S. Senator John Hoeven, along with Minot Mayor Curt Zimbelman, Superintendent Mark Vollmer and school officials, today broke ground for the new Erik Ramstad Middle School in Minot. Hoeven has been working with federal, state, local and school officials to secure federal funding to replace Ramstad Middle School and other facilities damaged during the 2011 Souris River flood. The Minot School District has received more than $49.5 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA… Continue Reading
08.20.12
Delegation: FEMA Expects to Approve Request for Temporary Housing Program Extension, Housing Donations
WASHINGTON - Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Craig Fugate today assured Senators John Hoeven and Kent Conrad and Congressman Rick Berg that the agency plans to approve the state's request for a six-month extension of the temporary housing program provided to Minot-area residents displaced by last year's flooding. In a conference call with the delegation today, Administrator Fugate also said FEMA is working with the state to develop a policy enabling residents to purchas… Continue Reading